Argument Essay

1
Argument Essay

• Take out a piece of paper and take notes

2
What is the argument essay?

• The purpose of the argument essay is to convince
  or persuade the audience to do something or think
  in a certain way.
• In it, you state a claim make clear what you are
  arguing for or against
• You must organize your reasons and supporting
  details in paragraphs

3
In an Argument Essay

• Use relevant information from the sources you
  studied (read about)to support your claim
•  Acknowledge and refute the counterclaim
  (counterargument)
•  Include direct quotes from sources

4

• State your claim (thesis) clearly.
• Include at least three strong reasons that
  support the claim.
• Support, or elaborate, each reason with facts,
  quotes and examples from the text.
• Anticipate possible counterclaims objections and
  acknowledge them
• Arrange your reasons in the most persuasive order
• Use persuasive but polite language
• End by summarizing your reasons and calling your
  audience to action.

5
What do we need to think about when writing an
effective Persuasive essay?

• Audience-Who is reading your essay
• Voice-Be polite
• Introduction
• Supporting Paragraphs
• Conclusion

6
Where do we begin?

• Read the topic
• Take a stance-choose a side
• Brainstorm the issue-organize your writing with a
  graphic organizer
• Have facts, quotes and supporting details to
  substantiate your claim (thesis).

7
Transitional Words/Phrases

• As you proceed through your text you need to use
  transitions and links for coherence.
• Readers expect to move with ease from one
  sentence to the other and from one paragraph to
  the next
• Your document must FLOW.

8
What is this?
9

• Why reference a grasshopper?
• Do not force readers to grapple with grasshopper
  prose, which jumps suddenly from one idea to
  another without obvious connections.
• Your paper needs to flow!

10

• Make your writing coherent, with all the parts
  connecting clearly to one another with
  transitional expressions, context links, and word
  links.

11

• Use connecting words like this, that, these, and
  those to refer to something mentioned at the end
  of the previous sentence or paragraph.

12
Transitional Expressions

• Adding an idea
• also, in addition, further , furthermore,
  moreover
• Contrasting
• however, nevertheless, nonetheless, on the other
  hand, in contrast, still, rather, conversely

• Showing time order
• later, subsequently, meanwhile, previously,
  finally
• Showing result
• consequently, therefore, thus, hence,
  accordingly, for this reason, as a result

13
More of the same

• Affirming
• of course, in fact, certainly, obviously, to be
  sure, undoubtedly, indeed
• Giving Examples
• for example, for instance

• Adding an aside
• Incidentally, by the way, besides
• Summarizing
• In short, generally, overall, all in all, in
  conclusion

14
Do not overuse transitions...

• Too many of them, used too often, give writing a
  heavy and mechanical flavor.
• It is all about the flow, organization, and
  integration of your paper.

15
The Prompt

• Research the pros and cons of youth sports. Now,
  imagine that your school district is going to
  make a final decision about continuing to fund
  sports programs in the schools. You have a chance
  to write a letter that will be read to the mayor,
  printed in the paper, or presented to the head of
  the school board or PTA.

16
The Directions

• Your letter should state a claim or thesis by
  taking a clear side, backing it up with research,
  and refuting the other side. Your job is to
  argue whether overall, sports are good or bad for
  kids. Letters are really just a form of essay, so
  use what you know about essay writing to
  structure your letter. Be sure to back up your
  claim with reasons and evidence, supported by
  facts and details from multiple sources you
  studied and analysis of those sources. Be sure to
  cite important references.

17
The Introduction

• For many young people in America, sports are
  their dreams and hopes. And this is not without
  reason. Research has shown that children who
  participate in athletics are happier and more
  goal-driven than their non-athletic peers. High
  school athletics are still a highly beneficial
  activity for young people everywhere, and this is
  why it is important for sports programs across
  the country to stay right where they are. Sports
  programs should be kept in high schools because
  they have a positive effect on academics, they
  improve determination, and they bring people
  together.

18
How to Write a Good Introduction

1. Do not assume your reader knows your assigned
   prompt/topic/question.
2. Provide context and background information to set
   up your topic. Lead readers to expect a
   statement of your point of view.

19

• Establish the tone from the onset of the paper
  Argumentative/Persuasive
• Engage the readers interest provide a hook
  (attention grabber) that will make the readers
  want to continue reading.

20
What to Avoid

1. Avoid becoming overly general and telling readers
   the obvious, such as Crime is a big problem or
   In this fast-paced world, TV is a popular form
   of entertainment.
2. Do not refer to your writing intentions In
   this essay, I will. Do not make extravagant
   claims, such as This essay will prove that
   bilingual education works for every student.
3. Do not restate the assigned essay question.

21
What is the Hook?

• Surprising statistics
• A concise quotation
• An unusual fact
• A relevant anecdote

• A challenging question
• Interesting background details
• An intriguing opinion statement.

22
Intro

• Hook
• Connecting sentence
• Thesis (claim)
• Three Reasons

23
Conclusion

• Think of your conclusion as completing a circle.

24

• You have taken your readers on a journey from
  the presentation of the topic in your
  introduction, to your thesis, to supporting
  evidence and discussion including specific
  examples.
• Remind readers the purpose of your journey.
  Recall the main idea of the paper and make a
  strong statement about it. Leave the readers
  feeling complete with a full understanding of the
  topic.

25
Key Points for a Conclusion

• Include a summary of the points you have made,
  but keep it short and use fresh wording.
• Frame your essay by reminding the reader of
  something you referred to in your introduction
  and by reminding the reader of your topic.

26

1. End on a strong note a quotation, a question, a
   suggestion, a reference to an anecdote in the
   introduction, a humorous and insightful comment,
   a call to action, or a look to the future.