argumentative essay

argument essay about how COVID-19 affect the international student study online class in Canada 

carefully read the document attached 

COMPOSITIONNO.2: ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY-FIVE PARAGRAPH ESSAY

• A classic format for compositions is the five-paragraph essay. It is not the only format for writing
an essay, but it is the standard model for secondary students.

Introductory Paragraph: Consists of the Hook, Thesis and Directional Statement.

The opening paragraph sets the tone. It is a mini-outline for the paper: it tells the reader the main idea

of the composition. If you do a good job in the opening, you will draw your reader into your

“experience.”

This should get the reader’s attention right from the start. It is analogous to the opening scene in a

movie or memorable opening beat/ ‘riff’ in your favourite song.

Some methods of effective hooks are using startling remarks or statistics, creating vivid images,

asking rhetorical questions, stating an existing/exciting problem, making a comparison/contrast, defining

a term, employing a famous quote or a personal anecdote.

In addition, there is always a thesis statement in the introduction. A thesis is a single, focused
opinion that attempts to argue a specific point of view. It is important to make this a clear and limited

statement. Remember it is not a statement of fact; it is a compelling, controversial belief that will be

clarified and make a test.

The sentence directly after the thesis statement is the directional sentence. It lists the three main

reasons/supporting ideas that will develop, bolster or prove the argument/point of view/thesis.

The last sentence of the opening paragraph should also contain a transitional sentence, which moves

the reader to the first paragraph of the body of the paper.

BODY:

First paragraph:

The first paragraph of the body should contain a strong argument, significant example, clever

illustration, or an obvious beginning point. The topic sentence for this paragraph should be the first

sentence. This topic should relate to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The last sentence
in this paragraph should include a transitional sentence to tie into the second paragraph of the body.

Second paragraph:
The second paragraph of the body should contain a stronger argument, or example. The first

sentence of this paragraph should contain transitional words (conjunctions), which connects with the

transitional hook at the end of the first paragraph of the body. The topic sentence for this paragraph

should the first sentence. This topic should relate to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph.

The last sentence in this paragraph should include a transitional statement to tie into the third paragraph of

the body.

Third paragraph:

The third paragraph of the body should contain the strongest argument, best example, because

people always best remember what they saw or read last. The first sentence of this paragraph should

include transition words (conjunctions), which ties in with the transitional statement at the end of the

second paragraph of the body. The topic sentence for this paragraph should be the first sentence. This

topic should relate to the thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. The last sentence in this

paragraph should include a final transitional sentence that signals to the reader that this is the final major

point being made in this paper. This transition also leads into the last or concluding paragraph.

STRUCTURE YOUR ARGUMENTS CLIMACTICALLY—BUILD TO YOUR BEST IDEA!

CONCLUSION:

Concluding paragraph:

This paragraph should include the following in this order:

1. A rephrasing of the thesis statement, using language that “echoes” the original language.
(The restatement, however, must not be a duplicate thesis statement.)

2. A brief rephrasing cementing the arguments from the body of the paper.

3.

A final statement/resolution that offers closure and/or possible solutions for the argument.

These statements could contain the following:

a) insights of the essay writer
b) encourage the reader to take action
c) emphasize the importance of one of the points of argument,
d) create a solid sense of finality
e) look to the future in terms of action or legislation

THE DEFENSIBLE THESIS

An essay should contain the following:

• A CLEAR AND ARGUABLE THESIS

• AT LEAST THREE FACTS/PROOFS SUPPORTING THE THESE

• A REFERENCE TO THE OPPOSING POINT OF VIEW [TO DISCREDIT]

• A CONCLUSION THAT RE-STATES THE THESIS IN A NEW WAY

A persuasive thesis should not state a fact or commonly held opinions:

• Canada is cold in the winter

• Vacations are fun

A persuasive thesis should state a personal opinion that can be defended:

• Canada’s cold winters build character BECAUSE…….

• Vacations increase work productivity BECAUSE….

Always test the opposite point of view. If it can be argued, then your thesis is a keeper!

• Canada’s winters wear down morale [Yes, you could make a case for this.)

• Vacations decrease productivity. [Yes, this can be argued too.]

When you come to an essay question take a moment to organize your thoughts. Perhaps you will want to

draw a chart like the one below on a separate sheet of paper and brainstorm at least three pros and three

cons about your thesis.

Supporting Arguments Challenging Arguments

1.

2.

3.

1.

2.

3.

THESIS STATEMENTS EXEMPLAR

# 1: GUNS IN SCHOOL.

➢ Not a thesis. It states the general topic, but it is not stated in a complete thought. Furthermore, it
has no point of view, and it is not an arguable statement.

# 2: GUNS IN SCHOOL ARE BAD.

➢ Poor, weak thesis. It states a point of view, but is not specific. Furthermore, it states a truth that
no intelligent person could possible question; thus, it is a fact. What moral person could possibly

argue the opposite viewpoint and state that gun-wielding students improve the educational

atmosphere at a school?

# 3: STEPS SHOULD BE TAKEN AT CENTRAL HIGH TO KEEP GUNS AWAY.

Getting closer—has a point of view and is arguable; however, exactly what steps should be taken? In

addition, this point of view is pedestrian and not compelling or controversial. Would anybody really

question this thesis, or, upon reflection would nearly all readers agree that a proactive approach to

preventing another violent firearm incident is commendable?

# 4: METAL DETECTORS AND SECURITY POLICE SHOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AT CENTRAL HIGH TO PREVENT

SHOOTING SPREES BY TROUBLED STUDENTS.

➢ This is a thesis. It is an arguable statement, is specific and controversial. It gets one thinking;
indeed, this is a compelling thesis statement

THESIS & DIRECTIONAL STATEMENTS

Once a workable thesis is developed, the writer must organize the structure of the argument

Using research materials (primary and secondary evidence), logic, rhetorical devices, the student

must now begin sorting the arguments. These arguments will become the DIRECTIONAL SENTENCE.

It is best to make a list. For the previous thesis statement, it could be such things as the following:

➢ Which facts support the thesis?
➢ Which argue against it?
➢ Could any be used to argue both sides?
➢ Which facts do not directly relate to either? (Set this information aside for the moment; it is

normal to have a surplus of strong information that may not immediate relate to your current

draft. However, save it for revised & edited (rough & final drafts) versions

Thesis: Metal detectors and security police should be implemented at Central High to prevent

shooting sprees by troubled students.

Directional Statement (supporting arguments):

➢ Would eliminate guns/knives/other weapons being carried into school.
➢ Would reduce problem of students loitering & possible ‘triggers’ of incidents
➢ Would improve educational atmosphere where students can learn in an environment free from

fear.

➢ Would deter gang activities and related violence.
➢ Would make the school a more attractive workplace to potential teachers.
➢ Would be less costly & traumatic than dealing with potential tragedies caused by guns in school.

Drafting Suggestions

1. An essay is like a legal case for the defense. Specifically note references to cross-examination

and closing remarks to the jury for tips on developing a persuasive argumentative structure.

2. Use basic essay structure: introduction, development, conclusion. For this argumentative

essay, basic essay structure is easiest to follow. Your introduction should arouse interest and

let your audience know how you feel about your topic by specifically developing a thesis

statement which states your position on the resolution emphatically. As you develop your

arguments, you present your supporting evidence and rebut any opposing points when you

and your opponent exchange first drafts. Much of this evidence should challenge or support

the logic employed by the author. In your conclusion, you effectively clinch your arguments

with a recap of key points that establishes the merit of your position.

3. Provide solid evidence to back up your opinion. The more supporting evidence you produce

from the text and from your knowledge of logical fallacies, the more convincing your

arguments will sound. Again, do not overlook the opposing side. Incorporate anti-thetical

arguments in your own position. Although you do not need to build a good opposing

argument, several certainly will exist. Weigh both sides of the issue carefully when you

decide what to include. Don’t use unsupported generalizations such as, “Few teenagers are

emotionally mature before the age of eighteen.” Such statements can be entirely false or only

partly true, and they can seriously weaken the compelling nature of your argument.

4. Decide on your rhetorical approach to the topic. For example, will you use a straightforward

style? Or will you use irony, poking fun at your subject by saying the opposite of what you

mean? Counter-toning is a debating strategy that suggests one adopt a style that stands in

opposition to your opponents. (If they choose to be serious, you adopted a more light-hearted

stance; statistics are challenged by a more narrative, anecdotal approach and so on.)

5. Consider how you will organize your essay. Climactic order is often useful when you are

presenting an argument.

6. Structure your paragraphs as carefully as you structure your essay. Include a topic sentence in

each of your 5 paragraphs

7. Leave plenty of time to revise and edit your essay after submitting it to your opponent. New

evidence will require you make possibly substantial revisions to the next draft.

Use the following argumentative speech on the merits of computer technology in the classroom;

read it then critique the arguments presented.

“Computers in the Classroom: Keep It Turned On”
Computers mark the way of the future, and as such, belong in the classroom. They serve a vital role in the

classroom of today’s schools. Schools, which refuse to put computers in the classroom, refuse to understand the

evolving needs of students who intend on becoming citizens of a changing world. Children need to be in contact

with computers in order to become capable of using one well. Why you ask? Because the future of education rides

on the most effective and innovative ways to “teach” ideas. Education, as always, reflects the values and aspirations

of each generation. For the Egyptians this meant papyrus and reed. When Johannes Guttenberg developed the

printing press, this meant the published text would eventually replace the fountain pen. In other words, each era

devises new ways to teach the values of its respective culture. Computers represent the latest evolution in our

relationship to technology. It does not guarantee educational results in the same way an expensive pen cannot ensure

mastery of the English language. However, the latest technology always creates new opportunities. That is all.

Children will need computer experience for their future vocations. If one concedes that the future will be shaped by

technology’s access to knowledge, the new habits it instills and its potentiality to create powerful learning

experiences, then one must accept that computers deserve their rightful place in the classroom, along with the pen,

the notebook and the textbook.

Unlike some of the naysayers in the debate over computers in the classroom, information will constitute the

currency of intellectual activity in the future, in other words, “information is power” and technology traditionally

sets the paths towards which this knowledge can be accessed. Some schools do not have computers as standard

equipment in each classroom. Some schools simply cannot afford to have them, while others just don’t want them.

Moreover, intellectuals like Neil Postman, author of The End of Education, claims students always had information

when it can to receiving an education, that computer access will not change this: “kids have yet to batter down a

Canadian school door for more information, and teachers have yet to close a school Afor lack of data.” These
schools feel that computers stop children from thinking independently. They are quite wrong. For children,

computers open up a whole new world. Computers gives them new and profound ways that can make them more

creative, which could only make their school work better. Computers help them be more organized and more

professional.

In order for a child to become experienced in using a computer, he or she needs to use one on a regular

basis, to develop habits which open them up to its uses. While this is certainly also the responsibility of parents,

schools are uniquely equipped to provide this service efficiently. Computer labs and in classrooms allow students to

find new and innovative ways to incorporate the newest technology. Students need to have them in their classrooms
so that they can access them any time they need one. A lot of students are not fortunate enough to own a computer

for use at home and do not have one at school; they will never become experienced. There are cautions that

educators must exercise in implementing any new initiatives which depart from time-tested teaching practices. For

example, Andrew Nikiforuk, an educational critic, claims “Lots of nice shiny machines create the illusion that

schools are educating the hell out of everybody.”It is essential for a student to be able to go to an environment every

day where they can have access to a computer but in an environment that supports their legitimate use.

The quality of an education, as always depends on how one utilizes the resources at one’s disposal;

computers do not guarantee results but they offer new, and potentially powerful teaching tools never seen in the

classroom before. Computer experience will be required for a large portion of jobs in the future. Toda y, computers

are very important to the job market. Imagine how crucial computer skills will be in a couple of years. Yet, vigilante

assessment of their use will ensure whether or not students find creative ways to use them. Nikiforuk again asserts

that the campaign to place computers in the classroom rests on a series of lies, most dangerous of all, that

Acomputers will make our kids smarter by improving achievement. “He claims no study exists which points out a
relationship between computer access and high test scores. What he fails to see in the research finds is the Apotential
of computer access.” It is a fact that many jobs are being terminated because computers can do many jobs better than

we can. The job market is now booming in careers that involve computer technology. This is why students need to

become experienced in computers early in life.

Like any classical liberal arts tradition steeped in the works of the Great Thinkers, computer experience and

skills will increasingly be seen as very important. In the future, people without them will have little or no way of

getting a job. Ultimately, is this not the role of a “well-rounded education,” to provide students with the skills and

knowledge to survive in the adult world that awaits them? Therefore, in order for students to gain this knowledge of

computers early, they must have access to computers on a daily basis. This is why they need to be present in the

classroom.

CRITERIA FOR ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF WRITING

Once a student has completed a draft examine it for the following:

(a) Organization

(b) Mechanics

(c) Content and

(d) Style

CONTENT

• Involves the topic, subject, main claim, thesis and its development

• Is the central idea worthwhile, clear and specific?

• Are the ideas (evidence) fully presented through details, facts

• Is the main idea suitable for the length of assignment?

ORGANIZATION

• Involves the development of your paper – logical sentence and paragraph progression.

• the overall idea is developed clearly and logically, one statement flows into the next

• development of ideas has a definite pattern of organization: comparison, cause and effect,
chronological order, etc.

• creates and overall impression of unity, diverse elements working together – nothing irrelevant in
the paper – no “filler”, or “padding”

STYLE

• Involves the mode of expression, also its effectiveness and appropriateness

• incorporates consistent point of view

• often referred to as the rhetorical approach adopted by a piece of writing; does it have an impact on the
values and beliefs of your intended audience?

• Do the words suggest that they were carefully selected? Do they reveal a conscientious awareness of
their denotative and connotative meanings?

• sentence variety: elimination of “overworked verbs”

• word choice is clear, simple, accurate and appropriate yet suggests deep insight

• level of language must be consistent with format conventions; Does the vocabulary avoid sounding
verbose yet clearly demonstrates a desire to express an idea beautifully, with impact?

• good introduction and conclusion; one that establishes the right pitch and/or tone

• the writing takes “risks” – is playfully aware of the conventions of writing

MECHANICS

• Spelling, capitalization, punctuation and grammar

• these variables must be accurate – paper should be free of small mechanical errors (ie., misused
hyphens, apostrophes…)

• writing should be free of sentence errors:

• fragments

• dangling modifiers

• run-on sentences

• comma splices

PERSUASIVE ESSAY RUBRIC:
Criteria Level 1 (50-59%) Level 2 (60-69%) Level 3 (70-79%) Level 4 (80-100%)

Knowledge:

$ position stated

$ convincing arguments

$ supportive evidence

G position is unclear (thesis),
few convincing

arguments

G supported with little
evidence

G position is stated (thesis);
some convincing

arguments

G supported with some
evidence

G clear position is stated
(thesis); convincing

arguments

G supported with good
evidence

G clear position is consistently
stated (thesis); insightful

arguments

G great support with evidence
from

Inquiry:

$ organization and logic
of ideas

$ use of supporting
evidence as organizers

G little evidence of
organization; little or no

problem-solution ratio; the

writing fails to make

connections and does not

follow PPC

G some evidence of
organization; some idea of

problem-solution ratio;

some points still unclear

and undeveloped; weak

PPC

G good evidence of
organization; problem-

solution ratio; demonstrates

specific details; PPC

presented consistently

G well-organized; support is
detailed, specific and

correct; problem-solution

ratio is compellingly

presented; PPC is clear

Communication:

$ Language used
persuasively

$ sense of audience

G limited use of persuasive
language and sentence

structure

G limited awareness of
audience

G some use of persuasive
language and sentence

structure

G some awareness of
audience

G appropriate use of
persuasive language and

sentence structure

G good awareness of
audience

G effective use of persuasive
language and sentence

structure

G strong sense of audience

Communication:

$ Sentence structure:
demonstrates flare and

an awareness of key

concepts and purpose

G expression is lacking;

sentence structure and

vocabulary is limited and

restricting or too confusing.

G expression is limited;
sentence structure and

vocabulary is non-formal at

times, limited or

confusing.

G expression is generally
fresh and appealing;

sentence structure and

vocabulary is striking but,

at times, contrived, forced.

G expression is fresh and
appealing; original or

unusual words, phrasing

and or sentences add to

meaning.

Application:

Mechanics or

application of

language conventions

q limited use of basic

language

conventions

q some use of basic language

conventions

q good use of language

conventions

q consistent use of a variety

of language conventions

Introductory Paragraph: Consists of the Hook, Thesis and Directional Statement.
BODY:
First paragraph:
Second paragraph:
Third paragraph:
CONCLUSION:
Concluding paragraph: