Argument Essays

What is an Argument Essay?

• A type of writing that builds a convincing
argument

• To argue convincingly, a writer needs to

support a claim with clear reasons and
evidence.
Opinion vs. Persuade vs. Argue

What is the
difference?
 Opinion
o·pin·ion
əˈpinyən/
noun
noun: opinion; plural noun: opinions

A view or judgment formed about

something, not necessarily based on fact
or knowledge.
synonyms: belief, judgment, thought(s), (way of) thinking,
mind, (point of) view, viewpoint, outlook, attitude, stance,
position, perspective, persuasion, standpoint;
 Persuade
per·suade
pərˈswād/
verb
verb: persuade; 3rd person present: persuades; past tense:
persuaded; past participle: persuaded; gerund or present participle:
persuading

To cause (someone) to believe

something, especially after a
sustained effort; convince.
synonyms: prevail on, coax, convince, get, induce, coerce, influence,
sway, inveigle, entice, tempt, lure, cajole, wheedle
 Argue
ar·gue
͞
ˈärɡyoo/
Verb

To give reasons or cite evidence in

support of an idea, action, or theory;
typically with the aim of convincing
others to believe an idea.
Synonyms: reason, justify, explain, rationalize
 Persuasion vs. Argument
• Persuasion appeals to the audience’s feelings
and values
– Ex: Candidate for Mayor urges voters to support
her because she will clean up the town’s parks.
• Argument appeals to the audience’s sense of
reason
– Ex: Newspaper columnist defends a town’s traffic-
light camera policy on the grounds of the annual
reduction in car accidents.
 Appeals to Readers

• Ethical Appeal
• Emotional Appeal
• Rational Appeal
 Ethical Appeal
• The sense you convey of your knowledge on
the topic
• Supported by:
– Reasonable argument
– Sufficient evidence
– Tone
 Emotional Appeal
• Aims directly for readers’ beliefs, values, and
feelings
• Reasons:
– To urge readers to respond to the argument
– To inspire readers to new beliefs
– To encourage readers to act on particular issues
Be careful not to get off topic! For example, if you
are arguing students should have less homework, do
not get off track by discussing a particular teacher.
 Rational Appeal
• Addresses the reader’s capacity to reason
logically about a problem.
• Examples of logic:
– Inductive reasoning – when you start with factual
evidence and explain how it supports a general
idea.
– Deductive reasoning – when you start with a
general idea and apply it to a specific situation to
draw a conclusion.
 Rational Appeal
• Example of inductive reasoning:

– Offer facts on the average amount of time spent

on HW per night for an 8th grader at Antrim
(proof)

– Use those facts to conclude that teachers rely

exclusively on HW to teach students (general
statement– needs proof ^)
 Rational Appeal
• Example of deductive reasoning
– A child who burns himself three times by different
stoves approaches another stove and concludes
the stove will also burn him.

All stoves burn me. (generalization)

This is a stove. (specific assertion about
something)
Therefore, this stove will burn me. (conclusion)
Persuasive Writing Argumentative Writing
Claim based on opinion Claim – could be opinion, position,
hypothesis, thesis statement, theory

Not always verified (propaganda, Verified Claim – based on relevant and

advertisements) sufficient evidence

Emphasis on appealing to audience through Emphasis on LOGICAL REASONING

emotions, desires, and needs

Appeals to writer’s character, credentials, Appeals to writer’s credibility, which is

and trustworthiness established through knowledge of subject
matter and merits of reason and factual
evidence

May make an “argument” but doesn’t Includes the following elements of an

always include elements of a formal argument: Claim, opposing claim, reasons
argument and evidence, logical reasoning

May not take opposing views into account

 Everyday Arguments
• What is the difference between arguing over a
soccer referee’s decision vs. arguing with
readers over a complex issue?
 Everyday Arguments
• Referee is right in front of us– we can shift our
tactics in response to his/her gestures,
expressions, and words

• The reader is “out there”; we have to

anticipate those gestures by carefully
– Addressing the subject
– Structuring the argument
– Choosing evidence to support it
 Everyday Arguments
• Two witnesses to an accident sometimes do
not agree on what they saw (Example)
Components of an Argument Essay
• Claim
• Opposing Claim
• Reasons and Evidence
• Logical Reasoning
 Claim
• The position taken by the writer regarding an
idea or topic

• Should be clearly stated in the introduction.

 Opposing Claim
• A good writer will always include opposing or
alternate claims, just to show readers they
have considered the subject from all sides.

• An argument is strengthened when

counterclaims are logically addressed.
 Reasons and Evidence
• A good writer will support a claim with solid
reasons and factual evidence.

• Reasons explain why the writer holds the

opinion, while evidence– concrete facts and
solid examples– support those reasons.
 Logical Reasoning
• The way a writer builds an argument is called
reasoning.

• Effective reasoning is well organized and

logical.

• Reasons and supporting evidence need to be

presented in a clear, easy to follow way.
 Why write an Argument Essay?
• To Convince
• To Inform
• To State a Position
 To convince
• We all have opinions we feel strongly about–
so strongly that we try to convince others to
hold the same positions.

• An argument essay is a powerful tool to use

when trying to change the opinions of
readers.
 To Inform
• Readers can understand a topic in a new way

• An argument essay can help readers make

positive changes in their lives due to their new
understanding of certain topics.
 To State a Position
• Making informed decisions is extremely
important.

• A good argument essay can help clarify an

issue and get readers to act.

• Understanding all sides of an issue is the best

way to form an opinion that is based on fact.
 Argument Writing Traits
• Ideas
• Organization
• Voice
• Word Choice
• Sentence Fluency
• Conventions
 Ideas
• Clearly stated position or claim

• Relevant supporting evidence that comes

from reliable, credible sources

• Alternate or opposing claims that are

acknowledged and addressed with logical
evidence
 Organization
• Must have the following elements:
*Introduction – presents your position
*Body – presents the argument
*Conclusion – sums up argument and/or
offers a call to action

• Transitions that clarify the relationships

among ideas
 Voice
• Voice and tone that are appropriate for the
purpose and audience

• Keep your opinion OUT. Support your reasons

with FACTS
 Word Choice, Sentence Fluency,
Conventions
• Vary your word choice and use language that
keeps the reader interested.

• Vary your sentence length and structure

.
• PROOFREAD!!!! You will not convince anyone
with an essay full of spelling and grammar
mistakes.
 Sample Essay
• “Give a Student a Laptop, Give a Student the
World”
-Why do you think the writer presents the cons
first?
 Sample Essay
• Claim
• Factual Evidence
• Opposing Claims
• Reasons

• Where could the writer have been more

convincing?
 Using the Rubric
• Who is the audience?
• How does Lori present a convincing argument?
• What is her purpose for writing this essay?
• Does she state her claim clearly?
• Does she support her position and acknowledge opposing
viewpoints?
• How does she organize the essay?
• What is her call to action?
• How does she use a convincing voice?
• How well does she use precise words?
• How well does she write interesting sentences?
• How well does she use correct grammar, mechanics, and spelling?
 Prewrite
• Decide on a position and find reliable
evidence to support it.
• Gather information from sources.
• Use search terms effectively
-Write a major question about your topic
-Underline main words in your question to
articulate what you’re looking for
-Search using these key words
 Credible Website
• A credible website is an online source that
contains accurate, trustworthy, up-to-date
information.

• Example: britannica.com – information on this

site comes from the same people who wrote
the Encyclopedia Britannica
 The Dangers of Plagiarizing
• To plagiarize is to present another person’s ideas
as your own. This is STEALING.

• INSTEAD, you can paraphrase—this means you

will restate the meaning of a particular passage
or bit of information in your own words.

• Even when paraphrasing, you must still cite your

sources.
 Sentence Outline
• A Sentence Outline lists the writer’s reasons
and supporting evidence in logical order..
• Each main point has a Roman numeral.
• The supporting details under each main point
have uppercase letters (A,B,C). The
introduction and conclusion are not included.
• See pg. 293