Argumentative Writing

PART 1- ORGANIZATION

STEP #1: State your claim.

Make a claim statement. Claim statements are for argumentative papers.

Thesis statements are for informative papers.

A claim statement directly answers the topic question.

Restate the question/prompt in the claim statement by clearly stating the position you have chosen.

STEP #1: State your claim.

Example Topic questions: Is it ever justifiable to execute criminals?

Do schools have the right to search students’ lockers?

Should school uniforms be mandatory?

Should the United States eliminate the penny?

Should we ban or restrict the use of violent video games?

Are sports really good for us?

STEP #1: State your claim.

Example Claim Statement:

School uniforms should be mandatory.

STEP #2: Premises

Create ONE supporting premise for your claim statement Premises are for argumentative papers.

Reasons are for informative papers.

The first premise should directly support the claim statement.

STEP #2: Premises

Example of one supporting premise:

Premise #1: School uniforms keep students focused on their education.

STEP #3: Supporting Evidence

Provide TWO pieces of evidence for each premise and cite the source (identify where you got the evidence). Evidence is used for an argumentative paper.

STEP #3: Supporting Evidence

Example of Supporting Evidence: Premise #1- Evidence #1: <quote>

Source: USA Today

Premise #1- Evidence #2: <quote>

Source: National Association of Secondary Principals

STEP #4: Counter-Claim

Make a counter-claim statement.

A counter-claim statement directly opposes the initial claim statement.

STEP #4: Counter-Claim

Example of a counter-claim statement:

School uniforms should not be mandatory.

STEP #5: Counter-Claim Premise

Create ONE opposing premise for your counter-claim. Note: This opposing premise should directly support the counter-claim.

STEP #5: Counter-Claim Premise

Example of a counter-claim premise:

Opposing Premise #1: School uniforms restrict students’ freedom of expression.

STEP #6: Opposing Evidence

Provide TWO pieces of evidence for the counter-claim premise and cite the source (identify where you got the evidence). Note: These pieces of evidence should directly support the counter-premises.

STEP #6: Opposing Evidence

Example of Opposing Evidence:

Counter-Claim Premise #1- Evidence #1: <quote>

Source: New York Times

Counter-Claim Premise #1- Evidence #2: <quote>

Source: National Center for Education Statistics

STEP #7: 2nd Supporting Premise

Create a second supporting premise to the initial claim statement that directly refutes the counter-claim statement.

STEP #7: 2nd Supporting Premise

Example of 2nd supporting premise:

Premise #2: School uniforms reduces bullying.

STEP #8: Supporting Evidence

Provide TWO pieces of evidence for this 2nd premise and cite the source (identify where you got the evidence).

STEP #8: Supporting Evidence

Example of Supporting Evidence:

Premise #2- Evidence #1: <quote>

Source: USA Today

Premise #2- Evidence #2: <quote>

Source: National Association of Secondary Principals

PART 2- DRAFTING

STEP #1:

Connect the dots.

Make sure that you are properly placing together the information from PART 1.

STEP #2:

Use transitional words and phrases.

STEP #3:

Write in 3rd person point-of-view

Do NOT use: “me” “my” “I” “you” “your” “you’re” “myself” “yourself”

STEP #4:

Establish a proper tone (voice) for your audience.

Incorporate higher level vocabulary.

DON’T make announcements: “Keep reading to find out…” “Now I will tell you why…” “In the following paragraph I will tell

you…” “Grab some popcorn while I show you why you should agree with me…”

DON’T state any questions

STEP #5: Draft the First Paragraph

Draft the first paragraph (Introduction).

Make sure it has the following (in order):

a. Hook: ONE sentence that catches the reader’s attention. USE: a quote, imagery, a scenario, figurative language, or a definition.

AVOID: questions, onomatopoeia, or restating the prompt

b. Background Info: one or two sentences of general information related to the topic. Consider mentioning what is being debated.

C. Claim Statement: include your claim statement from Part 1, STEP #1

STEP #6: Draft the BODY paragraphs

Draft the BODY paragraphs (paragraphs 2-4).

Connect the dots. Make sure to properly place the information together from Part 1:

STEP #6: Draft the BODY paragraphs

2nd paragraph (Body 1): PART 1, STEPS #2-3

Premise= Transition +Premise #1

Evidence #1

Explain/Elaborate- thoroughly explain how the text evidence directly supports the premise

Evidence #2

Explain/Elaborate- thoroughly explain how the text evidence directly supports the premise

3rd paragraph (Body 2): PART 1, STEPS #4-6

Transition + Counter-Claim + Counter-Claim Premise

Evidence #1

Explain/Elaborate- thoroughly explain how the text evidence directly supports the counter-claim premise

Evidence #2

Explain/Elaborate- thoroughly explain how the text evidence directly supports the counter-claim premise

4th paragraph (Body 3): PART 1, STEPS #7-8

Premise= Transition + Premise #2

Evidence #1

Explain/Elaborate- thoroughly explain how the text evidence directly supports the premise

Evidence #2

Explain/Elaborate- thoroughly explain how the text evidence directly supports the premise

STEP #7: Draft the final paragraph.

Draft the CONCLUSION (5th paragraph).

Be sure to include (in order): Restated CLAIM + 2 supporting PREMISES- 2 sentences that paraphrase your claim

statement & supporting premises.

Summarize- provide a brief summary of the strongest supporting evidence used in the essay.

Closing sentence- 1 sentence that CALLS TO ACTION or PREDICTS A CONSEQUENCE.

Sample:

Let’s get students focused on their education, not their clothes!

If school uniforms were mandatory, one would see a positive impact on peer-pressure and bullying!

PART 3: REVISING

STEP #1:

Review and revise the whole essay: (ARMS) Add- sentences and words

Remove- words or sentences you don’t need

Move- change a word or placement of a sentence

Substitute- trade words or sentences for new ones

PART 4: EDITING

STEP #1:

Edit the essay (CUPS): Capitalize- names, places, titles, months, sources, etc.

Usage- nouns and verbs correctly used

Punctuation- periods, quotes, commas, semi-colons, apostrophes, etc.

Spelling- check all words. Look for homophones.