How to write an argumentative Essay

By:Kenny.LJuly22nd,2011writinggoalsforanargumentativeessayGrabyourreadersattentionStateaclearthesisIdentifyyourreasonsforassertingyourthesisProvidestrongevidenceforyourmainpointAddressyouroppositionargumentConvincethereaderthatyourpositionisvalidMakeiteasyforyourreadertoreadCiteyoursourcesusingAPAPreventplagiarism.MainPartsAbstractKeywordsTheTextTheTextIntroductionBodyParagraphConclusionAbstractIntroducesthetopicStateswhythetopicisimportantStatesthatthereisadifferenceofopinionaboutthistopicDescribeshowtheassignmentwillbestructuredandclearlystatesthewriter’smainpremise.GrabyourreadersattentionTheintroductionThesisControllingIdeaNarrowTopicGeneralTopicExample:ThesisWemustputanendtofacebookbecauseitcompromisespersonal,emotional,andfinancialsecurity.ControllingideaSecurityonFacebookNarrowedTopicFacebookGeneraltopicSocialnetworkingWebsitesArgumentativeEssayStructureTitleIntroductionThesisStatementBodyParagraphsConstructingTopicsentencesBuildingMainPointsCounteringtheOppositionconclusionTheTitle–whydoyouneedone?Introducesthetopicofdiscussiontotheaudience.Generatesreaderinterestintheargument.CreatingatitleTrytograbattentionbyOfferingaprovocativeimagePickinguponwordsorexamplesofferedinthebodyorconclusionofthepaperAskingaquestionAvoidtitlesthataretoogeneralorlackcharacterConsideringTitlesImagineyoujustwroteapaperofferingsolutionstotheproblemofroadrage.Whichdoyouconsidertobethebesttitle?RoadRage/Can’tDrive55RoadRage:curingourhighwayepidemicWhatisanintroduction?AcquaintsthereaderwiththetopicandpurposeofthepaperGeneratestheaudience’sinterestinthetopicOffersaplanfortheensuingargumentIntroductionstructureThehook:astatementtoattractthereaderBackgroundstatement(s):brieflydescribetheissueyouchose.Statethetwoexistingpositions/claimstotheissue:for(+)andagain(-)–thisisoptional.StateYOURPOSITIONBrieflystateyourreasons(arguments)whyyouchosethisposition.ThesisStatementWhatisathesisstatement?ThemostimportantsentenceinyourpaperLetsthereaderknowthemainideaofthepaperAnswersthequestion:”whatamItryingtoprove?”Notafactualstatement,butaclaimthathastobeproventhroughoutthepaper.RoleofthethesisstatementThethesisstatementshouldguildyourreaderthroughguideyourreaderthroughyourargumentThethesisstatementisgenerallylocatedintheintroductionofthepaper.Athesisstatementmayalsobelocatedwithinthebodyofthepaperorintheconclusiondependinguponthepurposeorargumentofthepaper.WhichthesisstatementisthemosteffectiveforanargumentabouttheneedforV-chipsintelevisionsets?Parents,oftentoobusytowatchtelevisionshowswiththeirfamilies,canmonitortheirchildren’sviewinghabitswiththeaidoftheV-chip.Tohelpparentsmonitortheirchildren’sviewinghabitsthev-chipshouldbearequiredfeaturefortelevisionsetssoldintheU.S.ThispaperwilldescribeaV-chipandexaminetheusesoftheV-chipinAmerican-madetelevisionset.BodyparagraphstructureTopicsentencesSupportingsentencesExample/quotation/AnalysisClosingsentenceTopicsentenceItshouldincludeboththesubjectandtheattitudeandshowthepurposeofthepersuasionSupportingdetailsKindsofevidencesavailabletothewriterPersonalobservationExperiencesofthewriterKnowledgeofthewriterInterviewswithauthoritiesonthetopicResearchmaterialincludingstatistics.SupportingdetailsGuidelinesforchoosingevidence.Evidenceshouldbelogical.Trytoavoidlogicalfallacies.Avoidusingevidencethatcomesfromoutdate,incomplete,orbiasedsourceAvoidusingreasonsthatareoverlyemotionalorsentimentalAvoidmakinghastygeneralizationFalseconclusionMisplacecausesandeffectsBodyparagraphsandtopicsentencesBodyparagraphbuildupontheclaimsmadeintheintroductoryparagraph(s)Organizewiththeuseoftopicsentencesthatillustratethemainideaofeachparagraph.Offeringabriefexplanationofthehistoryorrecentdevelopmentsinyourtopicwithintheearlybodyparagraphscanhelptheaudiencetobecomefamiliarizedwithyourtopicandthecomplexityoftheissue.bodyparagraphsParagraphsmaybeorderedinseveralwaysdependinguponthetopicandpurposeofyourargument:GeneraltospecificinformationMostimportantpointtoleastimportantpointWeakestclaimtostrongestclaim.OfferingacounterargumentAddressingtheclaimsoftheoppositionisanimportantcomponentinbuildingaconvincingargument.Itdemonstratesyourcredibilityasawriter-youhaveresearchedmultiplesidesoftheargumentandhavecometoaninformeddecision.OfferingacounterargumentCounterargumentsmaybelocatedatvariouslocationswithinyourbodyparagraphsYoumaychoosetoBuildeachofyourmainpointsasacontrasttooppositionalclaims.Offeracounterargumentafteryouhavearticulatedyourmainclaims.CounterarguingeffectivelyConsideryouraudiencewhenyouofferyourcounterargumentConcedingtosomeofyouropposition’sconcernscandemonstraterespectfortheiropinions.RemaintactfulyetfirmUsingrudeordeprecatinglanguagecancauseyouraudiencetorejectyourpositionwithoutcarefullyconsideringyourclaims.IncorporatingresearchintothebodyparagraphsResearchedmaterialcanaidyouinprovingtheclaimsofyourargumentanddisprovingoppositionalclaimsBesuretouseyourresearchtosupporttheclaimsmadeinyourtopicsentences-makeyourresearchworkto