Argument Essay Structure

To-Do Date: Oct 5 at 11:59pm

Overview:

Next week, we will write Essay 2 Free vs. Hate Speech, which will be a fully argumentative essay (a little bit different that Essay 1 was).

In our class, we will be working with a very specific essay structure. The point of that is to make sure our essays are easy to follow by our readers and include all of the important parts. Eventually, as we become more confident writers, we might be able to break some of these rules, but for now, I ask that we stick to them.

Please carefully review the lecture below. I would like for your essays to follow this structure, and we will start practicing in Essay 2. 

Introduction:

• The introduction should include:
  • An attention grabber/Hook: something that catches the reader's attention. That can be a quote from a famous person, a question, a short story, a shocking statistic or fact and so on.
  • Background: You should assume that the reader has not read any of the articles we have read as a class. With that, give the reader background into the issue at hand (social media and the way it affects social justice). Make sure the reader understands what is happening.
  • Thesis: It should be the last sentence of your introductory paragraph, and it should directly and clearly answer the question from your prompt (check out the focusing questions) 

Body Paragraphs:

• A Minimum of Three Body Paragraphs (all structured the same way using the PIE formula we learned about a couple of weeks ago).
  • Point: Make a sub-claim/Give a reason for your thesis/tell the reader what the paragraph will be about
  • Information #1: Give examples, from the readings you read or from your personal experiences
  • Explanation #1: Explain your information. How does it connect to your thesis? How does it answer the question from the prompt?
    • Eventually, we will do PIEIE, meaning you will still have one point, but you will provide two pieces of information along with their explanations.

  • Body Paragraph 1

    P

    I

    E

    I

    E

    Body Paragraph 2

    P

    I

    E

    I

    E

    Body Paragraph 3

    P

    I

    E

    I

    E

Conclusion:

• • • Restate your thesis
    • Provide a final thought

MLA:

• An MLA style Works Cited page should be the last page of your essay. 

A Note on Transitions:

Transitions can be used between any two connections you are making in your writing whether it be between paragraphs, pieces of information, or concepts.

In both academic writing and professional writing, your goal is to convey information clearly and concisely, if not to convert the reader to your way of thinking. Transitions help you to achieve these goals by establishing logical connections between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of your papers.

The organization of your written work includes two elements: (1) the order in which you have chosen to present the different parts of your discussion or argument, and (2) the relationships you construct between these parts. Transitions cannot substitute for good organization, but they can make your organization clearer and easier to follow.

For more information about essay structure, watch the short videos below:

A Final Note About Writing:

Writing is all about choices.

Think about the choices you make in your writing as way to convey yourself clearly and concisely. The choices you make help you get your point across in the specific way, with the specific meaning that you want (your readers to understand). These choices can be how to word something, the order in which you present information, or even what punctuation you use. All of these choices shape the meaning of your writing. Choose wisely.

And always, use your resources. Remember that I will give you extra credit for going to the Writing Center or to Chris and getting help with this essay.