23 Writing Argument Essays

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Writing Argument Essays

Start-Up Activity

Ask your students how many of them have pet dogs. Then ask what are some of the ways they control their pet's behavior. Training, leashes, treats, walks, discipline, and other suggestions might come up. Then point out that none of those controls work on readers. They can do whatever they want, including disagree with you and even stop reading.

Ask students what ways can they get readers to keep reading and, eventually, to agree with them. To effectively reach readers, students need to use clear logic and solid reasons to argue for their positions.

Think About It

“An idea isn't worth that much. It's the execution of the idea that has value. If you can't convince one other person that this is something to devote your life to, then it's not worth it.”

—Joel Spolsky

State Standards Covered in This Chapter

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Page 200 from Write on Course 20-20

Understanding Argument Writing

Preview argument writing by using the PAST strategy. The Purpose is to persuade readers by building a logical case for a position. The Audience and Subject depend on the assignment. The Type of writing can range from an argument essay to an editorial or proposal.

Use the "Link to the Traits" to focus on the ideas, organization, and voice in argument writing.

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Page 201 from Write on Course 20-20

Argument Topic Ideas

Use this page to show your students just a few of the many topics available to them for writing an argument essay. Have students read over the list and pick three topics that would interest them. Ask students to share one of their selections and the reason for it. Then ask them to come up with one more idea of something to propose or promote in any of those four places.

You can also point students toward a whole array of additional writing topics, sorted by grade and form.

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Page 202 from Write on Course 20-20

Argument Essay

Have student volunteers read each paragraph and its accompanying side notes out loud. Ask students to search the text for examples of features mentioned in the side notes.

You can also share other persuasive student models with your students.

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Page 203 from Write on Course 20-20

Argument Essay (Continued)

After you finish reading the argument essay, ask your class to study the "Patterns of Organization" graphic at the bottom of the page. It offers two different organizational approaches depending on whether readers are receptive or resistant. Ask students why each structure would best reach its audience. Then have students decide which pattern is used in the sample argument essay (the receptive audience).

Help students understand that effective organization can make an argument more convincing.

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Page 204 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing Guidelines: Argument Essays

To help your students brainstorm topic ideas for their argument essays, have them create a best and worst chart for four locations, such as school, home, community, and world. Have students use the chart to select a topic that they can promote (best) or propose a solution for (worst).

Then, help students form an opinion about their topics. Have them write a value claim about the topic (telling its worth), a policy claim about it (telling what should be done), or a truth claim (giving a hypothesis to prove).

If you would like students to be mindful of the rubric for their argument essays, use the argument rubric.

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Page 205 from Write on Course 20-20

Gathering Reasons and Answering Objections

Once students have selected a topic and experimented with different types of claims, have them do research to gather support for their positions. Remind them that different types of details provide different kinds of support. (See page 173 for more.) You can assign students to find at least one of each detail type: fact, statistic, prediction, anecdote, and quotation. Of course, more details in prewriting will give them more material to draw from for drafting.

One of the strongest types of support is an answer to an objection. Have your students write down objections to their positions and then come up with answers.

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Page 206 from Write on Course 20-20

Writing—Developing the First Draft

After your students have gathered reasons and answered objections, lead them through the material on this page. Show them the three strategies for getting readers' attention in the beginning. Encourage them to use transitions to connect and organize the details in the middle, and demonstrate the ending strategies. Then get them writing!

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Page 207 from Write on Course 20-20

Revising and Editing

When students have completed their first drafts, present "A Closer Look at Revising: Persuasive Voice" and "A Closer Look at Editing: Punctuation." Remind students that revising focuses on big changes with ideas, organization, voice, word choice, and sentence fluency. Editing focuses on correct conventions.

Refer to the revising and editing checklist to help guide students as they revise, respond to peer writing, and edit their work.

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