Name_____________________________________________Date____________
Getting ready to Write:
Let’s Review:
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY ON NATURE VS NURTURE
Your task:
Write an argumentative essay, choosing a thesis, and supporting it with evidence from literary pieces presented.
Goal:
Understand what the nature–nurture debate is and why the problem fascinates us.
Understand why nature–nurture questions are difficult to study empirically.
Appreciate the complexities of nature–nurture and why questions that seem simple turn out not to have simple answers.
Overview:
Since time immemorial, there has been a constant struggle in determining the effects of nature and nurture on the personality of an individual. The
question whether genetics or environment help in the development of a person will remain one of the life’s most debatable issue. Nature supports
the idea that our character traits are influenced by genes and biological factors whereas nurture is of the opinion that the environment and
surroundings help in determining the personality of an individual.
NATURE AND NURTURE- THE MIDDLE PATH
Of course both the sides have enough arguments and evidence in their favor and both play a significant role. Both biology and environment
interact with one another intrinsically and are dependent on each other and in any person’s development, one has to take into consideration not
only the genetic dispositions but also the environmental factors that trigger a particular state within an individual.
But the question is which is more important? And what are the effects of nature vs. nurture on specific traits such as success, intelligence,
and character? What do YOU think??
Name_____________________________________________Date____________
Which articles did we read?
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Author___________________________ Point of article___________________
1.Nature vs. Nurture (Introduction)
2. The History of Twins
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3. Three Identical Strangers
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4. Mirror Image
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5. The Genius in All of Us (Suzuki)
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6. Holocaust Memorial Day
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7. 2-wins
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8. Flowers for Algernon
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These are the articles from which you will draw your citations.
Great news: You may also use quotable quotes that are appropriate.
EXTRA CREDIT FOR EVERY VOCABULARY WORD YOU USE CORRECTLY (not in a quote from the article)
Your thesis statement: (This will go in your introductory paragraph. Make a claim about Nature vs. Nurture.)
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INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH
Start with a hook.
THE HOOK (for essays and speeches)
It can be difficult to get your audience to KEEP READING or LISTENING because so many people have short attention spans. Without an
interesting hook, you can lose your reader before the second paragraph. If the reader isn’t engaged in your writing, they aren’t going to finish it. A
good hook is key to nearly every essay you write, but maybe none more so than in the argumentative essay.
Writing involves being bold and striking out on your own. However, having said that, there are some methods for hooking a reader. Here are few
of the most common types of hooks:
Quote from Literature
Is there a piece of literature that influenced you or relates directly to your story?
Quote from a Famous Person
Has a famous person inspired you in some way?
Anecdote
No matter whether it’s funny or moving, starting your essay, right off the bat, with a brief anecdote from your story can be a great way to raise
questions in your reader that keep them reading until the end.
Question
If you have more of a direct style, you may choose to just present them with a question. Again, the search for the answer can keep the pages
turning.
Shocking Statement
If you want to be even more direct, try bypassing the questions and simply hitting your reader with the answer. The idea is to feed the reader a bit
of a shocking statement that motivates them to find out how you arrived at it.
Dialogue or Thought:
Invite your reader into the character’s world – similar to eavesdropping
Action Statement:
He grabbed the gun, jumped onto his horse, and rode off in a cloud of dust.
Dramatic Statement:
“It was a dark and stormy night.” (Cliché)
“The breeze blew through the window, ruffling the curtain over the dancing flame.”
Feeling Statement:
Share your feelings. “I wish I weren’t a short girl.” “I never believed I could climb the mountain.”
Humorous Statement:
But make sure it’s really funny or it will flop.
After your hook, you will write a transition to your thesis. (Bridge between hook and thesis). Thesis sentence comes last.
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH:
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BODY PARAGRAPHS
Use 2-3 paragraphs to prove your thesis.
You must use Text Evidence: Support your claim. Use the ICE technique:
1. Introduce (who said the words taken from the text? What are their credentials? When was it said? What does the quote refer to?etc.)
2. Cite (Quote the words, completely, accurately, specifically)
3. Explain (Why did you choose this quote? What does it mean? etc.)
BODY PARAGRAPH ONE: Claim (Introduce with author’s name and title of article and use Citation):
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How does this support your claim? (Explain)
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BODY PARAGRAPH TWO: Claim (Introduce with author’s name and title of article and use Citation):
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How does this support your claim?
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You can write additional paragraphs to support your claim if you wish.
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In the next paragraph present a counter claim and offer a refutation.
COUNTER CLAIM (Use Citation):
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Refutation: (Argue that the counterclaim you just mentioned is false because….)
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And, at last, the conclusion:
A conclusion is what you will leave with your reader. It “wraps up” your essay and demonstrates to the reader or listener that you accomplished
what you set out to do and provide them with a sense of closure on the topic.
Conclude an essay or speech with one or more of the following:
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Refer back to your hook.
Ask a thinking question.
Use a quotation.
Evoke a vivid image.
Call for some sort of action.
End with a warning.
Universalize (compare to other situations).
Suggest results or consequences.
There are those pieces which seem to go nowhere and just end without that feeling of closure. Conclusions can be a challenge even for the most gifted
writers. To create a good ending for your narrative essay you can try the following steps:
Reflect on what you learned: Analyze the story’s significance: Use Emotions. Present the moral. What was the point?
Your conclusion:
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And now, it is time to write your rough draft.
Think of a clever title.
Write up the essay on lined paper, skipping every other line.
Thank you for working so hard on this essay! Next steps will be editing, peer review, and final draft.
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Quotable Quote: "Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration."
-- Thomas Edison