Two-sided Argument Essays: Structure

Two-sided Argument Outline

Introduction

General

Specific

Thesis statement

Main Body

Arguments for/Advantages

Arguments against/Disadvantages

Conclusion

Summary

Repeat Thesis

Clearly state your stance

Recommendations for the future

Basic outline of a two-sided argumentative essay:

Topic: An increasing number of parents and children opt for home schooling rather than
attending school at an educational institution. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
home schooling.

Step 1: First brainstorm the advantages and disadvantages.

Activity 1:
 Add two more ideas about the advantages and disadvantages of home schooling under each
heading:
Advantages Disadvantages
* better potential * isolation
* protection * lack of resources and equipment
* *
* *

Step 2: Write the essay outline for the given topic.

Activity 2:
Complete the essay outline below by filing in the blank spaces with your own ideas. Some
information has been entered already.

Two-sided Argument Outline

Introduction

General: More and more parents prefer to educate their children at home.

Specific: Some children find it difficult to fit in school system

Thesis statement:

Main Body

Arguments For:

1) Better potential
- work at own pace
- concentrate on specific subjects
-

2) Protection
- Keep away from harmful influences and peer pressure
truancy / drugs
-
3)
-
-
4)
-
-

Concluding sentence: School can prevent learning from taking place.

Arguments against:

1) isolation
- Less opportunity to socialise / meet people
- No opportunities to compete with peers in sport

2) Lack of resources & equipment

- Lacking libraries, sports equipment and laboratories for science experiments
-
3)
-
-

4)
-
-

Concluding sentence: It is difficult to draw boundaries and it will affect the child’s independence.

Conclusion

Summary: Home education = concentration and protection.

Schools = socialising, resources, professional teaching.

Stance: (State your side here and the main reason why you support it.)

Recommendations for the future: Severely-disabled children = home education.

The different parts of the essay:

The introduction: (first paragraph)

The introduction section itself should be relatively brief. It must open with a brief statement
on the issue and provide some background and general information about the issue to be
discussed. The introduction itself does not contain your opinions or views on the topic in
question. Do not state which side of the argument you favour in the introduction. Write a
concise thesis statement to indicate what you will discuss in the essay. The thesis statement
must reflect the fact that there are pros and cons regarding the issue or arguments in
support as well as against the issue to be discussed.

The body: (two paragraphs)

In writing a balanced argument, it is important that you consider the positives and negatives
of the issue. The body of the text should be focused on presenting the pros and cons or the
arguments for and against, relating to the central issue. After you have laid out the topic in
your introduction by providing the necessary background information, it is time to lay out
the case for and against the argument.

The use of linking words is a great way to organize your information. Words and phrases
such as firstly, secondly, next and then, in addition to, therefore, furthermore, also, etc. can
be a great help to structure your information chronologically and coherently.

The body consist of two paragraphs, one paragraph for all the arguments for and one
paragraph for all the arguments against the point. (The order does not matter as long as you
keep them separated in two paragraphs.) Each body paragraph must start with a topic
sentence to indicate which side of the argument you will discuss in that specific paragraph.

Use words and phrases to reflect the contrast when moving from one side of the argument
to the next (moving from advantages to disadvantages or from agreeing to disagreeing), for
example, however, contrastingly, on the other hand, etc.

The conclusion: (last paragraph)

In the conclusion, you must review the information, provide a summary of the arguments
made, and weigh up the issue in light of the available evidence. It is at this point that you
must offer your own opinion in favour of or against the issue at hand. You can end with a
recommendation to indicate the way forward.

Step 3: Use the essay outline to write your final essay.

Read the essay below as an example of a well-structured argumentative essay. Your own
essay will contain the information included in your outline above. Note that the introduction
contains a clear thesis statement to indicate the purpose of the essay. Also, each body
paragraph starts with a clear topic sentence to indicate which side of the argument will be
discussed in the paragraph and ends with a concluding sentence. Note the use of linking
words to link ideas within the paragraphs, as well as the use of a contrasting linking word in
the second body paragraph to indicate the shift from discussing the advantages of home
schooling to discussing the disadvantages. The writer clearly indicates his stance in the
concluding paragraph (clearly indicates which side of the argument he agrees with).

Should parents educate their children at home?

In Namibia some parents are now choosing to educate their children at home. This is often because
some children find it difficult to fit into the school system because they are especially gifted or have
problems of some kind. The past two years have also made it clear that home schooling is a viable
alternative to traditional classroom teaching and school attendance. Some people prefer home
schooling whereas others prefer sending their children to school.

Teaching children at home has a number of advantages. Firstly, parents feel that their children will
be able to realise their potential better if they can work at their own pace and concentrate on
specific subjects. For example, there have been cases of children who have gone to university as
young as twelve or thirteen because they are especially gifted and have opted out of the school
system. Children will not waste valuable time on unnecessary activities or less important subjects.
Parents feel that they will also be able to protect their children from harmful influences they may
encounter at school if they keep them at home. Problems such as truancy and drugs are common
and adolescents particularly can be led astray by their peers. Thus, school can prevent learning from
taking place effectively.

However, there are also arguments in support of sending children to school rather than educating
them at home. First of all, children are isolated at home. At school, on the other hand, they are able
to socialise and meet people of different ages and so become increasingly independent. Children
also need their peers to do subjects like sports and drama. Another important point is that schools
have more resources and equipment than can be provided at home such as libraries, sports
equipment and laboratories for science experiments. Furthermore, school can offer a much wider
range of subjects and expertise than parents can provide on their own. Parents would need to have
a whole range of professional knowledge in science subjects such as physics and chemistry. It is also
questionable whether parents could keep a disciplined study atmosphere at home because of the
friendly family atmosphere. In sum, home tuition can affect social independence and fail to provide
the correct resources and professional teaching.

To sum up, it seems that education at school is preferable to learning at home. Although home
education aids concentration and protection, it limits socialising, availability of resources and
professional teaching. There may be particular cases where home tutoring would be advantageous,
such as for severely disabled children; however, for the vast majority of children there are greater
benefits from going to school.

Step 4: Edit your essay before submitting it.