The Argumentative Essay

What exactly is an Argument? An argument involves the process of establishing a claim and then proving it with the use of logical reasoning, examples, and research.

Douglass on Women’s Suffrage I Have a Dream Christmas Article from Biblical Allusion… Middle School “Remarks at the Dedication of the Aerospace Medical Health Center” b JFK Argument, claim, support, reasons, evidence, counterarguments, evaluate…

Freestyle, informal debate Women have the same opportunities in life as men Is technology restricting human imagination? Legalizing abortion- NY overturning up to birth for abortion Split in two sides- research articles for your position. Find your evidence!

What is an Argumentative or Argument Essay? The purpose of an argumentative essay is to present well-reasoned conclusions in order to persuade the audience to accept or at least seriously consider a point of view.

The aim of writing argumentative essays To convince or persuade the reader. One attempts to change the reader’s mind and convince the reader to agree with the point of view or claim of the writer.

Key terms to learn before writing an argumentative essay Claim- Your basic belief about a particular topic, issue, event, or idea Counterclaim- A solid and reasonable argument that opposes or disagrees with your claim Rebuttal- A written or verbal response to a counterclaim. The object of the rebuttal is to take into account the ideas presented in the counterclaim and explain why they aren’t persuasive enough, valid enough, or important enough to outweigh your own claim. Support- Your specific facts or specific evidence used to support why your claim is true Refute- Argue against a position or prove it to be wrong Qualify- A “partly-agree” stance in which you agree (in part) with another persons’ argument or position but also disagree with part of it

Differences? An argumentative essay A persuasive essay Makes claims based on factual evidence Makes counter-claims. The author takes opposing views into account. Neutralizes or “defeats” serious opposing ideas Convinces audience through the merit and reasonableness of the claims and proofs offered May make claims based on opinion May not take opposing ideas into account Persuades by appealing to the audience’s emotion or by relying on the character or credentials of the writer- less on the merits of

Elements of Argumentation Counterargument/Counterclaim The counterargument/counterclaim is an argument that stands in opposition to your argument/claim. The counterargument/counterclaim is your opponent’s (the other side’s) argument that tries to explain why you are wrong.

How to write argumentative essays Choosing a topic and writing the thesis statement Decide on a controversial topic (debatable and interesting). Write an argumentative thesis statement. Generate ideas (free writing or brainstorming).

When Supporting your Argument One important concern in writing an argumentative essay is to strengthen your argument. To do this, you need to base your argument on sound evidence. In supporting your argument, the evidence that you include can be: Facts: data that have been objectively proven and are generally accepted (such as historical facts, scientific data, statistics etc.) Examples: should be sufficient number of examples to prove the case. Support from authority Opinions of experts

The Role of Your Audience Understanding your audience is key to effective writing of all kinds, especially argumentative writing. An argument is an implicit dialogue or exchange with your audience, so in writing arguments, assume there is a reader that will not agree with you. Audience awareness is absolutely essential to successful argument; therefore… Know your audience What is their position on the issue? How strongly do they feel about it? Are they open-minded enough to consider other views? What will their objections be to your argument? You can overcome fair representations of your opponents’ views by giving a well-developed “yes, but . . .” response.

Do not be rude! You should make sure that you reach your audience without offending them! Use tactful and courteous language Avoid sweeping statements like ‘’everybody knows’’ or ‘’people with any intelligence agree that’’.

Organize ideas into an outline

Useful sentences Yes ____, however ____ Although I agree up to a point, I still insist . . . (59). “I agree” that ____, but I cannot agree that ____.” X is right that ______, but she claims that ____ (60). I agree that ______ because my experience [of] ________ confirms it (57).

Practice Invent an argument statement for an audience Topic: pet ownership Audiences: Middle-class elementary school-age kids 25-y.o. Indian women in Seattle Dog show enthusiasts What might each group care about? Already know? Need to know? What points could you make about owning a pet?

Practice Women’s Suffrage article by Douglass (as a class)

Hwmk: Choose from this list. Read online AND complete the online interactive map. Print out your completed map. All online

In Conclusion Have a point to your argument—make your own decisions about your topic Identify your audience Explain what “They” say about your topic Respond to what “They” say with your argument Address potential objections with respect Show why your audience should care

Strong thesis: expresses a clear position Can be supported w/ reasons + evidence Describes supporting reasons w/out listing them Refers to the prompt

APA vs. MLA format! Owl.purdue

LofF argumentative essay http://www.readwritethink.org/files/resources/interactives/persuasion_map/ Will help you organize online

Argumentation Essay Prompt Lord of the Flies Is human nature good or essentially evil? In the novel the Lord of the Flies author William Golding constantly has the reader questioning the true nature of humans-whether it is good or bad. Write an essay that discusses the idea that humans are essentially good or that humans are essentially bad. Choose one side and convince your audience (me) with two detailed examples from the text and two detailed examples from the last 50 years in history that humans are essentially good or that humans are essentially bad. Integrate one example from Kendra Cherry’s article, “The Old Age Debate of Nature vs. Nurture” https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-nature-versus-nurture-2795392 Entire assignment on handout