WRITING AN ARGUMENTATIVE
ESSAY
Essay 1
PERSUASION/ARGUMENT
• PERSUASION- REFERS TO THE VARIOUS WAYS THAT AUTHORS ENCOURAGE READERS TO ACCEPT THEIR POSITION
• ARGUMENT-REFERS TO THE USE OF LOGIC AND EVIDENCE TO CONVINCE READERS
CHOOSING A DEBATABLE TOPIC
• PEOPLE MUST DISAGREE ABOUT YOUR TOPIC TO MAKE IT DEBATABLE!!
• A FACTUAL STATEMENT IS ONE ABOUT WHICH PEOPLE DO NOT DISAGREE, AND ARE NOT SUITED FOR AN ARGUMENT PAPER.
• FACTUAL STATEMENT:
• MANY COUNTRIES HOLD POLITICAL PRISONERS.
• DEBATABLE TOPIC:• THE UNITED STATES SHOULD
NOT TRADE WITH COUNTRIES THAT HOLD POLITICAL PRISONERS.
• FACT: First-year students are not required to purchase a meal plan from the university.
• DEBATABLE TOPIC: First-year students SHOULD be required to purchase a meal plan from the university.
ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS
• A THESIS THAT ASSERTS OR DENIES SOMETHING ABOUT YOUR TOPIC.
• THESIS STATEMENT MUST TAKE A STRONG STAND.
ANTITHESIS
• A STATEMENT THAT TAKES AN ARGUABLE POSITION OPPOSITE YOURS.
• THESIS: TERM LIMITS WOULD IMPROVE GOVERNMENT BY BRINGING PEOPLE WITH FRESH IDEAS INTO OFFICE EVERY FEW YEARS.
• ANTITHESIS: TERM LIMITS WOULD HARM GOVERNMENT BECAUSE ELECTED OFFICIALS WOULD ALWAYS BE INEXPERIENCED.
PRESENT SUPPORT
•EXAMPLES
•STATISTICS
•EXPERT OPINION
AVOID VAGUE LANGUAGE
• VAGUE--Censorship of the Internet would be wrong.
• CLEARER--Censorship of the Internet would unfairly limit free speech.
HURRAY!! NOW LET’S WRITE OUR ESSAY!!!
• ANY QUESTIONS?????????????