An Argumentative Essay

How to...
 An argument involves the process of
establishing a claim and then proving it
with the use of logical reasoning,
examples, and research.
 Before Writing...
 Brainstorm ideas on the subject.
 Identify the main topics.
 Use these topics as headings for organising
your notes.
 Decide which side you are on i.e. which
arguments are most convincing. Make sure
you choose the side that you can fully support.
 Plan and write an outline for your essay noting
down the information you will include in each
paragraph.
There are three possible organization patterns: 
The first pattern   

Introduction:
        Thesis statement/ Claim ( Claim of policy/fact/value)
 1st body
PRO idea 1 ( First supporting main idea+ supporting sentences)
  2nd body      
PRO idea 2( 2nd supporting main idea+ supporting sentences)
3rd body
  CON(s) + Refutation(s)
Counter argument/Opposing argument + Refuting the argument
through supports
   Conclusion:
Restate the thesis + warrant
2nd pattern/ 3rd pattern
Thesis statement
CON(s) + Refutation(s)
PRO idea 1
PRO idea 2
Conclusion

Thesis statement:
CON idea 1                ----->        Refutation
CON idea 2                ----->        Refutation
CON idea 3                ----->        Refutation
Conclusion
 Example Outline
Thesis Statement:
Because of its cost, risk and alternatives, the building of
nuclear reactors should not continue.
Topic Sentence 1/Pro 1:
The first problem with nuclear reactors is their cost.
Topic Sentence 2/Pro 2:
Another problem is the serious consequences of
accidents.
Refutation/ Cons:
Some people might claim that there is no real alternative
to nuclear power.
Concluding Statement:
In short, although nuclear power is an attractive option, it
has too many disadvantages.
 Introductory Paragraph
Your introduction should:
 Introduce the topic with a general statement
 State why it is important
 State there is a difference of opinion about this
topic
 Thesis statement must state what YOUR claim
is and can include the “parts” of the argument
you are going to state.
 OR

 Start with an eye catching/attention

grabber sentence
 General statements, giving background
information to let the readers know about
your claim.
 State your claim (thesis statement) at the
end of your introduction.
The Claim:

The claim: it answers the question ‘what

you are trying to prove’.
 It may appear as the thesis statement of
your essay, although in some arguments
it may not be stated directly.
What is a Thesis Statement

 The MOST IMPORTANT SENTENCE in

your paper
 Lets the reader know the main idea of
the paper
 Answers the question: “What am I trying
to prove?”
 Not a factual statement, but a claim that
has to be proven throughout the paper
There are three different claims:
 Claim of fact state that a condition has
existed, exists, or will exist and are based on
facts or data that the readers will accept as
being objectively verifiable.
  Global warming is the most pressing challenge facing the world
today
 Horse racing is the most dangerous sport.

 There are facts, incidents, statistics, history that will verify the
claim.
 Claim of value attempt to prove that some things are more or less
desirable than others. They express approval or disapproval of standard
of taste and morality.
 These are claims made about what something is worth, whether we
value it or not, how we would rate or categorize something.

 Ending a patient’s life intentionally is absolutely forbidden on moral

grounds.
 
Life is given by almighty and also taken by him so naturally human beings
have no right to take their own lives.
 Claim of policy assert/state that the specific policies
should be instituted as solutions to problems. The
expression should, must or ought to usually appear in
the statement.
 
 Old people should not be given driving license.
 
 It is a policy taken by a state or nation and particular
rules need to be adapted by a nation.
 The thesis statement or main claim must be debatable
An argumentative or persuasive piece of writing
must begin with a debatable thesis or claim. In
other words, the thesis must be something that
people could reasonably have differing
opinions on. If your thesis is something that is
generally agreed upon or accepted as fact
then there is no reason to try to persuade
people.
 Example of a non-debatable thesis
statement:
 Pollution is bad for the environment.
 This thesis statement is not debatable. First, the
word pollution means that something is bad or
negative in some way. Further, all studies agree
that pollution is a problem, they simply disagree
on the impact it will have or the scope of the
problem. No one could reasonably argue that
pollution is good.
 Example of a debatable thesis statement:
 At least twenty-five percent of the federal budget
should be spent on limiting pollution.
 This is an example of a debatable thesis because
reasonable people could disagree with it. Some people
might think that this is how we should spend the
nation's money. Others might feel that we should be
spending more money on education. Still others could
argue that corporations, not the government, should
be paying to limit pollution.
Example Introductory Paragraph
There has been much discussion about the
use of nuclear power ever since the first
reactor was built. People who support nuclear
power think that it provides a cheap and
effective means of supplying energy needs.
However, in reality it is not cheap at all and the
dangers are well-known after the accidents at
Chernobyl and Three Mile Island. The fact is
that nuclear power is a tried, tested and failed
technology. Because of its cost, risk and
alternatives, the building of nuclear reactors
should not continue.
Developing three body paragraphs/supports
(PROS and CONS)

Topic: Rickshaws have come to represent Dhaka

city, and even Bangladesh, in the international
arena. An example of this was seen in the
opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup
2011. Do you feel that we should be
embarrassed or proud of this association?
Rickshaw and our culture
 Rickshaws are everywhere in Dhaka. We see these little
passenger carrying tricycles almost everywhere we go-from the
streets where they are supposed to be, to the sidewalks where
they are not-they are an undeniable element in the core of our
culture. Throughout its existence in Bangladesh (which I would
indicate as 40 years in this context), the rickshaw and its driver
have come to be associated with our country to a good extent (if
not more than the farmer), especially in the cities. While many of
my fellow residents in Bangladesh may be embarrassed with this
association, I think we should embrace it and showcase it to the
world as one of the prominent symbols of our culture.
 Body Paragraphs
 Arguments for: The reasons “parts” of your thesis
statement will be in your body paragraphs.
 Give clear arguments for your claim with support
(examples, statistics, explanations, etc.)
 Use transition words as you move from paragraph to
paragraph (Firstly, secondly, furthermore, in addition,
moreover, finally).
 You can also use any of the transitions from the other
essay types as long as they are appropriate for your
argument. (You may want to compare/contrast things,
give reasons/results, descriptions, definitions etc.)
Rickshaw and our culture
 PROS IDEA 1 (1st body paragraph)
  
 One of the reasons why we should proudly accept this vehicle is
that it is one of the elements that make our culture stand out and
be remembered by the rest of the world. 
 Supporting sentences:

 When visitors from western countries see the rickshaw or get to

ride one, they remember the experience. When rickshaws were
showcased to the entice world during the opening ceremony of
the cricket world cup in 2011, it was applauded and commented
as one of the most unique displays of a nation’s culture in a
sporting event.
PROS IDEA 2(2nd body paragraph)

 
 Another important, perhaps vital underlying reason for having a
sense of pride regarding the rickshaws is to prefer our culture.
 
 Supporting sentences:
 
 The rickshaw is something of a primitive vehicle and has, in
recent years, been regarded as less important that other
vehicles. If the people of our country increasingly think of
rickshaw as an embarrassment, then many years into the future,
there rickshaws may disappear from the streets altogether. If this
were to happen, we would lose one of the strong elements that
identify us as a culture.
CONS IDEA + Refutation (3rd body paragraph)

 CONS (Opposing ideas)

 Many people would argue that seeing the rickshaw as a cultural symbol is a
hindrance to modernization. They believe that rickshaws are holding us back
as a country from being more ‘developed’.

 Refutation (counter argument)  

 However, most of these people see ‘westernization and ‘modernization’ in the
same light, thereby making the mistake of believing rickshaws are holding us
back. There are many examples of ‘modern uses’ of rickshaws. For instance,
rickshaws are the most important transportation in keeping environmental or
ecological balance because it does not create any pollution. Moreover,
rickshaws are not by auto engines and thus they do not create any noise
pollution also. So in every respect rickshaws are environment friendly.

  
 Language: Signposts gain importance in the argumentative
essay. They enable the readers to follow our arguments easily. 
 When pointing out opposing arguments (Cons):
 Opponents of this idea claim / maintain that …            
 Those who disagree / are against these ideas may say / assert
that …
 Some people may disagree with this idea.
  When stating specifically why they think like that:
 They put forward this idea because …
 They claim that … since …
 When refuting the opposing idea, we may use the following
strategies:
 compromise but prove that their argument is not powerful
enough:
 They have a point in thinking like that.
 To a certain extent they are right.
 completely disagree: After seeing this evidence, there is no way
we can agree with what they say.
 say that their argument is irrelevant to the topic:
 What we are discussing here is not what they are trying to prove.
 Their argument is irrelevant.
 Refutation Paragraph

 This is also used to support your claim.

 Use the counter arguments to show that
your idea is the stronger one.
 Do not focus only on the opposing ideas.
Developing body paragraphs

 Supporting reasons/sentences: statistics,

facts, observation, evidences,
explanation, experiences

 Other than incidents (past

tense/narration) mostly present tense
(comparison)
 Useful words and phrases

When you can think of the opposing

opinion but you have not seen it written
anywhere:

could be claimed
It may be asserted that... However,
might be argued
 Useful words and phrases contd.

When you have seen the opposing

opinion written in another text:

claimed
It has been asserted that... However,
argued
 Example Refutation
Some people might claim that there is no
real alternative to a new generation of
nuclear reactors. However, combined heat
and power units, which generate electricity,
are already economical for large houses or
blocks of flats and smaller units will be on
the market next year. Local generation of
electricity eliminates the enormous losses
of wasted heat in electricity generation by
fossil fuels or nuclear reactors. Wind
turbines and solar cells on the roof can
also provide home solutions and will
become more economical as costs come
down with mass production.
Fallacies/Faulty ideas

 Supporting our ideas: This is the most

important part when persuading others.
We are asking some people to change
their beliefs or actions. We should be
supporting our ideas with such facts,
statistics and/or authorities that there
should not be room for any doubts.
Here are some faulty supports we should avoid:

 Thesis: Leaving the university and starting to work is good for the
adolescent because …
 
Feelings, emotional arguments (… it makes one feel much better.)
Irrelevant examples (wandering off the topic) (… he would then be
able to take his girlfriend to expensive restaurants.)
Oversimplification (… only then he would understand what it means
to be an adult.)
Hasty generalizations (... it is a widely known fact that all
adolescents look forward to earning money.)
Unreliable, even false outside sources (… according to
www.doubtme.com, 80% of working men wish they quit school
when they were at university and started working at an earlier age.)
 Concluding paragraph
Your conclusion should:
 Restate the main claim
 Present one or two general sentences which
accurately summarise your arguments which
support the main premise
 Provide a general warning of the
consequences of not following the premise
that you put forward and/or a general
statement of how the community will benefit
from following that premise.
 Avoid raising new claims in your
conclusion.
 Introduction: Tell them what you’re going to tell
them
 Body: Tell them
 Conclusion: Tell them what you told them
 Your turn

Choose one of the topics below,

brainstorm and write a thesis statement.
Argumentative essay topic:

Face book represents only one side of our

face. Agree/disagree