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Argumentative Writing
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First Things First
De gustibus non disputandum est.
In matters of taste, there can be no disputes.
What does this mean?
Let’s avoid arguments over matters of taste because
they’re impossible to support.
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Intellectual Arguments
When making at intellectual argument, your opinion must be
supported with evidence.
The great thing about argumentative writing is that there are
different stances or opinions that can be taken about the
same topic.
There are no “right” or “wrong” opinions, only well-supported
or poorly-supported stances.
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Responding to Writing Prompts
What is a writing prompt?
 A writing prompt is a statement that tells you
what to write about. (INFORM)
Writing prompts can also IMPLY all sorts of things,
so be ready to make inferences.
It is necessary to use your active reading skills to
make sense of prompts.
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WRITING PROMPT GOALS
 You will understand the difference between “open” and
“closed” prompts.
 You will know how to determine what the topic of a
prompt is.
 You will be able to figure out what opinions or stances
the prompt allows.
 You will be able to infer other details about the prompt
like who the audience is and how to organize the essay.
 You will be able to apply your new knowledge and
create a prompt of your own.
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Open vs. Closed Prompts
Closed prompts limit the number of possible stances or opinions to those that it
indicates.
 Yes or No
 Agree or Disagree
 Pro or Con
 This or That (or The Other Thing)
Open prompts allow you a virtually endless variety of responses.
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Thesis
Working with a partner, look over your thesis draft.
Make sure that your answer is YES to the following questions.
Revise as necessary.
 Is the thesis clear and easy to read?
 Is the topic clearly stated?
 Is there an argument stated? Make sure it isn’t a matter of taste.
 Is there deeper meaning in the thesis? So what? / Why? / Because
 Avoid summary and obvious ideas
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Topic Sentences
The first sentence (sometimes two) of your paragraph
should be a topic sentence.
 It states what the main idea of the entire paragraph is
going to be.
 It should clearly relate to the thesis because it is a
specific reason for the major claim of your entire essay.
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Thesis – Topic Sentence Outline
Look at the relationship between the THESIS and the TOPIC SENTENCES. They
all work together to form the basic structure of the essay.
THESIS: Torey goes through many negative changes throughout the story. He
becomes mentally ill, gets alienated, and becomes a destructive risk-taker.
TOPIC SENTENCE #1: The worst part of Torey’s whole experience is that he goes
through extreme mental anguish that results in post traumatic stress.
TOPIC SENTENCE #2: As if having a significant mental illness is not enough,
Torey also gets alienated by the people of Steepleton.
TOPIC SENTENCE #3: Torey changes from a typical, obedient kid into a real risktaker who breaks the rules.
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Quote Sandwich – YUM!
TOPIC SENTENCE topic sentence topic sentence topic sentence topic sentence
topic sentence topic sentence. INTRODUCE THE QUOTE WITH SUMMARY
introduce the quote with summary introduce the quote, “QUOTE quote quote
quote quote quote quote quote quote quote” (Plum-Ucci 76). PUT THE
QUOTE IN YOUR OWN WORDS put it in your own words put it in your own words.
ANALYSIS and ELABORATION analysis and elaboration analysis and
elaboration analysis and elaboration analysis and elaboration analysis and
elaboration analysis and elaboration analysis and elaboration analysis and
elaboration analysis and elaboration.
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Let’s look at the quote guide
on the class website.
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Rinse and Repeat
Use the quote sandwich format any time that you are
using a quotation as support.
You simply use the same technique multiple times
throughout the essay.
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Main Idea Sections
You can have more than one paragraph per main idea.
We use paragraphs simply to break our ideas into bite sized pieces when it
makes sense. You don’t need to cram multiple quote sandwiches into the
same paragraph.
If your reasoning or support shifts a little bit, consider a new paragraph. It just
helps with clarity.
IMPORTANT: Be sure to use transitions and topic sentence in order to indicate
what main idea the paragraph is about, though.
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Example of Effective Use of Transitions
Main Idea #1a: The worst part of Torey’s whole experience
is that he goes through extreme mental anguish that results
in post traumatic stress. He finds a dead body which is an
incredibly horrible experience.
Main Idea #1b: In addition to finding a dead body, Torey
also has to deal with an eating disorder.
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Clinchers
The clincher is the last sentence of the body paragraph section.
It relates the whole argument back to the claim in your thesis.
It often looks very similar to a topic sentence!
Topic Sentence: Torey changes from a typical, obedient kid into a real risktaker who breaks the rules.
Clincher: In the beginning Torey would never take risks, but by the end of the
story, he does all sorts of things that put him in danger. He has really changed
negatively.