Argumentative Essay
Argumentative Essay
What is a claim?
Opinion = subjective
A claim = you can agree or disagree and you can argue
Fact = objective
What is an argument
- Three parts: claim + support + explanation
- Claim:
'Carots are good for your health'
- Support (= evidence)
'Carrots are a particularly good source of beta-carotene and antioxidants'
Structure of an essay
- Introduction (= one paragraph)
o Context: situate the topic historically/socially/culturally
o Thesis statement: state your main idea position on the topic
- Body
o Reasons to support your thesis
One paragraph = one central idea
Capture the main idea of a paragraph in a topic sentence
Support each argument with evidence and/or examples
- Conclusion
Underline the title of your essay
Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction
Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction
Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction
Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction Introduction
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body Body
Conclusion conclusion
Title
- Your essay should have a title which is easily recognizable:
o Underlined
o Placed centrally at the top of the first page
o At least one blank line btw the title and the text4
- The aim of the title is to catch the reader's interest I announces the topic and the
direction your essay is going to take.
- A valid essay
o D
o Ed
- Provide and indication of the context in which the text should be seen
- Orient the reader towards the topic of the following text
- F
- F
Introduction
- The beginning of your essay; it gives a general idea of what is to follow
- One paragraph (for this class)
- 10-15% of the essay
- It comes first but is often written last
- Primary functions:
o F
o F
o F
Thesis statement (main claim, central idea)
- Most important statement of the essay
- Promise to the reader – all the arguments developed in the body of your text link back
to the thesis statement
- Should be the last sentence of the introduction
- A thesis statement is NOT
A question
A simple fact or observation
The mere presentation of a topic
- A thesis statement is
o Debatable
F
o Precise and sufficiently narrow
Df
F
F
o Reasoned
F
Signposting
A thesis statement can be explicit or implicit.
- Implicit
- Explicit
HERE => EXPLICIT
Topic sentence
- The topic sentence is the very first sentence of your essay
- The topic sentence is:
o Uncontroversial