Elements of Argumentative
Writing
Mrs. Terry
Advanced Language Arts
Day One: Research
• Research to find a current event or topic that
you can take a position on. Examples:
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Immigration
The famine in North Africa (should we send troops?)
Gun control
Mandatory drug testing in schools
Bullying– whose responsibility?
Animal testing
New football safety regulations
NBA players’ strike
Later start times for schools
Whatever is of interest to YOU!
Argumentative Essay Rubric
Analysis
• Working with your tablemates, carefully read
and re-read your assigned standard.
• Create a circle map on your paper with a large
center circle. In the center circle, paraphrase
your assigned standard in your own words.
• When you are finished paraphrasing, jot down
words and phrases that relate to your
standard and qualities of writing that are
associated with it (e.g. precise vocabulary).
T-C hart
• Create a T-chart to brainstorm ideas for your
argument, consider:
• Pros vs. Cons
• Advantages vs. Disadvantages
or
• Your Side vs. The Other Side
Your Topic
Pros/Advantages/Your Side
Cons/Disadvantages/Their Side
Position Statement Workshop
• My topic___________________________
• My opinion/belief____________________
• What I want people to think or do (consider
using words like “should” or
“must”____________________________
• Why do I want them to think/believe/act in this
way?__________________________
• Combine these ideas to form a thesis sentence.
• Topic + Position + Reasons = Thesis
Creating a Thesis Statement
• Choose 3 main focus points to discuss in your essay.
These points will become the focus of three
paragraphs in the body.
Fast food…
• rapidly increases weight
• causes high blood pressure
• leads to lethargy
Thesis Analysis
• A well-written thesis must include:
the topic, your position, your reasons
Health and fitness education programs in American
schools must be improved to fight the costly and deadly
epidemic of childhood obesity.
Because the US economy was built upon, and still relies
heavily on an immigrant workforce, we must create a
clear path to citizenship for undocumented workers.
Antithesis: The Other Side
Because the US economy was built upon, and still
relies heavily on an immigrant workforce, we must
create a clear path to citizenship for
undocumented workers.
Because illegal immigrants drain our social services
and steal jobs from legal US citizens, we must
enforce our current immigration regulations and
increase the number of agents policing our
borders.
Flee Map
• Write your thesis in the big box at the top.
• Each reason or subtopic in your thesis will
become a topic sentence for your essay. Write
them in the three boxes below your thesis.
• Below each subtopic box, list some supporting
details, logos, and some other persuasive
strategies you might be able to use to build
your argument (at least three per subtopic).
Example
Topic Position Reasons
Mandatory and regular drug testing beginning at the middleschool level must be implemented for all US children because
drug addiction is becoming more widespread and can lead to
serious mental and physical illnesses.
Body Paragraph #1: addiction
Body Paragraph #2: mental issues
Body Paragraph #3: physical issues
Persuasive writing format:
• INTRODUCTION with hook and thesis
statement
• BODY where the argument is developed
• CONCLUSION where main points are
summarized and reviewed
The Introduction
• This is your chance to introduce the topic and give brief
background information about it.
• You should start the first paragraph with a “hook” or
“grabber” to catch the reader’s attention.
• The following slides offer examples of different strategies you
may choose to use for your hook.
Hook #1
• Opening with a startling or unusual detail:
• Did you know that a typical child needs 2,000
calories for an entire day and Burger King’s Whopper
with cheese has 1,230 calories?
Hook #2
• Opening with a strong statement:
• Fast food consumption has risen 500 percent since
1970 and today pervades nearly every segment of
society, including some public school cafeterias.
Hook #3
• Opening with a Quotation:
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According to University of Delaware professer Jayashree
Pakhare, “Advertising, including television ads, billboards, and
toys in boxed meals, has had an effect upon children as never
before. Children these days are growing up with low concern
for their health and more concern for what tastes good”
(Pakhare 4).
Hook #4
• Opening with an Anecdote:
An anecdote can provide an
amusing and attention-getting opening if it is short and to the point.
• As I opened the doors to Big Bobby’s Burger Hut, the odor of
deep-fried everything assaulted my nostrils. I ordered a Big
Bobby Combo #2. There was enough food to serve a small
third world country on my tray. As I nibbled at the ¾ pound
burger, a sludge of ketchup, mayo and melted cheese dripped
from the corners of my mouth. I asked the server if I could
have a few fries with my salt. I left the place feeling like a war
was being waged in my stomach.
Hook #5
• Open with a Statistic or Fact
• Thirty percent of children in the US eat fast food on any given
day. Those children consume 187 unnecessary calories per
day, resulting in a weight gain of six pounds per year.
Hook #6
• Open with a rhetorical question:
• How many times have you eaten fast food this
month?
Hook #7
• Opening with an Exaggeration or Outrageous
Statement:
• Fast food is killing America!
Review
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Unusual or Startling Detail
Strong Statement
Quotation
Anecdote or Imagery
Statistic or Fact
Rhetorical Question
Exaggeration or Outrageous Statement
Intro Paragraph (3-5 sentences)
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Hook (1-2 sent.)
Background Information (1-2 sent.)
Lead in/tie in to thesis (1 sent.)
Thesis (1 sent.)
Sample Intro from 2nd Hour
Imagine a cold, dark room with dim fluorescent
lights and unclean, metal cages. Within these jail
cells, terrified animals shake and whimper with
sickness and fear, wondering when the next
nightmare will begin. This is a day in the life of a
laboratory animal. A new defenseless lab animal
becomes a victim to testing every second (PETA).
Animal testing for medical and cosmetic purposes
needs to stop because it is inhumane, inaccurate,
and there are more effective alternatives.
Sample Intro from 4th Hour
How would you feel if you found out that your
favorite athlete and role model used steroids? Would
you feel cheated, deceived or worried? The use of
performance enhancing drugs in professional sports is
on the rise. Well-known athletes, such as Alex
Rodriguez, have been reported to have used these
drugs, despite the negative consequences to their
health and to the game. Performance enhancing drugs
should not be allowed in sports because they give
players an unfair advantage, they are dangerous and
even deadly, and they are illegal.
Sample Intro from 6th Hour
Leonard is dying from ALS. Despite round-the
clock drug therapy, he is burdened with persistent
pain and suffering. The only relief that he has found
from this physical prison is marijuana. According to
the Association of Natural Pain Management, 93% of
people living with chronic illnesses received relief
from herbal treatments (Hoff 6). Medical marijuana
should be legalized because it is natural and it
provides pain relief for people who are suffering
from debilitating injuries and illnesses who have not
had success with traditional medications.
The Body
• The body of the essay is where you develop
your three main focus points of your thesis.
• The following slides are examples of ways you
can develop your commentary.
Basic Body Paragraph Structure
(Note: The arrangement of CDs and CMs may vary)
• TS: Topic Sentence, your claim or subpoint
• CD: Concrete Detail, logos, fact, quote, example,
statistic, etc.
• CM: Commentary, Your comment, analysis
explanation, elaboration of the quote
• CM
• CD
• CM
• CM
• CS: Concluding Sentence
Generating Hypothetical Instances
• Start by using “Suppose that…” or “What if…”
along with your first focus point.
• I will use the first point from my thesis
• Fast food is harmful because it rapidly increases weight,
causes high blood pressure, and leads to lethargy.
Hypothetical
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Suppose that you ate just one meal from a
fast food restaurant a week. Typically, you
would consume around 1,500 calories at that
meal. Your daily intake may be 2,500 calories
if you include all three meals. That’s 500 more
calories than you need. You may gain ½ a
pound a week, which would be 2 pounds a
month. Your weight would rapidly increase.
Clarifying a Position
• This is where you need to think about what
needs to be explained. Do students need to
know the facts about your issue to make a
judgment?
• I will use the next focus point to clarify
• Fast food is harmful because it rapidly increases weight,
causes high blood pressure, and leads to lethargy.
Clarifying
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Do you know what high blood pressure is and
what it does to your body? Blood pressure is the
force in the arteries when the heart beats (systolic
pressure) and when the heart is at rest (diastolic
pressure). If you consume foods high in cholesterol,
the cholesterol clings to your arteries and builds up
over time. This raises your blood pressure and forces
your heart to work harder to pump the blood
through your veins.
Thinking Through a Process
• This is where you take someone through each
step of the problem.
• I will use my third focus point for this.
• Fast food is harmful because it rapidly increases weight,
causes high blood pressure, and leads to lethargy.
Think Through the Process
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Eating fast food can also lead to lethargy, or
extreme tiredness. When you eat foods that are high
in fat and low in protein, you tend to have less
energy. People eat fast food, feel tired, and end up
sitting on the couch doing nothing. Then they decide
that they don’t want to make dinner the next night
because it takes energy. The easiest solution is to get
fast food again. They end up feeling even more
lethargic and the dangerous cycle continues.
Drawing Comparisons
• This is where you choose something similar or
an alternative to your topic.
• I will use the lethargy example again.
Drawing Comparisons
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Increased fat content in fast food leads to
lethargy. There are alternatives to the typical
fast food. Let’s compare typical fast food
meals (burger and fries) to a meal higher in
proteins and vitamins.
Analogy
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The food you eat is a lot like the fuel or oil you put in your
car. A car that has clean fuel and an oil change runs smoothly
and efficiently. Race cars use only the best fuel and oil to
perform at top speeds. Cars that aren’t tuned-up, haven’t had
an oil change, and use poor fuel, struggle to make it down the
road. Your body is the same way. Feed it the energy it needs
and stay away from excess fat and cholesterol and you will
perform at your greatest. Feed it fast food high in fat content
and it slows to a stop. Do you want to be a race car or a
clunker that will end up in the mechanics hands?
The Other Side of the Story
• This is where you should explain why your
opposition believes what they believe.
• For example, a fast food company would be
furious with me presenting you this
information. They would have lots of reasons
why fast food is good. They may say…
Fast food is…
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FAST!
Convenient
Tastes great!
Offers lots of choices
Eaten on the go!
For the whole family!
Counter-Arguing
• Recognize and acknowledge the reader’s concerns and
objections
• Show the reader that their objections are invalid or
irrelevant.
• Your voice should be assertive, yet restrained; do not
attack the reader or they will be offended and will not
take your side.
• Respectfully disagree with the objections using clear,
logical evidence and reasoning.
Counter-Arguing
• State opposing claims and dispute them
• Sentence Stems:
Some may say_______, but the truth is
however
in reality
actually
While________,
Even though__________,
According to__________,
More Counter-Arguing Frameworks
• “It might be said that_______, however…”
• “It could be argued that______, but…”
• “Some people say/believe/think/feel that____
This is untrue/incorrect/not the case/
because__________ or according to_______”
• “While critics argue that________”
• “While some may say that_______,
Example
• Many people adhere to an “eye for an eye”
philosophy, however, until our society is able
to eradicate all possibility of human error in its
judicial system, capital punishment must be
banned.
Types of Persuasive Appeals
• Logical Appeals
a. evidence, facts, statistics
b. expert opinion
c. examples
• Emotional Appeals
a. word choice / connotation
b. visual details / imagery
• Ethical Appeals
a. reputation
b. sincere, honest tone
• Try to incorporate all of these strategies into your writing
• They will be putty in your hands!
Which word has the most negative
connotation?
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stuck up / proud
wimpy / weak
unmotivated / lazy
unusual / weird
determined / stubborn
perspire / sweat
junk food / fast food
slow / cautious
old / mature
• stare / look
• old / mature
Harness the Power of Language
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Illegal alien / undocumented immigrant
bully / aggressor, tormentor, villain, violator
bullying / persecuting, victimizing, tormenting
testing / experimentation, mutilation, torture, cruelty
animal subjects / innocent victims
climate change / global warming
catastrophic effects / detrimental effects
skeptics / deniers
concussion / brain trauma
safety precautions, guidelines / rules, limitations
issue / problem, crisis
Concluding Paragraph (3-4 sentences)
• Revisit your thesis and main arguments.
• End with… (fast food example)
– A comment (Don’t make your body suffer!)
– A question (Are you willing to risk your health?)
– A call to action (I highly recommend you consider
your options the next time you’re faced with a
decision about what to eat.)
– Come full circle: refer back to your hook
– The following slides include sample conclusions
Original Thesis: Animal testing for medical and cosmetic
purposes needs to stop because it is inhumane,
inaccurate, and there are more effective alternatives.
To conclude, testing on animals is a barbaric,
outdated, and unnecessary practice. Technology and
advances in science have led to the development of
alternative testing methods that do not involve
abusing innocent animals. Please boycott products
tested on animals and help promote awareness.
Together, we can break open these cages of injustice
to free our furry friends.
Original Thesis: Performance enhancing drugs should not be
allowed in sports because they give players an unfair advantage,
they are dangerous and even deadly, and they are illegal.
• To conclude, using performance enhancing drugs is a
hazardous and unjust practice. Allowing athletes to use these
drugs sets a bad example for children involved in sports for
generations to come. We must insist that professional and
college athletic organizations mandate regular drug testing
and enforce severe consequences for steroid use.
What is Plagiarism?
• “Failing to cite quotations and borrowed
ideas.
• Failing to enclose borrowed language in
quotation marks.
• Failing to put summaries and paraphrases in
your own words.”
(Bedford Handbook, 570)
Paraphrasing: Is this
Plagiarism?
Original Source
If the existence of a signing
ape was unsettling for
linguists, it was also startling
news for animal
behaviorists.
Version A
The existence of a signing ape
unsettled linguists and
startled animal behaviorists
(Davis 26).
(An excerpt from an article by
B. Davis)
This exercise is from The Bedford Handbook
Answer A
Version A
Original Source
The existence of a signing
If the existence of a signing
ape unsettled linguists and
ape was unsettling for
startled animal behaviorists
linguists, it was also startling
(Davis 26).
news for animal
Answer: Plagiarism. Even
behaviorists.
though the writer has cited
the source, the writer has
not used quotation marks
around the direct quotation,
"the existence of a signing
ape." In addition, the
phrase, "unsettled
linguists and startled
animal behaviorists,"
closely resembles the
wording of the source.
Paraphrasing: Is this
Plagiarism?
Original Source
If the existence of a
signing ape was
unsettling for linguists,
it was also startling
news for animal
behaviorists.
Version B
If the presence of a signlanguage-using chimp
was disturbing for
scientists studying
language, it was also
surprising to scientists
studying animal
behavior (Davis 26).
Answer B
Original Source
If the existence of a signing
ape was unsettling for
linguists, it was also startling
news for animal
behaviorists.
Version B
If the presence of a signlanguage-using chimp was
disturbing for scientists
studying language, it was
also surprising to scientists
studying animal behavior
(Davis 26).
Answer: Still plagiarism.
Even though the writer
has substituted synonyms
and cited the source, the
writer is plagiarizing
because the source's
sentence structure is
unchanged.
Paraphrasing: Is this
Plagiarism?
Original Source
If the existence of a signing
ape was unsettling for
linguists, it was also startling
news for animal
behaviorists.
Version C
According to Flora Davis,
linguists and animal
behaviorists were
unprepared for the news
that a chimp could
communicate with its
trainers through sign
language (Davis 26).
Answer C
Original Source
If the existence of a signing
ape was unsettling for
linguists, it was also startling
news for animal
behaviorists.
Version C
According to Flora Davis,
linguists and animal
behaviorists were
unprepared for the news
that a chimp could
communicate with its
trainers through sign
language (Davis 26).
Answer: Not plagiarism. This
is an appropriate
paraphrase of the original
sentence.
A Summary of Proper Citation
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Exact phrases
– Quotation marks around the phrase
– Cite the author in the text (author’s last name page number); include the
source on your Works Cited page.
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Paraphrasing
– Change the wording AND sentence structure
– Cite the author in the text; include the source on your Works Cited page.
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Ideas
– Cite the author in the text; include the source on your Works Cited page.
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Common knowledge
– No need to cite