ARGUME NTATIVE ESSAY Introduction Consider the introduction a

ARGUME NTATIVE ESSAY

Introduction Consider the introduction a roadmap for your readers make the final destination sound interesting, leave them signposts (these will be your claims for the body paragraphs and should be in the order your essay will address them) that will lead them to the final destination (your thesis). Don’t add anything you will not cover in the essay!

STEP ONE 0 1. AP - Address the Prompt. 0 ALWAYS READ THE PROMPT CAREFULLY – ALL YOUR RESPONSES SHOULD ADDRESS THE PROMPT! OLD prompts may ask Challenge/Defend/Qualify - This type of wording is no longer on the test. Sometimes you are given a situation to respond to, sometimes a quote, sometimes your take on given terms, sometimes you are asked to consider the pros and cons of a situation, even write a letter, etc. READ DIRECTIONS CAREFULLY!

“At my high school various clubs and organizations sponsor charity drives asking students to bring in money, food, and clothing. Some teachers offer bonus points on tests and final averages as incentives to participate. Some parents believe this sends a morally wrong message, undermining the value of charity as a selfless act. Is the exchange of donations for grades o. k. ? ” The practice of offering incentives for charitable acts is widespread, from school drives, fundraisers by public television, to tax deductions for charitable donations. In a well written essay discuss the ethics of offering incentives for charitable acts.

TO USE THE I OR NOT? 0 NO HARD AND FAST RULE ABOUT THIS ONE BUT CONSIDER THESE TWO EXAMPLES. . . Does a coat mean less to a homeless person if the giver received an incentive? While perhaps morally questionable, in this case the end justifies the means. Does a coat mean less to a homeless person if the giver received an incentive? I think that while this may be morally questionable - the end justifies the means.

STEP TWO – WRITING THE INTRODUCTION 0 ALWAYS CONSIDER TIME – AT THE LEAST WRITE A QUICK INTRO. THAT PRESENTS YOUR CLAIM/THESIS. 0 Here are some strategies that you might use to begin your introductory paragraph. You can begin with: 0 • a short anecdote that deals with the “big idea” of your argument 0 • a concession 0 • an interesting or controversial fact or statistic

0 • a question or several questions that will be answered in your argument 0 • relevant background material 0 • an analogy or image that you can sustain (revisit) throughout the argument 0 • a definition of a term or idea that is central to your argument

Discuss Consider the implications of a day on which no goods are purchased. Then write an essay in which you develop a position on the establishment of an annual Buy Nothing Day.

STEP 2 - Craft a Strong Thesis ADDRESS THE PROMPT - BUT DO NOT MERELY PARROT THE PROMPT - THIS MAKES THE READER THINK YOU HAVE NO IDEAS OF YOUR OWN. Consider the implications of a day on which no goods are purchased. Then write an essay in which you develop a position on the establishment of an annual Buy Nothing Day. FOR EXAMPLE: There are many implications with the establishment of an annual Buy Nothing Day.

An effective thesis statement fulfills the following criteria. It should be: Substantial - Your thesis should be a claim for which it is easy to answer every reader's question: "So what? " Supportable - A thesis must be a claim that you can prove with the evidence at hand (e. g. , evidence from your texts or from your research). Your claim should not be outlandish, nor should it be mere personal opinion or preference

Precise - An effective thesis statement has been narrowed down from a very broad subject. Your claim should not be something on which whole books could be written. Arguable - A thesis statement should not be a statement of fact or an assertion with which every reader is likely to immediately agree. (Otherwise, why try to convince your readers with an argument? )

What is your topic - Who’s to blame for the obesity epidemic What is your claim/stance? Parents should teach their children healthy eating habits What is your rationale? - WHY do you think/feel this way? BECAUSE Parents are the first to teach and model eating habits for their children What concessions will you make to acknowledge the opposition and qualify your claim? Although some will want to blame the fast food industry

Concession +Claim + Rationale = THESIS Although some will blame the fast food industry for the rise in obesity, parents are more at fault because they are the first to teach and model healthy eating habits for their children.

Take another look at this prompt Consider the implications of a day on which no goods are purchased. Then write an essay in which you develop a position on the establishment of an annual Buy Nothing Day.

Your Turn - Craft a Strong Thesis What is your topic - go back to the prompt for this! - Annual Buy Nothing Day What is your claim/stance? - This is where you take a position What is your rationale? - WHY do you think/feel this way? Keep this broad for now - details go in the body What concessions will you make to acknowledge the opposition and qualify your claim? Concession +Claim + Rationale = THESIS

Example Although our economy needs consumers to keep on purchasing, we are a nation obsessed with buying more than we need because we associate our self worth with what we own.

Challenge yourself to do what all great writers do 01. Strong diction that stays true to YOUR STYLE 0 Use parallel structure 02. Use a figure of speech 03. Vary your sentence structure and/or sentence length 04. Add sophisticated transitions

For centuries, prominent thinkers have pondered the relationship between ownership and the development of self (identity), ultimately asking the question, “What does it mean to own something? ” Plato argues that owning objects is detrimental to a person’s character. Aristotle claims that ownership of tangible goods helps to develop moral character. Twentieth-century philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre proposes that ownership extends beyond objects to include intangible things as well. In Sartre’s view, becoming proficient in some skill and knowing something thoroughly means that we “own” it.

0 Think about the differing views of ownership. Then write an essay in which you explain your position on the relationship between ownership and sense of self. Use appropriate evidence from your reading, experience, or observations to support your argument.

Write an introduction for the Ownership Prompt Then create an outline of points you would cover/use in the body of your essay. Tie all examples back to the prompt!

Write an appropriate introduction ADDRESS THE PROMPT! DO NOT PARROT THE PROMPT! NO FILLER/EMPTY STATEMENTS YOUR POSITION SHOULD BE CLEAR SHOULD SERVE AS A ROADMAP - WHICH IDEAS WILL YOU COVER IN YOUR ESSAY DON’T PROMISE MORE THAN YOU CAN DELIVER - DELIVER IN THE ORDER PROMISED ADD VOICE/STYLE