Argumentative Essay

Compose an argumentative essay (EN10WC-IIh-13).

ACTIVITY: Read the essay that will be provided to you. Analyze the argumentative essay by answering the
questions below.

1. What is the thesis statement?

2. Paragraphs 2, 3 and 4 each give a reason for
requiring school uniforms. What are the reasons?
3. Which paragraph presents the counterargument?
What is the counterargument?
4. The writer presented a refutation by showing that
the counterargument is invalid. What is the writer’s
refutation?
5. Based on the concluding paragraph, What is the
writer’s opinion about the issue discussed on the
paper?
What is the thesis statement?
Paragraphs 2,
3 and 4 each
give a reason
for requiring
school
uniforms.
What are the
reasons?
Which paragraph presents the counterargument? What is the
counterargument?
The writer presented a refutation by showing that the counterargument is invalid. What is the writer’s refutation?
Based on the concluding paragraph, What is the writer’s opinion about the issue discussed on the paper?
Writing Your Argumentative
Essay
1. Choose a topic and thesis statement.
• TOPIC: ________________
• THESIS STATEMENT: __________________________

Example:
Topic: Should schools require uniforms?
Thesis Statement: Schools uniforms should be required.
Writing Your Argumentative
Essay
2. Brainstorm ideas about your chosen topic.

Thesis Statement: Cellphones should not be allowed in classrooms.

PRO CON

1. Phones distract students. Phones can easily be turned off.

2. Phones might ring and distract Phones are important in an

the class discussion. emergency.
3. Phones could be used for Phones could serve educational
cheating. purposes.
Writing Your Argumentative
Essay
3. Consider opposing points of views. Choose
counterarguments from CON list and write a refutation for
each

Counterargument Refutation (Why is it invalid?)

Phones can easily be turned off. Cellphone users rarely turn off
their devices.

Phones could serve educational It is not easy to monitor whether

purposes. students really use their phones
for educational purposes.
 Writing Your
Argumentative
Essay
4. Use an outline to organize
all your ideas.
You are now ready to write!
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