Developing your essay argument
Overview of this workshop
Some questions answered :
 What is an argument ?
 How do I formulate one ?
 What makes an argument strong ?
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What is an argument ?
An argument at university
is…
 a stance, a position supported by evidence
 an angle
 an informed opinion
 an academic discussion that expresses a point of view
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An argument at university
 attempts to persuade or convince
others of your claims (it goes beyond
disagreement)
 provides an answer to a question
 is about something that is debatable – not a fact,
not a personal preference
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An argument at university
requires you to …
 develop a point of view or interpretation of particular
information, ideas or theories
 provide and use evidence in support of your point of
view
 think critically and debate
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An argument at university
is…
 often the purpose of academic writing
and importantly …
the word argument doesn’t have to be written
anywhere in your question for it to be an
important part of the task
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Opinion versus position
Opinion
Position
used in everyday life
used in academic writing
may be supported by arguments
supported by arguments
may be supported by evidence
supported by evidence
evidence not necessarily verifiable
evidence verifiable
subjective
objective
personal
impersonal
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The thesis statement
what is it
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The thesis statement
is …
a sentence (sometimes two) which presents your
argument , your position
a statement of the essay’s position in relation to the
question
a statement that is put forward as a proposition to be
argued and maintained in the essay
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The thesis statement
 is the most important sentence in your essay
 tells the reader how you will interpret
the significance of the subject matter
 is the road map for your essay
 informs your reader the direction
your essay will take
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The thesis statement
is the
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of your essay’s academic
argument
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The thesis statement
How do I formulate one…
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The thesis statement
Before you can formulate your thesis statement
you need to:




understand the essay question
read widely on the topic
decide on your position
collect and organise evidence and
information
 look for possible relationships
 look for the significance of these
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The thesis statement
How do I develop my thesis statement ?
identify the range of points of view in relevant readings
what are their strengths and weaknesses?
which point of view seems the most credible? Why?
what is your point of view on the topic?
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Remember, before you move into the body
of the essay …
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What makes a thesis strong?
(See activity 2)
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The essay introduction- sample
‘Natural disasters are really not so natural.’ Compare the roles of nature and society
in the subsequent impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Cyclone Yasi.
Cyclone Yasi and Hurricane Katrina were two similar natural disasters however they
resulted in two very different outcomes. Cyclone Yasi made landfall as a category 5
system on 3rd February, 2011 (Global Post 2011) on the Northern Queensland coast of
Australia, a well developed and well resourced area. Cyclone Yasi indirectly caused death
to one person (Freeman 2013). Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall on the
Mississippi / Louisiana border, USA on August 29th 2005 where it caused the deaths of
over 1,500 people (Kates et al., 2006). New Orleans, USA will be the area of focus for
Hurricane Katrina: an under-resourced area that contained many people in poverty because
of its slave history and more recently because of middle class families and jobs moving away
from the city and higher taxes reducing the area’s economic resilience (Katz 2006). The
severity and outcomes of the following subsequent impacts from the two disasters house
damage, flooding and lack of availability of food and clean water are compared. It is
determined that Hurricane Katrina’s impacts were much more severe and caused more loss
of life than Cyclone Yasi’s even though the two disasters were very similar in magnitude, and
the reasons for this are explained by comparing the minor of nature and the more major role
of society in the impacts. The role of society in these impacts are explained in terms of
political systems, poverty and inequality, history of the places and the role of nature in terms
of the natural environment.
(adapted from: student 100 level essay)
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The essay introduction- sample
‘Natural disasters are really not so natural.’ Compare the roles of nature and society
in the subsequent impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Cyclone Yasi.
Cyclone Yasi and Hurricane Katrina were two similar natural disasters however they
resulted in two very different outcomes. Cyclone Yasi made landfall as a category 5
system on 3rd February, 2011 (Global Post 2011) on the Northern Queensland coast of
Australia, a well developed and well resourced area. Cyclone Yasi indirectly caused death
to one person (Freeman 2013). Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall on the
Mississippi / Louisiana border, USA on August 29th 2005 where it caused the deaths of
over 1,500 people (Kates et al., 2006). New Orleans, USA will be the area of focus for
Hurricane Katrina: an under-resourced area that contained many people in poverty because
of its slave history and more recently because of middle class families and jobs moving away
from the city and higher taxes reducing the area’s economic resilience (Katz 2006). The
severity and outcomes of the following subsequent impacts from the two disasters house
damage, flooding and lack of availability of food and clean water are compared. It is
determined that Hurricane Katrina’s impacts were much more severe and caused more loss
of life than Cyclone Yasi’s even though the two disasters were very similar in magnitude, and
the reasons for this are explained by comparing the minor of nature and the more major role
of society in the impacts. The role of society in these impacts are explained in terms of
political systems, poverty and inequality, history of the places and the role of nature in terms
of the natural environment.
(adapted from: student 100 level essay)
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What makes a thesis strong?
 it answers a question
 it takes a position that is debatable
 it is backed up by evidence and
argument
 it answers the ‘so what ?’ question (that
is, it clarifies its relevance and significance)
 it is supported specifically by the essay
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Writing the thesis statement
Thesis Checklist
Yes
Not Yet
Does it answer the essay question ?
Does it answer the question ‘What is my point?’
Does it take a position? (That is,does it
challenge/oppose/agree in part or in full OR does in simply
state, summarise or describe?)
Is it expressed in a strong and concise sentence?
Is it specific enough?
Does it pass the ‘so what’ test ?
Does the essay specifically support the thesis with sufficient
evidence?
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Thank you!