ENG 4U
Essay of Argument Outline
Name:_________________
In an essay of argument, your goal is to get the reader to agree with you by going for the
brain. You are using facts and logic to persuade your reader—not emotion. You have to
begin with sound premises and avoid logical fallacies.
Here are some possible topics to get you started. Be sure to do some brainstorming
before launching into the outline and attach those notes to this sheet.
Some possible topics (please feel free to come up with your own!):
Should students have to wear school uniforms?
Should marijuana be sold and taxed just like alcohol?
Is censorship ever okay?
Should university be free for all Canadians?
Should all students be required to take French each year in high school?
Should texting and driving result in mandatory jail time?
Should the government place a special tax on fast food?
Should students be suspended for engaging in cyber-bullying?
Is it appropriate for teachers to “friend” students on Facebook?
NOTE: Your essay must include:
5 LITERARY DEVICES from our class handout (to be bolded in the final submission)
3 RHETORICAL DEVICES from our class handout (to be italicized in the final submission)
GRAMMAR WATCH: You may wish to break sentence structure rules in your essay. In
order to demonstrate your proficiency, your final submission will show:
SENTENCE FRAGMENTS in red font
RUN-ON SENTENCES in green font
COMMA SPLICES in blue font
Thesis:
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Main idea #1:
Supporting details:
Main idea #2:
Supporting details:
Main idea #3:
Supporting details:
What challenges do you think you might encounter in writing this essay?
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Don’t forget to attach brainstorming notes to this outline.