How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay: Introduction

http://www.criticalthinkeracademy.com

This is the introductory video to a tutorial course on how to write argumentative essays.

Full table of contents:

Introduction

Part 1: Guidelines for Structuring an Argumentative Essay
1.1 A Minimal Five-Part Structure
1.2 Writing the Introduction
1.3 Writing the Conclusion

Part 2: A Sample Essay with Some Problems (and Strategies for Fixing Them)
2.1 The Essay: "Should Teachers Be Allowed to Ban Laptops in Classrooms?"
2.2 Analysis: The Introduction
2.3 Analysis: The Main Body: First Argument
2.4 Analysis: The Main Body: Second Argument
2.5 Analysis: The Main Body: Third Argument
2.6 Analysis: The Main Body: Evaluation and Recommendations
2.7 Analysis: The Conclusion
2.8 The Essay: Improved Version
2.9 The Essay: Improved Version with Commentary

Category:

Education

Tags:

• argumentative essay
• how to write an essay

[enjoymentness]

My teacher has given us a discursive essay. She tells us it can be either argumentative or persuasive. She tells us persuiasive is convincing the reader and an argumentative is showing both sides. Is there another name for the argumentative that I describe? Im looking for a tutorial on how to write one of those.

[PhilosophyFreak]

@enjoymentness You could call an essay that presents different sides of an issue (there can be more than two), but that doesn't try to defend a particular position on the issue, an "exploratory" essay I suppose (you're exploring the arguments on different sides of an issue, rather than defending a thesis). Exploring the pro and con arguments on abortion is different from taking a side on the issue.

[PhilosophyFreak]

@enjoymentness I don't have any tutorials that are specifically along these lines. That's are lots of different ways you could organize an issue like this. One way is what I sometimes call the "ping-pong" style. The issue is introduced, an argument is presented by one side, the opposing side presents a criticism or rebuttal, and the first side gets to reply. Then the other side gets to "serve", and you go the other way, with a couple of volleys.

[PhilosophyFreak]

@enjoymentness ... then maybe conclude with a brief summary of what you take to be the strengths and weaknesses of the different arguments. A good short book on the rhetoric of persuasive writing that might be helpful is called "They Say/I Say: The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing". Search on amazon.

[antoniusmax]

it would be great if, since this is a tutorial series, you could number the videos so that we can follow them one after the other.

thanks a lot, btw, great help! :D!!!

[PhilosophyFreak]

@antoniusmax Thanks for the comment. Unfortunately I don't have the complete tutorial series on YouTube; you can find the rest at the link in the "info" tab.

[bluegloom666]

Howdy Mrs. Michel's class

Love Keegan

[Fulltonic]

very good. thanks a lot.

[ElementalWarrior55]

this helped but it waz boring no offense

[solomonkabyemera]

this is a good Mv. But you're talking faster,