where did you hear that? the argumentative essay
TRANSCRIPT
Where did you hear
that?
The Argumentative Essay
Forming a research question
Topics
Brainstorm:
Choose a list of topics that are somewhat controversial and can be argued
can use topic from Compare/Contrast Essay
Choose Topics
From your list, pick a topic that you would be interested in researching
write the topic at the top of the numbered paper
DO NOT write your name on the paper
put paper aside for later
Argumentative Essay
What is an argumentative essay?
What type of information is included?
What are the steps in writing an argumentative essay?
What is an argumentative essay?
a type of writing that requires you to investigate a topic and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner
As published on Purdue OWL’s website:
every argumentative essay requires a “clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph” (2010)
Steps to follow1. Choose a general topic
2. Do preliminary research
3. Create a research question
4. Do more in-depth research
5. Create an outline with
a thesis and main points
6. Write a rough draft
7. Revise
8. Edit
9. Present findings
10.Write a final draft
Research Questions
What is a research question?
Why is a research question essential to the research process?
How do you develop a research question?
What is a research question?
clear, focused, concise, complex, arguable
should create a question you are genuinely interested in researching
Why is it important?
help writers focus their research
provides a path through the research and writing process
helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper
Steps to Develop a Question
Choose an interesting topic
Do some preliminary research on your general topic
Consider your audience
Start asking questions
Choose an interesting topic
why would you want to study bugs if you aren’t interested
choose a broad topic
ex: economic depression, abortion
Do preliminary research
use quick searches in periodicals and journals to see what information is already available
this helps narrow your focus
Consider your audience
usually the audience is academic
Question to ask:
Would that particular audience be interested in this question?
Start asking questions
Ask the “why” and “how” questions
example:
How does abortion affect the woman?
Why would a woman choose to have an abortion?
Make sure your research question is clear
Make sure your research question is complex
Practice
Read the following research questions; decide whether they are clear or unclear
Example:
a. Why are social networking sites harmful?
b. How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on such social networking sites as Myspace and Facebook?
Answer
b. because it gives specific examples of what social networking sites will be examined, as well as what type of “harm” people are experiencing with these websites.
Your turn
Brainstorm a potential research question that goes along with your topic
Write it on the numbered paper below your topic
Once you are finished, I will be around to collect the papers
Works Cited
George Mason University Writing Center. (2009, October 09). How to write a research question. Retrieved from http://
writingcenter.gmu.edu/resources-template.php?id=59