Week 7 Session 13

Topic Argumentative Essay

Activity Understanding argumentative essay (introductory paragraph)

Source Smalley et al. (2001)

https://bit.um.ac.id/2yipLh
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CONi4J04I7k

Meeting Argumentative Essay:

13 Introductory Paragraph

4. ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY: INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

Contents
4. ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY: INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH ............................... 1
Activity 1: Reading: Introductory paragraph ................................................................... 1
Activity 2: Writing an introductory paragraph ................................................................ 3

Activity 1: Reading: Introductory paragraph

Individual reading followed by group discussion
Procedure:
Read the following excerpts from
The key pieces of this argumentative essay plan in brief are:

1. Introduction
2. Body paragraphs that support the thesis
3. Rebuttal paragraph/s
4. Conclusion
The Introduction to an Argumentative Essay
Your introduction is how you show the reader your point of view about the issue. It also
sets up the organization of the rest of your essay. A solid introduction is a powerful way to
start your essay. The elements of an argumentative essay introduction are:
1. Hook.
This is a sentence that captures grabs your readers' attention. A hook makes them
curious about the topic of your essay. There are 4 hooks that work great with
argumentative essays:
a. Ask an interesting question
b. State a fact/statistic
c. Make a strong statement
d. Include a relevant and important quotation
Each of these hooks should relate to the specific topic in your paper.
2. Specific Information about the Issue
The next few sentences of your introduction focus on explaining your topic. You
include background information about the issue, and why it's important.
Ask yourself why does this topic matter? Who does it concern?
Write about that in these sentences leading up to your thesis statement.
3. Thesis Statement
The last sentence is your thesis statement (TS), which contains your essay's main
topic. The thesis statement begins with a debatable topic/issue. TS is your point of
view about that issue and how you will prove it. This is the claim of your
argumentative essay.
An example argumentative essay thesis statement is: Assualt riffles should be
banned in the United States because these weapons can kill many people in a
matter of seconds.
Activity 2: Writing an introductory paragraph
Individual writing
Procedure:
4. Think of a problem which our country is facing and what steps the government take to
solve it. You can browse the internet to find more readings regarding the issue.
5. Do you agree or disagree with it? Why?
6. Write a short introductory paragraph which contain your stand in the issue (whether
you agree or disagree with the government's solution).
7. Write your results here or submit them to your teacher.
Your thesis statement:

Your hook:

Your introductory paragraph:

Activity 3: Introductory paragraph of argumentative essay (Video)

Individual watching & Group/class discussion
Procedure:
1. Introductory has unique roles in argumentative essay.
2. Check the following video on how to write a better introductory paragraph of
argumentative essay, presented by Michelle Krzmarzick:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CONi4J04I7k
3. What are the roles of the introductory paragraph of an argumentative essay?
4. Is attention grabber similar with hook?