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Argumentative Essays

 
Old 06-04-2011 at 03:42 PM   #1
lizziepizzie
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Argumentative Essays
Hey guys,

I have an argumentative essay due next week and I can't remember exactly how to write one. Although I have written many essays in university, I haven't written an argumentative essay since grade 11. I remember that (followig the hs 5 paragraph rule), you have to write one body paragraph about one side of the argument, another paragraph about the other side, and the third paragraph explaining which side you choose and argue it.

However, I think that in uni the whole paper is just arguing your side without mentioning or briefly mentioning the other side.

Help?
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Old 06-04-2011 at 03:50 PM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by lizziepizzie View Post
Hey guys,

I have an argumentative essay due next week and I can't remember exactly how to write one. Although I have written many essays in univeristy, I haven't written an argumentative essay since grade 11. I rememeber that (following the hs 5 paragraph rule), you have to write one body paragraph about one side of the argument, another paragraph about the other side, and the third paragraph explaining which side you choose and argue it.

However, I think that in uni the whole paper is just arging your side without mentioning or briefly mentioning the other side.

Help?
That's as far as my english skills go.
Old 06-04-2011 at 03:54 PM   #3
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Moot point. /12 chars
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Old 06-04-2011 at 04:04 PM   #4
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I'm confused - isn't any essay with thesis you're trying to prove an argumentative essay? I've only taken one university English course (1AA3), but I thought even those essays were argumentative. Maybe I'm missing something?

My TA in that course did tell us, though, that "every good essay should consider the opposing side". I always thought that was weird advice, though, because aren't you trying to convince the reader that your argument is right (and wouldn't including opposite views undermine your own argument)? But he did say that once you mention the counterargument, you have to somehow "synthesize" it with your own argument / reconsider your initial one. The term for it was "dialectics", I think.
Old 06-04-2011 at 04:18 PM   #5
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Step back everyone, I'm a Pol Sci major.

Argumentative/persuasive essays are relatively easy to write. Make argument, provide evidence to substantiate your claims. You are free to mention the other side of the argument, but it should be on a strict "my-argument-is-better" basis.

Also, this should help.
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Last edited by Grover : 06-04-2011 at 04:22 PM.

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Old 06-04-2011 at 04:27 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheCrucible View Post

My TA in that course did tell us, though, that "every good essay should consider the opposing side". I always thought that was weird advice, though, because aren't you trying to convince the reader that your argument is right (and wouldn't including opposite views undermine your own argument)? But he did say that once you mention the counterargument, you have to somehow "synthesize" it with your own argument / reconsider your initial one. The term for it was "dialectics", I think.
I think by "considering the opposing side", your TA meant to make your argument better, you can take the strong points of the counter argument and oppose them. The easiest example is probably health care. Let's say you were writing an essay on private vs. public health care, and wanted to argue for the private side. You could take the argument from the public health care side that it's free at the time of treatment, but put a negative spin on that (taxes). Basically, by taking the opposite side of the argument into consideration, you are looking at what the strong points are in there arguments, and saying "this is why my argument is better". If that helps?
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Old 06-04-2011 at 04:27 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grovad View Post
Step back everyone, I'm a Pol Sci major.

Argumentative/persuasive essays are relatively easy to write. Make argument, provide evidence to substantiate your claims. You are free to mention the other side of the argument, but it should be on a strict "my-argument-is-better" basis.

Also, this should help.
Oh, that makes sense now. So the English 1AA3 essays would actually be expository essays.

Thanks!
Old 06-04-2011 at 04:35 PM   #8
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As far as I remember from Critical thinking, we had to set up the strongest argument possible for our position, then demolish the strongest argument for the opposite.
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Old 06-04-2011 at 04:40 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by TheCrucible View Post
Oh, that makes sense now. So the English 1AA3 essays would actually be expository essays.
Likely, yeah. Expository essays are a means of explaining and informing the reader of the author's subject or idea.

Argumentative essays are simple, black and white "this is right, this is wrong."

Quote:
Originally Posted by arathbon View Post
As far as I remember from Critical thinking, we had to set up the strongest argument possible for our position, then demolish the strongest argument for the opposite.
That is an option, yeah. In my experience, everyone chooses their own format differently. For instance, some will say, "start with your strongest argument, end with your weakest" and vice versa.

Bringing up the opposition is not a bad idea though. Just make sure you counter their claims. You don't want the reader to start thinking for themselves.
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Last edited by Grover : 06-04-2011 at 04:55 PM.
Old 06-04-2011 at 05:45 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grovad View Post
Step back everyone, I'm a Pol Sci major.
So because you're a "Pol Sci" major, you know more than anyone in this planet about argumentative essays ?
Old 06-04-2011 at 05:53 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Icecream View Post
So because you're a "Pol Sci" major, you know more than anyone in this planet about argumentative essays ?
I am fairly sure it was a joke. And by saying they're a poli Sci major, they were probably saying that they are used to writing these kinds of essays. Relax.
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Old 06-04-2011 at 05:56 PM   #12
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Quote:
Originally Posted by J. Dorey View Post
I am fairly sure it was a joke. And by saying they're a poli Sci major, they were probably saying that they are used to writing these kinds of essays. Relax.
Did I ever say it wasn't a joke or that he/she was claiming otherwise ?

No, I was asking a question. You seem to be part of the growing movement : "Don't ask questions, education is bad".
Old 06-04-2011 at 05:59 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Icecream View Post
Did I ever say it wasn't a joke or that he/she was claiming otherwise ?

No, I was asking a question. You seem to be part of the growing movement : "Don't ask questions, education is bad".
I'm not even gonna start arguing with you, I've seen some of your other posts. Get over it.
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Old 06-04-2011 at 06:05 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Icecream View Post
So because you're a "Pol Sci" major, you know more than anyone in this planet about argumentative essays ?
I cannot say for sure. I've yet to travel to the Earth's core. I've heard those underground monsters can be pretty stubborn.
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Old 06-04-2011 at 06:08 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by grovad View Post
I cannot say for sure. I've yet to travel to the Earth's core. I've heard those underground monsters can be pretty stubborn.
The planet includes the atmosphere. So it's from the core to the troposphere. In other words, every human being (except for some astronauts on some occasions) are in Earth (the planet). Most are not in the ground however (under sea level). Gas is matter by the way.

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