Argumentation Essay

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Argumentation Essay

• The Logic and Its Parts

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DO NOT

• Argue religious or moral arguments
• (10 commandments, or only God has the right to
  take a life or create a life)
• Include the words I think or I feel
• Just list ideas/facts without using transitions
  and check to make sure the ideas are linked to
  each other

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DO NOT

• Use inflammatory language.
• Any idiot knows or This is stupid.
• Use slang.
• Use contractions.
• Use abbreviations.
• Use clichés.
• Use you anywhere.

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DO NOT

• Use pathos exclusively (emotional appeal)
• Include irrelevant details
• Be repetitious
• Choose weak points to argue
• Forget to use spell check murderers
• Forget a clincher at the end of the conclusion
  paragraph

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DO NOT

• Begin any paragraph with as you can see from the
  above information
• Begin the conclusion with in conclusion
• Forget that transitions must be used throughout
  your essay --even in the introduction and
  conclusion
• Write from what you think or think you know
  -- this must be research based

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DO NOT

• Write solution paragraphs rather than argument
  paragraphs.
• Choose general points to argue points must be
  specific.
• Refer to your opponents only refer to the
  opposing viewpoints or arguments

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DO

• Use proper diction.
• NOT made a bill -- created, enacted a bill.
• Make your topic sentences clear and direct.
  State your main point.
• Write a concise, yet thorough, essay.
• Write a 2-3 page essay.

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Assignment 1

• Turn in your topic.
• Thesis statement (taken directly from
  argumentation topics page).
• Topic sentence from rebuttal paragraph (it has
  been argued).
• Topic sentence from support paragraph 1
  (paragraph 3-- your first support/reason for the
  thesis).
• Topic sentence from support paragraph 2
  (paragraph 4 -- your second support/reason for
  the thesis).

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Example

• Topic The Public School System.
• Thesis American public schools are successfully
  educating our children.
• Rebuttal It has been argued that private
  schools are doing a better job educating students
  than public schools.

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Example cont.

• Support 1 Students in the public schools are
  increasing their performance level as shown by
  higher grades on standardized tests.
• Support 2 According to the reported data, there
  have been positive behavioral changes in public
  school students.

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Introductions

• A good introductory paragraph serves a number of
  purposes
• Arouses the readers interest
• Introduces the topic
• Provides background information
• Directs the reader by inclusion of the thesis
  statement

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Introductions

• Just like introductions for other types of
  essays, an Argumentation Essay may be of any of
  the following types
• Current event
• Shocking data
• Anecdotal
• Personal experience
• Rhetorical questions
• Quotation
• Funnel (general to specific)

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Introductions should

• explain or define the issue/problem if
  appropriate (cloning).
• give historical/news background (Dolly the cloned
  sheep).
• include any noteworthy or shocking statistics.
• give progress of topic so far.
• explain the issue.

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Introductions should not

• Include information that belongs in the support
  paragraphs.
• Be just an anecdote or personal experience.
• Be repetitive, shallow or without substance.
• mundane, mediocre, or bland.
• short.

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Rebuttal Paragraph

• The paragraph in which the writer submits an
  opponents viewpoint and argues, rebuts, refutes,
  shoots down the opponents viewpoint with
  logical evidence, information, data, reasons to
  prove him/her wrong.

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Rebuttal Paragraph

• Must be a point that you have not chosen as your
  main arguments (paragraphs 3 and 4) or it would
  be repetitious.
• Must be written beginning with one of the
  problematizing phrases It has been argued
  that
• Do not refer to your opponents, just to their
  counterpoint.

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Rebuttal Paragraph

• The rebuttal cannot be just the inverse or
  antithesis of your thesis statement.
• Example
• Writers Thesis Gun control legislation must be
  enacted. Rebuttal cannot be It has been argued
  that gun control legislation should not be
  enacted.

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Rebuttal Paragraph

• It could be It has been argued that guns dont
  kill people, people with guns kill people.
  
• Or
• It has been argued that gun control laws already
  on the books have not been enforced, so why enact
  new laws?

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Rebuttal Paragraph

• Beware of inflammatory language.
• Any idiot knows...
• Youd have to be stupid to think
• My opponents, who must be without brains,
• Beware of circuitous reasoning.
• Not really shooting down your opponents
  argument -- just talking more about it and
  writing many empty statements that prove
  nothing.