IMPROVING ORGANIZATION

IN WRITING ARGUMENTATIVE
ESSAYS THROUGH DEBATE

BY

RIO DARMASETIAWAN

ILP SUNTER
INTRODUCTION
 Debate is often seen by many English
language learners, especially for
ESL/EFL students, as an advanced
speaking activity.

 Similarly, writing is often seen as a

very difficult skill, for many ESL/EFL
students often get difficulties.
 However, it is often found that debaters are good
essay writers.

 Thus, this study investigates to what extent

debate can help English language learners,
especially ESL/EFL students, to improve their
skills in writing argumentative essay.

 In addition, the writer also believes that this

study is significant, for it can show the readers
that debate is, indeed, very useful and beneficial.
THEORITICAL FRAMEWORKS
Transfer of Learning
Transfer of learning is the application of skills and
knowledge learned in one context being applied
in another context (
http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/EdP
syBook/Edpsy6/edpsy6_transfer.htm
).

In addition, according to Dickson in her article

“Developing “Real-World Intelligence”: Teaching
Argumentative Writing Through Debate”,
“Students who debate learn skills of critical
thinking, argumentation, and presentation.”
(English Journal Volume 1 No. 1, 34).
The Organization of Argumentative Essay
The Argumentative Essay is a genre of writing
that requires the student to investigate a topic,
collect, generate, and evaluate evidence, and
establish a position on the topic in a concise
manner (
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/685/
05
).
In Argumentative Essay, like in other types of
essays, there should be a thesis statement.
Thesis statement in argumentative essay,
according to Smalley, Ruetten, & Kozyrev (2001),
takes a side of an issue. Frequently, it also
proposes a course of action.

Then after the thesis statement, there should be

paragraphs in order to support or prove the
thesis statement. In a paragraph, there
should be three parts.
Within the paragraphs, there should be
argumentation, for the main objective of
argumentative essays is to convince the reader
that your position is the better one (Smalley,
Ruetten, & Kozyrev, 2001).
Besides arguments, there should be refutations
which are the indication of argumentative essays.
The use of refutation, according to Dietsch
(2003), is to show that the information of claim is
irrelevant or just partly true or completely false.
It can also be used to prove wrong by argument
or to show that something is erroneous (Smalley,
Ruetten, & Kozyrev, 2001).
The Organization of Parliamentary Debate
In Parliamentary Debate, there should be a theme
line, which is, according to Harahap, “the underlying
logic of a team’s case. It is the main instrument of
argumentation that is used to prove a team’s stand
on the motion” (“What is Competitive Debating?”, 1).

Then there should also be team split in which

arguments are distributed among speakers. In team
split, there should be, of course, argumentation. It
concerns the logic and the evidence supporting a
particular conclusion (Harahap, “What is Competitive
Debating?”, 2000).
A good argument should follow the pattern of A-
R-E-W/L which stands for Assertion-Reasoning-
Evidence-Wrap up/Link back.

Besides argumentation, there should also be

rebuttals in the Parliamentary Debate. The
function of the rebuttals is to prove that the
opposing team’s arguments should be accorded
less weight than claimed by them.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Data
The data was the argumentative essays about
“Legalize Gambling” written by FCE students in
ILP Sunter.

Participants
The participants were students in FCE 2 (Group
1) & FCE3 (Group 2) in ILP Sunter. Group 1 did
the debate while Group 2 did not. Most of them
study in junior & senior high school with good
achievements both in their schools and ILP
Sunter.
 Procedure
 Asked the participants to write an argumentative
essay about “Legalizing gambling”. They were
free to choose whether or not they support the
topic.
 Compared and analyzed the essays in terms of
the structure and the content of the essays.
 Data Analysis
 In terms of the structure, the essays from both
Group 1 and Group 2 had equal quality.
 In terms of the content, the essays from Group 1
had, generally, better quality than Group 2.
 In terms of organization of ideas, both groups
had equal quality.
 However, they were different in terms of choice
of arguments and elaboration of arguments.
 The essays from Group 1 had better choice of
arguments and elaboration of arguments then
Group 2.
 The arguments in the essays of Group 1 were
well elaborated, logically acceptable and
supported by relevant evidences.
 On the other hand, the arguments in the essays
of Group 2 were generally not really well
elaborated, logically less acceptable, and not
supported by relevant evidences.
DISCUSSION
Similarities
 It can be seen that there are similarities between
argumentative essay writing and debate. Both
have similar purpose and organization.
 The aim of argumentative essay writing is to
persuade its audience, namely the readers, to
agree with the point of view presented by the
writers.
 Similarly, debate is aimed to persuade its
audience, namely the adjudicators, to agree with
the points of view presented by a team.
 In term of organization, both argumentative
essay writing and debate have similar
organization.
 In argumentative essay writing, there is thesis
statement which controls the idea for the whole
essay.
 After thesis statement, there should also be
paragraphs. The points/ideas that the writers
want to develop are put in paragraphs.
 Ideas in argumentative essay writing are made in
form of arguments.
 Besides the arguments, there should also be
refutations.
 Similarly, there is a kind of thesis statement
called theme line in debate. Likewise thesis
statement, theme line also controls the ideas of
each team’s case.
 After the theme line, there should be team splits.
The points/ideas that the speakers want to
develop are put in team splits.
 Within the team splits, there should be, of
course, arguments.
 The arguments should follow the pattern of a
good argument, A-R-E-W/L (Assertion-
Reasoning-Evidence-Wrap up/Link Back).
 Lastly, there should also be a kind of refutations
called rebuttals.
 Transfer of Learning
 The writer wants to analyze the points on how
debate can help English language learner,
especially ESL/EFL student, in organizing
argumentative essay writing.
 First, by participating in debate activity, students
can learn and understand how to make
arguments in such a good way.
 Assertion is a statement that each speaker wants
to prove the truth.
 Reasoning is the process of elaboration of why
the assertion is true.
 Evidence is supportive and relevant example such
as facts, statistics, experts’ opinion, etc
 Because it upholds unity, coherence, and clarity,
then it can be called as a good argument.
 In the sense that it does not overlap the
controlling idea (theme line) because it has a
clear link to the theme line, then unity is there.
 In the sense that it has a clear and smooth flow
of thought, for it provides reasoning and
evidence, then coherence is there.
 In the sense that the assertion is successfully
proven by reasoning and evidence, then clarity is
there.
 The students may no longer have any problem in
developing arguments in argumentative essay
writing.
 Second, since the nature of rebuttals in debate is
virtually the same with the nature of refutations
in argumentative essay writing, students who
often participate in debate can use their rebuttal-
making skill in making refutations when they
write argumentative essay writing.
 Rebuttals are used to prove that the opposing
team’s arguments should be accorded less weight
than claimed by them while refutations are used
to show that the opposing ideas are wrong or less
weight.
 Third, since the organization of debate and
argumentative essay writing are similar, students
who often participate in debate can apply the
organization of debate into argumentative essay
writing.
 Thus, setting up the organization of
argumentative essay writing might be no longer a
problem for them.
CONCLUSION & IMPLICATION
 It can obviously be seen that there are
fundamental similarities between argumentative
essay writing and debate.
 They are similar in terms of organization,
arguments, and rebuttals or refutations.
 Therefore, the writer suggests that in order to
improve organization in writing argumentative
essays, students, especially ESL/EFL students,
should try to participate in debate activities.
 The writer also believes that the implication of
this study is feasible.
 For instance, the instructors or lecturers can ask
the students to debate upon the given topic
before they write it into argumentative essay.
 Next, it is time for the students to debate. The
lecturers or instructors can be the moderator of
the debate.
 Each group of students, pro and con, is given
equal opportunities to state and defend their
opinions or arguments.
Thank You 