ARGUMENTATIVE

ESSAY
A step by step guide
WHAT IS AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY?
A type of writing that requires the student to investigate a
topic, evaluate evidence and take a stance on the topic
Taking a Stance
● The student is required to agree (for) or disagree
(against).
● Eg. I strongly believe/agree that Corona is a man-made
virus.

● Claims must be supported by evidence.

Structure of an Argumentative Essay
INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH

● Attention Grabber egs. Quote, rhetorical question,

exclamatory statement, Statistical data, anecdotal evidence
….
● Stance : Agree or Disagree
● Background: History
● Definition : Meaning of term/s
● Thesis Statement (Three arguments)
STRUCTURE OF ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
PARAGRAPH 2

● Point: Topic Sentence with first argument

● Example: Direct address, facts, opinion Rhetorical Question
● Explain: Supporting details 1, 2 & 3
● Concluding Sentence: Sentence to summarise paragraph
STRUCTURE OF ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
PARAGRAPH 3

● Point: Topic Sentence with second argument

● Example: reference to authority, group of threes/triples,
repetition,
● Explain: Supporting details 1, 2 & 3
● Concluding Sentence: Sentence to summarise paragraph
STRUCTURE OF ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
PARAGRAPH 4

● Point: Topic Sentence with third argument

● Example: Counter argument, statistical data, rhetorical
questions, anecdotal evidence etc.
● Explain: Supporting details 1, 2 & 3
● Concluding Sentence: Sentence to summarise paragraph.
STRUCTURE OF ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH

● Restate/Rephrase thesis statement

● Summarise supporting details
● Issue a challenge or a call to action
Argumentative Essay Techniques
● Expert Opinion/ Reference to Authority
● Rhetorical Question
● Statistical data
● Anecdotal evidence
● Repetition
● Counter Argument
● Group of threes/triples
● Facts and opinion
Expert Opinion
● Using reliable evidence from a specialist can make your argument
more convincing.

EG. According to Dr. Campbell, Chief Medical Officer, “The Pfizer vaccine
is better than the Moderna vaccine.
Rhetorical Question
● Asking a question which does not require an answer. This causes
the reader to think.

EG. Is the Pfizer vaccine better than the Moderna vaccine?

COUNTER ARGUMENT
● A counter argument expresses the view of the person who
disagrees with your position.

Egs. 1. Many persons believe/argue/feel that (state your counter

argument)

2. What this argument overlooks is ….

3. The argument does not take into account the fact that ….
2
 Statistical Data
● Using quantitative data (numbers, percentage, measurement, money)
to express a point.

Eg. 5% of Jamaicans have been diagnosed with the Corona virus.

Repetition
● Repeating something that has already been said.

Eg. The Corona virus has claimed the lives of many individuals across
the world.
Sample Essay QUESTION: School uniform is a thing of the past
and should be abolished. Students should be allowed to wear
whatever they want to school.

Enough! We have had enough! ATTENTION GRABBER Enough of wearing

drab, dull and dreary uniforms to school. TRIPLES Every day millions of
teenagers spend between six to eight hours in high schools. At school they
are forced to sit at their desks, listen to their teachers, do their school work
and worst of all forced to wear a school uniform. BACKGROUND Why should
these modern and fashionable students suffer by being forced to wear
uniforms? RHETORICAL QUESTION Therefore, I strongly agree that wearing
a uniform is a thing of the past and should be abolished STANCE; thus,
students should be allowed to wear whatever they want to school. I agree
mainly because wearing a uniform takes away a student’s sense of
individuality, does not allow for self-expression and uniforms do not save
families any money. THESIS STATEMENT
 Sample Essay CONT’D
Firstly,TRANSITIONAL WORD students should not wear a uniform because
it takes away a student’s sense of individuality. TOPIC SENTENCE Imagine
this, 45 students sit in a small classroom. Each student wears a pleated tunic
with white blouse or khaki pants and shirt. They sit with their school books
and papers in front of them and they all look exactly alike. ANECDOTAL
EVIDENCE Does this seem right? We are all different individuals with our
own individual style. So why rob them of their freedom to be individualistic?
RHETORICAL QUESTION A 17 year old student shared her view on being
forced to wear uniforms. She said, “My friends and I despise wearing a
uniform: it completely kills any sense of individuality anyone of us have. We
all look the same: drab, unstylish and boring!” ANECDOTAL EVIDENCE
Clearly, students with experience in wearing uniforms feel that they take
Sample Essay CONT’D
Secondly, wearing a school uniform does not allow students to express
themselves through their sense of style. These teeanagers are at an age
when they are trying to establish their identity. Is it fair to prevent them from
exploring self-expression by making them wear a uniform? By taking away a
student’s right to choose what to wear to school, we have also taken away
their opportunity to expressing themselves through their dress. For example,
if a young man or woman is interested in becoming a fashion designer,
he/she may begin to explore the world of fashion by taking Clothing and
Textile classes, learn how to create a design and explore different patterns
and textiles. If this is so, then he or she would definitely want to wear his/her
own creations to school; this would allow him/her to show off his/her
achievements and gauge her peers’ responses to her newly created clothes.
However, if this student is being forced to wear a uniform to school, he/she
would have missed the opportunity to showcase his/her talent as well as
Sample Essay CONT’D
Finally, some schools tell parent that uniforms are a good idea because they
save families money; this is not necessarily true. It is logical to say that when
teenagers come home from school, they want to change out of the clothes
that they were forced to wear to school. Well, what are they going to change
into? They will want clothes of their own choice, of course. This means that
parents would have to provide their children with clothes that fit the current
trends; plus they will have to buy a separate set of clothes for their children
to wear to school each day. With the current state of the economy and the
sliding dollar, the manufacturers of school uniforms price these at ridiculous
prices. The average uniform can cost $3000 per suit. Each child will need at
least 4 pairs to adequately serve them per week. How is that cost effective?
What about a family that has 3 or more children attending public schools?
After spending so much on uniform, they start to wear and tear and parents
find themselves purchasing new suits. A typical example of how uniforms are
Sample Essay CONT’D
Purchase 3 suits, this equates to $9000. If that parent decides to use that
$9000 to purchase casual clothes downtown, he or she will come home with
a bag full of clothes for their children, this would last longer than the uniform.

In conclusion, students should not be forced to wear uniform to

school. This is because it takes away a student’s sense of individuality, does
not allow for self-expression and does not save families any money. There are
already plenty of restrictions placed upon high school students; however, I
believe that the wearing of uniform as it robs students freedom of expression
through dress. These poor, silenced and stifled students should be given the
liberty to choose what they want to wear to school. This will make them more
receptive to the teaching learning process.
CLASSWORK
Write an essay agreeing or disagreeing with the topic: Dogs Make the
Best Pets. Ensure to follow the structure of writing argumentative
essays.