A Course Module in Purposive Communication

MODULE 3
COMMUNICATION FOR VARIOUS PURPOSES

Lesson 3
RESEARCH-BASED ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

INTRODUCTION:

According to the general definition; the argumentative essay is a specific type of writing in which a
student chooses a topic (often the controversial ones), researches it extensively and then uses the
evidence gathered in their research process to establish their opinion or position on the topic in an essay
designed to persuade others to share that opinion.

In this module, we will learn what is research-based argumentative essay; how do we integrate
research to writing an argumentative essay, how to strengthen a personal stance about an issue; whether
current events or glocal issues that needs to be addressed and heard. We will learn how to craft a well-
written argument with the use of verified sources to be able to communicate truth and realities through the
use of our word prowess.

In this module we will learn that the steps and guidelines on how to do the research-based
argumentative essay include, carefully choosing a topic between two opposing ideas about a certain issue,
find related researches to support our stand in writing the essay; including the composition of the parts, i.e,
the introduction, body and the conclusion.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay

What is an argumentative essay?

The purpose of an argumentative essay is to firmly declare a specific position on a particular issue
or cause and to provide multiple reasons, backed up by supporting evidence and facts, for why the reader
should change their way of thinking or adopt the author’s point of view. We will briefly explain you how to
write an argumentative essay step by step.

Now that you have a basic grasp of an argumentative essay definition, it is time to learn how to
write an argument paper.

In order to be effective, the argument must meet certain criteria so that it influences the reader. As
such, a persuasive topic, a thorough assessment, qualified supporting evidence and convincing language
are necessary.

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Step 1. RESEARCHING POTENTIAL TOPICS TO WRITE ABOUT

There is no shortage of worthy topics to argue. Consider the daily news headlines, or even a
conversation overheard in a local deli – every day someone somewhere attempts to persuade another
person to change their way of thinking and share their point of view.

When exploring potential topics, ask yourself:

- Why did this happen?
- Is this important?
- How should we react?

The best topics for any argument driven paper have, at minimum, two strongly opposing viewpoints.
Having a keen interest in the chosen topic, while important, shouldn’t replace the ability to create a
strong argument. Being able to firmly believe in something is one thing, but explaining why that belief is
logical and reasonable, without becoming overly emotional, and then backing it up with tangible evidence is
an entirely different beast.

When exploring potential subject matter, it may be wise to draft a list of potential points that could
be used as evidence in favor of or against the chosen issue.

2. CONSIDER EACH SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT AND DETERMINE YOUR POSITION

After you’ve picked a topic that you feel passionate about, call upon your list of points for each side
of the topic and determine which side you most closely relate to. One of the most crucial elements of an
argument essay is to ponder and present both sides of the issue and undertake a thorough assessment of
each.
Regardless of which position you take, it is important to consider educated arguments for the
opposite positions so that you are able to clearly persuade them to see the validity of your argument.

3. COMPILE SUPPORTING MATERIAL AND EVIDENCE

Since written arguments, unlike in-person conversations, lack emotion and the ability to read body
language, it is necessary to provide sound proof to support a particular claim by relying on the facts and
available evidence. When assessing each side of the argument, consider the five most common questions
addressed in argument claims:
FACT: Is the statement factual?
DEFINITION: What does the claim really mean?
CAUSE: How valuable is it?
VALUE: What is the cause of issue? What happens?
PROPOSITION: What should be done about it?

4. WRITE THE ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Now that you’ve established a strong outline, you can begin to create your argumentative essay
structure. Much like all other types of essays, argumentative essay format should consist of three main
parts: The introductory paragraph, the body, and the closing statement. The length of each paragraph will
vary depending on the overall length of the assignment, however, five to seven sentences (unless there are
a lot of in-depth facts and figures) is a rational starting point.

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1. Argumentative Essay Introduction
Similar to every other type of essay, the very first paragraph of an argumentative research paper
should contain an opening statement (or a short explanation of the topic), key pieces of background
information, and a solid thesis statement. In this specific instance, the thesis statement will proclaim where
you stand on the matter being argued.

HOW TO DRAFT YOUR THESIS STATEMENT

In order to write a sound thesis, it is first necessary to consider the topic as a question. This can be
done by referring back to the list of questions created when assessing both sides of the argument. For
example, if the author were to take a pro stance for the topic of government subsidized daycares, the
questions asked might look like this:

- Does unaffordable daycare cause serious problems for the average family? FACT
- What is ‘licensed childcare’? DEFINITION
- What are the effects of unaffordable or unreliable childcare? CAUSE & EFFECT
- How important is it for families to have access to childcare? VALUE

What more can be done to make licensed daycare affordable and accessible for all
families? PROPOSITION
More often than not, the question asked also doubles as the title of the argument paper, however, it
may also be the concluding line of the introduction. The answer to this questions is what makes up the
thesis.

Have a look at the argumentative essay introduction example:

Example: The government has an obligation to ensure that all families have access to affordable
and reliable childcare. This can be done by offering working parents with income-based subsidies.

It may be constructive to refute possible objections early on. This can be done by using an
introductory phrase at the beginning of the thesis statement to indicate that you are refuting opposing views.

Example: While some may argue that licensed childcare is a luxury reserved for the working class
and that subsidized childcare would only further tax an already overburdened social service system, studies
have indicated that inefficient access to affordable childcare hinders a person’s ability to work and causes
even more strain on the social service system.
A good argumentative essay clearly presents both sides of the argument. The body and supporting
paragraphs should contain fact-based evidence to not only support your position, but also to refute all other
positions. Each side of the argument should be explained with a fair amount of detail and the strongest
points of the position that you are siding against should be stated for contrast.

Once the opposing side has been explained, clearly state your viewpoint and offer concrete
evidence to strengthen your argument as being the most valid.

PROVIDE SUPPORTING EVIDENCE

Call upon the strongest available evidence and use this to back up your claims one at a time.
Choose a variety of evidence, such as anecdotal stories, research studies or statistics. Following the

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structure of an argumentative essay, the body could be anywhere from a few paragraphs to several
hundred pages in length.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY STEP-BY-STEP

The road-map below can be used to create a solid outline for an argument essay.
1. The Introduction: The introductory paragraph not only explains the topic, but it also compares and
contrasts both sides of the argument and concludes with the thesis statement. Here are a few helpful
tips:
Use the title to deliver your viewpoint. Consider using a question as the title.
Consider your readers – what key parts of the topic would be most attention-grabbing or persuasive for
them?
Ensure that your thesis statement is direct and answers the question asked. A good thesis statement
will promote your position and should be the final sentence of the introductory paragraph.
2. The Body: The body paragraphs explain why exactly it is that the reader should adopt your viewpoint
and see your thesis as fact. It is crucial that the body refutes all possible objections and has evidence
to support the facts.
The Reasons and the Facts
Typically, the body of an argumentative essay will contain no less than three reasons why the author’s
position is the most valid. These reasons are known as ‘topic sentences’.
Each topic sentence should be backed up by facts, statistics, sound arguments or other supporting
data.
Expect opposition and determine objections
Consider the possible objections that a reader may have and refute them with fact-based evidence.
3. The Conclusion: The final paragraph should be used to offer a closing statement that persuades the
reader to adopt a specific viewpoint.
Why should the reader change their stance and share your point of view?
Consider using anticipated objections when making your closing remarks.
Argumentative Essay Conclusion
The final paragraph, or the closing statement, should effectively restate the initial topic and
appeal to the character of the reader. This can be done by:
a. Reviewing the introductory argument and revising it so that it substantiates what will occur
should the reader adopt your viewpoint.
b. Persuading the reader to feel differently by providing real-life examples supporting your
argument.
In closing, create a single sentence statement that reiterates your opening argument and
supports your viewpoint as being the most valid.

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES:

During the learning engagements, you will be able to:

 Explain the meaning/ definition of research-based argumentative essay;

 Evaluate a research-based argumentative essay to establish its criteria; and
 Gather evidences to build strong arguments in order to write a research-based argumentative
essay and to discover its value.

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TEACHING LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

TASK 1: COMPREHENSION QUESTION

INSTRUCTIONS: Check your understanding of the lesson by answering the following questions:

1. What is the definition of research-based essay? What makes it research-based?

2. How is research integrated into the essay after one has selected his stand on a given topic or
issue?

TASK 2: EVALUATING A RESEARCH-BASED ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Read carefully and analyze the given example essay below. Identify the issue, the researched evidences
and the paragraphs of the 3-parts in writing the essay. The above information in the introduction of this lesson will
guide you as you do the analysis below.

As online learning becomes more common and more and more resources are converted to digital form,
some people have suggested that public libraries should be shut down and, in their place, everyone should be given
e-materials.

Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because libraries are expensive
to maintain. They also believe it will encourage more people to read because they won’t have to travel to a library to
get a book; they can simply click on what they want to read and read it from wherever they are. They could also
access more materials because libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply rent out as
many digital copies as they need.

However, it would be a serious mistake to replace libraries with tablets. First, digital books and resources
are associated with less learning and more problems than print resources. A study done on tablet vs book reading
found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain 20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they
read compared to people who read the same information in print. Additionally, staring too long at a screen has been
shown to cause numerous health problems, including blurred vision, dizziness, dry eyes, headaches, and eye strain,
at much higher instances than reading print does. People who use tablets and mobile devices excessively also have
a higher incidence of more serious health issues such as fibromyalgia, shoulder and back pain, carpal tunnel
syndrome, and muscle strain. I know that whenever I read from my e-reader for too long, my eyes begin to feel tired
and my neck hurts. We should not add to these problems by giving people, especially young people, more reasons to
look at screens.

Second, it is incredibly narrow-minded to assume that the only service libraries offer is book lending.
Libraries have a multitude of benefits, and many are only available if the library has a physical location. Some of

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these benefits include acting as a quiet study space, giving people a way to converse with their neighbors, holding
classes on a variety of topics, providing jobs, answering patron questions, and keeping the community connected.
One neighborhood found that, after a local library instituted community events such as play times for toddlers and
parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling
more connected to their community. Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that nearly two-thirds of
American adults feel that closing their local library would have a major impact on their community. People see
libraries as a way to connect with others and get their questions answered, benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well
or as easily.

While replacing libraries with tablets may seem like a simple solution, it would encourage people to spend
even more time looking at digital screens, despite the myriad issues surrounding them. It would also end access to
many of the benefits of libraries that people have come to rely on.

In many areas, libraries are such an important part of the community network that they could never be
replaced by a simple object.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Now that you have finished reading and analyzing the sample essay, evaluate the essay you have just read
based on the following criteria.

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TASK 3: WRITING THE RESEARCH-BASED ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY.

INSTRUCTIONS:
Search for an specific topic to develop a research title that is timely and those of current unresolved issues
in the community and country. Do the following:

1. Check daily news headlines, or even conversation overheard every day from someone or
somewhere to choose a topic. When exploring potential topic, ask yourself: Why did this happen? Is
this important? How should we react? The best topics for any argument driven paper have, at
minimum two strongly opposing viewpoints.

2. Compile supporting facts or evidences from materials or resources to provide sound proof support to
a particular claim. When assessing each side of the argument consider the five most common
questions addressed in argument claims: FACT: Is this statement factual? DEF’N: What does the
claim really mean? CAUSE: How valuable is it? VALUE: What is the cause of this issue?
PROPOSITION: What should be done about it?

3. Now that you have established a strong outline, you can begin to create your research-based
argumentative essay structure. There are three main parts; the introduction, the body and the
conclusion. Write five to seven sentences per paragraph. The body should have at least three
paragraphs to contain your evidences.

PROCESSING:

Guide Questions:

1. What have you learned in writing research-based argumentative essay?

2. Why do you think this type of essay is significant to a student’s development of research skills and
expressing opinion on significant issues in the society?

FORMATION:
Writing research-based argumentative essay requires a strong arguments or viewpoints about the chosen
topic. We gather information and evidences to support our arguments and to establish or positions in order to
persuade other to share their opinions. When doing research, we need to consider the intellectual property of
others. Thus, we shall observe honesty by acknowledging the work of others and citing their names to be
recognized as original authors.

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SYNTHESIS:

With the steps and techniques in writing a good and effective argumentative essay, we are able to create an
essay that has well-presented-sources and backed up researches to make strong claims about our stand of a
particular issue. Make sure you have researched well and you have used your writing skill to persuade your reader to
accept and consider your stand.

Remember that a good and effective research-based argumentative essay can help us change lives and
awaken a person, a community or even a whole country by changing viewpoint in accord to the truth and realities we
have conveyed in writing our research-based argumentative essay.

ASSESSMENTS:

The Philippines government, in order to make sound decisions for our country, relies on research. One
agency that conducts research for the government is the National Statistics Office (NSO). Every five years, this office
oversees a survey on functional literacy, education, and mass media. The most recent survey, known as the 2013
FLEMMS, has reported several findings, some of which include the following:

Some findings from the 2013 FLEMMS Conclusions that may be drawn from
the findings

1. Almost one-third of the population were in the age This shows that the Philippines has a
group 0 to 14 (32.4%) while less than 10 percent young population.
(7.1%) were 60 years-old and over.
2. Nine out of every ten Filipino children 6 to 11 years- This shows that the Philippines has a
old were enrolled in elementary grades. In addition population that highly values schooling.
to this, more than six out of every 10 persons of
secondary school ages, or persons 12 to 15 years-
old, were enrolled in high school.
3. In 2013, 96.5 percent of 74 million Filipinos 10 This shows that the Philippines has a
years-old and over could read and write with population that is highly literate in basic
understanding a simple messages in any language skills.
or dialect.
4. Percent of population 6 to 24 years-old who are This shows that most Filipinos can easily
currently attending school by mode of travel to travel to their schools
school, Philippines:2013

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In research, facts and figures such as the ones presented in the left column of the table above are often
encountered. These facts and figures will not be meaningful if conclusions are not drawn from them. Thus, doing
research involves more than just reading sources and taking down notes. Doing research also requires critical and
analytical thinking.

INSTRUCTIONS: Now, find out if you can make conclusion from the following set of facts or figures.

1. FIGURE 1: Percent distribution of household population 6 years-old and over by highest

educational attainment, Philippines: 2013

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CONCLUSION FROM FIGURE 1

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

2. FIGURE 2: Percentage of population 6 years-old and over who have some college or higher
level of education by region, Philippines: 2013

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CONCLUSION FROM FIGURE 2

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________

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3. FIGURE 3: Percent distribution of respondents 10-64 years-old by sex and marital status,
Philippines: 2013

CONCLUSION FROM FIGURE 3

_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________

RESOURCES:

Aldama, P. (2018). The contemporary world. 856 Nicanor Reyes, Sr. Street Recto Avenue Manila Philippines: Rex
Bookstore.
Adler, R., Elmhorst, J.M. and Lucas (2012). Communicating at Work: Strategies for Success in Business and the
Professions. New York. McGraw Hill.

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Claudio, L. & Abinales P. (2018). The contemporary world 839 EDSA, South Triangle, Quezon City: C&E Publishing.
Globalization. (2019). In Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Globalization
San Juan, D. (2018). Journeys through our contemporary world. 1253 G. Araneta Avenue cor. Ma. Clara Street,
Talayan, Quezon City: Vibal Group.
Madrunio, M. & Martin,I. (2018). Purposive Communication Using English in Multilingual Contexts.” Quezon City: C
& E Publishing, Inc.
Palma, Jesus C. and Martha A. Mogol. (1996) Grammar and Composition. (rev. ed.) Manila: Anvil Publishing, Inc.
Villanueva, P. et. Al. (2009) Writing Skills for College Freshman. Quezon City. KATHA Publishing Co., Inc.

ONLINE URL:
https://www.aresearchguide.com/write-argumentative-essay.html
https://www.remsencsd.org/Page/1242/Morrison.R

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