argumentative essay eng2

8/3/2019 Argumentative Essay Eng2

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Argumentative

Essay



In this kind of essay, we not onlygive information but also present anargument with the PROS (supportingideas) and CONS (opposing ideas) of anargumentative issue. We should clearly

take our stand and write as if we aretrying to persuade an opposingaudience to adopt new beliefs or

behavior. The primary objective is topersuade people to change beliefs thatmany of them do not want to change.

•



Steps in choosing a topic

1. It should be narrowed down. X Marijuana should be consideredillegal. (Not a good topic because it is too

general. In some medical cases,marijuana is prescribed by the doctorsand the patients are encouraged to use it

in case of suffering from too much pain)√ Selling and using marijuana in publicplaces should be considered illegal.



2. it should contain an argument.

X We should decide whether we wanta bicycle or a car. (our stand is notclear: do we support having bicycles orcars?)

√ If we are under the age of 30 andwant a healthy life, we should definitelyget a bicycle instead of a car.



X Are you one of those who thinkscheating is not good for students? (a

question cannot be an argument)

• √ Cheating helps students learn.

• X Considering its geological position,Turkey has an important geopoliticalrole in the EU. (facts cannot bearguments)

• √ Considering its geopolitical role, wecan clearly say that the EU cannot bewithout Turkey.



3. It should be a topic that can beadequately supported (with statistics,outside source citations, etc.)

X I feel that writing an argumentativeessay is definitely a challenging task.(feelings cannot be supported; wecannot persuade other people)



OrganizationThere are three possible organization

patterns:

Pattern 1:

Thesis statement:PRO idea 1

PRO idea 2

CON(s) + Refutation(s)

Conclusion



Pattern 2:

Thesis statement:

CON(s) + Refutation(s)

PRO idea 1PRO idea 2

Conclusion



Pattern 3:

Thesis statement:

CON idea 1 ---> Refutation

CON idea 2 ---> RefutationCON idea 3 ---> Refutation

Conclusion



Supporting Ideas

This is the most important part whenpersuading others. We are asking some

people to change their beliefs oractions. We should be supporting ourideas with such facts, statistics and/orauthorities that there should not be

room for any doubts.



Here are some faulty supports thatyou must avoid:

Thesis: Leaving the university andstarting to work is good for theadolescent because …

• Feelings, emotional arguments (… itmakes one feel much better.)

• Irrelevant examples (wandering off thetopic) (… he would then be able to takehis girlfriend to expensive restaurants.)



• Oversimplification (… only then wouldhe understand what it means to be anadult.)

• Hasty generalizations (... it is a widelyknown 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 quitschool when they were at universityand started working at an earlier age.)



Refuting opposing arguments

Before we start saying that theopponents are wrong, we should specify their opposing ideas. Otherwise, it would

be like hitting the other person with eyesclosed. We should see clearly what weare hitting and be prepared beforehand

so that he cannot hit us back. We can dothis by knowing what we are refuting.



e.g. X Some people may say thatadolescents should not leave universityeducation; however, they are wrong.(what they say is not wrong. Maybe

their supporting idea is wrong /irrelevant /insufficient. We should statetheir supporting idea specifically to be

able to refute it.)



• √ Some people may say that adolescents

should not leave university educationbecause they are not physically andpsychologically mature enough to copewith the problems of the real world.However, they forget one fact:adolescents can vote or start driving atthe age of 18 (in some countries even

before that age!), which proves that theyare considered physically andpsychologically mature at that age.



LanguageSignposts gain importance in the

argumentative essay. They enable thereaders to follow our arguments easily.

When pointing out opposing arguments

(CONs):

• Opponents of this idea claim / maintainthat …

• Those who disagree / are against theseideas 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 …

Reaching the turning point:

However,

butOn the other hand,



• say that their argument is irrelevant tothe topic:

What we are discussing here is notwhat they are trying to prove.

Their argument is irrelevant.



To write an argumentative essay, use thefollowing steps to help you:

1. Begin by introducing the debate topic inyour own words.

2. Then write if you agree or disagree with

the argument3. Tell people why you hold that opinion and

come up with ideas and examples to back

up your arguments. Try to put these ideasin an order with the most important ideasfirst and links between each idea so that

the essay flows well.



• 4. Think about why people might havea different opinion (objections) and try

to show why they are not important orthey are not true.

• 5. Conclude with a brief summary and

try to make a strong last sentence thatpeople will remember.



For example Oprah Winfrey famouslywrote," I believe the choice to beexcellent begins with aligning yourthoughts and words with the intention

to require more from yourself." The restof the article maybe forgotten, but thatstrong sentence is remembered.



The goal of argument is to gainyour reader's assent to your central

proposition, despite active

opposition “We argue not because we're angry, but because arguing causes us to examine

our own and others' ideas carefully. Itcauses us to weigh conflicting claims;to make judgments about the nature of evidence and the methods of

investigation; to state our thoughtsclearly, accurately, and honestly; toconsider, respectfully and critically, theideas of others.”

http://www.powa.org/argument/index.html

http://www.powa.org/argument/proposition.html

http://www.powa.org/argument/opposition.html

http://www.powa.org/argument/opposition.html

http://www.powa.org/argument/proposition.html



Arguing in ContextWriter: A college freshman away from homeand working part-time at a fast-foodrestaurant to pay her expenses, a seriousstudent majoring in pre-medicine but

getting mentally and emotionally exhaustedfrom the various pressures in her life. Reader: Her parents, but especially herfather who, she knows, will make the final

decision after talking the issue out with hermother.



Her father is a successful banker, generally loving and supportive but a bit old-fashioned inthat he wants the daughter to get the kind of education that would fit her for a moreconventional "woman's role" in society, maybedental hygiene or nursing since she is interestedin medicine. Her mother almost always remains

subordinate to the father, but exerts a great dealof influence on the father and has at least hintedthat she supports the girl's desire to become adoctor.

Purpose: To persuade her father to temporarily increase his level of financial support by ahundred dollars a month so that she can quither job and concentrate more on her studies.



Stating Your Proposition

Argumentative proposition= thesis statement

stating main point helps youdirect, develop and monitor

at 1st, hunches or goodguesses probably will bemodified or revised make a

claim that is open to debate



Examples

Some people ruin things for everyonevague provides no direction

A small group of thoughtless fans is jeopardizing the school’s whole soccer program.

precise

propositions



Anticipating Oppositionsense an adversary

• How strong is the opposition?

• What arguments might it use against my proposition?

• How can I refute these arguments?

• Will I have to concede any points?• Which of my arguments might the opposition try to

discredit?

• How closely does my reader identify with opposition?

• Can I see any weak links in my adversary?



For (Pro)

1. Faster typists would produce more lines.2. Faster typists would make more money.

3. One less transcriptionist would be needed.

4. One less word processing machine would beneeded.

5. Less office space would be needed.

6. One less benefit package would be needed.

7. Less overtime would be required.

8. Less sick time would be paid.



Against (Con)1. Typists would do not do other duties, such as

paper work.

2. Typists would try to type the easier reports.

3. Typists would do a poorer quality of work.

4. Slower typists would be mad.

5. Typists could make more money than the boss.

6. Other people in the department would be mad.



Expanding Your ArgumentDevelop points listed in chart.

Think in terms of paragraphs.Examples, explanation, comparison and contrast, facts

Arguments for is confirmingClear, reasonable, solid

Arguments against is refutingShow how case is weak

Both are essential



Three Argumentative Appeals

Reason “Briefly informal reasoning requires clearly linking your

general claims with concrete, specific data.”

Ethics “If you misrepresent the implications of your own value

structure, or seek to hurt some individual or group,you can expect to alienate your readers.”

Emotion “…emotional appeals must be used with restraint and

discretion, or they may prove counterproductive.”



Inductive reasoning

Thinking begins with specifics and moves toward a

generalization.

If you were to taste several green, plump grapes and then

draw the conclusion that all green, plump grapes are sour,

this is inductive reasoning.

In writing

have you examined the evidence carefully?

does the evidence justify your conclusion?

have you given enough specific evidence to make readers

believe your thinking is sound and conclusion is true?



Deductive reasoning

Thinking begins with general and moves toward specifics

by taking a general principle that you know to be true and

use it to understand a specific situation.

For example, bad weather reduces business for outdoor

restaurants. Today is cold and rainy. From this

knowledge, you can say Business will be slow today at the

outdoor restaurants. This is deductive reasoning.



Ethics

The best way to put ethical appeal in your writing is to

“build a strong, healthy relationship with your readers.

Convince them that they can trust you to be fair, honest,

well-informed, and well-intentioned. Then having

established that trust, don’t betray it.” http://www.powa.org/argument/appeals.html



Activity Letting 10 represent the highest and 1 the lowest, rate the

following public figures for their appeal to character.Of course, you’ll be considering more that just writing,but the activity should still give you some insight intowhat ethos is and how it affects credibility. Whenyou’ve finished, compare your ratings with those of a

partner. Discuss the reasons for your scoring.

a. Manny Pacquiao b. Adolf Hitler c. Barrack Obama d. Benigno Aquino Jr.e. Gloria Macapagal- Arroyo f. BB Gandang Hari

g. Katrina Halili h. Michael Jacksoni. Tiger Woods j. Mayor Ampatuan



Emotion Don’t overdo emotion or people won’t take you seriously, but

a little bit of emotion will probably help if carefully reasoned

and honestly presented.

Illustrate or dramatize an ideaFor example, if stiffer measures are needed against drunk

drivers, find a place to include a description of the face of a childwho was injured in a drunk driving accident. OR tell the story of a

driver who caused several accidents because the individual’s license

was never revoked.

Careful word choiceDrunk or intoxicated drivers a menace or a concern

Thrown into jail or incarcerated

Teach them a lesson or make them aware of the consequences of

their actions



Form: Tradition and Innovation

…essential parts include theIntroduction

Statement of the Case

Proposition

Refutation

Confirmation

Conclusion



Introduction

Focus your reader’s attention.

Begin with a fact or example

Note a common misconception

Raise a question

Make a bold assertion



Introduction

“Torture: The word itself brings shivers to the

spine and sickness to the stomach. It conjures up pictures

of bamboo strips being driven under fingernails, electric

shocks being applied to delicate body parts and toes and

ears being systematically cut off. Immediate sympathy is

felt for the one being tortured and revulsion for the

torturer. It is generally assumed that torture is barbaric, a

throwback to a more brutal age. Enlightened, “civilized”

societies reject it outright, and regimes suspected of using itrisk the wrath of the United States. I believe that this

attitude is unwise. There are situations in which torture is

not merely permissible, but needed” (Levin).



Statement of the Case

Tell the story behind the argument.

Give any necessary background information.

Clarify the issue.Characterize and define the issue in terms

that work for your argument.



Proposition Statement

State your proposition (purpose) much as

you would the thesis in a thesis/support essay

Perhaps set up expectations by hinting at

important sub points that will be considered.



Refutation

Examine and refute opposition arguments.

Expose faulty reasoning.

Use these transitions: since, because, if,

therefore, as a result, consequently, however,

but, on the other hand, so



Refutation

“Torturing the terrorist is unconstitutional, but

millions of lives surely outweigh unconstitutionality.

Torture is barbaric. Mass murder is far more

barbaric. Indeed, letting millions of innocents diein deference to one who flaunts his guilt is moral

cowardice. If you caught the terrorist, could you

sleep nights knowing that millions died because you

could not bring yourself to apply the electrodes”

(Levin)?



Confirmation

Develop and support your own case, much in

the manner of a traditional /thesis/support

essay. Use examples, facts, and statistics toback up your claims.

Base your appeal primarily on logic.



Confirmation

Order

1. Second most important point

2. Point of lesser importance3. Point of lesser importance

4. Most important point – anchors your

argument – like the knock-out punch in a

boxing match



Conclusion

Whatever you do, end strongly.

Finish with conviction.

1. Ringing conclusion2. Review of your main points

3. A reference to something in introduction

4. A plea for action

5. Discuss defections from the opposition.



Conclusion

“There is little danger that the Western

democracies will lose their way if they choose

to inflict pain as one way of preserving order.Paralysis in the face of evil is the greater

danger. Some day soon a terrorist will

threaten tens of thousands of lives, and

torture will be the only way to save them.

We had better start thinking about this”

(Levin).

argumentative essay eng2

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