16 Argument Writing

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Argument Essay

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Page 189 from Write for College

Debatable Issues

Introduce the list of general subjects. Have students practice going through the process of choosing a general subject, narrowing it into a specific topic, and forming an opinion about it. Model the process, perhaps using the example below. Then have students choose two or three subjects and complete a similar process.

General subject: Environment
Specific topic: The impact of hunting on the environment
Opinion statement: Despite the protests of some conservationists, most hunters are friends of the environment.

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TEKS Standard:

110.38.c.10.C, 110.39.c.10.C, 110.38.c.5.J, 110.39.c.5.J

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LA 12.2.1.b, LA 12.2.2.a

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Building Arguments

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Page 190 from Write for College

Thinking Through an Argument

Lead students through the parts of an argument, supplementing instruction with the following infographic: 7 Steps to Building a Rock-Solid Argument.

Making Claims

Discuss how the claim statement, also referred to as the proposition or opinion statement, is the heart of an argument. It serves as the argument's thesis, identifying the topic and main argument the writer wishes to make. Students can use the following formula to create effective claim statements.

Topic + claim of truth, value, or policy = claim statement
High-stakes test scores should not factor prominently into college admissions.

Young writers often struggle to differentiate factual statements from opinion statements.

A factual statement can be definitively checked: "Most four-year colleges require applicants to submit ACT or SAT scores."
An opinion statement is debatable: "High-stakes tests are an ineffective measure of college aptitude." (This opinion may appeal to test-averse students but not to those who score well. The claim needs to be supported and proved; it can't just be checked.)

Using Qualifiers

The second half of the page helps students state their opinions while avoiding absolutes. For example, "High-stakes test questions are biased in favor of students from high-income communities" is an absolute that would be difficult to defend. If students use qualifiers, the position is much easier to defend, "Often, high-stakes test questions are biased in favor of students from high-income communities."

Adding Support

The claim statement should express an opinion rather than a fact. However, students must then support their claim statements with factual evidence as well as the other types of details identified on this page.

Making Concessions

Of course, argument writing deals with arguable topics. In other words, the reader may disagree. Help students realize that addressing the readers' disagreements does not weaken their arguments, but in fact strengthens them. Students can give a counterargument or concede the objection and move on. Both approaches show that the writer has considered the reader's point of view.

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TEKS Standard:

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Building Arguments

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Writing Process Traits of Writing

Page 191 from Write for College

Using Evidence and Logic

As with the rest of rhetoric, logical fallacies have been with us since the Greeks. In fact, many of them still carry Latin names. For example, bandwagoning also goes by the name argumentum ad populum. However, these problems with thinking persist to this day. With the prevalence of social media and fake news, students need to be equipped to recognize shoddy thinking and avoid it in their own writing.

Lead them through the types and examples of logical fallacies on this page. Move to the next page and perform the activity below.

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Page 192 from Write for College

Using Evidence and Logic (Cont.)

Use this page to help students understand other common logical fallacies. Then show a political advertisement or attack ad. Ask students to identify different types of logical fallacies demonstrated in the ad. You can complete this activity as a class or let students discuss the ad in small groups and report on their findings.

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TEKS Standard:

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Writing Traits of Writing

Page 193 from Write for College

Guidelines: Writing an Editorial

In editorials, writers add their viewpoint to a public discussion on a current issue—aiming to raise the awareness or change the minds of readers. For students, the process of writing an editorial refines their thinking skills and builds their awareness of current events and their right to respond. In a sense, students join the press, becoming, in Douglass Cater’s phrase, “the fourth branch of government.”

Before your students begin writing their own editorials, discuss these keys:

Consider the publication and its readers (the rhetorical situation) in order to “target” your editorial.
Offer a thoughtful but boldly stated opinion supported with solid evidence and reasoning.
Get to the point in about 750 to 900 words. Paragraphs and sentences should be short and the writing style concrete. Open by grabbing attention, follow with a sound argument, and close with energy.
Enhance social dialogue by stating a clear position on a current issue.
Raise the levels of intelligence, civility, and commitment in public discourse. Avoid writing editorials that offer a knee-jerk opinion or merely sound off.

To help students discover topic ideas, share current newspapers, magazines, or news sites. Ask them to find two articles that sparked their interest and respond to this prompt: "What's the issue? Who should care, and why?" Encourage them to consider their responses when they are searching for topics for their own editorials.

Next, lead students through the writing guidelines. Recommend they also review "Thinking Through an Argument" on page 190 as they create their editorial.

When students complete their editorials, help them submit their writing to appropriate publications, such as any school or local media.

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Checklist for Revising and Editing Editorials

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Editorial

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Page 194 from Write for College

Editorial (Point)

Before reading the two sample editorials, you can share the three basic appeals that the ancient Greeks identified:

The appeal to logos means using logic to persuade readers.
The appeal to ethos means persuading readers by ethically using ideas and sources.
The appeal to pathos means persuading readers by connecting with their emotions.

Ask students to identify the types of appeals the writers of the editorials make to support their positions. Then have volunteers read each paragraph of the first sample editorial. Let them know they will need to answer response questions about it after reading the "Counterpoint" editorial on the next page.

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Page 195 from Write for College

Editorial (Counterpoint)

Have volunteers read "Winning Wars or Hearts?" aloud. Then lead a discussion about it and the previous editorial, using questions like these:

What position statement does each editorial make? (Point: By taking an aggressive stance against terrorism, the United States shows that it is a very real tiger. Counterpoint: The United States cannot combat extremists by becoming extremists.)
Which editorial uses deductive reasoning? Which one reasons inductively? (Point: deductive; counterpoint: inductive)
Can you identify an appeal to logos from each editorial? What about ethos?
Does either editorial make an appeal to pathos? How so?
What is the most convincing appeal or reason made in "A Tiger of Muscle and Claw"? What is the weakest?
What is the most convincing appeal or reason made in "Winning Wars or Hearts?" What is the weakest?
Which editorial did you find more convincing? Why?

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Page 196 from Write for College

Guidelines: Writing a Personal Commentary

Like the editorial, the personal commentary allows students to join the public dialogue about current issues. However, while the editorial offers a boldly stated opinion in response to a current issue, the personal commentary reflects on an ongoing issue of daily life.

As you review the writing guidelines, make sure students know that a personal commentary can follow a more informal style than other academic argument writing. Students should feel free to use personal pronouns and stream of conscious thinking in their writing. However, the final product needs to follow the traditional conventions of English.

If students struggle to determine a topic, offer these focused topic options:

The reality versus the appearance of a place (for example, school, hometown)
The latest development in social media
Your relationship with a specific law, rule, or expectation

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Checklist for Revising and Editing Personal Commentaries

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TEKS Standard:

110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.C, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.C

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Writing Process Prewriting Writing Revising Editing Traits of Writing

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Page 197 from Write for College

Personal Commentary

Have volunteers read each paragraph of the sample personal commentary on this page and the next. Suggest students pay attention to how the writer intersperses narrative elements such as personal feelings and reflections with concrete evidence such as anecdotes, examples, and quotations.

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Page 198 from Write for College

Personal Commentary (Cont.)

Complete the reading of the sample personal commentary. When students finish their reading, discuss the "Reading for Better Writing" questions.

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Page 199 from Write for College

Guidelines: Writing an Argument Essay

Make sure students understand the goal of argumentation is not having the loudest voice or engaging in an intellectual fistfight; it's not even necessarily convincing others to take up a position. The goal is to make a clear and logical case for a position on a debatable issue.

Share these keys to writing this type of essay:

Start with an opinion but be open to changing your mind as you research the topic.
Include (a) a carefully worded claim, (b) reliable supporting evidence, and (c) logical thinking throughout.
Make sure your argument is fair and balanced. Readers should not feel forced into accepting the argument.

Prewriting

When your students are ready to write their own argument essays, support them with the material on this page. Help them select an interesting and timely topic, referring them to page 189 for more ideas. Next, assist them as they develop a proposition or claim statement, referring back to page 190 for more information.

When they begin to gather supporting reasons and evidence, recommend they start with what they already know about the topic but also conduct additional research to find more information.

Writing

When students are ready to begin drafting, discuss some effective opening strategies. For example, a compelling anecdote, intriguing background information, or a hypothetical scenario ("Imagine being let go from a job in place of a robot") could get readers' attention in the lead up to the proposition statement.

Also, provide support for developing the middle paragraphs. Tell students they should include reasons in support of their positions and back those reasons with evidence. They should also address the other side of the argument, either countering objections or making concessions. Remind them that the order of details should depend on whether the audience is receptive or resistant. Consider these strategies:

If the audience is likely to be receptive to the argument, begin with the reasons and evidence before answering any objections.
If the audience is likely to be resistant, address the other side of the issue up front before outlining your reasons and evidence for supporting your side.

Revising and Editing

To support students as they revise and edit, provide them the Revising and Editing Checklist for Argument Essays and the Argument Writing Assessment Rubric. Also refer them to the revising and editing chapters in their handbooks.

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TEKS Standard:

110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.C, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.C

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Writing Project Building Arguments

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Argument Essay

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Writing Process Prewriting Writing Editing Revising

Page 200 from Write for College

Argument Essay

Before reading the sample argument essay, you can share, again, the three basic appeals that the ancient Greeks identified:

The appeal to logos means using logic to persuade readers.
The appeal to ethos means persuading readers by ethically using ideas and sources.
The appeal to pathos means persuading readers by connecting with their emotions.

Point out to your students that the writer of the sample relies mostly on logical and ethical appeals. Then have student volunteers read each paragraph of the sample argument essay, on this page and those that follow.

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Page 201 from Write for College

Argument Essay (Cont.)

Have volunteers finish reading the sample essay aloud. Then lead a discussion about it, using questions like these:

What strategy does the writer use to open the essay? (The writer uses a historical anecdote to illustrate the truth of her position.)
What is the author's main claim or position? (Though economic sanctions appear to be a powerful peacetime weapon, they actually do more harm than good.)
What reasons does the writer provide to support her claim? (See the topic sentences of the middle paragraphs.)
What general organizational pattern does the author follow—chronological, order of importance, cause-effect? (Order of importance.)
What is the author doing in the second to last paragraph? (Exploring and countering an objection to her opinion.)
What makes the ending effective? (Answers will vary. The ending sums up the argument in terms all people can relate to, giving an everyday analogy to clarify the complicated issue.)
Does the author make a compelling case for her position?
Are the her reasons clear and logical? Is the evidence compelling? How so?

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Page 202 from Write for College

Guidelines: Writing a Position Paper

A position paper stems from a writer’s stance on a meaningful issue. Developing a position paper gives students an opportunity to deepen their understanding and refine their thinking about their writing idea. Students should attempt to be thoughtful but bold, encouraging the reader to respect their line of thinking. Here are some key instructions for your students.

Develop a reasonable stand on an issue and then build a pathway to that position for your reader. To convince the reader to follow your path, adopt a positive, thoughtful tone—not a “love it or leave it” attitude.
Build on personal commitment, not abstract theory. Choose topics that affect one of your communities.
Be willing to develop and modify your position through research.
Soften your stance with qualifiers if necessary. Let the evidence weigh in your favor.

Review the writing guidelines with students before they begin the writing process. When they get to drafting, encourage students to experiment with the placement of their position statements. How does their paper change if they state their position at the start or delay until the middle or the end? A delayed statement allows the reader to trace the writer's line of thinking before he or she ultimately takes a definitive position. (For an example of argument writing that utilizes a delayed position statement, students should reread the "counterpoint" editorial on page 195.)

When students revise and edit their drafts, download and distribute the revising and editing checklist.

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Checklist for Revising and Editing Position Papers

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110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.C, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.C

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Position Paper

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Page 203 from Write for College

Position Paper

Have volunteers read each paragraph of the sample position paper, on this page and those that follow.

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Page 204 from Write for College

Position Statement (Cont.)

Continue reading the sample paper.

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Page 205 from Write for College

Position Paper (Cont.)

Finish your reading of the sample position paper. Lead a discussion of the paper using the following questions:

Is the opening part effective? What types of background information does the writer use to lead up to the position statement?
Are the reasons for supporting the position convincing? Is one reason more convincing than another? How so?
How does your position on the topic compare or contrast with the author's?

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Page 206 from Write for College

Guidelines: Response to an Argument Prompt

Often, a high-stakes test will require students to respond to an argument prompt. They must read the prompt, quickly analyze it, and form a plan for writing—all within the first few minutes of the response time. The PAST strategy can help students quickly analyze the prompt and come up with an on-target response. Lead students through the writing guidelines.

As practice, assign students to write their own argument essays within a certain time period (often between 35 and 50 minutes). Give them the following prompt:

Each year in the United States, 9 billion animals are killed and used for food. The animal waste from factory farms causes water and air pollution, yet the demand for meat grows stronger. In an attempt to curb the use of factory farms while satisfying the population's demand for meat, food scientists have begun producing in vitro meat—muscle tissue that's cultured from animal cells and grown in a laboratory. How comfortable would you be eating test-tube meat? Write an essay that argues for or against in vitro meat.

When students use the PAST strategy to analyze the prompt, they should come up with answers like the following:

Purpose: To argue for or against in vitro meat
Audience: Classmates and test grader
Subject: Test-tube meat
Type: Argument essay

Afterward, have volunteers read the sample response, paragraph by paragraph.

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Checklist for Revising and Editing Argument-Prompt Responses

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Response to Prompt Argument Essay

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Writing Process Prewriting Writing Revising Editing

Page 207 from Write for College

Prompt Response

Have volunteers read the sample response to the prompt from the top of the previous page. Lead a discussion that uses the assessment rubric on page 210 to analyze the response's use of the writing traits.

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Page 208 from Write for College

Sample Argument Prompts

Refer students to this page when they need to practice on-demand argument writing. Periodically assign different prompts from the page to help students become more comfortable with on-demand writing assessments.

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110.38.c.9, 110.38.c.10.C, 110.39.c.9, 110.39.c.10.C

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Response to Prompt Argument Essay

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Writing

Page 209 from Write for College

Using Graphic Organizers

Refer students to the sample graphic organizers when they are gathering details for their argument writing. The same organizers can also help students pick out key details in the argument texts they read.

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Page 210 from Write for College

Evaluating Arguments

When it comes time for students to evaluate their work, download and distribute the Assessment Rubric for Argument Writing. (You might also provide this rubric at the beginning of the writing process so that students know the target they are shooting for.) Assign a grading scale, such as 1 (Not at all) to 6 (Completely). To calculate a percentage, multiply the cumulative score by 3 (with a perfect score of 108—an A+, or 8 points of extra credit). As an alternative, you can add the scores and divide by 6 to create an overall score (6 = A+, 5 = A, 4 = B, 3 = C, 2 = D, 1 = F).

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Assessment Rubric: Argument Writing

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