TOPIC 10 – 11 :

AN ARGUMENTATIVE ANALYSIS ESSAY

SOME IMPORTANT POINTS

 An argumentative essay is an essay that a writer develops his or her essay
by convincing other people to follow his or her opinions.
 The aim of writing an argumentative essay is to convince or persuade other
people to believe / to agree / to follow the writer’s opinions / arguments
 The topic or the issue should be arguable or debatable. People may agree or
disagree with the topic or the issue.
 There are only two sides: agree or disagree / pros or cons / government or
opposition.
 You have to take a stand on an issue or you have to stand in one position on
the issue or you have to take in one side on an issue while the other side is
an opposition side.

AN ESSAY FORMAT

INTRODUCTION
An introductory paragraph consists of:
 An explanation of the issue (pros and cons of an issue or debatable issue)
 A clear thesis statement (your position of the issue / one side of the issue)

BODY
Body paragraphs (some developmental paragraphs) consist of:
 Your own arguments to support your position of the issue.
 Opposing arguments and your rebuttals to the opposing arguments.

CONCLUSION
A concluding paragraph consists of:
 Summary of the main ponts of arguments
 Writer’s comment/s or message/s

Note: A strong argument happens when you are able to strengthen your own
arguments and to weaken the opposing arguments (to rebut the opposing
arguments) so that you are able to convince other people to agree, to believe, or to
follow your opinions (arguments)
Some Examples of Topic and Thesis Statement

Topics Thesis Statements

Smoking Cigarette  Smoking cigarette should be banned
 Smoking cigarette should not be legalized
School Uniforms  High school students should not wear school
University Uniforms uniforms.
 University students should wear university
uniforms
Handphone for Students  Students should be allowed to bring handphone
to school
Internet for Children  Children should not be allowed to use internet
Sex Education  Sex education should be taught to students
since they are children
Homework  Homework should not be given to students

Note: The thesis statement in writing argumentative essay is commonly called

as motion in debate.

Essay Example:

SCHOOL UNIFORMS FOR STUDENTS

I. Thesis Statement
Students should not wear school uniforms
II. A. My Opinions / Arguments
1. First, wearing school uniforms does not improve academic competence.
2. Second, wearing school uniforms is a lack of freedom expression.
3. Third, wearing school uniforms needs an extra cost.
B. Opposing Opinions / Arguments and Rebuttals to the opposing opinions.
1. - Wearing school uniforms represents dicipline. (opposing opinion)
- Dicipline does not depend on wearing school uniforms. (rebuttal)
2. - Wearing school uniforms can avoid students from doing criminal acts.
(opposing opinion)
- Doing criminal acts is a matter of bad behaviaour as the product of
low moral education, not because of wearing school uniforms. (rebuttal)
III. Conlusion
In conclusion, wearing school uniforms does not improve students’
academic competence, is a lack of students’ freedom expression, and needs
an extra expense. Teaching students to be dicipline and teaching students to
avoid doing criminals acts do not have significant correlation with wearing
schools uniforms.

Below I present three models of writing an argumentative essay. They have

different format of their body paragraphs. Read it carefully!

Model 1

SCHOOL UNIFORMS FOR STUDENTS

Students of kindergarten, elementary school, yunior high school, and senior

high school in Indonesia, Japan, England, Australia, Cina, Vietnam, and others have
to wear school uniforms to school. On the other hand, some other countries, such
as: United States, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Findland, Estonia, and Latvia
do not impose students wearing school uniforms. School uniforms can be national
uniforms, regional uniforms, and local school uniforms. Knowing that countries in
the world have different rules to school students, wearing school uniforms for
students becomes debatable. Some people may agree with their reasons and some
others may disagree with some other reasons. Both sides have their own arguments.
Should students wear school uniforms? Although there are some benefits of
students wearing school uniforms, in my opinion, students should not wear school
uniforms.
The first reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that wearing
school uniforms does not improve their academic competence. There is no
correlation between school uniforms and students’ academic competence. The goal
of teaching learning process for students in schools is to achieve high competence
in all subjects. Every semester, every student is evaluated his or her competence on
every subject. When a student has achieved at least above the minimum passing
level on a certain subject, it means that he or she has mastered the material. When
all students or majority of students have achieved above the minimaum passing
level on all subjects, the teaching learning process can be said successful. In order
to be successful students to achieve high academic competence, they have to study
hard. Students can be successful in academic competence whether or not they wear
school uniforms. So, wearing school uniforms does not affect students’ academic
competence.
The second reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that
wearing school uniforms is a lack of freedom expression. Students as teenagers
should be allowed to explore their personality as they like. Their personalities are
commonly shown by the way they dress. Being able to express their personalities
themselves is a right for students to learn from a young age. If students are not
permitted to demonstrate their individuality and originality through dressing, they
may develop feelings of oppression and discouragement, which can damage
their personality. Every student should dress differently, and through the clothes
they wear, students are able to portray who they are to society. The requirement for
school uniforms looks more towards the conformity of students than who they
really are, and by limiting their creativity through their clothing could retard their
creativity.
The third reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that
wearing school uniforms needs an extra cost. Paying for school uniforms can be a
waste of money. Most schools in Indonesia I know have different uniforms for
different days of the week or at least three to four types of school uniforms in a
week. Most families who are not good financially may feel hard to bear the cost of
the school uniforms. School uniforms are not only students’ clothes but also their
accessories, such as a tie, a belt, a pair of socks, shoes, and so on. So parents need
some exra cost for their children’s school uniforms. When in a certain case there
is a deal between schools and suppliers of school uniforms, buying school
uniforms in certain schools can be more expensive. When students are free not to
wear school uniforms, or when students are free to wear their own clothes, an
extra cost for school uniforms can be used to buy some books or at least parents
can save their money for other needs.
My opponents may say that wearing school uniforms represents dicipline.
They say that by wearing school uniforms, students have obeyed the rules applied
in their schools. When students wear uniforms, they tend to go to school or they are
afraid to play truent because people are easy to indentify them that they are
students. Therefore, by wearing school uniforms, students tend to be dicipline to
school. I disagree with statement that wearing school uniforms represents dicipline.
Dicipline is not measured by whether students wear or not to wear school uniforms.
Dicipline is measured by whether students have obeyed or broken the school rules.
When the level of obedience of students to the school rules is high, it means the
students are dicipline. For examples, they go to school on time, they always do their
homework, they always follow the lessons seriusly, they never play truent, and so
on. Therefore, dicipline does not depend on the school uniforms.
 Some other people may argue that wearing school uniforms can avoid
students from doing criminal acts. By wearing school uniforms, people are easy to
recognize who they are or from which schools they are. When they want to do
criminal acts they will think a thousand times. In shorts, students will be afraid or
feel shy to do criminal acts because of their uniforms. Based on these reasons,
students tend to be good students when they wear uniforms. I rebut the statement
that wearing school uniforms can avoid students from doing criminal acts. It is a
weak reason. Conducting crimes is not a matter of wearing or not wearing school
uniforms. Conducting crimes is a matter of bad behaviour. In order to avoid
students from doing criminal acts, school should stress on teaching moral education
to their students. Students have to realize that doing criminal acts is considered
immoral and breaks the law. Students know, realize, and can differ what they do is
right or wrong, not because of they wear or not to wear school uniforms. When
students have high moral education, they tend to have good behaviour and they can
avoid from doing criminal acts.
In conclusion, while some people believe that school uniforms offer many
advantages to students, I firmly believe that it is more adventageous if students
should not wear school uniforms. From the arguments above, we can see that
wearing school uniforms does not improve students’ academic competence, is a
lack of students’ freedom of expression, and needs an extra expense. Teaching
students to be dicipline and teaching students to avoid doing criminals acts do not
have significant correlation with wearing schools uniforms. Therefore, it is a good
idea if schools should not apply the regulation for students to wear school
uniforms.

Model 2

SCHOOL UNIFORMS FOR STUDENTS

Students of kindergarden, elementary school, yunior high school, and senior

high school in Indonesia, Japan, England, Australia, Cina, Vietnam, and others have
to wear school uniforms to school. On the other hand, some other countries, such
as: United States, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Findland, Estonia, and Latvia
do not impose students wearing school uniforms. School uniforms can be national
uniforms, regional uniforms, and local school uniforms. Knowing that countries in
the world have different rules to school students, wearing school uniforms for
students becomes debatable. Some people may agree with their reasons and some
others may disagree with some other reasons. Both sides have their own arguments.
Should students wear school uniforms? Although there are some benefits of
students wearing school uniforms, in my opinion, students should not wear school
uniforms.
The first reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that wearing
school uniforms does not improve their academic competence. There is no
correlation between school uniforms and students’ academic competence. The goal
of teaching learning process for students in schools is to achieve high competence
in all subjects. Every semester, every student is evaluated his or her competence on
every subject. When a student has achieved at least above the minimum passing
level on a certain subject, it means that he or she has mastered the material. When
all students or majority of students have achieved above the minimaum passing
level on all subjects, the teaching learning process can be said successful. In order
to be successful students to achieve high academic competence, they have to study
hard. Students can be successful in academic competence whether or not they wear
school uniforms. So, wearing school uniforms does not affect students’ academic
competence.
The second reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that
wearing school uniforms is a lack of freedom expression. Students as teenagers
should be allowed to explore their personality as they like. Their personalities are
commonly shown by the way they dress. Being able to express their personalities
themselves is a right for students to learn from a young age. If students are not
permitted to demonstrate their individuality and originality through dressing, they
may develop feelings of oppression and discouragement, which can damage
their personality. Every student should dress differently, and through the clothes
they wear, students are able to portray who they are to society. The requirement for
school uniforms looks more towards the conformity of students than who they
really are, and by limiting their creativity through their clothing could retard their
creativity.
The third reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that
wearing school uniforms needs an extra cost. Paying for school uniforms can be a
waste of money. Most schools in Indonesia I know have different uniforms for
different days of the week or at least three to four types of school uniforms in a
week. Most families who are not good financially may feel hard to bear the cost of
the school uniforms. School uniforms are not only students’ clothes but also their
accessories, such as a tie, a belt, a pair of socks, shoes, and so on. So parents need
some exra cost for their children’s school uniforms. When in a certain case there
is a deal between schools and suppliers of school uniforms, buying school
uniforms in certain schools can be more expensive. When students are free not to
wear school uniforms, or when students are free to wear their own clothes, an
extra cost for school uniforms can be used to buy some books or at least parents
can save their money for other needs.
My opponents may say that wearing school uniforms represents dicipline .
They say that by wearing school uniforms, students have obeyed the rules applied
in their schools. When students wear uniforms, they tend to go to school or they are
afraid to play truent because people are easy to indentify them that they are
students. Therefore, by wearing school uniforms, students tend to be dicipline to
school. Some other people people may argue that wearing school uniforms can
avoid students from doing criminal acts. By wearing school uniforms, people are
easy to recognize who they are or from which schools they are. When they want to
do criminal acts they will think a thousand times. In shorts, students will be afraid
or feel shy to do criminal acts because of their uniforms. Based on these reasons,
students tend to be good students when they wear uniforms.
I rebut to what my opponents have said about school uniforms. Firstly, they
say that wearing school uniforms represents dicipline. It is not true because
dicipline is not measured by whether students wear or not to wear school uniforms.
Dicipline is measured by whether students have obeyed or broken the school rules.
When the level of obedience of students to the school rules is high, it means the
students are dicipline. For examples, they go to school on time, they always do their
homework, they always follow the lessons seriusly, they never play truent, and so
on. Therefore, dicipline does not depend on the school uniforms. Secondly, they say
that wearing school uniforms can avoid students from doing criminal acts. It is a
weak reason. Conducting crimes is not a matter of wearing or not wearing school
uniforms. Conducting crimes is a matter of bad behaviour. In order to avoid
students from doing criminal acts, school should stress on teaching moral education
to their students. Students have to realize that doing criminal acts is considered
immoral and breaks the law. Students know, realize, and can differ what they do is
right or wrong, not because of they wear or not to wear school uniforms. When
students have high moral education, they tend to have good behaviour and they can
avoid from doing criminal acts
In conclusion, while some people believe that school uniforms offer many
advantages to students, I firmly believe that it is more adventageous if students
should not wear school uniforms. From the arguments above, we can see that
wearing school uniforms does not improve students’ academic competence, is a
lack of students’ freedom of expression, and needs an extra expense. Teaching
students to be dicipline and teaching students to avoid doing criminals acts do not
have significant correlation with wearing schools uniforms. Therefore, it is a good
idea if schools should not apply the regulation for students to wear school
uniforms.
Model 3

SCHOOL UNIFORMS FOR STUDENTS

Students of kindergarden, elementary school, yunior high school, and senior

high school in Indonesia, Japan, England, Australia, Cina, Vietnam, and others have
to wear school uniforms to school. On the other hand, some other countries, such
as: United States, Canada, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Findland, Estonia, and Latvia
do not impose students wearing school uniforms. School uniforms can be national
uniforms, regional uniforms, and local school uniforms. Knowing that countries in
the world have different rules to school students, wearing school uniforms for
students becomes debatable. Some people may agree with their reasons and some
others may disagree with some other reasons. Both sides have their own arguments.
Should students wear school uniforms? Although there are some benefits of
students wearing school uniforms, in my opinion, students should not wear school
uniforms.
My opponents may say that wearing school uniforms represents dicipline.
They say that by wearing school uniforms, students have obeyed the rules applied
in their schools. When students wear uniforms, they tend to go to school or they are
afraid to play truent because people are easy to indentify them that they are
students. Therefore, by wearing school uniforms, students tend to be dicipline to
school. Some other people people may argue that wearing school uniforms can
avoid students from doing criminal acts. By wearing school uniforms, people are
easy to recognize who they are or from which schools they are. When they want to
do criminal acts they will think a thousand times. In shorts, students will be afraid
or feel shy to do criminal acts because of their uniforms. Based on these reasons,
students tend to be good students when they wear uniforms.
I rebut to what my opponents have said about school uniforms. Firstly, they
say that wearing school uniforms represents dicipline. It is not true because
dicipline is not measured by whether students wear or not to wear school uniforms.
Dicipline is measured by whether students have obeyed or broken the school rules.
When the level of obedience of students to the school rules is high, it means the
students are dicipline. For examples, they go to school on time, they always do their
homework, they always follow the lessons seriusly, they never play truent, and so
on. Therefore, dicipline does not depend on the school uniforms. Secondly, they say
that wearing school uniforms can avoid students from doing criminal acts. It is a
weak reason. Conducting crimes is not a matter of wearing or not wearing school
uniforms. Conducting crimes is a matter of bad behaviour. In order to avoid
students from doing criminal acts, school should stress on teaching moral education
to their students. Students have to realize that doing criminal acts is considered
immoral and breaks the law. Students know, realize, and can differ what they do is
right or wrong, not because of they wear or not to wear school uniforms. When
students have high moral education, they tend to have good behaviour and they can
avoid from doing criminal acts.
In my opinion, at least there are three reasons why students should not wear
school uniforms. The first reason why students should not wear school uniforms is
that wearing school uniforms does not improve their academic competence. There
is no correlation between school uniforms and students’ academic competence. The
goal of teaching learning process for students in schools is to achieve high
competence in all subjects. Every semester, every student is evaluated his or her
competence on every subject. When a student has achieved at least above the
minimum passing level on a certain subject, it means that he or she has mastered the
material. When all students or majority of students have achieved above the
minimaum passing level on all subjects, the teaching learning process can be said
successful. In order to be successful students to achieve high academic competence,
they have to study hard. Students can be successful in academic competence
whether or not they wear school uniforms. So, wearing school uniforms does not
affect students’ academic competence.
The second reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that
wearing school uniforms is a lack of freedom expression. Students as teenagers
should be allowed to explore their personality as they like. Their personalities are
commonly shown by the way they dress. Being able to express their personalities
themselves is a right for students to learn from a young age. If students are not
permitted to demonstrate their individuality and originality through dressing, they
may develop feelings of oppression and discouragement, which can damage
their personality. Every student should dress differently, and through the clothes
they wear, students are able to portray who they are to society. The requirement for
school uniforms looks more towards the conformity of students than who they
really are, and by limiting their creativity through their clothing could retard their
creativity.
The third reason why students should not wear school uniforms is that
wearing school uniforms needs an extra cost. Paying for school uniforms can be a
waste of money. Most schools in Indonesia I know have different uniforms for
different days of the week or at least three to four types of school uniforms in a
week. Most families who are not good financially may feel hard to bear the cost of
the school uniforms. School uniforms are not only students’ clothes but also their
accessories, such as a tie, a belt, a pair of socks, shoes, and so on. So parents need
some exra cost for their children’s school uniforms. When in a certain case there
is a deal between schools and suppliers of school uniforms, buying school
uniforms in certain schools can be more expensive. When students are free not to
wear school uniforms, or when students are free to wear their own clothes, an
extra cost for school uniforms can be used to buy some books or at least parents
can save their money for other needs.
In conclusion, while some people believe that school uniforms offer many
advantages to students, I firmly believe that it is more adventageous if students
should not wear school uniforms. From the arguments above, we can see that
wearing school uniforms does not improve students’ academic competence, is a
lack of students’ freedom of expression, and needs an extra expense. Teaching
students to be dicipline and teaching students to avoid doing criminals acts do not
have significant correlation with wearing schools uniforms. Therefore, it is a good
idea if schools should not apply the regulation for students to wear school
uniforms.
FINAL TASK 11 – AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
Read the instructions below carefully!
1. This task is the final task in this semester.
2. Now, you are asked to write an argumentative essay.
3. You are free to find out one topic ( debatable issue) to write.
4. Write an outline first, then write your argumentative essay.
5. You have to submit your work in google drive.
6. Before doing this work, you need to practice with your partner.
a. You find a topic
b. You state your thesis statement (debatable issue / motion).
c. You agree to your thesis statement with two or three reasons and develop
your reasons with explanation
d. Give your topic and your thesis statement to your friend / partner.
e. Ask him / her to disagree to your thesis statement with two or three
reasons and explanations.
f. Ask your friend’s work and you use it as the opposing opinions.
g. Rebut your friend’s opinion.
h. Write what you have done from a to g which consists of:
- Your topic
- Your thesis statement
- Your reasons and explanations
- Your friend’s disagreement with reasons and explanations
- Your rebuttals
7. Practice number 6 at least twice or more.
8. When you have practiced number 6 at least twice, you have to do number 1
till 5.
9. Remember, you are also asked to submit (number 6 h – at least 2 topics – in
one file) – TASK 10 – AN ARGUMENTATIVE PRACTICE