How to Choose a Stance or Position in Forming an Argument Essay Name______________________
Upon occasion, you will be required to take a side on a specific issue in order to construct an argumentative essay.
Whether you are writing a long argument essay, writing a test essay, writing a speech, or preparing for a debate, you will
need to know how to take a strong stance on a subject.
There is an art to taking a side. You have to be a little crafty. To really convince someone in an argumentative essay, you
have to know a little about each side and pick the one you can argue most effectively.
TIP: You don't have to choose the side you believe, necessarily. If you are going to be graded according to your logical
points, you might have to go against your gut feelings.
Imagine that you have been assigned this topic:
Recently, a young man was suspended from high school for wearing makeup to class. His cosmetic choices included
black lipstick and eyeliner. The young man protested that the school was guilty of gender discrimination, since female
students routinely used makeup. Do you agree or disagree that the school discriminated against the young man?
First, draw a line down the middle of a piece of paper, dividing the sheet in half. Label one side pros and one side cons.•
Think of strengths for each side. List at least three strong points for both sides. For this practice exercise, use the slips of
paper given to you by your teacher. With your group members, determine which column each slip belongs, and then copy
them into your chart. You may come up with others if you’d like!
PROS
(for, or in favor of)
CONS
(against)
Once you have come up with several points for each side of your issue, read over the results to determine which side is
strongest, and which you could argue most effectively. With your group, decide which side has the points that you could
back up with examples. Write your choice below.
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What would be a good title for your essay?
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Types of Evidence
Before you make a choice, review the points you made and decide if your statements can be backed up by evidence.
Types of supporting evidence are listed below. With your group, think of a valid example for each type. Be sure you stick
to THIS essay topic.
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Statistics_____________________________________________________________________________
Striking statement____________________________________________________________________________
Expert opinions_______________________________________________________________________
Anecdotes___________________________________________________________________________
(Examples of these next three are given below)
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Observations
Precedence
Consequence
Three supporting arguments:
Choose a side that will enable you to use variety in your argument. For example, you might decide that you can argue
most effectively that the school is not discriminating, because you can offer several differing types of evidence.
Example:
Precedence: Students have always been required to adhere to dress codes to avoid disruptions.
Observation: The boy's choice of black lipstick demonstrates that he is not merely wearing makeup to cover blemishes. He is
attempting to draw attention.
Consequence: The boy's makeup can (and already has) created distractions.
With your group, think of at least three supporting arguments for the main argument (“side”) your group chose.
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Addressing the Opposition (______________________________)
Even though you choose one side as the strongest for your argument, you must be able to demonstrate that you understand
both sides of your issue.
Example: While it is true that boys and girls should be treated equally, it would be a mistake to use makeup as a measuring stick for
equality. It is widely known that cosmetic makeup is traditionally associated with females, so the issue becomes the distraction that
this behavior would cause.
Keep this in mind as you construct your argumentative essay, and use the strengths that you listed for the opposite
side. With your group, think of at least two possible counterarguments and write them below.
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