Argumentative Writing

What is Argumentative Writing? Written to persuade the reader to adopt

your position, beliefs, or behavior Purpose is to convince the reader that

your opinion is correct Author assumes the reader already has

prior knowledge of the topicTherefore, do not devote large sections of

the essay to simply summarizing the topic, texts, or material.

Writing an Argumentative Essay Choose a topic that is:

1. Narrow and focused

2. Contains an argument

3. Can be adequately supported with evidence (outside sources, statistics, studies, news articles, etc.)

Narrow and Focused Make sure your thesis statement isn’t too

broad and unfocused.Zero in on a particular aspect of the media or text to

discuss in-depthBetter to focus on one aspect in-depth than to try to

cover a wide range of issues superficiallyExample:

“Language is important to humanity.” ○ Too general. “Written communication was essential in allowing humans

to evolve into a technologically advanced species.” ○ Focused on a particular aspect of language and how it

has impacted human life.

Contains an Argument Make sure your thesis statement takes a

clear standAvoid indecisivenessExample:

“We should learn Chinese or English.”○ Vague and indecisive. What is the position?

Which side is supported?“Although English is currently the international

language, Chinese is actually a more useful language to learn.”

○ A clear position is stated (in favor of learning Chinese).

Contains an Argument Make sure your thesis statement takes a

clear standAvoid expository writingExample:

“Steven Pinker says that language is a way of understanding human nature.”Merely expository/factual writing that gives the reader

information about Pinker’s speechFacts cannot be arguments

“Contrary to Pinker’s assertions, language is less a way of understanding human nature, and more a way of shaping human nature.”Takes a clear position of disagreement with Pinker’s

claim

Evidence Make sure your thesis statement can be

adequately supported with evidence (outside sources, statistics, studies, news articles, etc.)Avoid stating personal feelingsExample:

“I feel that Chinese is easier for me to learn than English.”○ Personal feelings cannot be supported with empirical

evidence“Although English is currently the international language,

Chinese is actually a more useful language to learn.”○ Can be substantiated using news and data, such as the

high population of Chinese speakers and the rise of China as a superpower

Court Room Argue like a lawyer presenting a case in a

court roomA lawyer would:

○ Take a clear position Ex. Either guilty or not guilty

○ Present concrete evidence Ex. DNA samples, studies, witnesses, interviews, etc.

A lawyer would NOT:○ Make an indecisive claim

“Maybe he’s guilty, maybe he’s not… I’m not sure… There’s no point in arguing…”

○ Build a case entirely on hypothetical scenarios or use examples from his/her personal life as evidence “The dog must not have bitten the plaintiff, because when I

was a child, I had a dog who was so friendly…”

Writing an Argumentative Essay Overall steps

1. Choose a topic

2. Consider both sides of the topic and take a position

3. Find evidence to support your position

4. Plan your essay○ Consider making an outline to gain a clear

picture of how you will structure your essay and how you will incorporate the evidence

5. Write your essay

Template Introduction

Thesis statement (clearly stated in 1-3 sentences at the end of the introductory paragraph)

Body My thesis statement is correct because of [cited quotation/paraphrase

from Example #1]. Example #1 supports my thesis statement in the following ways: x, y, z…

My thesis statement is correct because of [cited quotation/paraphrase from Example #2]. Example #2 supports my thesis statement in the following ways: x, y, z…

Counterarguments: Some people do not agree with my thesis statement. For example, [opponent] claims that [cited quotation/paraphrase from opponent]. However, [cited quotation/paraphrase from opponent] is incorrect in the following ways: x, y, z…

Conclusion Re-establishes the main points of your argument Brings essay to a feeling of closure