Controversial
Issues
Topics for your Argument
ESSAY
Illegal Immigration
 Should illegal immigrants who are
currently living and working in this state,
be granted legal status?
 Should children of illegal immigrants be
given automatic citizenship if they are
born in the United States?
Illegal Immigration
Should the children of illegal immigrants
who came here with their parents be
granted the right to apply for financial aid
and student loans, just like other
students?
Environmental Issues
Should people boycott SUV’s and other
large gas-guzzlers in favor or hybrid
vehicles and smaller cars that get better
gas mileage?
Should we raise taxes on items like soda,
candy, and cigarettes to help raise muchneeded money for our state services?
Right to Die
Should California Law allow a terminally ill
person to commit suicide with a doctor’s
assistance?
Should next-of-kin be given the right to end
life-support for a family member who has
been declared to be medically brain dead
or in a vegetative state?
Violence in the Media
 Should certain violent/sexually explicit
video games like “Grand Theft Auto”
come with an “X” rating?
 Are video games harmful to the
developing minds of young children?
Medical Ethics
 Should people have the right to sell their
organs for cash? (a kidney, an eye, etc.)
 Does all research involving animal
experimentation require strong moral
justification?
Media
 Are social networking websites a waste
of time?
 Should children under a certain age be
allowed to own a cell phone?
Civil Rights
 Should homosexuals be granted the right
to legal marriage in the state of
California?
 Should homosexuals be allowed to adopt
children through public/state adoption
agencies?
Affirmative Action
 Should colleges and universities make
special allowances for students based on
ethnicity and income?
 Should the state continue to fund college
programs like EOPS? (EOPS offers
counseling, free textbooks, grants and
loans to qualifying minority students)
Education
 Should public high schools continue to
offer “Sex Ed” classes?
 Should public high schools teach
abstinence-only in Sex Ed classes?
 Should all public high school students be
required to take an exit exam?
Education
 Should all public school teachers be
evaluated based on their students’ test
scores?
 Should high school students be required
to take an exit exam?
 Should public school students be
required to wear uniforms?
 Do public schools have the right to give
random drug tests to any/all students?
Steps to Writing the Paper
 Choose a compelling topic—one that you
really care about.
 List potential subjects
EDUCATION
ANIMAL WELFARE
MEDIA
RELIGION
Choose a Topic; Narrow
your Focus
EDUCATION
--SCHOOL VOUCHERS?
--EXIT EXAM?
--DRUG TESTING
--HOME SCHOOLING?
Create a debatable
question:
 Should we support the idea of “school
vouchers” to make money available if we
decide to send our children to a private
school?
 Is home-schooling a good alternative to
public schools?
Research Your Question:
 Is home-schooling a good alternative to
public schools?
YES
NO
Flexible schedule
Still follows curriculum
Field opportunities
Research opportunities
Can focus on interests
Parents can be very
good teachers
Most people aren’t self-disciplined
Parents aren’t always well-trained
Children need a break from parents
Not enough social interaction
Can’t study well at home
Students won’t learn the same
materials
Won’t be prepared for college
Choose a position. Write your
thesis.
 Is home-schooling a good alternative to public
schools?
Thesis:
In most cases, home-schooling is NOT a good
alternative to public school: parents often don’t
make the best teachers, students often lack
self-discipline, and standards are not
consistent.
Write the Outline
 I. INTRODUCTION
--background on topic
--Question/ Thesis
BODY
II. --First Reason
--Counterargument
--Rebuttal
III. --Second Reason
--Counter-argument
--Rebuttal
IV. --Third Reason
--Counterargument
--Rebuttal
 Conclusion
--additional example?
--restate main reasons
--final thought/ quote
WORKS CITED PAGE
Address the
Counterarguments!
Example:
Most students are not disciplined
enough to study at home. Most students
would be distracted at home. Granted,
some rare students would do well at
home, but the MAJORITY of students
need structure and a school setting.
Counterarguments:
 EXAMPLE:
While it is true that many parents
would be well-qualified teachers, many
parents would not do well as their own
child’s teacher. Children don’t always
listen to parents the same way they listen
to a stranger. Also, sometimes the
presence of a principal helps to keep kids
focused.
So what is a
counterargument?
--A counterargument anticipates your
opponents objections and includes
them in your paper.
--A counterargument means taking the
offensive.
--A counterargument acknowledges
the strengths of the other side.
--Not doing so makes you look like
biased or unaware.