RESEARCH-BASED

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

GROUP 4
 LEARNING OUTCOMES:

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Differentiate the research-based argumentative essay from the
explanation essay and the blog
• Appreciate the benefits of doing research
• Demonstrate the ability to transform research into sound
arguments.
 HOW IMPORTANT RESEARCH IS?
We all know that research is important. Without
research, many of the advancements in
science and technology that we enjoy today
would not have been possible. Without
research, we would not know what to do to
help people when catastrophes strike.

BUT HOW IMPORTANT RESEARCH REALLY IS?

 FROM RESEARCH TO ARGUMENT:
PRODUCING A RESEARCH BASED-ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
  FORMULATING THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• The essay you are writing is argumentative. This means you are
expected to present a clear stand on an issue that has at least two
different sides.
• Some examples of contentious issues include legalizing divorce and
legalizing same-sex marriage in the Philippines. For these issues, one
position favors the passing of a law allowing divorce or same-sex
marriage; another position rejects the passing of such laws.
 .

• Many good examples of contentious issues for your paper include those that do
not deal with legalizing practices in the country. You may choose topics that
concern your school, province, city, town, barangay, or even those that relate to the
environment in general, and other nations and regions, such as Southeast Asia.

• Decide on an issue you would like to

work on. Then, read about this issue.
Check that the issue has two opposing
viewpoints. If this issue interests you, pick
this as your topic for the essay. Then,
formulate a research questions similar to
the following examples.
 FINDING THE ANSWERS TO THE RESEARCH QUESTIONS

• After formulating research question, plan the next steps for finding answers to
your question. This requires the preparation of an annotated research
bibliography, which is a list of sources with a brief description of the content
of each source.

• Your sources must be acceptable. Is the source relevant? Does it provide the
latest facts and figures? Is it reliable? Given these criteria for deciding on the
acceptability of sources, the following are usually not considered:
THE FOLLOWING ARE USUALLY NOT CONSIDERED

Why do you think these sources are

not acceptable?
• SUBJECTIVITY
• LACK OF EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE

• BIAS AND INTERPRETATION

• PERSONAL JOURNALS
• ACADEMIC RIGOR
  DOING RESEARCH

• After your research questions have been approved including your annotated
research bibliography, it is now time to do research. This means that you will read
each of the sources you identified in Step 2 and take research notes.
• There are three types of notes, namely, paraphrase, summaries, and direct
quotations.
• Paraphrasing is done when you use your own words in taking down notes. If the
information provided in the source is long, it is best to summarize. You may also copy
the note verbatim or exactly as it is presented in the source if you wish to preserve
the source. For whatever type of note you make, it is expected that you cite the
source. This means that you must note down the complete bibliographical information
of your source.
  PREPARING TO WRITE THE PAPER

This part of the process is sub divided into three parts namely:

THE THESIS STATEMENT

THE OUTLINE
THE ESSAY
  THE THESIS STATEMENT

• At this point in the pre-writing stage, you should be ready to formulate a

thesis statement for your essay. The thesis statement is the main point or central
argument of your paper. It expresses your stand on the issue you choose to do
research on. To formulate a good thesis statement, make sure that it does the
following:
• Presents a strong position that is supported by convincing evidence
• Suggests a framework for organizing the essay.
CONSIDER THE THESIS STATEMENT BELOW.
  THE OUTLINE
• After having done research about your topic, choose one side that you agree
with. This side is your argument or your position. Then, list all the factual
support for your argument. Do the same for the other side, which is the
opposing position. List all the factual support you have gathered for that
position. When all these are complete, you are ready to write an outline of
your essay.
• This outline gives your paper a general shape. It is some sort of a written plan
for your essay. If the outline is well-done, then half the work of writing the
paper is also done.
.

• Your outline must be complete. It must contain all the main points of your
research-based argumentative paper. This means that the outline should have
the following parts:

• Your thesis statement

• Your argument and specific support for this argument
• The opposing argument and specific support for this argument
• A list of sources for all the support that will be used in the paper
  THE ESSAY

• After you have completed all the pre-writing tasks, you are ready to write
your essay. In writing the paper, observe the citation conventions required in
your class.
• Make sure that you practice intellectual honesty by acknowledging all your
sources. Any fact, figure, idea, or concept that is not yours must be
acknowledge in the paper using the proper citation format. Otherwise, you
will be accused of plagiarism.

THE END OF DISCUSSION. THANK YOU!