ARGUMENT WRITING
NEW WORDS AND PHRASES
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT (BROAD STATEMENT)
THESIS STATEMENT (STATE YOUR CLAIM)
TOPIC SENTENCE (CONTROLLING IDEA)FOR EACH BODY PARAGRAPH
EVIDENCE-DETAILS, REASONS, EXAMPLES, FACTS
TRANSITION WORDS AND PHRASES
CITATIONS
COUNTERCLAIM
CONCLUSION
AN ARGUMENT ESSAY STATES A POSITION OR
CLAIM ABOUT AN ISSUE. THE WRITER SUPPORTS
THEIR CLAIM WITH CONVINCING EVIDENCE
AND REASONS.
DEFINITION
INTRODUCTION INCLUDES THE
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT WHICH
INTRODUCES THE ISSUE AND A CLEAR THESIS
STATEMENT WHICH PRESENTS THE WRITER’S
CLAIM ABOUT THE ISSUE
BODY PARAGRAPHS/SENTENCES
CONVINCING REASONS AND RELEVANT
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE ARGUMENT. EACH
BODY PARAGRAPH STARTS WITH A TOPIC
SENTENCE THAT SUPPORTS THE WRITER’S
CLAIM. POINT OUT WEAKNESSES IN OPPOSING
ARGUMENTS. TRANSITION WORDS/PHRASES-
CONNECT IDEAS.
CITATIONS-QUOTATIONS WITH QUOTATION
MARKS AND PAGE #’S IN PARENTHESES
CONCLUSION RESTATES THESIS AND
OFFERS A RECOMMENDATION.
SUMMARY STRUCTURE
B
M
E
INTRODUCTION
INCLUDES THE INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT WHICH INTRODUCES THE ISSUE AND A CLEAR THESIS
STATEMENT WHICH PRESENTS THE WRITER’S CLAIM ABOUT THE ISSUE
• INTRODUCES THE ISSUE.
• EX. A GROWING NUMBER OF SCHOOLS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES ARE CHANGING TO A YEAR ROUND SCHEDULE.
• PRESENTS THE WRITER’S CLAIM ABOUT THE ISSUE
• EX. YEAR ROUND SCHOOLING IS A GREAT IDEA.
• EX. YEAR ROUND SCHOOLING IS NOT A GOOD IDEA.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT THESIS STATEMENT
BODY PARAGRAPH/S
• THE BODY- PROVIDES CONVINCING REASONS AND RELEVANT EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THE ARGUMENT. EACH BODY PARAGRAPH STARTS WITH A TOPIC SENTENCE THAT SUPPORTS THE WRITER’S CLAIM. POINT OUT WEAKNESSES IN OPPOSING ARGUMENTS.
• TRANSITION WORDS/PHRASES- CONNECT IDEAS.
• CITATIONS-CITE YOUR SOURCE!
• QUOTATIONS WITH QUOTATION MARKS, AND
PAGE #’S IN PARENTHESES
STRONG TRANSITION WORDS AND PHRASES
BEGINNING TRANSITIONS- TO BEGIN,
MIDDLE TRANSITIONS-
ADDITION: IN ADDITION, FURTHERMORE, MOREOVER, ALSO
EXAMPLE: FOR EXAMPLE, FOR INSTANCE, THUS, IN OTHER WORDS, IN PARTICULAR
COUNTER ARGUE: ALTERNATIVELY, CONVERSELY, IN CONTRAST, ON ONE HAND, ON THE OTHER HAND, ON THE CONTRARY, YET
ENDING/SUMMARIZING TRANSITIONS: TO THIS END, IN SUMMARY, THEREFORE, AS A RESULT,
BUILD BACKGROUND
RESEARCH SEVERAL SOURCES
NEWS AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES
VIDEOS
STATISTICS
FOR EACH SOURCE, HIGHLIGHT PROS AND CONS IN TWO COLORS
RECORD PROS AND CONS ON GRAPHIC ORGANIZER
COMPLETE ARGUMENT OUTLINE
DRAFTING-TRANSITIONS
Beginning Transitions- To begin, Middle Transitions- Addition: in addition, furthermore, moreover, alsoExample: for example, for instance, thus, in other words, in particularCounter argue: alternatively, conversely, In contrast, on one hand, on the other hand, on the contrary, yetEnding/Summarizing Transitions: To this end, in summary, therefore, as a result,
DRAFTING-CITATIONS
•DRAFTING- CITING SOURCES
• ACCORDING TO THE HUFFINGTON POST ARTICLE TITLED, “SHOULD THE U.S. SWITCH TO YEAR-ROUND SCHOOLING?” AUTHOR MATTHEW LYNCH DISCUSSES HOW STUDENTS ARE AFFECTED BY THE SCHEDULE CHANGE.
CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH/SENTENCE
THE FIRST SENTENCE OF THE CONCLUSION RESTATES THE THESIS STATEMENT. A CONCLUSION SHOULD
ALSO OFFER THE READER WITH A RECOMMENDATION.
REVISE AND
EDIT
• MAKE SURE TO VARY TRANSITIONS
• SPELL CHECK
• INDENT EACH PARAGRAPH
FINAL DRAFT-TYPE IT UP!