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WORLD’S #1 ACADEMIC OUTLINE
A B A S I C G U I D E T O W R I T I N G T H E A R G U M E N TAT I V E O R P E R S U A S I V E E S S AY
SIX EVIDENCES OF
ARGUABLE
UNDERSTANDING ARGUMENT
A GOOD ARGUMENT
ISSUES
AND THE WRITING PROCESS
A. Has a strong foundation in correspondence; has factual A. Are issues compelling?
support
1. Is arguer enthusiastic?
WHAT IS AN ARGUMENTATIVE
B. Has a high degree of coherence, or internal consistency;
2. Is audience enthusiastic?
OR PERSUASIVE ESSAY?
A. Attempts to present different sides of a chosen topic
B. Attempts to convince audience:
1. To agree with facts
2. To share values
3. Accept arguments and conclusions
4. Adopt a way of thinking
C. Built around a specific statement (also known as a claim, thesis, or main
premise)
1. Is claim debatable within field of study?
2. Does essay support claim convincingly?
D. Debatable statements (also known as arguments, assertions, propositions,
premises) – other people may or may not agree with these statements
Example: The ozone layer is depleting rapidly and we can’t stop it
E. Non-debatable statements (also known as facts) – no one would
normally disagree or agree with these statements
Example: Inflation is not good for the economy
LOGIC IN ARGUMENT
A.
B.
C.
D.
Logic is prescriptive, that is, it tells us how to think
Logic offers basic rules for coming to correct conclusions in argument
Logic offers correctives to faulty thinking
Basic laws of reason
1. Law of Identity (LI): A = A – a particular object is precisely that
object
2. Law of Non-Contradiction (LNC): “A = not-A” – “A” cannot be
“not-A” in the same respect or same time
3. Law of Excluded Middle (LEM): “Either A or not-A” – If
something is true, this must exclude something (namely falsity)
E. Syllogistic logic
1. Deductive logic
a. General to particular
b. Cause to effect
c. Necessary conclusions
2. Inductive logic
a. Particular to general
b. Effect to cause
c. “Scientific” reasoning
d. Probable conclusions
3. Two types of syllogisms that form arguments and their fallacies
Fallacy of Affirming the Consequent
a. Modus Ponens (MP)
1) If P, then Q
1) If P, then Q
2) Q
2) P
3) Therefore, Q
3) Therefore, P
NOTE: In light of MP, in the Fallacy of Affirming the Consequent, Q is
affirmed whereas it is the antecedent P that should be affirmed.
Example: If I am in New Delhi (P), then I am in India (Q).
I am in India (Q). Therefore, I am in New Delhi (P).
b. Modus Tollens (MT)
Fallacy of Denying the Antecedent
1) If P, then Q
1) If P, then Q
2) Not Q
2) Not P
3) Therefore, not P
3) Therefore, not Q
NOTE: In light of MT, in the Fallacy of Denying the Antecedent, the
antecedent P is denied, when it is the consequent Q that is denied
Example: Jesus was either a liar, a lunatic, or Lord. Jesus is neither
a liar or a lunatic. Therefore, Jesus is Lord.
F. Sufficient and necessary conditions for argument
Sufficient Condition
Necessary Condition
•P ensures or is adequate for Q
• P essential to Q (without P, Q can’t
•Terms used: “If, in case, happen)
given that”
• “Only if, entails that, implies that”
•Example: “If something is directly •“Only if space and time exist can
observable, then science is being movement take place”
practiced”
• To refute the claim that something
•To refute the claim that something is a thing is a necessary condition,
is a sufficient condition, give an give an example in which Q can be
example in which P is true and Q is true without P
false
a logically contradictory system cannot be true
C. Has explanatory power
D. Avoids two extremes; neither too simple nor too
complex
E. Established not only by one line of evidence, or by one
knock-out argument, but by the cumulative evidence of
converging lines from several sources of data
F. Not complete in and of itself until it is implicitly, or
explicitly, able to refute contrary arguments
TYPES OF ARGUMENT
A. Debate
1. Two sides argue an issue
2. Best presented argument is judged winner
B. Trial
1. Defense and prosecution present argument to
judge/jury
2. Judge/jury decides who wins argument with a
verdict
C. Dialectic
1. Opposing views are considered in an issue
2. Two or more people argue issue
3. Questions are raised to test strength of opposing views
4. Attempt to establish common ground in argument
5. Attempt to discover new ground by both sides
D. Single arguer
1. Single arguer attempts to convince an audience
2. Claim presented, opposing views confronted
3. Outcome uncertain
E. One-on-one
1. Single arguer attempts to convince another person
2. Arguer looks for common ground with person
3. One winner, one loser
F. Academic investigation
1. Complex issue examined
2. Search for undiscovered knowledge and truth
G. Negotiation – two or more people argue to reach
consensus
WHAT ARGUMENT REQUIRES
A. Arguable Issue
1. Central focus on issue not yet settled
2. Potential for at least two or more views
B. Arguer
1. Takes a position on an issue
2. States claim, defends claim
3. States counter-claim(s), offers rebuttal
4. Summary conclusion, restates claim
C. Audience
1. Open to arguer’s claim and defense
2. Willing to listen
3. Willing to withhold judgment until arguer finishes
4. Willing to participate respectfully if required
D. Common ground
1. What do audience and arguer have in common?
2. What do opposing views have in common?
3. Serves as foundation for opposing viewpoints
E. Forum
1. Safe environment in which to argue
2. Arguer and audience feel comfortable to contribute
3. Often judge, moderator, or mediator controls or
contributes
F. Audience outcomes
1. Feedback from audience
a. Complete agreement, no argument
b. Total disagreement, no common ground, no
argument
c. Common ground, argument possible
2. Delayed feedback from audience (i.e. survey, poll,
etc.)
3. No audience participation
1
B. Issues ripped from the headlines
Examples: Was there prison
abuse in Iraq? What caused the
shuttle accident?
Should the press secretary
resign?
C. Issues related to historical or
ongoing topics
Examples: Were Lewis and
Clark really all that successful?
What to do with deforestation?
D. Hidden issues uncovered and
exposed
Examples: Rescuing Argentina’s
children of the street?
Are casinos rigged for profit?
E. Issues argued to conclusion,
present claims untested
Examples: Who are pro-choice
advocates today?
Will marijuana legalized prevent
its abuse?
READING
ARGUMENTATIVE
MATERIAL
A. Before reading
1. Scan the title, first paragraph,
conclusion
2. One paragraph summary of
material
3. What is your immediate opinion
regarding the material?
4. Write the paper’s claim and
counter-claim
B. Begin reading
1. Read through material once
2. Read through material again,
make marginal notes
3. Identify key words and phrases
4. What is the common ground?
C. For complex reading
1. Read through without complete
comprehension once
2. Read through again, recording
complex terms/phrases
3. Use dictionary to define and
understand terms/phrases
4. Read through again and attempt
to summarize material
D. When reading is complete
1. Do you understand? If not,
perhaps more background is
necessary
2. How is argument constructed?
3. Write your position on
material
4. Compare your
position to others
5. Gather additional
material
WRITING YOUR OWN ARGUMENT
A. Before you write
1. Get organized
2. Create a timeline and a schedule for writing
3. What is your argument going to be? Explore material
4. Analyze the rhetorical situation
5. Focus and freewrite
6. Brainstorm, make lists, map ideas
7. Talk it through
8. Keep a journal, notebook, or folder of ideas
9. Mentally visualize major concepts
10. Do some directed reading and thinking
11. Use argument strategies
12. Use reading strategies
13. Use critical thinking prompts
14. Plan and conduct library research
15. Make an expanded list or outline
16. Talk it through again
B. Writing strategies
1. Write the first draft
2. Get ideas on paper
3. Use outline and notes to guide
4. Write and rewrite as you go
5. Or, write the draft quickly and rewrite later
C. Strategies when stuck
1. Read more and take more notes
2. Read your outline, rearrange parts, add more
information to it
3. Freewrite on the issue, read some more, freewrite
some more
4. Talk about your ideas with someone else
5. Lower your expectations for your first draft
D. Postwriting strategies
1. Read your draft critically
2. Have someone else read your draft
3. Put draft aside for 24 hours for fresh perspective
4. Rewrite and revise
5. Check your paper
6. Write the final title
7. Type or print paper
CRITICAL THINKING PROMPTS
A. Associate it
1. Consider other related issues
2. Associate your issue with familiar subjects
B. Describe it
1. Use detail
2. Make the description visual
C. Compare it
1. Compare it with things you know well
2. Compare what you once thought about the issue to
what you think now
3. Give reasons for a change of mind
D. Apply it
1. Show practical uses or applications
2. Show how it can be used in a specific setting
E. Divide it
1. Divide your issue into related issue
2. Divide your issue into parts of issue
F. Agree and disagree with it
1. Identify extreme pro and con positions
2. List other approaches and perspectives
3. Why is each position plausible?
G. Consider it as it is
1. Think about your issue in contemporary time
2. What is its nature?
3. What are its special characteristics?
H. Consider it over time
1. What about your issue yesterday?
2. What about your issue tomorrow?
3. Does it change? How? Why?
I. Decide what it is a part of
1. Put it in a larger category
2. Consider the insights you gain as a result
J. Analyze it
1. Break it into parts
2. Get insight into each of its parts
K. Evaluate it
1. Is it good or bad?
2. Is it valuable or not valuable?
3. Is it moral or immoral?
4. Give evidence to support your evaluation
L. Elaborate on it
1. Add explanation for better understanding
2. Give examples to provide further elaboration
M. Project and predict
1. Answer the question, “What would happen if…?”
2. Think about further possibilities
N. Ask why
1. Examine every aspect of your issue
2. Answer the “why” with “because…”
PURPOSE AND PARTS OF AN ARGUMENT
Do the following steps to develop an understanding of the argument as a whole
2. “Chunking” – the physical division of an argument
A. Survey
1. Read the title and focus on the information in it
into its parts
2. Read the introduction and look for a claim
C. Ask why parts are in particular order
3. Read the last paragraph and look for the claim
1. Attempt to determine the logical order of the
4. Read the headings and subheadings to understand ideas
argument
5. Read the first sentence of each paragraph to
2. How did the author think about and organize the
understand ideas
parts?
6. Study the visuals: pictures, charts, graphs; read
3. How will I think and organize the parts of my
captions
argument?
7. Identify the key words that represent the main concepts D. Analyze relationship among parts
B. Divide argument into parts
1. What is the relationship among the parts of this
1. Draw a line across the page each time the subject
argument?
changes
2. Do all parts contribute to a central idea?
TYPES OF CLAIMS
Identify each argument type by identifying the questions the argument answers
A. Claims of fact: Did it happen? Is it true?
foreign countries to further its own economic self-interests.
Example: The ozone layer is becoming depleted.
D. Claims of value: Is it good or bad? What criteria do
B. Claims of definition: What is it? How should we
we use to decide?
interpret it?
Example: Computers are a valuable addition to
Example: We need to define what constitutes a family
modern society.
before we talk about family values.
E. Claims of policy: What should we do about it? What
C. Claims of cause: What caused it? Or, what are the
should be our future course of action?
effects?
Example: The criminal should be sent to prison rather
Example: The United States champions human rights in
than to a mental institution.
TYPES OF PROOFS
A. Two types
1. Circumstantial proof: Physical proof, i.e. murder
weapon
2. Intellectual proof: Insights in the form of verbal or
written language
B. Argument from deduction: Draws a conclusion from
a general principle
Example: All men are prone to prideful boasting.
Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is prone to
prideful boasting.
C. Argument from definition: Arguer proposes
meaning of term to audience for approval, then says
claim should be accepted “by definition”
Example: Willful taking of human life is murder.
Suicide is willful taking of human life. Suicide is murder.
D. Argument from cause: Places the subject in a causeeffect relationship to show it is either the cause of an
effect or the effect of a cause
Example: Children of single-parent families are prone
to drug abuse. (Arguer offers example of children who
abuse drugs who are from single-parent families). Lack
of a mother or father caused this drug abuse problem.
E. Argument from sign: A specific visible sign is
sometimes used to prove a claim
Example: That person has mud on her boots. Gardeners
have mud on their boots. That person is a gardener.
F. Argument from induction: Provides a number of
examples and draws a claim, in the form of a
conclusion, from them
Example: When there is no rain the grass withers.
When there is rain the grass grows. Therefore, rain
causes the grass to grow.
G. Argument from statistics: Describe relationships
among data, people, occurrences, and events
Example: Illegal drugs entering into this country
cause a rise in crime. Last year illegal drug flow into
the U.S. rose 25 percent. Last year the crime rate
nationwide rose 28 percent.
H. Argument from analogy
1. Historical and literal analogies explore similarities
and differences between items in the same general
category
2. Figurative analogies do the same, only with
different categories
Example: Many people will die of AIDS. Many
people died of the black death. AIDS and the black
death are similar.
I. Argument from authority: Arguer refers to own
credentials or those of an expert
Example: The ozone layer is depleting. A recent
survey of the scientific community confirms this.
J. Motivational proofs: Appeal to audience needs,
wants, desires, better judgment
Example: Dieting can make you better looking. It is
proven that in job interviews the attractive person
fares best. Therefore, go on a diet before your big
interview arrives.
TYPES OF CLAIMS
A logical or reasoning error that is not related to the form of the argument;
fallacies relate to whether propositions have any bearing on the case at hand
Fallacies can be divided in the
FALLACIES
following way (see graphic):
Formal Informal
A. Fallacies of ambiguity
1. Equivocation: A word or
Ambiguity Relevance
phrase used two different
Noncausal
Causal
ways
Example: “If all men are created equal, why are
some strong and others weak?”
2. Relationship (amphiboly): Words are clear but the
sentence construction is unclear
Example: “Last night I shot a burglar in my
pajamas.”
3. Accent/Emphasis: Accent is placed on a certain
word or phrase in a premise to distort meaning
Example: “You have heard that it was said, “You
shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.” If
you love your neighbor, can you hate everyone else?
B. Fallacies of relevance
1. Noncausal fallacies of relevance: Deals with
arguments unrelated to causes
2
a. False/faulty dilemma: Limited number of
options given when more are available
Example: “You’re either a capitalist or a
communist.”
b. Appeal to/Argument from Ingorance: Assumes
one of the following:
1)Since something has not been disproved, it is
true
2)Since something has not been proven true, it is
false
c. Slippery slope: To show that a proposition is
unacceptable, a sequence of increasingly
unacceptable events follow from that proposition
Example: “If I make an exception for you, then
I have to make an exception for everyone.”
d. Complex question: Two otherwise unrelated
points are conjoined and treated as one; they
must be accepted or rejected together
Example: “Do you support freedom and the
right to bear arms?”
e. Appeal to force: Certain negative consequences
will follow if the portrayed action is not followed
Example: “Anyone who does not agree with the
new company policy will be terminated.”
f. Appeal to pity: Agree to proposition because of
the pitiful state of unrelated things
Example: “How can they sentence this man to
death? Who will take care of his wife and
children?”
g. Appeal to Consequences: Disagreeable
consequences of holding a particular belief are
highlighted to show this belief is false
Example: “If we ban abortion-on-demand, the
result will be back-alley abortions.”
h. Character Assassination: A person or group is
attacked rather than the proposition itself
Example: “She’s just a radical feminist.”
i. Prejudicial Appeal: A proposition is accepted
based on loaded or emotive terms
Example: “Right-thinking people will vote for
candidate Jacobs.”
j. Appeal to Popularity: A proposition is held to
be true because it is widely held to be true by
some sector of the population
Example: “This is the 21st century. No one
believes that anymore.”
k. Appeal to authority: Appropriate only when the
authority is qualified
Example: “If I played baseball, I’d wear
Spotbilt shoes.” (As spoken by a football player)
l. False/Faulty Analogy
Example: “Believing in miracles is like
believing in Santa Claus.”
m. Hasty generalization: Size of particular sample
is too small to form a conclusion
Example: “All Italians are bald; at least the one
I saw was.”
n. Begging the question: The truth of the
conclusion is assumed by the premises
Example: Miracles are violations of the law of
nature. The laws of nature cannot be violated.
Therefore, miracles cannot occur.
o. Straw man: Argument picks the worst-case
scenario and proceeds to discredit a position
rather than picking the best argument of a
position
Example: “All tribal races are superstitious and
ignorant.”
p. Genetic fallacy: Claims that the source of a
belief warrants rejecting that belief
Example: “Your views against abortion are
based on your religion.”
q. Category fallacy/mistake: Confuses “apples
and oranges.”
Example: “What happened before time began?
QUESTIONS FOR READING/
WRITING ARGUMENT
A. What is the issue? (State as a question)
B. What is the author’s particular perspective or “take”
on the issue?
C. How would you describe the rhetorical situation?
D. Is this part of an ongoing conversation on this issue?
What has gone before?
E. Divide the material into its parts, and label the subject
of each part: What are the subjects? Why are they in
this order? How do they relate to each other?
F. What is the claim? (Should be a statement) What
type of claim is it?
G. What are the subclaims? What types of claims
are they?
H. Is the argumentative intention clear, admitted,
and straightforward, or is it concealed and
presented under the guise of objective reporting?
I. Does the author use logical proofs? (Describe them)
What is the effect on the audience?
J. Does the author use emotional proofs? (Describe them)
What is the effect on the audience?
K. Does the author use proofs that establish credibility?
(Describe them) What is the effect on the audience?
L. What type of language predominates: language that
appeals to reason, language that appeals to emotion, or
language that establishes credibility?
M. What are the warrants? Do you share them? Do they
need backing to make them more convincing to you?
N. Are rebuttal arguments used in the argument to point out
how the opposition is wrong or in error on certain
points? What are they? Are they effective?
O. Does the author exhibit a personal style of argument?
(Describe it) What in the author’s background has
possibly contributed to this style?
P. Are there any fallacies in the argument? Or does the
author complain of any fallacious thinking on the part of
the opposition? (Describe)
Q. In the final evaluation, should the claim be qualified to
make it more convincing to you? To the target audience?
Or, is it acceptable as it is?
R. Are you convinced? Do you think others will be
convinced? What do you perceive as the possible outcomes
of this argument for yourself? For the target audience?
S. Is the argument moral and ethical or immoral and manipulative according to your standards and values? Why do you
think so? Where are you coming from?
WRITING THE
ARGUMENTATIVE/PERSUASIVE
ESSAY
UNDERSTANDING THE
AUDIENCE
A. Describe the audience in general: Who are they? What
do you have in common with them?
B. What are some of the demographics of the group?
Consider size, age, gender, nationality, education,
professional status, etc…
C. What are some of their organizational affiliations?
(Political, religious, social, economic).
D. What are their interests? Outside interests, reading
materials?
E. What is their present position on your issue? What
audience outcomes can you anticipate?
F. Will they interpret the issue the same way you have?
G. How significant is your issue to the audience? Will it
touch their lives or remain theoretical for them?
H. Are there any obstacles that will prevent your audience
from accepting your claim as soon as you state it?
I. At what point are they in the ongoing conversation
about the issue? Will they require background and
definitions? Are they knowledgeable enough to
contemplate policy change?
J. What is the attitude of your audience toward you?
K. What beliefs and values do you and your audience
share?
L. What motivates your audience? What are their goals
and aims?
M. What argument style will work best with your audience?
RESEARCH
See QuickStudy® guide Essays and Term Papers for
more detailed research tips
A. Internet; verify that you are using a legitimate site
B. Magazines, newspapers
C. Books, encyclopedias
D. Interviews, first hand sources
F. Be sure to properly cite all sources in your paper – see
QuickStudy® guide MLA/APA Documentation
G. Get organized for research
H. Use your preliminary outline and tentative research plan
I. Start with bibliography
J. Survey and skim
K. Read creatively to generate ideas
L. Take some notes and fill in your outline
INVENTION WORKSHEET
Write your claim; begin to develop your claim by
using some of the following invention strategies; if
you cannot generate information and ideas, do
some background reading and try again
A. Freewrite for five minutes
B. Brainstorm
C. Make a list
D. Explain to someone
E. Write your insights
F. Mentally visualize
G. Make a preliminary outline
H. Think through the rhetorical situation
I. Decide on some proofs that are relevant to your
argument
J. Apply critical thinking prompts (Critical Thinking
Prompts on page 2, items A-N)
K. Establish cause
L. Develop your claim through five repetitions of claim,
why, because: Describe where you need to add evidence
DIVIDE ARGUMENT INTO
“FOR” AND “AGAINST”
Develops argument to be used in body of text
Topic – Examinations should be abolished
FOR: Test limited range of skills
AGAINST: Passing shows effective communication/
problem solving
FOR: Favor people who have good memory and
techniques
AGAINST: Exams have improved in past 20 years; test
greater range of skills
FOR: Depress students and deaden initiative
AGAINST: Mental effort to prepare is valuable
FOR: Set as if all have reached same level at
same time
AGAINST: Exams are rare at points of inequality in
development
FOR: Encourage competition and favor gifted
students
AGAINST: Solution is to find better ways to organize
classes
FOR: Different examiners grade student papers
differently
AGAINST: Modern examination boards ensure
marking done fairly
ARGUMENT THEORY
Employ use of rhetorical situation, and proof system
A. Analyze rhetorical situation
1. What is the real-life situation that makes me and
others perceive this issue as controversial?
2. Who is the audience who thinks this is a problem?
How do they view it?
3. What are the constraints that influence the audience’s
perceptions of this issue?
4. What is motivating me, the author, to write about the
issue; what makes me qualified?
5. What will be the purpose and strategies of the text I
produce?
B. Plan your proofs
1. Use of logical proofs
2. Use of proofs that effect credibility
3. Use of emotional proofs
3
SUMMARY OF THE
ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
A. Introduction
1. Identify and state key ideas or concepts
2. Provide background to argument and thesis
3. State thesis clearly and unequivocally
4. Define key terms, describe approach for paper
5. Offer readers a guide for what is to come
B. Body
1. Construct arguments
2. Support arguments with evidence
3. Confront counter-arguments
4. Write with a clear sense of audience
C. Conclusion
1. Retrace steps
2. Restate thesis
3. Make a powerful closing
MODEL ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY OUTLINE
design in the universe. The appearance of design is an illusion. Reality is the
Topic: Will the “Really” Real Please Stand Up?
Part I (Introduction): Today, many people are questioning whether or not there is some
evolutionary process, survival of the fittest, in action.
kind of reality that applies to all of us that we should believe and align ourselves with.
C. (Counter-Claim #2): According to Creative Anti-Realism, no objective reality
In other words, it is objective, not subjective. In the popular movie, The Truman
exists; we shape our own reality (or society and language shape reality for us).
Show, a man named Truman (Jim Carey) has a life that is literally a TV show. Part III (The Case): To support the claim, I intend to show the importance of truth and
objective reality. I will demonstrate the inescapability of objective truth by showing:
Everyone in his life is an actor or actress. In the end, Truman discovers that nothing
(Point 1) If people challenge basic principles of reason or laws of logic, they will
was really real - or does he? Some people say that reality is socially constructed, and
have to furnish us with objective reasons for why our use of reason fails.
that we live within the limitations of culture and history, and no one can break them.
The nature of reality is an important matter; many today are questioning what has
(Point 2) Human beings are limited in their knowledge, but this does mean they
seemed so obvious to others in the past. Is reality dependent upon the mind, or not?
cannot be objective.
(Point 3) Postmodernism allows for many voices to be heard. So why should the
Is reality accessible to us, or is it different from the way we conceive or perceive it?
Part II (Claim and Counter-Claims):
Creationists be excluded?
A.(Claim): According to Christian Theism, human beingsMODEL
have been
made in the PartESSAY
IV (Summary):
The Truman Show reminds us of the many “false gods” this world
ARGUMENTATIVE
OUTLINE
image of a good and loving creator God. This means that we have dignity and
has to offer, but it also reminds us that an objective reality does exist after all and that
worth and that we are responsible and accountable for our actions. Reality is
pursuing the truth really matters. Realism implies that there is something to know. To
defined within this system.
deny objectivity will land us in the mire of self-contradiction since to do so would be
B. (Counter-Claim #1): According to Perennial Naturalism, the “cosmos” is all that
an attempt to speak objectively.
exists. There is nothing beyond the natural realm. There is no ultimate purpose or
SAMPLE ARGUMENT PAPER
Why Educate the Children of Illegal Immigrants?
Opening
sentences
establish
credibility
by showing
the writer
is informed
Writer
addresses
concerns
of those
who hold
opposing
views
Quotation
is cited
using MLA
Statistic is
cited using
MLA
Quotation
is cited
using MLA
Writer
builds
common
ground
with readers
Immigration laws have been a subject of debate throughout American history, especially in states such as
California and Texas, where immigrant populations are high. Recently, some citizens have been questioning whether
we should continue to educate the children of illegal immigrants. While this issue is steeped in emotional controversy, we must not allow divisive “us against them” rhetoric to cloud our thinking. Yes, educating undocumented
immigrants costs us. But not educating them would cost us much more.
Those who propose barring the children of illegal immigrants from our schools have crowded their school
systems. They worry about the crowding itself, given the loss of quality education that comes with large class sizes.
They worry that school resources will be deflected from their children because of the linguistic and social problems
that many of the newcomers face. And finally, they worry that even more illegal immigrants will cross our borders
because of the lure of free education.
This last worry is probably unfounded. It is unlikely parents are crossing the borders solely to educate their
children. More likely, they are in desperate need of work, economic opportunity, and possibly political asylum.
Charles Wheeler of the National Immigration Law Center asserts, “There is no evidence that access acts as a
magnet to foreigners or that further restrictions would discourage illegal immigrants” (qtd. in “Exploiting”).
The other concerns are more legitimate, but they can be addressed by less drastic measures than barring children
from schools. Currently the responsibility of educating about 75% of undocumented children is borne by just a few
states - California, New York, Texas, and Florida (Edmondson 1). One way to help these and other states is to have
the federal government pick up the cost of educating undocumented children, with enough funds to alleviate the
overcrowded classrooms that cause parents such concern. Such cost shifting could have a significant benefit, for if
the federal government had to pay, it might work harder to stem the tide of illegal immigrants.
So far, attempts to bar undocumented children from public schools have failed. In the 1982 case of Plyler v. Doe,
the Supreme Court ruled on the issue. In a 5-4 decision, it overturned a Texas law that allowed schools to deny
education to illegal immigrants. Martha McCarthy reports that Texas had justified its law as a means of “preserving
financial resources, protecting the state from an influx of illegal immigrants, and maintaining high quality education
for resident children” (128). The Court considered these issues but concluded that in the long run the costs of
educating immigrant children would pale in comparison to the costs - both to the children and to society - of not
educating them.
It isn’t hard to figure out what the costs of not educating these children would be. The costs to innocent children
are obvious: loss of the opportunity to learn English, to understand American culture and history, to socialize with
other children in a structured environment, and to grow up to be successful, responsible adults.
The costs to society as a whole are fairly obvious as well. That is why we work so hard to promote literacy and
prevent students from dropping out of school. An uneducated populace is dangerous to the fabric of society,
contributing to social problems such as vandalism and crime, an underground economy, gang warfare, teenage
pregnancy, substance abuse, and infectious and transmissible diseases. The health issue alone makes it worth our
while to educate the children of undocumented immigrants, for when children are in school, we can make sure they
are inoculated properly, and we can teach them the facts about health and disease.
Do we really want thousands of uneducated children growing up on the streets, where we have little control over
them? Surely not. The lure of the streets is powerful enough already. Only by inviting all children into safe and
nurturing and intellectually engaging schools can we combat the power. Our efforts will be well worth the cost.
Works Cited
Thesis, at
end of
introductory
paragraph,
states the
main point
Writer
counters
opposing
arguments
Reasonable
tone keeps
argument
from
sounding
biased
Writer uses
evidence to
support his
thesis
Transitional
topic
sentence
leads
readers
to next part
of paper
Conclusion
restates
benefits of
educating
children of
illegal
immigrants
Works cited
page is
Edmondson, Brad. “Life without Illegal Immigrants” American Demographics May 1996: 1.
formatted
“Exploiting Fears.” Admissions Decisions: Should Immigration Be Restricted? 7 Oct. 1996. Public Agenda. 10 Feb. 2000
according
http://www.vote-smart.org/issues/Immigration/chap2/imm2itx.html
to MLA
McCarthy, Martha M. “Immigrants in Public Schools: Legal Issues.” Educational Horizons 71(1993): 128-30.
style
The essay above is written by Andrew Knutson and excerpted from Diana Hacker’s, A Writer’s Reference, 5th edition, 2003. Used by permission of Bedford/St. Martin’s, New York.
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