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What is an argument?
An argument states a clear position and presents evidence to support this
position.
Your thesis statement or claim
is a clear statement of position . It should be clear and focused enough for you
to prove your position in your essay. The rest of the essay should be devoted to
proving your position. Logical cohesion in your essay is very important because
you should start from one premise, prove it, move from one argument to the next.
All your arguments should serve to prove your main point. Moving away from the
main point is not allowed, and if an idea
does not support your main idea it should not be included in your essay.
Let's proceed step by step in writing an argumentative essay. Imagine you are
given this task by your instructor:
"We should open a university in
every town.
Discuss."
- What are the two sides of the issue? Is it debatable?
Yes, it is debatable. Some may
argue for it and some may argue against the idea.
Do I agree?
Do I disagree?
- Why am I for/against it?
- What is the context of the issue?
- So what?
- Who cares?
- Why should/shouldn't we open a university in every town?
Let's try to answer some of these questions because they will help us
formulate our arguments as well as provide our introduction to the issue by
setting up the context.
Who cares?
- government
- parents
- students
- local businesses
- local organizations
- other universities
- faculty / academicians
What is the context?
- government wishes to open universities
- local people pressure legislators and politicians
- universities are against the proposal
- students/parents' reaction?
Two sides of the issue: Why do people want it?
- practical /convenient
- sociocultural development of host town
- economic development of host town
Why am I against it?
The quality of education in those universities will be
substandard.
Why will the quality of education be below the
desirable standards?
- staffing problems
- financial problems
- sociocultural development of the students
Now you fill in the boxes as you develop an argument against the
government plan to open a university in every town.
Argument: We should open a university in every
town.
|
FOR |
AGAINST |
support 1:
support 2:
|
support 1:
support 2:
|
- economic development of the host town
support 1:
support 2:
|
support 1:
support 2:
|
- sociocultural development of the host town
support 1:
support 2:
|
- sociocultural development of the students
support 1:
support 2:
|
See answers
Now we have decided on our position, we have
developed our arguments, and we have shown an awareness of both sides of the
issue. We are ready to start writing our essay. Our outline looks like this:
Thesis: It is not a good idea to open a
university in every town.
Argument 1: staffing problems
support 1: not enough qualified teachers
support 2: not willing to go
Argument 2: financial difficulties
support 1: building facilities
support 2: providing services
Refutation:
Counter argument :
a university will contribute
to economic and sociocultural development of host town
Refutation of counter argument: a
university wrestling with its own economic and sociocultural problems
cannot contribute to development of host town
The purpose of the argumentative essay is
- to persuade your readers: you usually write
for people who disagree with you. Therefore, your arguments should be strong
enough to persuade them.
The purpose of the introduction is
- to make your readers read on: in other words,
your introduction should attract the readers' attention and want them to
read your essay
- to set the scene for the issue
- to state your thesis clearly
Ask yourself the questions:
- What is the context?
- Who cares?
- So what?
- Why should people care about this topic?
Answer the questions:
1. What is the context?
- government plans to open 15 new universities
- local people pressure legislators and politicians
- there are already 85 universities
- already existing ones have problems
- universities are against the proposal
- students/parents' reaction?
2. So what?
- old and new universities alike will suffer/ quality of education will
deteriorate
3. Who cares?
- everybody
- I do
- parents/students
- academicians
- other universities
- government
- local businesses
- local organizations
- nongovernmental organizations?
4. Why should people care about this issue?
- it will influence the quality of education/therefore people's lives will
be affected
While writing your essay, make sure that your arguments are developed
sufficiently.
Let's go back to the outline and provide adequate formal reasoning and proof
for our arguments..
Argument 1:
staffing problems
support 1: not enough qualified teachers
why? rate of education low
in our country/not enough university
graduates/not enough people
with master's and PhD degrees
support 2: not willing to go
why? living conditions not good/academic conditions not good
so what? low quality teaching staff==>low quality education
Argument 2: financial difficulties
support 1: building facilities
what kind? labs, libraries, dorms, sports and social facilities, cafeterias
needed
support 2: providing services academic and non-academic
services==>food, transportation, accommodation, how water, computers,
lab equipment, bookstore, library services
so what ? quality of education
will
deteriorate
Refutation: In
your refutation you want to show
- why the opposition is wrong
- your opinion/position is better
- where the opposition's argument falls short
Summarize the opposite opinion in a
sentence or two and provide
the context. Then,
1. problematize the opposing arguments
2. shift from opposing arguments to supporting arguments
1. Problematizing the opposing arguments: It
is important that the reader knows that when you write opposing arguments
you do not agree with them. You have to make it clear that you are
presenting these arguments only to show that you understand the issue from
both sides, that you have anticipated the opposing arguments and wish to
criticize them. In order to signal this you have to use special phrases. To
problematize something means you make it seem like a problem, to make it
seem untrue.
However, you should avoid an aggressive
approach when you are problematizing your opponent's arguments. For example,
do not use expressions like, "This is silly/foolish/rubbish" or "It/This is
not true."
Example:
Counter argument: "The establishment of a
university in a small or developing town will contribute to the development
of local culture, community and economy."
Problematized argument: "It is argued that
the establishment of a university in a small or developing town will
contribute to the development of local culture, community and economy."
See the language summary for
Problematizing Arguments
2. Shifting from opposing arguments to
supporting arguments: You should clearly mark the point where you
shift from opposing arguments to supporting arguments. The most common of
the contrast markers is "However".
Example:
It is argued that
the establishment of a university in a small or developing town will
contribute to the development of local culture, community and economy.
However, if a university is wrestling with staff recruitment problems and
cannot solve its financial funding problems, it cannot be of any help
to the local community or the economy.
You can try one or several of the strategies below:
- summarize the key points you have discussed
- reflect back to your introduction: especially if you asked questions in
the introduction it is a good idea to conclude by providing answers
- provide a solution if you have started out to find a solution
- call for action: suggest what action should be taken
See the sample argumentative essay written using the arguments and strategies
we have discussed in this handout.
Copyright @ 2006 SFL, Bogazici University
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