argumentative essay writing & research presented by: megan lowe ulm reference librarian
TRANSCRIPT
What is an argumentative essay?
Is like a persuasive essay Should present pros and cons of the issue Should contain an argument Should contain evidence or support for the
issue (facts, statistics, anecdotal evidence) Should concern a manageable topicDerived from the Bogazici University Writing Lab
Examples of Argumentative Topics
Selling marijuana in public places should be illegal * Polygamy is a natural state, and should be legal * Assisted suicide should be legal ¤ Animal testing should be illegal ¤ Graphic video games make kids aggressive and/or
violent Vistas is a better operating system than XP
* From Bogazici University Writing Lab
¤ From Glendale Community College English Department
Arguable or Not Arguable
Marijuana should be legalized. Arguable
Smoking is harmful to people’s health. Not Arguable UMHS is the best school in the district. Arguable
Emissions hurt the ozone. Not arguable
Getting Started
Picking a topic Something of interest to you Something interesting Something controversial Something argumentative
Getting organized Outlining your paper Creating a keyword list Getting research
General Outline of a Paper
Introduction | Thesis statement Argument-evidence paragraph #1 Argument-evidence paragraph #2 Argument-evidence paragraph #3
Summary of Argument | Conclusion
Introduction
Get the attention of the audience Attention Getter or Hook
Provide background information to orient the reader to the issue What does the reader need to know about this issue? Define terms
Create a thesis statement or assertion to guide the reader
The Antithesis
Address the case of the opposition Several paragraphs at the beginning or weaved
throughout the paper (argument-concession)
Concede points which can not be refuted Use signal words and phrases such as Admittedly, While
it is true that etc.
Offer refutation for claims which can be countered Use signal words and phrases such as It has been
argued, However etc.
Body Paragraphs
Provide a clear topic sentence for each paragraph Use Topic Sentence, Concrete Detail, Commentary (TS, CD, COMM) or
Statement, Evidence, Explanation (S-E-E) or, Claim, Data, Warrant (CDW) Build to the strongest argument Use a variety of appeals Demonstrate logic and reasoning Address the opposition
Conclusion
Restate your main premise Provide a brief summary of your argument Show how a group will benefit from following your assertion Explain what might happen if your idea is not accepted End with a rhetorical question Ask for a call to action
Sample Argument Essay
Read the annotated essay on the next slide and review the following: attention getter organization antithesis—con how author refutes the con connective words—transitions development of arguments slippery slope metaphor conclusion
Research
Evidence for argumentative essays can be objective – like facts, statistics, and case studies – or anecdotal – your personal experiences
Objective evidence will require research – you can use sources like books, articles, websites, and even people!
Research
Books can be found using the Library’s online catalog.
Articles in magazines, newspapers, and journals can be found using the Library’s databases.
Good websites can be found using engines like Google and Ask
Keywords
Regardless of where you seek resources – books, articles, or websites – the best way to search for resources is keyword searching
Keywords represent the most important parts of your thesis statement or argument
Before you start searching, develop a list of keywords from your argument
Keywords: Example
Thesis: Beans are a more healthy source of protein than beef. Beans legumes Source Healthy – health Protein Beef = red meat Cholesterol
You will combine them together using AND!
Remember: you aren’t limited to the actual words from the thesis – use related words or alternate ideas! Also, look to your arguments for keywords, too – those are key ideas!
Databases: Ebscohost
Full-text articles in Ebsco will either be HTML, PDF, or both. If you don’t see HTML or PDF (or both), then the article is not available in full.
Databases: Ebscohost
Possible keywords!
Abstracts are a summary of the article.
This will cite the article for you!
Quotations & Citations
Quotations: when you use text from a resource in your own writing
Citations: how you acknowledge resources you’ve used in your paper
Quotations
Indirect Quotation: Some researchers note that "children are totally insensitive to their parent's shyness" (Zimbardo 62).
Direct Quotation: Zimbardo notes that "children are totally insensitive to their parent's shyness" (62).
Paraphrase: While not all children are, research has shown that some children are insensible to the introversion or timidity of their parent or parents (Zimbardo 62).
Citations
BookLangland, William. Piers the Ploughman. Baltimore: Penguin Books, Ltd., 1974.
Journal articleThibodeau, P.L., and S.J. Melamut.
"Ergonomics in the Electronic Library." Bulletin of the Medical Library Association 83.3 (July 1995): 322-329.
Citations
Journal article from a database
Becker, Karen. "The Characteristics of Bibliographic Instruction in Relation to the Causes and Symptoms of Burnout." RQ 32.3 (Spring 1993): 346-357. EBSCO ERIC. ULM University Library, Monroe, LA. 19 May 2009.
<http://www.epnet.com>.
Citations
Website
Lowe, Megan. “Citations Guide: MLA Style.” Megan Lowe @ ULM. 8 June 2006. University of Louisiana at Monroe. 12 June 2007 <http://www.ulm.edu/~lowe/MLAcitationguide.html>.
Remember: citations are important for two reasons They allow you to give credit where credit is due, which keeps
you from plagiarism and cheating charges Allows readers to retrace your research steps and look at the
actual resources you used