Argumentative Essay

1. ArgumentativeEssay ESL 015 Wayne Cheek

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4. Question • What do the wedding invitation and the help-wanted ads have in common? • Both are ways we use to accomplish some purpose through the written word, through texts.

5. genre • … is the term we use to indicate the categories we place texts into. • Because the texts in each of these categories have many things in common (remember the want-ads?), understanding the categories enables us to quickly respond to situations that regularly occur. • The genre we want to talk about today is the argumentative genre, sometimes called the persuasive.

6. Video introduction to definition of an Argument? DIRECTIONS • During the skit, listen for the definition of Argument (one actor mentions three things and the other actor mentions one thing) and make notes about it. • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y&feature=player_embedded

7. What is an Argument (according to the skit)? Man: An argument isn't just contradiction. Opponent: It can be. Man: No it can't. An argument is a connected series of statements intended to establish a proposition. Opponent: No it isn't. Man: Yes it is! It's not just contradiction. Opponent: Look, if I argue with you, I must take up a contrary position. Man: Yes, but that's not just saying 'No it isn't.' Opponent: Yes it is! Man: No it isn't! Man: Argument is an intellectual process. Contradiction is just the automatic gainsayingof any statement the other person makes.

8. STRUCTURE OF AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

9. Overview • In an argumentative essay the primary objective is to convince others that our point of view is the correct one . . . • . . . so we need to take a clear position on an issue that is arguable . . . • . . . present our supporting ideas (the PROS) . . . • . . . acknowledge the opposing ideas (the CONS) . . . • . . . refute them . . . • . . . and end in a convincing manner.

10. Overview (cont’d) • And that’s not always easy to do. • In fact, just selecting a topic that is arguable may just be the most difficult part of the essay.

11. Selecting an Arguable Topic Arguable topics should… • be narrow (be specific about your position!) • be one that can be properly supported (with statistics, outside source citations, etc.) • contain an “argument” that others might disagree with (it shouldn’t be merely presenting a problem or a fact) • Example: “Non-native speakers of English cannot succeed in an American University.”

12. Possible Arguable Topics? A B • Marijuana should be considered legal. • No. Not a good topic because it is too general. • Selling and using marijuana in public places should be considered illegal. • Yes. An argumentation topic should be narrow.

13. What About These? A B • Those who are under the age of 30 and desire a healthy life should definitely get a bicycle instead of a car. • No. An arguable topic should contain an “argument.” • We should decide whether we want a bicycle or a car. • No. The position is not clear – do you support using bicycles or cars?

14. Or This One? A B • I feel that writing an argumentative essay is definitely a challenging task. • No. Feelings cannot be supported properly in an argumentation. • An argumentation topic should be one that can be properly supported (with statistics, outside source citations, etc.).

15. Main Elements of an Argumentative Essay (#1) • Introduction • (including the Thesis and Context) • Body • Your Arguments • Opposing Arguments • Refutation • Conclusion

16. Main Elements of an Argumentative Essay (#2) • Introduction • (including the Thesis and Context) • Body • Opposing Arguments + Refutations • Your Arguments • Conclusion

17. Main Elements of an Argumentative Essay (#3) • Introduction • (including the Thesis and Context) • Body • Opposing Argument + Refutation • Opposing Argument + Refutation • Opposing Argument + Refutation • Conclusion

18. Introduction Tell your readers why they should care. Give the context. End your introduction with your thesis . . . . . . which is your claim or proposition regarding an issue. Your thesis should be specific . . . . . . and arguable (which means that you would expect a reasonable person to disagree with it).

19. CONTEXT . . . is the background, framework, or setting about the issue your paper deals with. It will vary in size and scope depending on your target audience and the length of your paper. The overall context can be given in the introduction, before the thesis. When you need to provide a more detailed context, it can interspersed among the body paragraphs.

20. Supporting Your Thesis • You must have current, well-articulated supporting evidences for your thesis. • The topic sentences of your supporting evidences should directly support the thesis, and your supporting details should directly support your topic sentences. • Be aware of the format – from general to specific: • Thesis  topic sentences  supporting details Tell  Show Tell  Show

21. Don’t • Use feelings or emotional arguments (it makes one feel much better). • Use irrelevant examples (he would then be able to take his girlfriend to expensive restaurants). • Use oversimplification (only then would he understand what it means to be an adult). • Use hasty generalizations (it is a widely known fact that all adolescents look forward to earning money). • Use unreliable, even false, outside sources (according to www.doubtme.com, 80% of working men wish they had quit school and started working at an earlier age).

22. Opposing Arguments • Contrary consideration, counter-arguments • Put yourself in the place of those who might disagree with your thesis or your supporting arguments • Present the strongest objections you can think of– and then respond to them convincingly later • If you don’t have an effective responses, or find that a counter-argument is better than your initial argument, make revisions or add some qualifications to your original thesis or arguments

23. Refutation • . . . are answers to opposing arguments. • Before saying that the opposing arguments are wrong, we should specify them. • We need to understand the opposing arguments before we can properly refute them. • There are several ways we can respond to opposing arguments: • We can completely disagree. • We can say that their argument is irrelevant to the topic • Or we can acknowledge that to a certain extent an opposing argument is right but then prove that it is not powerful enough, and it doesn’t really undermine your own argument. • For example – Thesis: Brown is an excellent military general. • Objection: He is an alcoholic, and this fact is supported by several eyewitness accounts of his drunkenness . • Refutation: Yes, he did have alcohol problems, but only during military inactivity, so it didn’t affect his military leadership.

24. THESIS: Use Reiki Instead of Taking Medicine

25. Conclusion • Wraps up what you have been discussing. • In a general way, use it to . . . • . . . restate your topic and why it is important . . . • . . . restate your thesis/claim . . . • . . . and address opposing viewpoints and explain why readers should accept your view of the topic. • It may also call for action or give an overview possible future research.

26. Recap How is an Argumentative Essay organized? • Introduction • (including the Thesis and Context) • Body • Your Arguments • Opposing Arguments • Refutation • Conclusion

27. References • http://www.eslweb.org/resources/index.php?topic=1035.0 • http://www.eslweb.org/resources/index.php?topic=1670.0 • http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/724/1/ • http://uwp.duke.edu/writing-studio • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQFKtI6gn9Y&feature=player_embedded • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc