Argumentative Speech

Presented by: Danilo C. Siquig Jr.

Presented to: Grade 10-St.Anthony

 Objectives for the day
---to discuss the nature and ideas of an
argumentative speech and to differentiate it
from the persuasive.
---to discuss the ideas about clauses and its
kinds.
---to have a review for the exam.
• An argumentative speech is a persuasive speech
in which the speaker attempts to persuade his
audience to alter their viewpoints on a
controversial issue.

• Argumentative speech aims to radically change

the opinions already held by the audience. This
type of speech is extremely challenging;
therefore, the speaker should be careful to
choose a topic which he feels prepared to
reinforce with a strong argument.
Argumentative speeches generally concern topics
which are currently being debated by society,
current controversial issues. These topics are often
derived from political debates and issues which are
commonly seen in the media. The chosen topic
may be political, religious, social, or ethical in
nature. The audience should be challenged to re-
examine their long-held values, and will be asked
to alter deeply held convictions based on new
evidence or viewpoints on the issue.
Initial Research
When preparing to write an argumentative essay,
it's important to evaluate various sides of the issue.
Research your topic by examining both primary
(original documents) and secondary (references
information from a primary document) sources, as
well as evaluating anecdotal experiences.
Writing Format
I. Introduction
A. Hook
• The hook is an introduction that catches the reader's
attention. Argumentative essays can start with facts,
statistics, quotes, or anecdotes that reference the
topic of the essay. Make sure the introduction is
interesting enough to 'hook' your readers into
wanting to read more. Once you've written the first
sentence, you want to connect the information to
what you ultimately what to try to prove by leading
into your thesis statement.
For Example:

According to the Centers for Disease Control

and Prevention, over 2,700 teen drivers between
the ages of 16 and 19 died in 2010 and over
282,000 were injured. Despite their desire to want
to get behind the wheel, teen drivers simply aren't
ready to take on the responsibilities of driving yet.
• B. Thesis
A thesis statement is a sentence that explains what
you are trying to prove and provides an overview of
the arguments you will make in your body paragraphs.
The thesis acts as a roadmap for the rest of your paper.
Do not worry about going into too much detail about
what your arguments will be; instead, focus on writing
a clear, concise statement that hints at the topics you
plan to discuss.
Example
•The legal driving age should be changed to 20
because teen drivers are more likely to cause accidents
and they are not mature enough to understand the
repercussions of their actions.
II. Background Information

Though not always required in an argumentative

essay, a background paragraph may be vital to your
paper if there is information that your audience
needs to be aware of to understand your topic.
This might include important historical dates, an
explanation of who the subject affects, or current
laws. This paragraph isn't trying to prove a point; it
is simply providing information to help the
audience understand the topic.
Example
Driver's license requirements are set by each
state, not the federal government. Therefore, the
legal driving age varies from state to state. All
states, with the exception of Maine, allow drivers
to have unrestricted licenses at the age of 18.
Maine's age is 21. Most states allows teenagers as
young as 16 to have restricted licenses, usually
meaning they can drive as long as they are with a
parent or guardian.
III. Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are where you will explain

the evidence you have to support your thesis
statement. Your body paragraphs should start with
a topic sentence written in your own words. You
should then include some form of rhetoric (such as
a fact or statistic, an emotional anecdote, or a law)
that provides support for your topic sentence.
Finally, the body paragraphs should contain a
sentence that explains how the evidence you've
provided proves your overall point.
•What is a claim?
A claim is a statement you make to support your
argument.
For example, “Bugs are highly nutritious and eating them
can fix the problem of hunger and malnutrition in the
United States.”

•What is evidence?
For each claim you make, you need to provide
supporting evidence. Evidence is factual information from
reliable sources.
It is not personal knowledge or anecdotal.
For example, “Researchers at the Food and Agricultural
Organization of the United States state that ‘Termites are
rich in protein, fatty acids, and other micronutrients. Fried
or dried termites contain 32–38 percent proteins.’“
Refuting Opponents’ Arguments

Conclusion