THEORY PN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

A. Argumentative Essay
An argumentative essay is an academic written discourse discussing a controversial topic,
where a writer’s stance is taken, reasons and supporting evidences are displayed, claim, counter
claim is presented, and refutation is performed (Tsai, 2006, p.17). The function of an
argumentative essay is to show that the writer’s assertion (opinion, theory, hypothesis) about
some phenomenon or phenomena is correct or more truthful than others'. The art of
argumentation is not an easy skill to acquire. Many people might think that if one simply has an
opinion, one can argue it successfully, and these folks are always surprised when others don't
agree with them because their logic seems so correct.

Argumentative writing is the act of forming reasons, making inductions, drawing conclusions,
and applying them to the case in discussion; the operation of inferring propositions, not known or
admitted as true, from facts or principles known, admitted, or proved to be true. It clearly
explains the process of reasoning from the known or assumed to the unknown. Without doing
this, the writers do not have an argument, they have only an assertion.
How to state claim in argumentative essay
Claims are statements about what is true or good or about what should be done or believed.
Claims are potentially arguable. A “claim” (also known as a “thesis statement” or “argument”) is
the central idea of the essay. In argumentative writing, a claim is a specific,
debatable viewpoint that determines the scope of the argument. Claims
should be clear, concise, and specific. A claim in an essay is a debatable statement and a
part of an argument’s declaration sentence. In respect to academic writing standards, a claim must
exclude personal feelings and already known facts and it must leave room for debate. The purpose of a
claim in an argument is to convince, persuade, or give proof to move your audience to agree with
your point of view. You can focus on communicating a message, but it’s best to double down on
moving an audience to think in a certain way. One common way to organize a claim paragraph is
the upside down triangle structure. With this method, writers will start by introducing their topic,
narrowing the focus until the issue or problem is briefly discussed and leading into the claim (the
writer's opinion about the issue being discussed). When making a claim, writers should start by
remembering to be clear, concise, and specific, keep the claim to 1-2 sentences, and place the
claim at the end of the first paragraph. Claims should be direct and stated as facts. Here are a few
examples of argumentative claims to help clarify what is a claim in writing. These examples can
help you identify claims when reading works of writing, as well as provide you with inspiration
when you need to write a claim statement.
 College students today should focus on learning skills that will qualify them to work
effectively in a virtual environment.
 School uniforms help promote an inclusive educational environment for all students,
regardless of socioeconomic status.
 In light of the severity of recent hurricanes, living near the coast is becoming increasingly
hazardous.
 Yoga provides both physical and mental health benefits.
 Concrete is the best building material for residential structures.
 Children under the age of 12 should not be allowed to have social media profiles.
 Spending more than an hour per day on housework is a waste of time.
 People who get at least 10,000 steps per day are healthier than those who don't.
 Eating too many carbohydrates is the primary reason some people are overweight.
 Dining in restaurants is actually more economical for individuals or couples than cooking
at home.
How to defend our argument
In argumentative essays, the writers argue a specific point of view about a controversial
issue. They require the writers to use factual evidence to support and defend their view while
weakening the opposition’s view. Defense essays require acknowledging the opposition, finding
evidence to disprove it and executing it in a way to show your argument is valid and the
opposition’s argument is not – without actually saying that. There are several steps to defend the
argument.
Step 1
Create an introductory paragraph that generalizes the topic of the essay. The introductory
paragraph only introduces the readers to the importance of the topic, the arguments presented in
the following paragraphs and how they are relevant to the topic.
Step 2
Add a thesis to the introductory paragraph. The thesis draws the reader’s attention to the essay
and persuades them to continue reading. Included in the thesis is the basis of your argument and
why it is significant to the essay. Without a strong thesis, your argument might seem irrelevant to
your readers and cause them to discontinue reading the essay.
Step 3
Add transitions to progress your argument smoothly from one point to another. Transitioning
happens at the end of each paragraph where the point wraps up and the next paragraph’s point is
introduced. Poor transitioning collapses the structure of the essay and your reader can not follow
the essay’s argument.
Step 4
Create a minimum of three argumentative points – each point limited to a single paragraph. A
paragraph should have no more than one argumentative point to avoid confusing your reader.
Each argumentative point should relate back to the thesis by explaining how and why the point
supports it.
Step 5
Explain an alternative view point to that of your argument in a paragraph or two. Explaining how
the opposing argument might not be well-informed or how it is out-of-date will increase your
argument. A weak defense paper does not explain the alternative view or calls it outright wrong.
Step 6
Support each point with factual, logical, statistical or anecdotal support. Supporting your
argumentative points with evidence validates your argument. Poorly supported papers do not
fully develop your argument and could persuade the reader to believe the opposing argument.
Step 7
Create a conclusion paragraph to synthesize the information in the essay. A conclusion reiterates
the thesis and each point and does not include any new information. The conclusion should
transition the article to a closing. Do not leave your essay open-ended.
This is an example
Showing evidences in argumentative essay
Critical thinking means being able to make good arguments. Arguments are claims backed by
reasons that are supported by evidence. Reasons are statements of support for claims, making
those claims something more than mere assertions. Evidence serves as support for the
reasons offered and helps compel audiences to accept claims. Evidence comes in different sorts,
and it tends to vary from one academic field or subject of argument to another. In argument,
evidence refers to facts, documentation or testimony used to strengthen a claim, support an
argument or reach a conclusion. The evidence isn't the same as proof. The evidence you use will
vary depending on your class or field of study. Regardless, the credibility of the source is
essential to your argument. It’s never enough to state your claim and not back it up with
evidence. You must provide evidence to support your argument. The different types of evidence
you can use are explored below.
Refuting Counterclaim
Another key feature of argumentative writing is the counterclaim. The counterclaim is the
opposing point of view to one’s thesis and is also known as the counterargument. The
counterclaim is always accompanied by a refutation, sometimes referred to as a rebuttal. A
counterclaim should start with a topic sentence that acknowledges the opposing side and
references the previous paragraph to create a smooth transition. Counterclaims should also
include credible sources as evidence for the opposing side. The counterclaim is the opposing
claim or the opposite of the writer's position. For example, if the writer's claim is "Cats are better
than dogs" then the counterclaim is "Cats are not better than dogs." It may seem counter intuitive
for a writer to bring up opinions that clash with their claim, but in order for readers to accept a
claim, they will first want to know what others are saying about the issue. Learning how to write
a counterclaim confidently shows the reader that the writer has done their research and is ready
to engage in discussion about the subject, rather than presenting a one-sided argument that
doesn't accurately address the scope of the issue. Writers should devote just as much time and
attention to finding credible counterclaim sources as they would to finding evidence to support
their own claim. A rebuttal is a statement or paragraph that undermines or challenges an opposing
claim. Without a rebuttal, a counterclaim in writing won't serve the argument. Writers should rebut
counterclaims directly after introducing them. Here are some tips to getting started with a rebuttal:

 Start the rebuttal with a transition sentence that acknowledges the counterclaim and then goes
on to refute it.
 Find common ground with the opposing argument and explain where and why the
counterclaim gets off track.
 Look for inconsistencies or faulty assumptions in the counterclaim's proposed facts, analysis,
or values.
 Refer to experts in the field to undermine the counterclaim with credible evidence.

The Refutation

In this type of essay, just as important as arguing your points is arguing against the points of
the opposition. When writing this type of essay, your students should not only show why they
are right but also why the opposition is wrong. This part of the essay is called the refutation.
Looking at the list of the reasons against their arguments, tell your students to choose the
strongest point the opposite site might present. Then challenge them to think about why this
argument is invalid. A strong refutation will address the argument and prove it is not logical,
there is a better answer, or it is not true. Your students should spend one paragraph on the
refutation, and it should come after the arguments in favor of their positions on the topic.Here are
some models of counterclaims
Cover both sides: pro-con
Argumentative essay is a type of essay, in which the goal is to provide evidences the author’s
claim. It needs higher order of reasoning and drawing conclusions. Additionally, a good
argument should have cover both sides: pro-con. Cho and Jonassen (2002) confirm that teaching
argumentative writing can aid learners to improve their cognitive skills.In facts, writing
argumentative essay needs complex cognitive skills (Nippold & Ward-Lonergan, 2010). Thus,
undergraduate students are expected to understand those skills in order to make persuasively
written arguments on the basis of logical supports (Botley & Hakim, 2014). The model of
covering both sides, is as follows:
This is a model of cover both sides.
This is another example: