This document provides guidance on writing an argumentative essay for a class. It includes information on choosing a topic from several prompts, the structure and requirements of the essay, and tips for developing an argument. Students must write a 3-4 page essay supporting a position on a debate topic while addressing any opposing views in their argument. The document provides deadlines for drafts and outlines the components of a strong introduction, body paragraphs with evidence, and a conclusion.

1. Argument
Arguing a Position

2. Administrative Concerns
▪ Final Draft Comparative Analysis due on MyCourses TONIGHT
by 11:59 pm.
▪ Journal #6 and Assignment for this Power Point due on Sunday,
as opposed to Wednesday (You’re welcome!).
▪ Final Draft for Literacy Narrative pushed back to December 4.
▪ We will resume class back on Tuesday, October 28.

3. Argumentative Essay (Position Paper)
▪ For this position paper, you'll describe a problem, state your own
position, and support your position with facts, reasons, and examples.
Most importantly, you'll try to persuade your readers to adopt your
position or, at least, to consider your argument seriously.
▪ Your essay should be 3-4 pages in length, employ standard
grammatical conventions, and conform to MLA formatting (1''margins,
correct in-text citations, and a Works Cited page, if necessary, etc.)
▪ When writing this paper, remember to create a central claim (a thesis)
and to then use your body paragraphs to support that claim. You will
need at least 2-3 main supporting points and 1-2 points of concession
/ refutation. A mere five paragraph essay will not suffice for this
assignment; you must move beyond that at this point.

4. Prompts
▪ Choose one of the following prompts:
– Option 1 – Write an essay the poses an argument either for or against a specific
classroom policy. This can be anything from attendance policies to technology policies
to grading polices in any single class or combination of classes.
– Option 2 – Write an essay that poses an argument either for or against a certain type of
rights. This can range from rights belonging to animals, gender, race, nationality, etc. If
you choose this option, consider more than simply pay grade or mistreatment; consider
things like, if a crime is committed – such as rape – who is at fault? If we want to make
new drugs, on whom do they get tested? Should convicted felons have the same rights
as non-felons? Do animals have rights? Be sure that you make clear what group you
are arguing for or against and what rights they either should or should not have.
– Option 3 – Write an essay that redefines or calls for a re-imagining of a concept or
word. For example, as a society, we generally have an idea of what basic pornography
is, but there has recently been a call to draw the line between simple sex and violent
depictions of sex. As we push forward as a country, there is a call to revisit and redefine
many of the things we once thought would never change. Some examples of changing
concepts include the ideas of: family, love, hate, crisis, emergency, victim, survivor, and
religion.

5. Due Dates
▪ First Draft due November 6 in class.
▪ Second Draft due on MyCourses on November 11, 2014
▪ Final Draft due on My Courses on November 18, 2014

6. What’s the point of an argumentative essay?
▪ In argumentative writing, a writer takes a position for or against
an issue and write to convince the reader to believe or do
something.
▪ Argumentative essays are written to get the reader to accept a
point of view. In order to convince the reader, you need more
than an opinion; you need facts or examples to back up your
opinion.
▪ To write an argument essay, you’ll need to gather evidence and
present a well-reasoned argument on a debatable issue.

7. Argument Essay
▪ Argument essays seek to state a position on an issue and give
several reasons, supported by evidence, for agreeing with that
position.
▪ Since argument essays are often about controversial topics, you
may not be able to convince your intended reader to change
their point of view, but you can attempt to give them a clear
understanding of your position.

8. Aims of Argument
▪ Argument attempts to persuade by finding points of compromise
and agreement. It is an appropriate technique to use in highly
polarized debates, but you must be sincere about willingness to
compromise and change your point of view for the reader to
take you seriously.

9. Considerations of Rogerian Argument
▪ Present your character as a person who understands and
empathizes with the opposition. Often, this means you state
opposing position fairly and sympathetically (EXAMPLE: “It is
not fair that animals are subjected to painful experimentation to
help humans find new cures”.)
▪ Establish common ground in beliefs and values you share
(EXAMPLE: “As the dominant species, we do have
responsibilities).

10. Considerations of Rogerian Argument
▪ Be willing to change views and show where your position could
be modified (EXAMPLE: “It is a good idea to invest in trying to
find ways to get information without using live animals in
experiments”).
▪ Direct your argument toward a compromise or workable
solution. (EXAMPLE: “Let’s look for other ways to get
information without using animals, but until we do, we probably
need to continue experimentation”).

11. How Can I Tell if My Argument is Debatable?
▪ You cannot argue a statement of fact, you must base your paper
on a strong position. Ask yourself…
– How many people could argue against my position? What would they
say?
– Can it be addressed with a yes or no? (aim for a topic that requires more
info.)
– Can I base my argument on scholarly evidence, or am I relying on religion,
cultural standards, or morality? (you MUST be able to do quality research!)
– Have I made my argument specific enough?
▪ Check your thesis: http://www.roanestate.edu/owl/Thesis-
Statements.html

12. Considerations
▪ Worried about taking a firm stance on an issue?
– Though there are plenty of times in your life when it’s best to adopt a
balanced perspective and try to understand both sides of a debate, this
isn’t one of them.
▪ You MUST choose one side or the other when you write an
argument paper!
– Don’t be afraid to tell others exactly how you think things should go
because that’s what we expect from an argument paper. You’re in charge
now, what do YOU think?

13. Dos and Don’ts
▪ Dos
– Use passionate language
– Cite experts who agree with you, if necessary.
– Provide facts, evidence, and statistics to support your position.
– Provide reasons to support your claim
– Address the opposing side’s argument and refute their claims.

14. Dos and Don’ts
▪ Don’t
– use weak qualifiers like “I believe,” “I feel” or “I think”
– Claim to be an expert if you’re not one
– Use strictly moral or religious claims as support for your argument
– Assume the audience will agree with you about any aspect of your
argument.
– Attempt to make others look bad.

15. Why do I need to address the opposing side’s
argument?
▪ There is an old kung-fu saying which states, "The hand that
strikes also blocks", meaning that when you argue it is to your
advantage to anticipate your opposition and strike down their
arguments within the body of your own paper. This sentiment is
echoed in the popular saying, "The best offence is a good
defense”.

16. By addressing the opposition you achieve the
following goals:
▪ Illustrate a well-rounded understanding of the topic
▪ Demonstrate a lack of bias
▪ Enhance the level of trust that the reader has for both you and
your opinion
▪ Give yourself the opportunity to refute any arguments the
opposition may have
▪ Strengthen your argument by diminishing your opposition's
argument

17. Think of it this way:
▪ Think about yourself as a child asking your parents for
permission to do something that they would normally say no to.
You were far more likely to get them to say yes if you anticipated
and addressed all of their concerns before they expressed
them. You did not want to belittle those concerns, or make them
feel dumb, because this only put them on the defensive, and
lead to a conclusion that went against your wishes.

18. How do I accomplish this?
▪ To address the other side of the argument you plan to make,
you'll need to "put yourself in their shoes." In other words, you
need to try to understand where they're coming from. If you're
having trouble accomplishing this task, try following these
steps:
– Jot down several good reasons why you support that particular side of the
argument.
– Look at the reasons you provided and try to argue with yourself. Ask: Why
would someone disagree with each of these points? What would his/her
response be? (Sometimes it's helpful to imagine that you're having a
verbal argument with someone who disagrees with you.)

19. How do I accomplish this, Cont’d
▪ Think carefully about your audience; try to understand their
background, their strongest influences, and the way that their
minds work. Ask: What parts of this issue will concern my
opposing audience the most?
▪ Find the necessary facts, evidence, quotes from experts, etc. to
refute the points that your opposition might make.
▪ Carefully organize your paper so that it moves smoothly from
defending your own points to sections where you argue against
the opposition.

20. Structure
▪ Introduction:
– Focused Presentation of the Issue (Describe the Argument Subject)
▪ use the title to present your point of view
▪ intro ideas: use questions, a brief history of the subject, concrete
examples, anecdotes or scenarios to help the reader see the subject
from your point of view
▪ think about your audience—what aspects of this issue would most
interest or convince them?
– Clear Position stated in your Thesis
▪ you need a clear thesis statement which tells your position.
▪ this should be in the first paragraph or two, usually right after the
description of the issue

21. Structure, Cont’d
▪ Body
– Reasons and support
▪ usually you will have three or more reasons why the reader
should accept your position. These will be your topic sentences.
▪ Support each of these reasons with argument, examples,
statistics, authorities or anecdotes
▪ to make your reasons seem plausible, connect them back to your
position by using “if…then” reasoning
– Anticipate opposing positions and objections
▪ what objections will your readers have? Answer them with
argument or evidence.
▪ What other positions do people take on this subject? What is your
reason for rejecting these positions? (this can be your introduction
also)

22. Structure, Cont’d
▪ Conclusion
– Make a final point that tells the reader what to think or do.
▪ Why should the reader adopt your point of view?
▪ you might use the anticipating objections in the conclusion or use some of the
techniques of the propose a solution essay in conclusion

23. Assignment (Due Sunday by 11:59 p.m.)
▪ Cara May wants to write an essay about physician-assisted
suicide. Her aunt, Gloria, has breast cancer, and her aunt’s
illness has caused a great deal of hardship both emotionally and
financially for her husband and children. Gloria has just been
told that she has less than six months to live, and because the
family lives in Mississippi, they do not have access to a Death
With Dignity Law. Since her aunt has already gone through
several painful bouts of chemotherapy with limited success,
Gloria has no option to end her suffering on her own terms.
Write an introductory paragraph and an outline for an essay in
which Cara May will argue that Mississippi should adopt a DWD
law.

24. Assignment, Cont’d
▪ The points she wants to make are:
– It allows people to have control over an uncontrollable situation.
– It’s emotionally and financially better for the patient’s family.
– There are rigorous tests that a patient must go through in order to be
approved for the process.
– Whatever concerns family may have about assisted suicide, it is ultimately
the patient’s choice.
– Concession: Although some may consider assisted suicide to be murder,
a physician is not a murderer; it is his responsibility to provide care in the
best interests of his patients.

25. Sample Introductory Paragraph
▪ For many years, children growing up in a single parent family have been
viewed as different. Being raised by only one parent seems impossible to
many yet over the decades it has become more prevalent. In today’s society
many children have grown up to become emotionally stable and successful
whether they had one or two parents to show them the rocky path that life
bestows upon all human beings. The problem lies in the difference of children
raised by single parents versus children raised by both a mother and a father.
Does a child need both parents? Does a young boy need a father figure
around? Does the government provide help for single parents? What role do
step-parents and step-siblings play? With much speculation, this topic has
become a very intriguing argument. What people must understand is that
properly raising a child does not rely on the structure of a family but should
be more focused on the process or values that are taught to these children
as they learn to mature. Children of single parents can be just as progressive
with emotional, social and behavioral skills as those with two parents.