1) Young women under 17 should be / should not be able to have cosmetic surgery, such as breast augmentation.
2) Gay marriage in Puerto Rico should be/ should not be legalized.
3) The Catholic Church should / should not permit women in the priesthood.
4) Marijuana use should be/ should not be legalized.
5) The legal drinking age in Puerto Rico should be raised to 21.
6) Smoking cigarettes should / should not be allowed in restuarants and bars on the island.
7) Cockfighting in Puerto Rico is a cultural tradition of the island and should continue.
8) Cockfighting in Puerto Rico demonstrates cruelty to animals and should be a criminal act.
9) Convicted child molesters should be / should not be castrated.
10) Violent video games, such as Grand Theft Auto, are / are not responsible for youth violence.
11) The United States Government should / should not continue its military exercises in Afghanistan.
If you have any additional topics you think are arguable topics, please let me know.
11)
Monday, November 30, 2009
9 STEPS TO AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY
Argumentative essay topics should be HOT topics or topics in which there are two sides or positions presented.
ARGUABLE TOPIC
CLAIM
REASONS
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
COUNTERARGUMENT
REFUTATION
CONCLUSION
RESTATED CLAIM
INSIGHT, MORAL STATEMENT
1. Examples of HOT topics: abortion, capital punishment, island statehood vs. independence, legal drinking ages, gay marriage, women in the priesthood,
2. The thesis statement in an argumentative essay is called a CLAIM.
3. The CLAIM presents the writer's POSITION on an issue. A CLAIM cannot be a fact; it must be an arguable POSITION.
4. CLAIMS must be supported by reasons and facts. A CLAIM cannot be based solely on the writer's opinion.
5. The writer supports his argument with REASONS why his CLAIM has a valid viewpoint.
6. The REASONS are supported by SUPPORTING EVIDENCE: explanation, examples, facts, anecdotal information, statistics, and quotes.
7. After the reasons are argued, the next step is to provide COUNTERARGUMENT. The COUNTERARGUMENT is a statement which represents the topic's OPPOSING VIEWPOINT (the other side's POSITION on the topic.) The COUNTERARGUMENT informs the reader that the writer is informed of all aspects of the topic.
8. The writer then argues against the COUNTERARGUMENT by presenting a REFUTATION. the REFUTATION is a statement which refutes or disproves the COUNTERARGUMENT. REFUTATIONS must use transitional words or phrases so that the reader understands there is a contrast in opinion.
9. In the CONCLUSION, the writer presents the RESTATED CLAIM and a MORAL STATEMENT OR INSIGHT which lets the reader know the importance of the topic in the reader's life.
ARGUABLE TOPIC
CLAIM
REASONS
SUPPORTING EVIDENCE
COUNTERARGUMENT
REFUTATION
CONCLUSION
RESTATED CLAIM
INSIGHT, MORAL STATEMENT
1. Examples of HOT topics: abortion, capital punishment, island statehood vs. independence, legal drinking ages, gay marriage, women in the priesthood,
2. The thesis statement in an argumentative essay is called a CLAIM.
3. The CLAIM presents the writer's POSITION on an issue. A CLAIM cannot be a fact; it must be an arguable POSITION.
4. CLAIMS must be supported by reasons and facts. A CLAIM cannot be based solely on the writer's opinion.
5. The writer supports his argument with REASONS why his CLAIM has a valid viewpoint.
6. The REASONS are supported by SUPPORTING EVIDENCE: explanation, examples, facts, anecdotal information, statistics, and quotes.
7. After the reasons are argued, the next step is to provide COUNTERARGUMENT. The COUNTERARGUMENT is a statement which represents the topic's OPPOSING VIEWPOINT (the other side's POSITION on the topic.) The COUNTERARGUMENT informs the reader that the writer is informed of all aspects of the topic.
8. The writer then argues against the COUNTERARGUMENT by presenting a REFUTATION. the REFUTATION is a statement which refutes or disproves the COUNTERARGUMENT. REFUTATIONS must use transitional words or phrases so that the reader understands there is a contrast in opinion.
9. In the CONCLUSION, the writer presents the RESTATED CLAIM and a MORAL STATEMENT OR INSIGHT which lets the reader know the importance of the topic in the reader's life.
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Comparison-Contrast Essay
3102 students, please make sure you follow the instructions below, before you turn in your essay to me. The essay is due Monday, November 23rd, at 9 am. I will not accept late essay folders:
1) Your essay should be 2 pages or longer. I will not accept any essay that is NOT two full pages.
2) You should follow the appropriate format: student name, course and section, professor's name, date in the upper right-hand corner of your essay.
3) Your essay should be typed in double-space format with 1" margins, 12 font Times New Roman.
4) To receive credit for your work, you must include your pre-writing pages from class: list of movies (brainstorming), outline, hand-written draft, and typed essay. All materials must be inserted into a two-pocket folder.
5) I will provide the evaluation sheets.
1) Your essay should be 2 pages or longer. I will not accept any essay that is NOT two full pages.
2) You should follow the appropriate format: student name, course and section, professor's name, date in the upper right-hand corner of your essay.
3) Your essay should be typed in double-space format with 1" margins, 12 font Times New Roman.
4) To receive credit for your work, you must include your pre-writing pages from class: list of movies (brainstorming), outline, hand-written draft, and typed essay. All materials must be inserted into a two-pocket folder.
5) I will provide the evaluation sheets.
Monday, November 9, 2009
Step By Step Approach/Writing Comparison-Contrast Essays (Taken from Great Essay, Vol 1)
1) After you have chosen your two-part topic, plan your topic sentence.
2) List all your ideas for points that could be compared or contrasted.
3) Choose the three or four most important points from your list.
4) Decide whether you want to use the point-by-point method or the block method of organizing your paragraph.
5) Write at least one complete sentence for each of the points you have chosen from your list.
6) Write a concluding statement that summarizes the main points, makes a judgment, or emphasizing what you believe is the most important point.
7) Copy your sentences into standard paragraph form.
8) Always make a final check for spelling errors and other mistakes, such as omitted words.
2) List all your ideas for points that could be compared or contrasted.
3) Choose the three or four most important points from your list.
4) Decide whether you want to use the point-by-point method or the block method of organizing your paragraph.
5) Write at least one complete sentence for each of the points you have chosen from your list.
6) Write a concluding statement that summarizes the main points, makes a judgment, or emphasizing what you believe is the most important point.
7) Copy your sentences into standard paragraph form.
8) Always make a final check for spelling errors and other mistakes, such as omitted words.
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