Argument Essay 2013
The Structure of Argument
Claim: A statement of your position on a topic or issue.
Evidence: The evidence or data which you cite to support your claim. Like a
lawyer presenting evidence to a jury, you must support your claim with facts; an
unsupported claim is merely an opinion.
Counterargument: An acknowledgement of the other side’s argument – this
shows you are willing to listen to the other side and take it into consideration
Refutation: Explaining why the counterargument is wrong. “Knock ‘em down!”
Conclusion: Does not have to be boring!
EXAMPLE
Claim: A girl simply must have a hair straightener!
Evidence: Models in magazines all have straight hair; the girls at school have
straight hair; girls who want to be in style must have straight hair.
Counterargument: Taylor Swift is pretty cool, and she has curly hair.
Refutation: It took my class 2 minutes to think of someone cool with curly hair,
and all we came up with was Taylor Swift, so she must just an anomaly.
Conclusion: Girls today need to have a hair straightener!
Example outcome:
http://www.costcoconnection.com/connection/201303#pg21
Due date: You have 7 class days to complete this assignment (including
today). Your due date is by the END of class ____________________.
On this day, send what you have complete; time management is crucial.
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Requirements:

 Introduction to the issue – must be neutral (use the “formula”)
 One page Yes argument, with 2 minimum citations
 One page No argument, with 2 minimum citations
 6 interview quotes: 3 Yes/3 No – Do this OUTSIDE of class (the
person must not be in this class)
 Find out more about this topic with links to 4 resources minimum
 Survey (SurveyMonkey is easy): 10 respondents & results in a cool
text box
Suggested
steps
– to ensure quality work!
Suggested
steps:
1. With your partner, think about a controversial topic that you want to know more about. This
school library at Dallas High School is a terrific resource to help you choose a topic:
http://www.dallas.k12.or.us/dhs_library/web/popular.htm
2. Choose a topic with your partner. Use search terms such as: “Controversial research topics” /
“Debatable statements” / “Argument topics” / “Argument statements” – “fish” for this!
3. Then choose the side you will argue: Yes/No (rock, paper, scissors if you have to)
4. Recognize the purpose for your writing: argument
5. Complete a Yes/No T-Chart for your topic. Fill it up! One color = Yes and One color = No
Do this before you even find your sources – brainstorm what you already know first! (I will
check this t-chart before you move on.)
6. Look around for 2 (minimum) resources to use for each position – I suggest using:
SIRS - Great for controversial issues
User Name: in0012h
Password: nova
7. Read your articles, pen & highlighter in hand – highlight and annotate
8. Create your Works Cited page, using bibme.com
9. Add paraphrases & quotes & summaries to T-Chart, avoiding plagiarism: GO ahead and cite
appropriately on your T-Chart, which should be getting very long and full by now.
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Argument Essay 2013
10. Write your introduction for your side, using SOAPS for each article and the introduction
techniques found in the last few AoWs, using this APA formatted template
1. the narrative lead
2. the quotation lead
3. the question lead
4. the statistical lead
5. the mystery lead
6. the descriptive lead
7. the imagine lead
8. the direct lead.
11. Write your claim for your side (Sure, after you’ve done all this work, you will really know your
claim).
12. Use your t-chart to type out the body of your Argument Essay. You have your intro/claim
finished!
13. Write your strong conclusion in which you recognize both points of view and then state your
opinion and the strong reasons you have this opinion. Use your Conclusion techniques – you can
find them on the last couple of AoWs.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Include a brief summary of the paper's
main points.
Ask a provocative question.
Use a quotation.
Evoke a vivid image.
Call for some sort of action.
8.
9.
End with a warning.
Universalize (compare to other
situations).
Look to the future.
Suggest results or consequences.
14. STAR revise
Substitute
Take out
Add
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Rearrange
StandardsAssessed
assessed:
Standards
12.W.1 Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and
relevant and sufficient evidence.
This is the standard we’re writing to.
a. & e. Introduce precise, knowledgeable claim(s), establish the significance of the claim(s), distinguish the
claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that logically sequences claim(s),
counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. 20 total points
 Grading for a strong yes and strong no claim with and a conclusion which respectfully recognizes both
positions, using Step 11, and a concluding statement that clearly states the viewpoint of your partner and
you. Statement does not equal one sentence!
b. Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly and thoroughly, supplying the most relevant evidence for each
while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience's knowledge
level, concerns, values, and possible biases. 20 total points
 Grading for strong evidence that supports each position and which points out the strengths and
limitations of each argument. So you must analyze your own Yes/No position!
W.11-12.4. Clear and coherent writing - the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task,
purpose, & audience. 20 total points
 Grading for a highly organized presentation of the Requirements of this assignment. Presentation is
persuasive!
12.W.1d and 12.L.1 & 11-12.L.2 Demonstrate command of the conventions of Standard English grammar
usage, the conventions of Standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
 Grading for grammar, capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. More than 5 errors automatically
results in “below grade level” in this column. 20 total points
11 – 12.W.8 Gather relevant information…and follow a standard format for citation. 20 total points
 Grading for flawless in-text citations and Works Cited page. This should no longer be difficult for you.
Quote Sandwiches are a must.
c. Use words, phrases, and clauses as well as varied syntax to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify
the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and counterclaims.
 Grading for syntax. Use your transitional phrases & I Say/They Say Templates to compare, contrast,
refute, counter argue, make an impact. 20 total points
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Total ____________ / 120 X 2 +
10 for participation
Argument Essay 2013
The following templates help writers introduce and discuss sources (‘they’) when writing a literature
review. Additionally, these templates help writers summarize and synthesize the arguments and ideas of
their sources in order to help the writer establish creditability and provide a solid background for a
research paper or project.
First, a note about VERB TENSE & SOURCES:
APA: In APA, when you discuss cited sources, you are required to use PAST TENSE (e.g.,
Smith argued) or PRESENT PERFECT TENSE (e.g., Smith [and Jones] has [have] argued).
THEY SAY: Reporting what authors are saying about a topic
Introducing an Ongoing Debate
In discussion of X, one controversial issue has been
_. On the one hand,
argued
_. On the other hand,
contended
_. Some
researchers, such as_
_, have maintained
_.
Templates for Introducing “Standard Views”
Standard views are views that have become so widely accepted that by now it is essentially the
conventional way of thinking about a topic. [The underlined word can be replaced with other
nouns appropriate to your field of study—researchers, scientists, politicians, feminists, etc.]
Americans today tend to believe that
Conventional wisdom has it that_
_.
The standard way of thinking about topic X has been_
Many students assume that
_.
.
Introducing Quotations and Summaries: notice the verbs are past tense
She demonstrated that
(author, year, para. #)..
In X’s study of
_, she found that
(year, para. #)..
They argued
_ (author, year, para. #).
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Since quotations do not speak for themselves, you need to build a frame around them in which you do
that speaking for them; We call this a Quote Sandwich, which looks like this:
Introduce the quotation adequately by explaining who is speaking and setting
up what the quotation says. Then follow up with explaining why you consider
the quotation important and what you take it to say. [The (parenthesis)
represents the placement of your in-text citation.]
For introducing quotations
X (year) stated, “
_” (p. #).
As the prominent researcher/scholar X (year) put it, “
According to X (year), “
” (p. #).
X (year) himself wrote, “
_” (p. #).
In her book,
, X (year) maintained that “
For explaining quotations
Basically, X is saying
_.
In other words, X believes
_.
In making this comment, X argues that
X is insisting that
_.
X’s point is that
_.
The essence of X’s argument is that
.
_.
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_” (p. #).
” (p. #).
Argument Essay 2013
’
The following templates help writers introduce and discuss your own ideas as a writer (‘I’) when
writing a paper that requires the writer’s response to or stance/position on a topic. Furthermore, these
templates help writers agree, disagree, or both agree and disagree with sources in order to declare
their position relative to the views they’ve summarized or quoted.
I SAY: a writer offering his/her own argument as a response to what ‘they’ said
Experienced writers know how to express their thoughts. Since academic writing, broadly speaking, is
argumentative, college writers need to argue well. Thus, writers need to be able to assert their own
ideas as well as enter the ongoing conversation (they say) of a topic and use the ideas of others as a
launching pad for furthering their ideas. Many times the use of “I” is appropriate; however, check with
your professor. (Trinkle says, “go for it!”)
Disagreeing, with Reasons
I think X is mistaken because she overlooks
_.
X’s claim that
rests upon the questionable assumption that
_.
I disagree with X’s view that
because, as recent research has shown,
X contradicts himself/can’t have it both ways. On the one hand, he argues
the other hand, he also says _.
By focusing on
_, X overlooks the deeper problem of
_.
X claims
_, but we don’t need him to tell us that. Anyone familiar with
known that
_.
_.
_. But on
has long
Agreeing
I agree that
because my experience
confirms it.
X is surely right about
because, as she may not be aware, recent studies have shown that
_.
X’s theory of
is extremely useful because it sheds insight on the difficult problem of
_.
I agree that
_, a point that needs emphasizing since so many people believe
.
Those unfamiliar with this school of thought may be interested to know that it basically
boils down to _.
Agreeing and Disagreeing Simultaneously
Although I agree with X up to a point, I cannot accept his overall conclusion that
_.
Although I disagree with much that X says, I fully endorse his final conclusion that
.
Though I concede that
, I still insist that
_.
X is right that
, but she seems on more dubious ground when she claims that
_.
While X is probably wrong when she claims that
, she is right that
.
Whereas X provides ample evidence that
, Y and Z’s research on
and
convinces me that
instead.
I’m of two minds about X’s claims that
_. On the one hand, I agree that
. On the
other hand, I’m not sure if
_.
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Signaling who is Saying What in Your Own Writing
“I” can be used in well-grounded and well supported arguments just as those that don’t use “I”. Some
occasions may warrant avoiding first person (“I”). Overuse of “I” can also result in a monotonous
series of “I” statements—“I believe, I think, I argue”. It is a good idea to mix first-person assertions
with assertions that signal your position without using “I”.  Ask me about this!
X argues_
.
According to both X and Y
_.
Politicians, X argues, should
.
Most athletes will tell you that
_.
My own view, however, is that
_.
I agree, as X may not realize, that
_.
X is right that
_.
X’s assertion that
does not fit the facts.
Anyone familiar with
should agree that
But
are real, and are arguably the most significant factor in
_.
To minimize stereotyping…
Although not all Christians think alike, some of them will probably dispute my claim that
Non-native English speakers are so diverse in their views that it’s hard to generalize about
them, but some are likely to object on the grounds that .
_.
Making Concessions While Still Standing Your Ground
Although I grant that
_, I still maintain that
_.
Proponents of X are right to argue that
. But they exaggerate when they claim that
_.
While it is true that
, it does not necessarily follow that
_.
On the one hand, I agree with X that_
_. But on the other hand, I still insist that
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.