Writing an

Argumentative Essay
 What Is an Argumentative Essay
• An argumentative essay is a piece of writing in which you defend a position with a
series of solid reasons.
• In a general way, you make a point and then you support it. Your argument
advances a controversial point, a point some of your readers will not be inclined
to accept.
 Four Bases for Revising Essays
• Unity: It is when you advance a single point, and you stick to that point.

• Support: It is when you support the point with specific evidence.

• Coherence: It is when you organize and connect the specific evidence.

• Sentence Skills: It is when you write clear, error-free sentences.

 Sample Professional Essay
• Read Ban the Things. Ban Them All. (By Molly Ivins)
BAN THE THINGS. BAN THEM ALL
By Molly Ivins

Guns. Everywhere guns.

Let me start this discussion by pointing out that I am not anti-gun. I'm pro-knife. Consider the merits of the knife.
In the first place, you have to catch up with someone to stab him. A general substitution of knives for guns would promote physical fitness. We'd turn into a whole nation of great
runners. Plus, knives don't ricochet. And people are seldom killed while cleaning their knives.
As a civil libertarian, I of course support the Second Amendment. And I believe it means exactly what it says: "A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state,
the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." Fourteen-year-old boys are not part of a well-regulated militia. Members of wacky religious cults are not part of
a well-regulated militia. Permitting unregulated citizens to have guns is destroying the security of this free state.
I am intrigued by the arguments of those who claim to follow the judicial doctrine of original intent. How do they know it was the dearest wish of Thomas Jefferson's heart that
teenage drug dealers should cruise the cities of this nation perforating their fellow citizens with assault rifles? Channeling?
There is more hooey spread about the Second Amendment. It says quite clearly that guns are for those who form part of a well-regulated militia, i.e., the armed forces including the
National Guard. The reasons for keeping them away from everyone else get clearer by the day.
The comparison most often used is that of the automobile, another lethal object that is regularly used to wreak great carnage. Obviously, this society is full of people who haven't got
enough common sense to use an automobile properly. But we haven't outlawed cars yet.
We do, however, license them and their owners, restrict their use to presumably sane and sober adults and keep track of who sells them to whom. At a minimum, we should do the
same with guns.
In truth, there is no rational argument for guns in this society. This is no longer a frontier nation in which people hunt their own food. It is a crowded, overwhelmingly urban country
in which letting people have access to guns is a continuing disaster. Those who want guns -- whether for target shooting, hunting or potting rattlesnakes (get a hoe) -- should be
subject to the same restrictions placed on gun owners in England -- a nation in which liberty has survived nicely without an armed populace.
The argument that "guns don't kill people" is patent nonsense. Anyone who has ever worked in a cop shop knows how many family arguments end in murder because there was a
gun in the house. Did the gun kill someone? No. But if there had been no gun, no one would have died. At least not without a good footrace first. Guns do kill. Unlike cars, that is all
they do.
Michael Crichton makes an interesting argument about technology in his thriller "Jurassic Park." He points out that power without discipline is making this society into a wreckage. By
the time someone who studies the martial arts becomes a master -- literally able to kill with bare hands -- that person has also undergone years of training and discipline. But any fool
can pick up a gun and kill with it.
"A well-regulated militia" surely implies both long training and long discipline. That is the least, the very least, that should be required of those who are permitted to have guns,
because a gun is literally the power to kill. For years, I used to enjoy taunting my gun-nut friends about their psycho-sexual hangups -- always in a spirit of good cheer, you
understand. But letting the noisy minority in the National Rifle Association force us to allow this carnage to continue is just plain insane.
I do think gun nuts have a power hangup. I don't know what is missing in their psyches that they need to feel they have the power to kill. But no sane society would allow this to
continue.
Ban the damn things. Ban them all.
 Discuss Unity, support, Coherence, and Sentence
Skills.
• Unity

1. Which of the following statements best represents the implied thesis of the essay?
a. The author is pro-knife.
b. The Second Amendment is poorly understood.
c. Despite arguments to the contrary, people without long training and discipline should not be allowed to have guns.
d. In his novel Jurassic Park, Michael Crichton argues that power without discipline is wrecking society.

2. Which statement would best serve as a topic sentence for paragraphs 5 (I am intrigued…) and 6 (There is more…)?
a. Drug dealers should not be allowed to purchase assault rifles.
b. Ivins is interested in other people's points of view concerning gun ownership.
c. Thomas Jefferson was opposed to the idea of a “well-regulated militia.”
d. Applying the original intent of the Second Amendment to modern circumstances is not clear-cut and must be done with common sense.

3. Which is the topic sentence of paragraph 9 (In truth…)?

a. “In truth, there is no rational argument for guns in this society.”
b. “This is no longer a frontier nation in which people hunt their own food.”
c. “It is a crowded, overwhelmingly urban country in which letting people have access to guns is a continuing disaster.”
• Support

4. Why does Ivins contrast the use of martial arts with the use of guns?
a. To support the idea that gun owners should be required to study the martial arts
b. To support the idea that a martial arts master can kill with his bare hands
c. To support the idea that power without discipline is dangerous
d. To support the idea that guns are more practical than the martial arts

5. Which statement best expresses the implied point of paragraph 10 (The argument that…)?
a. Guns kill people.
b. Many family arguments are surprisingly violent.
c. Many arguments end in death only because a gun was handy.
d. Guns and cars are similar.

6. In what ways, according to Ivins, is the knife preferable to the gun? Is Ivins really “pro-knife,” or is
she making some other point in her discussion of knives versus guns?
• Coherence

7. In paragraph 3 (In the first place…), Ivins uses three addition signals—one to
introduce each of her three reasons for being pro-knife. What are those three
signals?

8. In paragraph 7 (The comparison…), Ivins acknowledges an opposing point of

view when she mentions that automobiles, like guns, “wreak great carnage.” In
paragraph 8 (We do…), what sentence includes a “change of direction” signal
indicating that Ivins will present her argument against that point of view? (Write
the first few words of that sentence.)
• Introduction and Conclusion

9. Ivins's introduction consists of three very brief paragraphs. Which statement best
describes the style of her introduction?
a. It presents an anecdote that is related to the topic of unregulated gun ownership.
b. It presents a provocative question that grabs the reader's attention.
c. It makes a startling point that at first seems unrelated to the topic.
d. It presents a quotation that puts the topic in some sort of historical context.

10. Which of these best describes the conclusion of “Ban the Things”?
a. It makes a blunt recommendation.
b. It asks a thought-provoking question.
c. It narrates an anecdote about guns.
d. It predicts what will happen if guns are not banned.
 Sentence Skills
• Discussion should be based on that Molly Ivins wrote a professional essay.
 Rhetorical Devices: Ethos, Pathos,
and Logos
The “Got Milk?” Ad
"Got Milk?"
The "got milk?" ad that I chose from Time magazine is the latest in the popular line of ads featuring celebrities endorsing milk.
The most recent "got milk?" ads have added in their text that drinking milk can help you lose weight. This particular one
features Meredith Viera, the host of Who Wants to be a Millionaire, and also one of the five hosts of the popular morning
show The View. Meredith is holding a glass of milk reminiscent of a woman's hourglass figure, and she is proudly displaying a
milk mustache.
This ad plays on all three of the major rhetorical tools: ethos, pathos, and logos. Ethos is apparent with the sole use of
celebrities as models for the ad. It says: "I drink milk and I'm famous; if you want to be like a star you should drink milk too."
The play on ethos is also apparent in the use of the popular hourglass image. The hourglass is the most popular way to
characterize a desirable woman's figure. Adding to this appeal is the slim Meredith Viera dressed in a conservative, but knee-
revealing skirt to further convey the message that drinking milk can make you thin, attractive, sexy, and maybe even famous!
Pathos, or pathetic appeal comes into play by the association of drinking milk with watching the waistline. This ad is obviously
geared toward women, and many women are trying to, or feel the need to, lose weight. The image of the hourglass comes
into play with pathos as well, for many women long to have this kind of figure. The hourglass is the most celebrated image of
women in art and movies, and it seems also most desired by men. The mocking of the shape by using the hands to make an
imaginary hourglass comes to mind. The ad is presented in a way that celebrates that image, and suggests that drinking milk
is the way to get it.
Logos is shown by the use of the American Heart Association's endorsement at the bottom of the page. The text in the upper
right hand corner also states that "recent studies suggest that including 24 ounces of low fat or fat free milk a day in a
reduced calorie diet may help you burn more fat….." Therefore, it becomes logical to include milk in your diet if you are
trying to lose weight. Meredith says that she always makes time for milk and so should you. Busy moms could have the same
benefits that she does, because if a busy mom/celebrity like Meredith Viera can do it, then you can do it, too.
Ethos, pathos, and logos are apparently combined to have an impact on the targeted audience in this ad. By playing on image
and fame in using a celebrity, a woman's desire to lose weight and be appealing, having the perfect body, and using scientific
research to back up their claims, this ad displays a balanced rhetorical situation.
 Discuss Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Give some examples of the three rhetorical devices from Ban the
Things. Ban Them All.
 Sample Student Argumentative
Essay
• Read Teenagers and Jobs
 Teenagers and Jobs
“The pressure for teenagers to work is great, and not just because of the economic plight in the world today. Much of it is peer pressure to have a little
bit of freedom and independence, and to have their own spending money. The concern we have is when the part-time work becomes the primary
focus.” These are the words of Roxanne Bradshaw, educator and officer of the National Education Association. Many people argue that working can be
a valuable experience for the young. However, working more than about fifteen hours a week is harmful to adolescents because it reduces their
involvement with school, encourages a materialistic and expensive lifestyle, and increases the chance of having problems with drugs and alcohol.

Schoolwork and the benefits of extracurricular activities tend to go by the wayside when adolescents work long hours. As more and more teens have
filled the numerous parttime jobs offered by fast-food restaurants and malls, teachers have faced increasing difficulties. They must both keep the
attention of tired pupils and give homework to students who simply don't have time to do it. In addition, educators have noticed less involvement in
the extracurricular activities that many consider a healthy influence on young people. School bands and athletic teams are losing players to work, and
sports events are poorly attended by working students. Those teens who try to do it all—homework, extracurricular activities, and work—may find
themselves exhausted and prone to illness. A recent newspaper story, for example, described a girl in Pennsylvania who came down with
mononucleosis as a result of aiming for good grades, playing on two school athletic teams, and working thirty hours a week.

Another drawback of too much work is that it may promote materialism and an unrealistic lifestyle. Some parents claim that working helps teach
adolescents the value of a dollar. Undoubtedly that can be true. It's also true that some teens work to help out with the family budget or to save for
college. However, surveys have shown that the majority of working teens use their earnings to buy luxuries—computers, video-game systems,
clothing, even cars. These young people, some of whom earn $500 or more a month, don't worry about spending wisely—they can just about have it
all. In many cases, experts point out, they are becoming accustomed to a lifestyle they won't be able to afford several years down the road, when they
no longer have parents paying for car insurance, food, lodging, and so on. At that point, they'll be hard-pressed to pay for necessities as well as
luxuries.

Finally, teenagers who work a lot are more likely than others to get involved with alcohol and drugs. Teens who put in long hours may seek a quick
release from stress, just like the adults who need to drink a couple of martinis after a hard day at work. Stress is probably greater in our society today
than it has been at any time in the past. Also, teens who have money are more likely to get involved with drugs.

Teenagers can enjoy the benefits of work while avoiding its drawbacks, simply by limiting their work hours during the school year. As is often the case,
 Discuss Unity, Support, Coherence,
and Sentence Skills
• Unity
1. Which sentence in paragraph 4 of “Teenagers and Jobs” should be omitted in the
interest of paragraph unity? (Write the opening words.)

• Support
2. Which sentence in paragraph 4 of “Teenagers and Jobs” needs to be followed by
more supporting details? (Write the opening words of the sentence.)

3. In “Teenagers and Jobs,” which supporting paragraph raises an opposing idea

and then argues against that idea? What transition word is used to signal the
author's change of direction?
• Coherence
4. Which two paragraphs of “Teenagers and Jobs” begin with an addition transition, and what are
those words?

• Introduction and Conclusion

5. Two methods of introduction are used in “Teenagers and Jobs.” Circle the letters of these two
methods.
a. Broad, general statement narrowing to thesis
b. Idea that is the opposite of the one to be developed
c. Quotation
d. Anecdote
e. Questions

6. This essay ends with a type of conclusion. What method does it use?
a. Summary only
b. Summary and recommendation
Further Discussion of argument and
counter argument in Teenagers and
Jobs
Discussion of paragraph 3:

• Argument
• Counter argument
• Refutation
 Discussion of Ethos, Pathos, and
Logos in Teenagers and Jobs
Find and discuss examples of
• Ethos
• Pathos
• Logos
 Argumentative Structure: Five-
paragraph Essay
Paragraph 1: Introduction
*Background information (from general to specific)/Anecdote
* Thesis statement: opinion/claim

Paragraph 2: Body 1
*Topic sentence + details + support

Paragraph 3: Body 2
*Topic sentence + details + support

Paragraph 4: Body 3
*Topic sentence + details + support

Paragraph 5: Conclusion
* Restatement of thesis
* Summary of main points
 Argumentative Essay Practice
Note: To write a good argument, make use of what you have learnt about:
Unity
Support
Coherence
Sentence skills
Introductions
Conclusions
Ethos
Pathos
Logos
Argument
Counter argument
 Task to Practice Writing an
Argumentative Essay
Write an essay in which you argue for or against the comment below. Support and
defend your argument by drawing on your reasoning ability and general
experience.

Many of society's worst problems with drugs result from the fact that they are
illegal. During Prohibition, people discovered that making popular substances
unlawful causes more problems than it solves. Like alcohol and tobacco, drugs
should be legal in Lebanon.