Argumentative Essay

Introduction

Argumentative essays are important to show why you believe one side is correct over the other.  It is essential to the essay that you show the counterclaim when writing an argumentative essay, so that it shows that you are not being bias when defending a claim. An argumentative essay should be full of factual evidence to support your claim and demonstrate why your claim is the correct view.

Task

You will work individually to write an arugmentative on a topic of your choice. You will be shown the steps and requirements needed to receive a passing grade on this assignment. You will be given many opportunities to search your topic.

Process

First, you will need to select a topic that you will be able to find the counterclaim and enough factual evidence to support it.

Research the topic and brainstorm ideas to ensure that you will have plenty to write about before deicding on a topic.

Next, you will need to select a thesis statement that creates a strong hook for the reader.

Outline the paper by introduction(include the thesis statement), three body paragraphs, and a conclusion paragraph.

Evaluation

Peer Review:

  • Does the writer include a thesis statement?
  • Does the thesis statement catch your attention?
  • Does the writer include factual evidence for each claim?
  • Is the evidence cited?
  • Is the counterclaim clearly stated?

Rubric:

  1. Clearly states the claim, evidence, and counterclaim- 5 pts.
  2. The claim, evidence, or counterclaim are stated minimally- 3 pts
  3. The claim, evidence, or counterclaim are not stated- 1 pt
Conclusion

Through this activity, you should have learned the main criteria of a well-written argumentative essay.

A few things to remember:

  • Cite, Cite, Cite!
  • Evidence to support your claim has to be FACTUAL and not based on opinion
  • Counterclaims are essential to show your reader that you are not bias on your topic
Teacher Page

Ways to get student's interested in argumentative essays:

  • Allow students to search a topic they want on their own
  • Help students feel more involved through peer reviews
  • Break the essay down in parts by intro, body, and conclusion so they don't feel as stressed