Annabel Lassiter period 1

Name_______________________________________________ Class____________

Original Student Writing: Argument Essay

Brainstorming will help you get started with your argumentative essay. In this section, you will choose a topic for
your essay, write your thesis statement, think about several supporting ideas for your opinion, and think about the
counterargument.

ACTIVITY Planning your Essay

Follow the steps below to develop ideas for an argument essay.

1. First, choose any other topic and thesis statement that you want to write about. Remember that the topic
must have more than one point of view to qualify as an argument.
Homework: helpful or harmful
Essay topic: _____________________________________________________________________________
Homework is harmful because it takes time away from extracurricular activities, and it is
Thesis statement: ________________________________________________________________________
harmful to your physical and mental health.
_______________________________________________________________________________________

2. Now brainstorm ideas about your topic. Fill out the Pro & Con T-Chart with as many ideas as you can.

PRO CON
1. 1.
homework is stressful homework can help you study

2. homework does not help younger students 2. homework improves understanding

3. homework can lead to headaches, sleep 3. homework lets parents be involved in learning
deprivation, depression and more
4. homework takes time away from 4. homework can help score higher on tests
extracurricular activities
5. 5. homework helps develop good habits such
homework takes away time from family
as taking away time from your schedule to
and friends
learn.

3. Look at your Pro & Con T-chart again. Choose three reasons from your PRO list that support your thesis
most effectively and circle them. You now know what your major supporting information will be.

4. Now give attention to opposing points of view. In the box below, choose two counterarguments from your
CON list and write a refutation for each.

Counterargument (from CON list) Refutation (ATTACK - Why is it wrong?)

1.
homework can help your This may be true, but too much homework
understanding of certain can lead to stress and physical health
topics issues.
2.
homework can help parents be This is untrue because, parents too
involved in their child's learning can become stressed with
homework.

Matthew Barbee, 2015 6