Introduce the topic.
Provide background information.
Present the thesis statement or main argument.
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An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here’s an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3
1. Introduction :
Example: “Did you know that plastic pollution is threatening marine life at an alarming rate?”
Example: “Plastic pollution has become a global environmental concern, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering our oceans yearly.”
Example: “We must take immediate action to reduce plastic usage and implement more sustainable alternatives to protect our marine ecosystem.”
2. Body Paragraphs :
Example: “The first step towards addressing the plastic pollution crisis is reducing single-use plastic consumption.”
Example: “Research shows that plastic straws alone contribute to millions of tons of plastic waste annually, and many marine animals suffer from ingestion or entanglement.”
Example: “Some argue that banning plastic straws is inconvenient for consumers, but the long-term environmental benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience.”
Example: “Having addressed the issue of single-use plastics, the focus must now shift to promoting sustainable alternatives.”
3. Counterargument Paragraph :
Example: “While some may argue that individual actions cannot significantly impact global plastic pollution, the cumulative effect of collective efforts must be considered.”
Example: “However, individual actions, when multiplied across millions of people, can substantially reduce plastic waste. Small changes in behavior, such as using reusable bags and containers, can have a significant positive impact.”
4. Conclusion :
Example: “In conclusion, adopting sustainable practices and reducing single-use plastic is crucial for preserving our oceans and marine life.”
Example: “It is our responsibility to make environmentally conscious choices and advocate for policies that prioritize the health of our planet. By collectively embracing sustainable alternatives, we can contribute to a cleaner and healthier future.”
A claim is a statement or proposition a writer puts forward with evidence to persuade the reader. 4 Here are some common types of argument claims, along with examples:
Understanding these argument claims can help writers construct more persuasive and well-supported arguments tailored to the specific nature of the claim.
If you’re wondering how to start an argumentative essay, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with the argumentative essay format and writing process.
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Here are eight strategies to craft a compelling argumentative essay:
Let’s consider a sample of argumentative essay on how social media enhances connectivity:
In the digital age, social media has emerged as a powerful tool that transcends geographical boundaries, connecting individuals from diverse backgrounds and providing a platform for an array of voices to be heard. While critics argue that social media fosters division and amplifies negativity, it is essential to recognize the positive aspects of this digital revolution and how it enhances connectivity by providing a platform for diverse voices to flourish. One of the primary benefits of social media is its ability to facilitate instant communication and connection across the globe. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram break down geographical barriers, enabling people to establish and maintain relationships regardless of physical location and fostering a sense of global community. Furthermore, social media has transformed how people stay connected with friends and family. Whether separated by miles or time zones, social media ensures that relationships remain dynamic and relevant, contributing to a more interconnected world. Moreover, social media has played a pivotal role in giving voice to social justice movements and marginalized communities. Movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #ClimateStrike have gained momentum through social media, allowing individuals to share their stories and advocate for change on a global scale. This digital activism can shape public opinion and hold institutions accountable. Social media platforms provide a dynamic space for open dialogue and discourse. Users can engage in discussions, share information, and challenge each other’s perspectives, fostering a culture of critical thinking. This open exchange of ideas contributes to a more informed and enlightened society where individuals can broaden their horizons and develop a nuanced understanding of complex issues. While criticisms of social media abound, it is crucial to recognize its positive impact on connectivity and the amplification of diverse voices. Social media transcends physical and cultural barriers, connecting people across the globe and providing a platform for marginalized voices to be heard. By fostering open dialogue and facilitating the exchange of ideas, social media contributes to a more interconnected and empowered society. Embracing the positive aspects of social media allows us to harness its potential for positive change and collective growth.
Writing a winning argumentative essay not only showcases your ability to critically analyze a topic but also demonstrates your skill in persuasively presenting your stance backed by evidence. Achieving this level of writing excellence can be time-consuming. This is where Paperpal, your AI academic writing assistant, steps in to revolutionize the way you approach argumentative essays. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Paperpal to write your essay:
Paperpal not only simplifies the essay writing process but also ensures your argumentative essay is persuasive, well-structured, and academically rigorous. Sign up today and transform how you write argumentative essays.
The length of an argumentative essay can vary, but it typically falls within the range of 1,000 to 2,500 words. However, the specific requirements may depend on the guidelines provided.
You might write an argumentative essay when: 1. You want to convince others of the validity of your position. 2. There is a controversial or debatable issue that requires discussion. 3. You need to present evidence and logical reasoning to support your claims. 4. You want to explore and critically analyze different perspectives on a topic.
Argumentative Essay: Purpose : An argumentative essay aims to persuade the reader to accept or agree with a specific point of view or argument. Structure : It follows a clear structure with an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, counterarguments and refutations, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is formal and relies on logical reasoning, evidence, and critical analysis. Narrative/Descriptive Essay: Purpose : These aim to tell a story or describe an experience, while a descriptive essay focuses on creating a vivid picture of a person, place, or thing. Structure : They may have a more flexible structure. They often include an engaging introduction, a well-developed body that builds the story or description, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is more personal and expressive to evoke emotions or provide sensory details.
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An argumentative essay is a structured, compelling piece of writing where an author clearly defines their stance on a specific topic. This is a very popular style of writing assigned to students at schools, colleges, and universities. Learn the steps to researching, structuring, and writing an effective argumentative essay below.
To effectively achieve its purpose, an argumentative essay must contain:
● A concise thesis statement that introduces readers to the central argument of the essay
● A clear, logical, argument that engages readers
● Ample research and evidence that supports your argument
1. classical.
● Clearly present the central argument.
● Outline your opinion.
● Provide enough evidence to support your theory.
● State your claim.
● Supply the evidence for your stance.
● Explain how these findings support the argument.
● Include and discuss any limitations of your belief.
● Explain the opposing stance of your argument.
● Discuss the problems with adopting this viewpoint.
● Offer your position on the matter.
● Provide reasons for why yours is the more beneficial stance.
● Include a potential compromise for the topic at hand.
● Introduce your topic in a bold, direct, and engaging manner to captivate your readers and encourage them to keep reading.
● Provide sufficient evidence to justify your argument and convince readers to adopt this point of view.
● Consider, include, and fairly present all sides of the topic.
● Structure your argument in a clear, logical manner that helps your readers to understand your thought process.
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● Discuss any counterarguments that might be posed.
● Use persuasive writing that’s appropriate for your target audience and motivates them to agree with you.
Follow these basic steps to write a powerful and meaningful argumentative essay :
If you’ve already been given a topic to write about, pick a stance that resonates deeply with you. This will shine through in your writing, make the research process easier, and positively influence the outcome of your argument.
To write an emotive argumentative essay , finding enough research to support your theory is a must. You’ll need solid evidence to convince readers to agree with your take on the matter. You’ll also need to logically organize the research so that it naturally convinces readers of your viewpoint and leaves no room for questioning.
A good structure to ensure a well-written and effective argumentative essay includes:
● Introduce your topic.
● Offer background information on the claim.
● Discuss the evidence you’ll present to support your argument.
● State your thesis statement, a one-to-two sentence summary of your claim.
● This is the section where you’ll develop and expand on your argument.
● It should be split into three or four coherent paragraphs, with each one presenting its own idea.
● Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that indicates why readers should adopt your belief or stance.
● Include your research, statistics, citations, and other supporting evidence.
● Discuss opposing viewpoints and why they’re invalid.
● This part typically consists of one paragraph.
● Summarize your research and the findings that were presented.
● Emphasize your initial thesis statement.
● Persuade readers to agree with your stance.
We certainly hope that you feel inspired to use these tips when writing your next argumentative essay . And, if you’re currently elbow-deep in writing one, consider submitting a free sample to us once it’s completed. Our expert team of editors can help ensure that it’s concise, error-free, and effective!
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Crafting a convincing argumentative essay can be challenging. You might feel lost about where to begin. But with a systematic approach and helpful tools that simplify sourcing and structuring, mastering good argumentative essay writing becomes achievable.
In this article, we'll explore what argumentative essays are, the critical steps to crafting a compelling argumentative essay, and best practices for essay organization.
An argumentative essay asserts a clear position on a controversial or debatable topic and backs it up with evidence and reasoning. They are written to hone critical thinking, structure clear arguments, influence academic and public discourse, underpin reform proposals, and change popular narratives.
Let's explore the essential components that make argumentative essays compelling.
The claim is the cornerstone of your argumentative essay. It represents your main argument or thesis statement , setting the stage for the discussion.
A robust claim is straightforward, debatable, and focused, challenging readers to consider your viewpoint. It's not merely an observation but a stance you're prepared to defend with logic and evidence.
The strength of your essay hinges on the clarity and assertiveness of your claim, guiding readers through your argumentative journey.
An effective argumentative essay should follow a logical structure to present your case persuasively. There are three models for structuring your argument essay:
Each model provides a framework for methodically supporting your position using evidence and logic. Your chosen structure depends on your argument's complexity, audience, and purpose.
The key is to select evidence that directly supports your claim, lending weight to your arguments and bolstering your position.
Effective use of evidence strengthens your argument and enhances your credibility, demonstrating thorough research and a deep understanding of the topic at hand.
A well-rounded argumentative essay acknowledges that there are two sides to every story. Introducing counterarguments and opposing viewpoints in an argument essay is a strategic move that showcases your awareness of alternative viewpoints.
This element of your argumentative essay demonstrates intellectual honesty and fairness, indicating that you have considered other perspectives before solidifying your position.
A compelling rebuttal anticipates the counterclaims and methodically counters them, ensuring your position stands unchallenged. By engaging critically with counterarguments in this manner, your essay becomes more resilient and persuasive.
Ultimately, the strength of an argumentative essay is not in avoiding opposing views but in directly confronting them through reasoned debate and evidence-based.
The workflow for crafting an effective argumentative essay involves several key steps:
Argumentative essay writing starts with selecting a topic with two or more main points so you can argue your position. Avoid topics that are too broad or have a clear right or wrong answer.
Use a semantic search engine to search for papers. Refine by subject area, publication date, citation count, institution, author, journal, and more to narrow down on promising topics. Explore citation interlinkages to ensure you pick a topic with sufficient academic discourse to allow crafting a compelling, evidence-based argument.
Seek an AI research assistant's help to assess a topic's potential and explore various angles quickly. They can generate both generic and custom questions tailored to each research paper. Additionally, look for tools that offer browser extensions . These allow you to interact with papers from sources like ArXiv, PubMed, and Wiley and evaluate potential topics from a broader range of academic databases and repositories.
Your thesis statement should clearly and concisely state your position on the topic identified. Ensure to develop a clear thesis statement which is a focused, assertive declaration that guides your discussion. Use strong, active language — avoid vague or passive statements. Keep it narrowly focused enough to be adequately supported in your essay.
The SciSpace literature review tool can help you extract thesis statements from existing papers on your chosen topic. Create a custom column called 'thesis statement' to compare multiple perspectives in one place, allowing you to uncover various viewpoints and position your concise thesis statement appropriately.
Ask AI assistants questions or summarize key sections to clarify the positions taken in existing papers. This helps sharpen your thesis statement stance and identify gaps. Locate related papers in similar stances.
The evidence you collect lends credibility and weight to your claims, convincing readers of your viewpoint. Effective evidence includes facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-world examples reinforcing your thesis statement.
Use the SciSpace literature review tool to locate and evaluate high-quality studies. It quickly extracts vital insights, methodologies, findings, and conclusions from papers and presents them in a table format. Build custom tables with your uploaded PDFs or bookmarked papers. These tables can be saved for future reference or exported as CSV for further analysis or sharing.
AI-powered summarization tools can help you quickly grasp the core arguments and positions from lengthy papers. These can condense long sections or entire author viewpoints into concise summaries. Make PDF annotations to add custom notes and highlights to papers for easy reference. Data extraction tools can automatically pull key statistics from PDFs into spreadsheets for detailed quantitative analysis.
The argumentative model you choose will impact your outline's specific structure and progression. If you select the Classical model, your outline will follow a linear structure. On the other hand, if you opt for the Toulmin model, your outline will focus on meticulously mapping out the logical progression of your entire argument. Lastly, if you select the Rogerian model, your outline should explore the opposing viewpoint and seek a middle ground.
While the specific outline structure may vary, always begin the process by stating your central thesis or claim. Identify and organize your argument claims and main supporting points logically, adding 2-3 pieces of evidence under each point. Consider potential counterarguments to your position. Include 1-2 counterarguments for each main point and plan rebuttals to dismantle the opposition's reasoning. This balanced approach strengthens your overall argument.
As you outline, consider saving your notes, highlights, AI-generated summaries, and extracts in a digital notebook. Aggregating all your sources and ideas in one centralized location allows you to quickly refer to them as you draft your outline and essay.
To further enhance your workflow, you can use AI-powered writing or GPT tools to help generate an initial structure based on your crucial essay components, such as your thesis statement, main arguments, supporting evidence, counterarguments, and rebuttals.
Begin the introductory paragraph with a hook — a question, a startling statistic, or a bold statement to draw in your readers. Always logically structure your arguments with smooth transitions between ideas. Ensure the body paragraphs of argumentative essays focus on one central point backed by robust quantitative evidence from credible studies, properly cited.
Refer to the notes, highlights, and evidence you've gathered as you write. Organize these materials so that you can easily access and incorporate them into your draft while maintaining a logical flow. Literature review tables or spreadsheets can be beneficial for keeping track of crucial evidence from multiple sources.
Quote others in a way that blends seamlessly with the narrative flow. For numerical data, contextualize figures with practical examples. Try to pre-empt counterarguments and systematically dismantle them. Maintain an evidence-based, objective tone that avoids absolutism and emotional appeals. If you encounter overly complex sections during the writing process, use a paraphraser tool to rephrase and clarify the language. Finally, neatly tie together the rationale behind your position and directions for further discourse or research.
Set the draft aside so that you review it with fresh eyes. Check for clarity, conciseness, logical flow, and grammar. Ensure the body reflects your thesis well. Fill gaps in reasoning. Check that every claim links back to credible evidence. Replace weak arguments. Finally, format your citations and bibliography using your preferred style.
To simplify editing, save the rough draft or entire essay as a PDF and upload it to an AI-based chat-with-PDF tool. Use it to identify gaps in reasoning, weaker arguments requiring ample evidence, structural issues hampering the clarity of ideas, and suggestions for strengthening your essay.
Use a citation tool to generate citations for sources instantly quoted and quickly compile your bibliography or works cited in RIS/BibTex formats. Export the updated literature review tables as handy CSV files to share with co-authors or reviewers in collaborative projects or attach them as supplementary data for journal submissions. You can also refer to this article that provides you with argumentative essay writing tips .
Remember, the strength of your argumentative essay lies in the clarity of your strong argument, the robustness of supporting evidence, and the consideration with which you treat opposing viewpoints. Refining these core skills will make you a sharper, more convincing writer and communicator.
General Education
Need to defend your opinion on an issue? Argumentative essays are one of the most popular types of essays you’ll write in school. They combine persuasive arguments with fact-based research, and, when done well, can be powerful tools for making someone agree with your point of view. If you’re struggling to write an argumentative essay or just want to learn more about them, seeing examples can be a big help.
After giving an overview of this type of essay, we provide three argumentative essay examples. After each essay, we explain in-depth how the essay was structured, what worked, and where the essay could be improved. We end with tips for making your own argumentative essay as strong as possible.
An argumentative essay is an essay that uses evidence and facts to support the claim it’s making. Its purpose is to persuade the reader to agree with the argument being made.
A good argumentative essay will use facts and evidence to support the argument, rather than just the author’s thoughts and opinions. For example, say you wanted to write an argumentative essay stating that Charleston, SC is a great destination for families. You couldn’t just say that it’s a great place because you took your family there and enjoyed it. For it to be an argumentative essay, you need to have facts and data to support your argument, such as the number of child-friendly attractions in Charleston, special deals you can get with kids, and surveys of people who visited Charleston as a family and enjoyed it. The first argument is based entirely on feelings, whereas the second is based on evidence that can be proven.
The standard five paragraph format is common, but not required, for argumentative essays. These essays typically follow one of two formats: the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model.
Below are three examples of argumentative essays, written by yours truly in my school days, as well as analysis of what each did well and where it could be improved.
Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because libraries are expensive to maintain. They also believe it will encourage more people to read because they won’t have to travel to a library to get a book; they can simply click on what they want to read and read it from wherever they are. They could also access more materials because libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply rent out as many digital copies as they need.
However, it would be a serious mistake to replace libraries with tablets. First, digital books and resources are associated with less learning and more problems than print resources. A study done on tablet vs book reading found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain 20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they read compared to people who read the same information in print. Additionally, staring too long at a screen has been shown to cause numerous health problems, including blurred vision, dizziness, dry eyes, headaches, and eye strain, at much higher instances than reading print does. People who use tablets and mobile devices excessively also have a higher incidence of more serious health issues such as fibromyalgia, shoulder and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and muscle strain. I know that whenever I read from my e-reader for too long, my eyes begin to feel tired and my neck hurts. We should not add to these problems by giving people, especially young people, more reasons to look at screens.
Second, it is incredibly narrow-minded to assume that the only service libraries offer is book lending. Libraries have a multitude of benefits, and many are only available if the library has a physical location. Some of these benefits include acting as a quiet study space, giving people a way to converse with their neighbors, holding classes on a variety of topics, providing jobs, answering patron questions, and keeping the community connected. One neighborhood found that, after a local library instituted community events such as play times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling more connected to their community. Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that nearly two-thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would have a major impact on their community. People see libraries as a way to connect with others and get their questions answered, benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.
While replacing libraries with tablets may seem like a simple solution, it would encourage people to spend even more time looking at digital screens, despite the myriad issues surrounding them. It would also end access to many of the benefits of libraries that people have come to rely on. In many areas, libraries are such an important part of the community network that they could never be replaced by a simple object.
The author begins by giving an overview of the counter-argument, then the thesis appears as the first sentence in the third paragraph. The essay then spends the rest of the paper dismantling the counter argument and showing why readers should believe the other side.
What this essay does well:
There are multiple drugs available to treat malaria, and many of them work well and save lives, but malaria eradication programs that focus too much on them and not enough on prevention haven’t seen long-term success in Sub-Saharan Africa. A major program to combat malaria was WHO’s Global Malaria Eradication Programme. Started in 1955, it had a goal of eliminating malaria in Africa within the next ten years. Based upon previously successful programs in Brazil and the United States, the program focused mainly on vector control. This included widely distributing chloroquine and spraying large amounts of DDT. More than one billion dollars was spent trying to abolish malaria. However, the program suffered from many problems and in 1969, WHO was forced to admit that the program had not succeeded in eradicating malaria. The number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa who contracted malaria as well as the number of malaria deaths had actually increased over 10% during the time the program was active.
One of the major reasons for the failure of the project was that it set uniform strategies and policies. By failing to consider variations between governments, geography, and infrastructure, the program was not nearly as successful as it could have been. Sub-Saharan Africa has neither the money nor the infrastructure to support such an elaborate program, and it couldn’t be run the way it was meant to. Most African countries don't have the resources to send all their people to doctors and get shots, nor can they afford to clear wetlands or other malaria prone areas. The continent’s spending per person for eradicating malaria was just a quarter of what Brazil spent. Sub-Saharan Africa simply can’t rely on a plan that requires more money, infrastructure, and expertise than they have to spare.
Additionally, the widespread use of chloroquine has created drug resistant parasites which are now plaguing Sub-Saharan Africa. Because chloroquine was used widely but inconsistently, mosquitoes developed resistance, and chloroquine is now nearly completely ineffective in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over 95% of mosquitoes resistant to it. As a result, newer, more expensive drugs need to be used to prevent and treat malaria, which further drives up the cost of malaria treatment for a region that can ill afford it.
Instead of developing plans to treat malaria after the infection has incurred, programs should focus on preventing infection from occurring in the first place. Not only is this plan cheaper and more effective, reducing the number of people who contract malaria also reduces loss of work/school days which can further bring down the productivity of the region.
One of the cheapest and most effective ways of preventing malaria is to implement insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs). These nets provide a protective barrier around the person or people using them. While untreated bed nets are still helpful, those treated with insecticides are much more useful because they stop mosquitoes from biting people through the nets, and they help reduce mosquito populations in a community, thus helping people who don’t even own bed nets. Bed nets are also very effective because most mosquito bites occur while the person is sleeping, so bed nets would be able to drastically reduce the number of transmissions during the night. In fact, transmission of malaria can be reduced by as much as 90% in areas where the use of ITNs is widespread. Because money is so scarce in Sub-Saharan Africa, the low cost is a great benefit and a major reason why the program is so successful. Bed nets cost roughly 2 USD to make, last several years, and can protect two adults. Studies have shown that, for every 100-1000 more nets are being used, one less child dies of malaria. With an estimated 300 million people in Africa not being protected by mosquito nets, there’s the potential to save three million lives by spending just a few dollars per person.
Reducing the number of people who contract malaria would also reduce poverty levels in Africa significantly, thus improving other aspects of society like education levels and the economy. Vector control is more effective than treatment strategies because it means fewer people are getting sick. When fewer people get sick, the working population is stronger as a whole because people are not put out of work from malaria, nor are they caring for sick relatives. Malaria-afflicted families can typically only harvest 40% of the crops that healthy families can harvest. Additionally, a family with members who have malaria spends roughly a quarter of its income treatment, not including the loss of work they also must deal with due to the illness. It’s estimated that malaria costs Africa 12 billion USD in lost income every year. A strong working population creates a stronger economy, which Sub-Saharan Africa is in desperate need of.
This essay begins with an introduction, which ends with the thesis (that malaria eradication plans in Sub-Saharan Africa should focus on prevention rather than treatment). The first part of the essay lays out why the counter argument (treatment rather than prevention) is not as effective, and the second part of the essay focuses on why prevention of malaria is the better path to take.
There are many ways payments could work. They could be in the form of a free-market approach, where athletes are able to earn whatever the market is willing to pay them, it could be a set amount of money per athlete, or student athletes could earn income from endorsements, autographs, and control of their likeness, similar to the way top Olympians earn money.
Proponents of the idea believe that, because college athletes are the ones who are training, participating in games, and bringing in audiences, they should receive some sort of compensation for their work. If there were no college athletes, the NCAA wouldn’t exist, college coaches wouldn’t receive there (sometimes very high) salaries, and brands like Nike couldn’t profit from college sports. In fact, the NCAA brings in roughly $1 billion in revenue a year, but college athletes don’t receive any of that money in the form of a paycheck. Additionally, people who believe college athletes should be paid state that paying college athletes will actually encourage them to remain in college longer and not turn pro as quickly, either by giving them a way to begin earning money in college or requiring them to sign a contract stating they’ll stay at the university for a certain number of years while making an agreed-upon salary.
Supporters of this idea point to Zion Williamson, the Duke basketball superstar, who, during his freshman year, sustained a serious knee injury. Many argued that, even if he enjoyed playing for Duke, it wasn’t worth risking another injury and ending his professional career before it even began for a program that wasn’t paying him. Williamson seems to have agreed with them and declared his eligibility for the NCAA draft later that year. If he was being paid, he may have stayed at Duke longer. In fact, roughly a third of student athletes surveyed stated that receiving a salary while in college would make them “strongly consider” remaining collegiate athletes longer before turning pro.
Paying athletes could also stop the recruitment scandals that have plagued the NCAA. In 2018, the NCAA stripped the University of Louisville's men's basketball team of its 2013 national championship title because it was discovered coaches were using sex workers to entice recruits to join the team. There have been dozens of other recruitment scandals where college athletes and recruits have been bribed with anything from having their grades changed, to getting free cars, to being straight out bribed. By paying college athletes and putting their salaries out in the open, the NCAA could end the illegal and underhanded ways some schools and coaches try to entice athletes to join.
People who argue against the idea of paying college athletes believe the practice could be disastrous for college sports. By paying athletes, they argue, they’d turn college sports into a bidding war, where only the richest schools could afford top athletes, and the majority of schools would be shut out from developing a talented team (though some argue this already happens because the best players often go to the most established college sports programs, who typically pay their coaches millions of dollars per year). It could also ruin the tight camaraderie of many college teams if players become jealous that certain teammates are making more money than they are.
They also argue that paying college athletes actually means only a small fraction would make significant money. Out of the 350 Division I athletic departments, fewer than a dozen earn any money. Nearly all the money the NCAA makes comes from men’s football and basketball, so paying college athletes would make a small group of men--who likely will be signed to pro teams and begin making millions immediately out of college--rich at the expense of other players.
Those against paying college athletes also believe that the athletes are receiving enough benefits already. The top athletes already receive scholarships that are worth tens of thousands per year, they receive free food/housing/textbooks, have access to top medical care if they are injured, receive top coaching, get travel perks and free gear, and can use their time in college as a way to capture the attention of professional recruiters. No other college students receive anywhere near as much from their schools.
People on this side also point out that, while the NCAA brings in a massive amount of money each year, it is still a non-profit organization. How? Because over 95% of those profits are redistributed to its members’ institutions in the form of scholarships, grants, conferences, support for Division II and Division III teams, and educational programs. Taking away a significant part of that revenue would hurt smaller programs that rely on that money to keep running.
While both sides have good points, it’s clear that the negatives of paying college athletes far outweigh the positives. College athletes spend a significant amount of time and energy playing for their school, but they are compensated for it by the scholarships and perks they receive. Adding a salary to that would result in a college athletic system where only a small handful of athletes (those likely to become millionaires in the professional leagues) are paid by a handful of schools who enter bidding wars to recruit them, while the majority of student athletics and college athletic programs suffer or even shut down for lack of money. Continuing to offer the current level of benefits to student athletes makes it possible for as many people to benefit from and enjoy college sports as possible.
This argumentative essay follows the Rogerian model. It discusses each side, first laying out multiple reasons people believe student athletes should be paid, then discussing reasons why the athletes shouldn’t be paid. It ends by stating that college athletes shouldn’t be paid by arguing that paying them would destroy college athletics programs and cause them to have many of the issues professional sports leagues have.
Now that you’ve seen examples of what good argumentative essay samples look like, follow these three tips when crafting your own essay.
The thesis is the key to your argumentative essay; if it isn’t clear or readers can’t find it easily, your entire essay will be weak as a result. Always make sure that your thesis statement is easy to find. The typical spot for it is the final sentence of the introduction paragraph, but if it doesn’t fit in that spot for your essay, try to at least put it as the first or last sentence of a different paragraph so it stands out more.
Also make sure that your thesis makes clear what side of the argument you’re on. After you’ve written it, it’s a great idea to show your thesis to a couple different people--classmates are great for this. Just by reading your thesis they should be able to understand what point you’ll be trying to make with the rest of your essay.
When writing your essay, you may be tempted to ignore the other side of the argument and just focus on your side, but don’t do this. The best argumentative essays really tear apart the other side to show why readers shouldn’t believe it. Before you begin writing your essay, research what the other side believes, and what their strongest points are. Then, in your essay, be sure to mention each of these and use evidence to explain why they’re incorrect/weak arguments. That’ll make your essay much more effective than if you only focused on your side of the argument.
Remember, an essay can’t be an argumentative essay if it doesn’t support its argument with evidence. For every point you make, make sure you have facts to back it up. Some examples are previous studies done on the topic, surveys of large groups of people, data points, etc. There should be lots of numbers in your argumentative essay that support your side of the argument. This will make your essay much stronger compared to only relying on your own opinions to support your argument.
Argumentative essays are persuasive essays that use facts and evidence to support their side of the argument. Most argumentative essays follow either the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model. By reading good argumentative essay examples, you can learn how to develop your essay and provide enough support to make readers agree with your opinion. When writing your essay, remember to always make your thesis clear, show where the other side is weak, and back up your opinion with data and evidence.
Do you need to write an argumentative essay as well? Check out our guide on the best argumentative essay topics for ideas!
You'll probably also need to write research papers for school. We've got you covered with 113 potential topics for research papers.
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July 20, 2023
Writing successful argumentative or persuasive essays is a sort of academic rite of passage: every student, at some point in their academic career, will have to do it. And not without reason—writing a good argumentative essay requires the ability to organize one’s thoughts, reason logically, and present evidence in support of claims. They even require empathy, as authors are forced to inhabit and then respond to viewpoints that run counter to their own. Here, we’ll look at some argumentative essay examples and analyze their strengths and weaknesses.
Before we turn to those argumentative essay examples, let’s get precise about what an argumentative essay is. An argumentative essay is an essay that advances a central point, thesis, or claim using evidence and facts. In other words, argumentative essays are essays that argue on behalf of a particular viewpoint. The goal of an argumentative essay is to convince the reader that the essay’s core idea is correct.
Good argumentative essays rely on facts and evidence. Personal anecdotes, appeals to emotion , and opinions that aren’t grounded in evidence just won’t fly. Let’s say I wanted to write an essay arguing that cats are the best pets. It wouldn’t be enough to say that I love having a cat as a pet. That’s just my opinion. Nor would it be enough to cite my downstairs neighbor Claudia, who also has a cat and who also prefers cats to dogs. That’s just an anecdote.
For the essay to have a chance at succeeding, I’d have to use evidence to support my argument. Maybe there are studies that compare the cost of cat ownership to dog ownership and conclude that cat ownership is less expensive. Perhaps there’s medical data that shows that more people are allergic to dogs than they are to cats. And maybe there are surveys that show that cat owners are more satisfied with their pets than are dog owners. I have no idea if any of that is true. The point is that successful argumentative essays use evidence from credible sources to back up their points.
Important to note before we examine a few argumentative essay examples: most argumentative essays will follow a standard 5-paragraph format. This format entails an introductory paragraph that lays out the essay’s central claim. Next, there are three body paragraphs that each advance sub-claims and evidence to support the central claim. Lastly, there is a conclusion that summarizes the points made. That’s not to say that every good argumentative essay will adhere strictly to the 5-paragraph format. And there is plenty of room for flexibility and creativity within the 5-paragraph format. For example, a good argumentative essay that follows the 5-paragraph template will also generally include counterarguments and rebuttals.
Now let’s move on to those argumentative essay examples, and examine in particular a couple of introductions. The first takes on a common argumentative essay topic —capital punishment.
The death penalty has long been a divisive issue in the United States. 24 states allow the death penalty, while the other 26 have either banned the death penalty outright or issued moratoriums halting the practice. Proponents of the death penalty argue that it’s an effective deterrent against crime. Time and time again, however, this argument has been shown to be false. Capital punishment does not deter crime. But not only that—the death penalty is irreversible, which allows our imperfect justice system no room for error. Finally, the application of the death penalty is racially biased—the population of death row is over 41% Black , despite Black Americans making up just 13% of the U.S. population. For all these reasons, the death penalty should be outlawed across the board in the United States.
Why this introduction works: First, it’s clear. It lays out the essay’s thesis: that the death penalty should be outlawed in the United States. It also names the sub-arguments the author is going to use to support the thesis: (1), capital punishment does not deter crime, (2), it’s irreversible, and (3), it’s a racially biased practice. In laying out these three points, the author is also laying out the structure of the essay to follow. Each of the body paragraphs will take on one of the three sub-arguments presented in the introduction.
Something else I like about this introduction is that it acknowledges and then refutes a common counterargument—the idea that the death penalty is a crime deterrent. Notice also the flow of the first two sentences. The first flags the essay’s topic. But it also makes a claim—that the issue of capital punishment is politically divisive. The following sentence backs this claim up. Essentially half of the country allows the practice; the other half has banned it. This is a feature not just of solid introductions but of good argumentative essays in general—all the essay’s claims will be backed up with evidence.
How it could be improved: Okay, I know I just got through singing the praises of the first pair of sentences, but if I were really nitpicking, I might take issue with them. Why? The first sentence is a bit of a placeholder. It’s a platitude, a way for the author to get a foothold in the piece. The essay isn’t about how divisive the death penalty is; it’s about why it ought to be abolished. When it comes to writing an argumentative essay, I always like to err on the side of blunt. There’s nothing wrong with starting an argumentative essay with the main idea: Capital punishment is an immoral and ineffective form of punishment, and the practice should be abolished .
Let’s move on to another argumentative essay example. Here’s an introduction that deals with the effects of technology on the brain:
Much of the critical discussion around technology today revolves around social media. Critics argue that social media has cut us off from our fellow citizens, trapping us in “information silos” and contributing to political polarization. Social media also promotes unrealistic and unhealthy beauty standards, which can lead to anxiety and depression. What’s more, the social media apps themselves are designed to addict their users. These are all legitimate critiques of social media, and they ought to be taken seriously. But the problem of technology today goes deeper than social media. The internet itself is the problem. Whether it’s on our phones or our laptops, on a social media app, or doing a Google search, the internet promotes distracted thinking and superficial learning. The internet is, quite literally, rewiring our brains.
Why this introduction works: This introduction hooks the reader by tying a topical debate about social media to the essay’s main subject—the problem of the internet itself. The introduction makes it clear what the essay is going to be about; the sentence, “But the problem of technology…” signals to the reader that the main idea is coming. I like the clarity with which the main idea is stated, and, as in the previous introduction, the main idea sets up the essay to follow.
How it could be improved: I like how direct this introduction is, but it might be improved by being a little more specific. Without getting too technical, the introduction might tell the reader what it means to “promote distracted thinking and superficial learning.” It might also hint as to why these are good arguments. For example, are there neurological or psychological studies that back this claim up? A simple fix might be: Whether it’s on our phones or our laptops, on a social media app, or doing a Google search, countless studies have shown that the internet promotes distracted thinking and superficial learning . The body paragraphs would then elaborate on those points. And the last sentence, while catchy, is a bit vague.
Let’s stick with our essay on capital punishment and continue on to the first body paragraph.
Proponents of the death penalty have long claimed that the practice is an effective deterrent to crime. It might not be pretty, they say, but its deterrent effects prevent further crime. Therefore, its continued use is justified. The problem is that this is just not borne out in the data. There is simply no evidence that the death penalty deters crime more than other forms of punishment, like long prison sentences. States, where the death penalty is still carried out, do not have lower crime rates than states where the practice has been abolished. States that have abandoned the death penalty likewise show no increase in crime or murder rates.
Body Paragraph (Continued)
For example, the state of Louisiana, where the death penalty is legal, has a murder rate of 21.3 per 100,000 residents. In Iowa, where the death penalty was abolished in 1965, the murder rate is 3.2 per 100,000. In Kentucky the death penalty is legal and the murder rate is 9.6; in Michigan where it’s illegal, the murder rate is 8.7. The death penalty simply has no bearing on murder rates. If it did, we’d see markedly lower murder rates in states that maintain the practice. But that’s not the case. Capital punishment does not deter crime. Therefore, it should be abolished.
Why this paragraph works: This body paragraph is successful because it coheres with the main idea set out in the introduction. It supports the essay’s first sub-argument—that capital punishment does not deter crime—and in so doing, it supports the essay’s main idea—that capital punishment should be abolished. How does it do that? By appealing to the data. A nice feature of this paragraph is that it simultaneously debunks a common counterargument and advances the essay’s thesis. It also supplies a few direct examples (murder rates in states like Kentucky, Michigan, etc.) without getting too technical. Importantly, the last few sentences tie the data back to the main idea of the essay. It’s not enough to pepper your essay with statistics. A good argumentative essay will unpack the statistics, tell the reader why the statistics matter, and how they support or confirm the essay’s main idea.
How it could be improved: The author is missing one logical connection at the end of the paragraph. The author shows that capital punishment doesn’t deter crime, but then just jumps to their conclusion. They needed to establish a logical bridge to get from the sub-argument to the conclusion. That bridge might be: if the deterrent effect is being used as a justification to maintain the practice, but the deterrent effect doesn’t really exist, then , in the absence of some other justification, the death penalty should be abolished. The author almost got there, but just needed to make that one final logical connection.
Once we’ve supported each of our sub-arguments with a corresponding body paragraph, it’s time to move on to the conclusion.
It might be nice to think that executing murderers prevents future murders from happening, that our justice system is infallible and no one is ever wrongly put to death, and that the application of the death penalty is free of bias. But as we have seen, each of those thoughts are just comforting fictions. The death penalty does not prevent future crime—if it did, we’d see higher crime rates in states that’ve done away with capital punishment. The death penalty is an irreversible punishment meted out by an imperfect justice system—as a result, wrongful executions are unavoidable. And the death penalty disproportionately affects people of color. The death penalty is an unjustifiable practice—both practically and morally. Therefore, the United States should do away with the practice and join the more than 85 world nations that have already done so.
Why this conclusion works: It concisely summarizes the points made throughout the essay. But notice that it’s not identical to the introduction. The conclusion makes it clear that our understanding of the issue has changed with the essay. It not only revisits the sub-arguments, it expounds upon them. And to put a bow on everything, it restates the thesis—this time, though, with a little more emotional oomph.
How it could be improved: I’d love to see a little more specificity with regard to the sub-arguments. Instead of just rehashing the second sub-argument—that wrongful executions are unavoidable—the author could’ve included a quick statistic to give the argument more weight. For example: The death penalty is an irreversible punishment meted out by an imperfect justice system—as a result, wrongful executions are unavoidable. Since 1973, at least 190 people have been put to death who were later found to be innocent.
An argumentative essay is a powerful way to convey one’s ideas. As an academic exercise, mastering the art of the argumentative essay requires students to hone their skills of critical thinking, rhetoric, and logical reasoning. The best argumentative essays communicate their ideas clearly and back up their claims with evidence.
Dane Gebauer is a writer and teacher living in Miami, FL. He received his MFA in fiction from Columbia University, and his writing has appeared in Complex Magazine and Sinking City Review .
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The argumentative essay is a staple in university courses, and writing this style of essay is a key skill for students across multiple disciplines. Here’s what you need to know to write an effective and compelling argumentative essay.
An argumentative essay takes a stance on an issue and presents an argument to defend that stance with the intent of persuading the reader to agree. It generally requires extensive research into a topic so that you have a deep grasp of its subtleties and nuances, are able to take a position on the issue, and can make a detailed and logical case for one side or the other.
It’s not enough to merely have an opinion on an issue—you have to present points to justify your opinion, often using data and other supporting evidence.
When you are assigned an argumentative essay, you will typically be asked to take a position, usually in response to a question, and mount an argument for it. The question can be two-sided or open-ended, as in the examples provided below.
Examples of argumentative essay prompts:
Two-sided Question
Should completing a certain number of volunteer hours be a requirement to graduate from high school? Support your argument with evidence.
Open-ended Question
What is the most significant impact that social media has had on this generation of young people?
Once again, it’s important to remember that you’re not just conveying facts or information in an argumentative essay. In the course of researching your topic, you should develop a stance on the issue. Your essay will then express that stance and attempt to persuade the reader of its legitimacy and correctness through discussion, assessment, and evaluation.
Although you are advancing a particular viewpoint, your argumentative essay must flow from a position of objectivity. Your argument should evolve thoughtfully and rationally from evidence and logic rather than emotion.
There are two main models that provide a good starting point for crafting your essay: the Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.
This model is commonly used in academic essays. It mounts an argument through the following four steps:
As an example of how to put the Toulmin model into practice, here’s how you might structure an argument about the impact of devoting public funding to building low-income housing.
This model is also frequently used within academia, and it also builds an argument using four steps, although in a slightly different fashion:
The persuasiveness of this model owes to the fact that it offers a balanced view of the issue and attempts to find a compromise. For this reason, it works especially well for topics that are polarizing and where it’s important to demonstrate that you’re arguing in good faith.
To illustrate, here’s how you could argue that smartphones should be permitted in classrooms.
It’s not essential to adhere strictly to one model or the other—you can borrow elements from both models to structure your essay. However, no matter which model of argumentation you choose, your essay will need to have an outline that effectively presents and develops your position.
A clear and straightforward structure works best for argumentative essays since you want to make it easy for your reader to understand your position and follow your arguments. The traditional essay outline comprises an introductory paragraph that announces your thesis statement, body paragraphs that unfold your argument point by point, and a concluding paragraph that summarizes your thesis and supporting points.
Introductory paragraph
This paragraph provides an overview of your topic and any background information that your readers will need in order to understand the context and your position. It generally concludes with an explicit statement of your position on the topic, which is known as your thesis statement.
Over the last decade, smartphones have transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, socially, culturally, and personally. They are now incorporated into almost every facet of daily life, and this includes making their way into classrooms. There are many educators who view smartphones with suspicion and see them as a threat to the sanctity of the classroom. Although there are reasons to regard smartphones with caution, there are ways to use them responsibly to teach and educate the next generation of young minds. Indeed, the value they hold as teaching tools is nearly unlimited: as a way to teach digital literacy, to reach students through a medium that is familiar and fun for them, and to provide a nimble and adaptable learning environment.
Body paragraphs
Most argumentative essays have at least three body paragraphs that lay out the supporting points in favor of your argument. Each paragraph should open with a topic sentence that presents a separate point that is then fleshed out and backed up by research, facts, figures, data, and other evidence. Remember that your aim in writing an argumentative essay is to convince or persuade your reader, and your body paragraphs are where you present your most compelling pieces of information in order to do just that.
The body of your essay is also where you should address any opposing arguments and make your case against them, either disproving them or stating the reasons why you disagree. Responding to potential rebuttals strengthens your argument and builds your credibility with your readers.
A frequent objection that teachers have to smartphones in the classroom is that students use them to socialize when they should be learning. This view overlooks the fact that students are using smartphones to connect with each other and this is a valuable skill that should be encouraged, not discouraged, in the classroom. A 2014 study demonstrated the benefits of providing students with individual smartphones. Sanctioned smartphone use in the classroom proved to be of particular importance in improving educational outcomes for low-income and at-risk students. What’s more, learning apps have been developed specifically to take advantage of the potential of smartphones to reach learners of various levels and backgrounds, and many offer the ability to customize the method and delivery of lessons to individual learner preferences. This shows that the untapped potential of smartphones is huge, and many teachers would do well to consider incorporating them into their classrooms.
Your concluding paragraph wraps up your essay by restating your thesis and recapping the arguments you presented in your body paragraphs. No new information should be introduced in your conclusion, however, you may consider shifting the lens of your argument to make a comment on how this issue affects the world at large or you personally, always keeping in mind that objectivity and relevance are your guiding principles.
Smartphones have a growing place in the world of education, and despite the presence of legitimate concerns about their use, their value as teaching tools has been clearly established. With more and more of our lives going digital and with the growing emphasis on offering distance learning as an option, educators with an eye to the future won't wait to embrace smartphones and find ways to use them to their fullest effect. As much time and space as we could devote to weighing the pros and cons of smartphones, the fact is that they are not going to disappear from our lives, and our best bet is to develop their, and our students', potential.
Your argumentative essay starts with an introductory paragraph. This paragraph provides an overview of your topic and any background information that your readers will need in order to understand the context and your position.
Like any traditional essay, the argumentative essay consists of three parts:
There are do's and don'ts in argumentative writing. This article summarizes some of them well - you should, for example, avoid coming to an argument based on feelings, without any evidence. Everything you say needs to be backed up by evidence, unless you are the renowned expert in the field.
Yes, you can start your argumentative essay with a question or with a thesis statement. Or you can do both - ask a question and then immediately answer it with a statement.
There are contrasting views on that. In some situations it can make sense to end your argumentative essay with a question - for example, when you want to create room for further discussions or want the reader to leave thinking about the question.
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The argumentative essay, learning objectives.
You may have heard it said that all writing is an argument of some kind. Even if you’re writing an informative essay, you still have the job of trying to convince your audience that the information is important. However, there are times you’ll be asked to write an essay that is specifically an argumentative piece.
An argumentative essay is one that makes a clear assertion or argument about some topic or issue. When you’re writing an argumentative essay, it’s important to remember that an academic argument is quite different from a regular, emotional argument. Note that sometimes students forget the academic aspect of an argumentative essay and write essays that are much too emotional for an academic audience. It’s important for you to choose a topic you feel passionately about (if you’re allowed to pick your topic), but you have to be sure you aren’t too emotionally attached to a topic. In an academic argument, you’ll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you’ll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions.
Figure 1 . When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience.
Argumentative essays are quite common in academic writing and are often an important part of writing in all disciplines. You may be asked to take a stand on a social issue in your introduction to writing course, but you could also be asked to take a stand on an issue related to health care in your nursing courses or make a case for solving a local environmental problem in your biology class. And, since argument is such a common essay assignment, it’s important to be aware of some basic elements of a good argumentative essay.
When your professor asks you to write an argumentative essay, you’ll often be given something specific to write about. For example, you may be asked to take a stand on an issue you have been discussing in class. Perhaps, in your education class, you would be asked to write about standardized testing in public schools. Or, in your literature class, you might be asked to argue the effects of protest literature on public policy in the United States.
However, there are times when you’ll be given a choice of topics. You might even be asked to write an argumentative essay on any topic related to your field of study or a topic you feel that is important personally.
Whatever the case, having some knowledge of some basic argumentative techniques or strategies will be helpful as you write. Below are some common types of arguments.
For more examples of types of argumentative essays, visit the Argumentative Purposes section of the Excelsior OWL .
Learn the most effective tips and tricks to craft a compelling and persuasive argumentative essay that will capture your readers’ attention and leave a lasting impact.
In the realm of academic writing, the art of constructing a persuasive argumentative essay holds a position of paramount importance. The ability to effectively convey one’s thoughts, defend a certain stance, and sway the reader’s perspective is a hallmark of exceptional composition. Through the strategic use of language and well-structured reasoning, writers can engage their audience and present compelling evidence to support their claims.
However, creating an argumentative essay that truly captivates and convinces requires more than just a strong opinion. It demands a deep understanding of the topic at hand, the ability to analyze multiple perspectives, and the skill to present a well-thought-out argument that stands up to scrutiny. Crafting such a composition can be a daunting task, but armed with the right tools and techniques, any writer can achieve persuasive excellence.
At its core, an effective argumentative essay is one that resonates with the reader on an emotional level while also appealing to their logic and reasoning. Successfully blending these elements requires the writer to strike a delicate balance between passion and objectivity. By presenting convincing evidence, anticipating counterarguments, and addressing potential doubts, a writer can build a strong case that is both emotionally compelling and intellectually convincing. It is through this fusion of emotions and rational thought that the true power of an argumentative essay can be harnessed.
One of the most crucial aspects of crafting a compelling argumentative essay lies in selecting a strong and engaging topic. The topic you choose serves as the foundation for your essay, setting the tone and direction of your arguments. Therefore, it is crucial to choose a topic that not only captivates your readers but also allows you to present a clear and well-supported argument.
When selecting a topic, it is important to consider its relevance and current significance. Choose a topic that sparks interest and debate in society, as this will make your essay more impactful and engaging. Additionally, selecting a topic that you are genuinely passionate about will make the research and writing process more enjoyable and rewarding.
Emphasize unique perspectives within the topic you choose. Seek to explore new angles and provide fresh insights that will captivate your readers. This can be achieved by conducting thorough research and gathering a range of credible sources that support your viewpoints.
Remember, a strong argumentative essay requires a clear thesis statement that presents your stance on the chosen topic. Your thesis statement should be concise and arguable, providing a solid foundation for your arguments. Furthermore, it is important to anticipate counterarguments and address them effectively within your essay to strengthen your position.
By carefully selecting a strong topic, you set the stage for an engaging and persuasive argumentative essay. Consider the relevance and significance of the topic, seek to provide unique perspectives, and ensure your thesis statement is clear and arguable. With these elements in place, you will be well on your way to writing an outstanding essay that will elicit thoughtful discussion and debate.
When crafting a solid and persuasive argumentative essay, it is crucial to gather reliable and credible sources to support your claims. As you develop your argument, it is important to consider the quality and credibility of the information you use, as this will greatly impact the strength of your essay.
Reliable sources can come in various forms, such as academic journals, reputable websites, books written by experts, and interviews with knowledgeable individuals. These sources provide you with a solid foundation of information that can be used to support your arguments and help you build a strong case. It is important to ensure that the information you gather is accurate and trustworthy, as using unreliable sources can weaken your argument and undermine your credibility.
When selecting sources, look for those that have been written or produced by experts in the field or by reputable organizations. It is also helpful to choose sources that are recent, as this indicates that the information is up-to-date and reflects current knowledge and understanding. Additionally, analyze the author’s credentials and affiliations to determine their expertise and potential bias.
Remember to critically evaluate the information you find and consider multiple perspectives. Analyze the arguments presented in your sources and identify any potential weaknesses or biases. By carefully evaluating your sources, you can strengthen your own argument and provide a well-rounded analysis of the topic.
Overall, gathering reliable sources is a crucial step in writing an effective argumentative essay. By using credible information from experts and reputable sources, you can build a strong case and present a compelling argument to your readers.
When it comes to organizing your essay, it’s important to create a clear and logical structure that effectively presents your arguments and supports your main thesis. A well-structured essay not only helps your readers follow your line of thought, but it also demonstrates your ability to think critically and present your ideas in a coherent manner.
One common approach to structuring an essay is to use a cohesive and logical progression of ideas. Start by introducing your topic and providing some background information to set the context for your argument. This can be done in a brief paragraph or through the use of bullet points to outline key points.
Once you’ve introduced your topic and stated your thesis, it’s time to develop your argument. This is where you provide evidence and support for your claims. You can do this by presenting strong and persuasive arguments, citing relevant sources, and providing examples or anecdotes that illustrate your points.
Addressing counterarguments is another important aspect of a well-structured essay. Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and provide clear and logical rebuttals to strengthen your own argument. This shows that you’ve considered different perspectives and strengthens the overall persuasiveness of your essay.
Finally, conclude your essay by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis. This helps reinforce the central message of your argument and leaves a lasting impression on your readers. Remember to keep your conclusion concise and impactful.
In summary, structuring your essay is crucial for presenting your arguments effectively. By using a clear and logical progression of ideas, supporting your claims with strong evidence, addressing counterarguments, and providing a concise conclusion, you can ensure that your essay is well-organized and persuasive.
One of the most important elements of a well-written argumentative essay is a clear and concise thesis statement. The thesis statement acts as the main idea or argument of the essay, providing a roadmap for the reader to understand the purpose and direction of the writing. Crafting a strong thesis statement is crucial for effectively conveying your viewpoint and persuading the audience to agree with your stance. In this section, we will explore effective strategies and guidelines for presenting a clear thesis statement in your argumentative essay.
When presenting your thesis statement, it is important to be specific and focused. Avoid vague or broad statements that do not provide a clear direction for your argument. Instead, choose a specific and well-defined thesis that clearly states your position on the topic. This will help to ensure that your argument is cohesive and easy to follow. | |
The language you use in your thesis statement should be strong and defensible. Avoid weak or hesitant language that undermines the strength of your argument. Instead, use confident and assertive language to assert your viewpoint and make a compelling case for your position. | |
Your thesis statement should provide a roadmap for your essay, outlining the main points or arguments that you will address in your writing. This helps to give structure to your essay and allows the reader to anticipate the points you will make. Be clear and concise in your roadmap, ensuring that each point is relevant to your overall argument. | |
When presenting your thesis statement, it is important to consider potential counterarguments to your position. Acknowledge and address these counterarguments in your thesis statement to demonstrate that you have considered other viewpoints. This helps to strengthen your argument and show that you have thoroughly researched and thought about the topic. | |
Finally, it is important to revise and refine your thesis statement as you develop your argumentative essay. As you delve deeper into your research and analysis, you may find that your initial thesis statement needs to be modified or expanded. Be open to making revisions to ensure that your thesis statement accurately reflects your argument and provides a clear direction for your essay. |
By following these guidelines and strategies, you can present a clear and compelling thesis statement in your argumentative essay. Remember to be specific and focused, use strong and defensible language, provide a roadmap for your essay, consider counterarguments, and revise your thesis statement as needed. A well-crafted thesis statement will help to engage readers and effectively convey your argument, increasing the chances of persuading your audience to agree with your viewpoint.
Supporting your arguments with strong evidence and examples is essential for writing a compelling and persuasive essay. By presenting credible facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-life examples, you can effectively strengthen your arguments and make them more convincing. Here are some tips on how to use strong evidence and examples in your argumentative essay.
1. Conduct thorough research: Before you start writing your essay, conduct thorough research to gather relevant and reliable evidence and examples that support your arguments. Look for reputable sources such as academic journals, books, and credible websites to ensure the accuracy of the information.
2. Use data and statistics: Incorporating data and statistics into your essay can add credibility and make your arguments more persuasive. Use well-researched and up-to-date data to support your claims and provide a solid foundation for your arguments.
3. Reference expert opinions: Including expert opinions in your essay can help strengthen your arguments and show that they are supported by knowledgeable individuals in the field. Cite reputable experts, scholars, and professionals who have expertise in the topic you are discussing.
4. Provide real-life examples: Using real-life examples can make your arguments more relatable and compelling. Draw examples from current events, historical events, personal experiences, or case studies to illustrate the practical application of your arguments and demonstrate their validity.
5. Anticipate and address counterarguments: To further strengthen your arguments, anticipate and address counterarguments. Show that you have considered alternative viewpoints and provide strong evidence and examples to refute those counterarguments. This demonstrates that you have thoroughly examined the issue and strengthens your overall argument.
By using strong evidence and examples in your argumentative essay, you can enhance the persuasiveness and effectiveness of your arguments. Remember to research thoroughly, use data and statistics, reference expert opinions, provide real-life examples, and address counterarguments to build a compelling case for your point of view.
Addressing and refuting opposing viewpoints is a crucial aspect of crafting a persuasive argument. By acknowledging and effectively responding to alternative perspectives, you strengthen your own position and demonstrate your understanding of the topic at hand.
When countering opposing views, it is important to approach the task with a respectful and open-minded attitude. Rather than dismissing opposing arguments outright, take the time to understand the reasoning behind them and identify any valid points they may contain. This demonstrates that you have considered multiple perspectives and strengthens the credibility of your own argument.
One effective strategy for counteracting opposing views is to preemptively address potential objections before they are even raised. By proactively identifying and addressing counterarguments, you show your audience that you have thoroughly considered different viewpoints. This helps to build trust and establishes you as a knowledgeable and thoughtful writer.
Another way to counteract opposing views is to carefully analyze and critique the evidence and sources used to support those viewpoints. Look for logical fallacies, factual inaccuracies, or biased information and highlight them in your argument. This helps to weaken the opposing perspective and strengthen your own position.
Furthermore, it is important to anticipate potential objections and provide strong rebuttals. Take the time to consider the most likely criticisms or counterarguments that may be raised against your viewpoint, and develop compelling responses to address them. This demonstrates your ability to think critically and enhances the persuasive power of your argument.
In conclusion, countering opposing views is an essential component of crafting a persuasive argument. By thoroughly analyzing and responding to alternative perspectives, preemptively addressing potential objections, critiquing evidence, and providing strong rebuttals, you can effectively establish the credibility and strength of your own argument.
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In this study, the relationship among students’ attitude towards peer feedback, peer feedback performance, and uptake in an online learning environment was investigated. This study was conducted at Wageningen University and Research and 135 undergraduate students participated. A module called “ Argumentative Essay Writing ” was designed and students were asked to follow this module in the course in three consecutive weeks. Each week students performed one task in which in the first week, students wrote an argumentative essay. In the second week, students provided two sets of peer feedback on their peers’ essays and in the third week, students revised their essays based on the received feedback. At the end of the module, students were asked to fill out the survey about their attitude towards peer feedback. The results showed that in general students' attitude towards peer feedback did not predict their peer feedback performance and uptake. However, a relationship was found between the perceived usefulness of peer feedback and peer feedback uptake where perceived usefulness of peer feedback could predict uptake of peer feedback. It was found that there is a relationship between the quality of received peer feedback and students’ attitude towards peer feedback. The justification and constructive features of the received peer feedback were found to predict students’ perceived fairness and trustworthiness of peer feedback. The constructive feature of the received peer feedback predicted students’ perceived usefulness of peer feedback. These results provide evidence for understanding how students’ attitude towards peer feedback and their peer feedback performance and uptake in online learning environments can influence each other. We discuss these results and provide agenda for future work.
This study is a part of a larger project funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, and Science, the Netherlands, Wageningen University and Research, and SURF organization with the funding numbers: 2100.9613.00. OCW. This fund was awarded to Omid Noroozi. The authors declared that there were no conflicts of interest to disclose. Correspondence concerning this book chapter should be addressed to Nafiseh Taghizadeh Kerman, Department of Education, Ferdowsi University, Mashhad, Iran. [email protected].
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The use of peer feedback in higher education, particularly in online classes with large size of students has been considerably growing (Latifi et al., 2021 ; Yang, 2016 ), especially in writing classes (e.g., Noroozi & Hatami, 2019 ; Shang, 2019 ). For example, in the context of argumentative essay writing, peer feedback is acknowledged as an active and effective learning activity since it involves students in a learning process where they deal with critical reading, critical reflection, and creating constructive knowledge that leads to enhancing peers’ argumentative essay writing competence (Noroozi, 2018 , 2022 ; Noroozi & Hatami, 2019 ; Tian & Zhou, 2020 ).
According to previous studies, using peer feedback in higher education can improve students' evaluation and judgment skills (Liu & Carless, 2006 ), self-regulation skills (Lin, 2018a , 2018b ), communication, collaboration, and negotiation skills (e.g., Altınay, 2016 ; Bayat et al., 2022 ; Lai, 2016 ; Lai et al., 2020 ), critical thinking skills (e.g., Ekahitanond, 2013 ; Novakovich, 2016 ), engagement (e.g., Devon et al., 2015 ; Fan & Xu, 2020 ), motivation (e.g., Hsia et al., 2016 ; Zhang et al., 2014 ), and learning satisfaction (e.g., Donia et al., 2022 ; Zhang et al., 2014 ).
The success of peer feedback mainly depends on its quality (Carless et al. 2011; Er et al., 2021; Hattie & Timperley, 2007; Latifi et al., 2020 ; Taghizadeh et al., 2022 ; Shute, 2008). If students find the received feedback of high quality, they are more likely to uptake and implement it in their essays (Wu & Schunn, 2020 ). For the feedback to be effective, it should contain features such as affective statements (e.g., praise or compliment), a summary explanation of the work, identifications, and localization of the problem, and solutions and action plans to the identified problems and further improvements (Banihashem et al., 2022 ; Noroozi et al., 2012 ; Patchan et al., 2016 ; Wu & Schunn, 2021 ).
Empirical research has revealed a number of issues related to peer feedback (Latifi & Noroozi, 2021 ; Latifi et al., 2021 ; Noroozi et al., 2012 , 2018 ; Panadero, 2016 ; Zhao, 2018 ; Zhu & Carless, 2018 ). One of the challenges is the perception of distrust in peers’ competence to provide high-quality feedback (Kaufman & Schunn, 2011 ; Liu & Carless, 2006 ; Zhu & Carless, 2018 ). Students are skeptical in terms of receiving high-quality feedback from peers as they perceive peers’ knowledge may not good enough to identify the problem or may not even their peers take it seriously to carefully read and provide constructive feedback (Hu, 2005 ; Panadero & Alonso-Tapia, 2013 ; Tsui & Ng, 2000 ; Vu & Dall’Alba, 2007 ). One reason is that students may have a different perceived level of domain knowledge and feedback proficiency that can cause a different impact on levels of contribution and motivation of students (Allen & Mills, 2016 ; Wu, 2019 ). For example, students with high feedback proficiency are demotivated because they have little faith in and perception of the quality of the feedback received from peers with low feedback proficiency (Jiang & Yu, 2014 ). Therefore, students’ performance and uptake of peer feedback can be influenced by their attitude towards peer feedback.
Attitude is defined as the psychological evaluations a person makes of people, objects, or events (Gagne et al., 2005 ). Attitude towards peer feedback means how students perceive peer feedback and what they feel about providing or receiving peer feedback. Attitude towards peer feedback includes multiple components. For example, perceived fairness (Lin, 2018a , 2018b ), perceived usefulness (Kuo, 2017 ), perceived learning outcomes (Chan & Lin, 2019 ; Lin et al., 2016 , 2018 ; Noroozi & Mulder, 2017 ), and perceived ease to use (Kuo, 2017 ; Ge, 2019 ). Although attitudes are largely internal and particular to each person, they are socially impacted and changed by how other people behave (Bordens and Horowitz, 2008 ). Many factors change attitudes, especially attitudes toward peer feedback. For example, defining peer feedback goals (Topping, 2017 ), training and the required instruction and direction (Falchikov, 2005 ; Morra and Romano, 2008, 2009), providing argumentative peer feedback (Noroozi & Hatami, 2019 ), using the mobile peer feedback strategy (Kuo, 2017 ), online peer feedback with TQM (Lin, 2016 ), anonymous condition (Lin, 2018 ), guided peer feedback (Noroozi & Mulder, 2017 ), using the blogging (Rahmany et al., 2013 ), accurate and specific feedback (Wang et al., 2019 ) caused attitudinal change towards online peer feedback and learning.
Prior studies also have shown that students’ perceptions of peer feedback plays an influential role in their peer feedback performance and uptake (Chou, 2014 ; Collimore et al., 2014 ; Paré & Joordens, 2008 ; Prins et al., 2010 ; Wen & Tsai, 2006 ; Zou et al., 2017 ). If students have a positive attitude towards peer feedback, they are more likely to provide feedback and to take the received feedback more seriously into account, while a negative attitude towards peer feedback may not motivate them enough to actively participate in the peer feedback process (Azarnoosh, 2013 ; Lin et al., 2001 ). For example, Mishra et al. (2020) and Mulder et al. ( 2014 ) reported that students’ attitude towards peers’ competence in providing good feedback or even in a larger scope students’ perceptions about the usefulness of the peer feedback is one of the key factors that can influence students’ peer feedback performance and uptake. Because students who perceived peer feedback useful were more likely to accept it by acknowledging their mistakes, indicating that they want to change their material, and/or appreciating the effectiveness of the peer feedback (Misiejuk et al., 2021 ; Noroozi et al., 2016 ). Studies have shown that if students do not perceive peer feedback as a useful activity and if they do not perceive their peers as knowledgeable and reliable feedback providers, they are less likely to uptake feedback and implement it in their work (Harks et al., 2014 ; Noroozi & Mulder, 2017 ).
Although the evidence showed that students' attitude towards peer feedback and peer feedback performance and uptake can influence each other (e.g., Alhomaidan, 2016 ; Kuyyogsuy, 2019 ; Noroozi et al., 2022 ), this has not been largely investigated in online learning environments in the context of argumentative essay writing. Little is known how students' attitude towards peer feedback relates to students' peer feedback performance and uptake, in the context of argumentative essay writing in an online mode of education (Alhomaidan, 2016 ; Kuyyogsuy, 2019 ). There is also little known about how the quality of the received peer feedback can influence students’ attitude towards peer feedback. For example, if students receive high-quality feedback from their peers can it improve students’ attitude towards peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing.
Therefore, this study was conducted to further explore this by answering the following research questions.
To what extent does students’ attitude towards peer feedback predict peer feedback performance in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education?
To what extent does students’ attitude towards peer feedback predict the uptake of peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education?
To what extent does the quality of the received peer feedback predict students’ attitude towards peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education?
In this study, 135 undergraduate students participated, however, only 101 students have completed the module. About 69% of participants were female (N = 70) and 31% of participants were male (N = 31). Out of 101 participants, 79 students completed the attitude towards peer feedback questionnaire. As a results, the sample size of 79 was analysis. To comply with ethical considerations, participants were informed about the research setup of the module. They were assured that no data can be linked to any individual participant. Furthermore, ethical approval from the Social Sciences Ethics Committee at Wageningen University and Research was obtained for this study.
4.1 students’ argumentative essay performance.
To measure the quality of students’ argumentative essay performance, a coding scheme adjusted based on Noroozi et al. ( 2016 ) instrument was used. This coding scheme was developed based on a high-quality argumentative essay structure which comprised of eight elements including (1) introduction on the topic, (2) taking a position on the topic, (3) arguments for the position, (4) justifications for arguments for the position, (5) arguments against the position, (6) justifications for arguments against the position, (7) response to counter-arguments, and (8) conclusion and implications. Each element is scored from 0 points (not mentioned at all) to 3 points (mentioned with the highest quality) (Table 16.1 ). All given points for these elements are summed up together and indicate the student’s total score for the quality of the written argumentative essay. This coding scheme was used in two phases. In the first phase, it was used to assess students’ first draft of the essay and in the second phase, it was used to assess students’ revised version of the essay. The quality of students’ argumentative essays was assessed based on the differences in their performances in the first draft and revised draft of the essay. Two coders with expertise in education contributed to the coding of the quality of written argumentative essays. Cohen's kappa coefficient analysis was used to measure the inter-rater reliability between the coders and the results showed that there is a reliable agreement between the coders ( Kappa = 0.70, p < 0.001 ). According to Landis and Koch ( 1977 ) and McHugh ( 2012 ) classification for Cohen’s Kappa coefficients, 0.70 is substantial.
To measure the quality of students’ online peer feedback, a coding scheme was designed by the authors based on the review of related previous studies mainly (e.g., Nelson & Schunn, 2009 ; Patchan et al., 2016 ; Wu & Schunn, 2020 ). This coding scheme entails four main categories including affective, cognitive (description, identification, and justification), and constructive features feedback. The coding scheme was scored from 0 points (poor) to 2 points (good) for all the categories. All points were summed up and determined the quality of online peer feedback performance (Table 16.2 ). Since each student provided and received two sets of feedback, the mean score of both feedback was identified as the quality of online peer feedback for each student. Similar to the argumentative essay analysis, the same two coders participated in the coding process for peer feedback analysis, and Cohen's kappa coefficient results for inter-rater reliability among coders were found to be significant ( Kappa = 0.60, p < 0.001 ). According to Landis and Koch ( 1977 ) and McHugh ( 2012 ) classification for Cohen’s Kappa coefficients, 0.60 is moderate and acceptable.
The authors developed a questionnaire with a 19-item to measure students’ attitude towards peer feedback. All items of this questionnaire were designed on a five-point Likert scale ranging “ strongly disagree = 1,” “disagree = 2,” “neutral = 3,” “agree = 4” , and “strongly agree = 5 .” This questionnaire entails four main sections including perceived usefulness of peer feedback, perceived motivation of peer feedback, perceived trustworthiness of peer feedback, and perceived fairness of peer feedback. The reliability coefficient was high for all four scales of this instrument ( Cronbach α = 0.82, 0.80, 0.76 , and 0.84 ). Also, we did factor analysis with Lisrel software 8.80 for the students’ attitude towards peer feedback questionnaire. If the vast majority of the indexes indicate a good fit, then there is probably a good fit. Schreiber et al. ( 2006 ) suggested that for continuous data— χ2/df ≤ 2 or 3, CFI > 0.95, IFI > 0.95, GFI > 0.95, AGFI > 0.95, and RMSEA < 0.06 or 0.08. Our results revealed that standardized loading estimates of each element were greater than 0.70. Also, the result of Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) for students’ attitude towards peer feedback questionnaire showed that the single-factor model provides good fit indices [χ2 (2) = 5.43, p > 0.05, χ2/df = 2.71, Comparative Fit Index (CFI) = 0.99, Incremental Fit Index (IFI) = 0.99, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.99, Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) = 0.94, Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.08.
This study is a part of a bigger project that took place at Wageningen University and Research in the 2020–2021 academic year. As a part of a bigger project, one course from Environmental Science was selected for this study, and the module called the “ Argumentative Essay Writing ” was designed and embedded in the course at the Brightspace platform. The module was followed by the students in three consecutive weeks and for each week they were requested to complete a specific task. In the first week, students were asked to write an argumentative essay on one of the three provided controversial topics including (a) the long-term impacts of Covid-19 on the environment, (b) the role of private actors in funding local and global biodiversity, and (c) bans on the use of single-use plastics. The word limit for this argumentative essay is 600 to 800 words (excluding references). All students were requested to write their essays within the determined work limit. Since all students were the same, therefore, all students performed their essays in the same condition, the effects of word count is controlled. In the second week, students were invited to provide feedback on the argumentative essays of two peers based on specific given criteria. Each student provided and received two sets of feedback (30 to 50 words for each element) on peers’ essay performance based on the criteria embedded in the FeedbackFruits app within the Brightspace platform. It should be noted that students did not receive more than two sets of feedback from their peers on their essays. In the third week, students were asked to revise their original argumentative essay based on the two received feedback sets provided by their peers. Students were informed that this module is a part of their course and it is necessary for them to complete all tasks offered within the proposed time and deadline. Students received an extra bonus for completing this module.
In this study, descriptive analysis was used to show an overview of students’ attitude towards peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing in an online learning environment. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test was used to determine whether the distribution of the data was normal or not and it was found that data were normally distributed (p > 0.05). Also, collinearity effects were checked in regression models. If Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) value was lower than the cut-off score 10 and Tolerance value was lower than the cut-off score 1, an indication that is no multicollinearity problem (Miles, 2014 ). Tests to see if the data met the assumption of collinearity in this study indicated that multicollinearity was not a concern (perceived usefulness of peer feedback Tolerance = 0.37, VIF = 2.64; perceived motivation/enjoyment of peer feedback Tolerance = 0.70, VIF = 1.41; perceived trustworthiness of peer feedback Tolerance = 0.33, VIF = 2.97; perceived fairness of peer feedback Tolerance = 0.56, VIF = 1.76). Then, a multiple linear regression test was used to answer the research questions.
An overview of students’ attitude towards peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing in an online learning environment is presented in Table 16.3 . The percentages provided for each of the attitude components include perceived usefulness of peer feedback, perceived motivation/enjoyment of peer feedback, perceived trustworthiness of peer feedback, and perceived fairness of peer feedback. Almost 66% of students stated that they perceived feedback from peers as a useful learning activity. Almost 55% of students stated that peer feedback is motivational for them. About 60% of students stated that they trust feedback from peers. About 69% of students perceived peer feedback as fair as teacher feedback.
RQ1: To what extent does students’ attitude towards peer feedback predict peer feedback performance in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education?
The results showed that students’ attitude did not predict peer feedback performance (F(4, 73) = 1.21, p = 0.31) (Table 16.4 ). Students who had a better perception of peer feedback did not perform better in providing feedback to their peers.
RQ2: To what extent does students’ attitude towards peer feedback predict the uptake of peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education?
The results showed that students’ attitude did not predict uptake of peer feedback (F(4, 74) = 1.54, p = 0.19). However, the perceived usefulness of peer feedback was a significant predictor for uptaking of peer feedback (Table 16.5 ). Students who perceived useful feedback from their peers significantly were more progress from pre-test to post-test in argumentative essay writing improvement.
RQ3: To what extent does the quality of the received peer feedback predict students’ attitude towards peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education?
The results showed that the quality of the received peer feedback including justification and constructive features of feedback can predict students’ attitude (F(5, 73) = 3.31, p < 0.01, R 2 = 0.18). The adjusted R square value indicated that 18% of the attitude difference could be explained by these factors, but only two predictors (i.e. justification and constructive features) were significant.
The quality of the received peer feedback including constructive feature of feedback can predict students’ perceived usefulness of peer feedback (F(5, 73) = 4.80, p < 0.01, R 2 = 0.25). The adjusted R square value indicated that 25% of the students’ perceived usefulness difference could be explained by these factors, but only one predictor (i.e. constructive features) was significant.
The results also showed that the quality of the received peer feedback cannot predict students’ perceived motivation of peer feedback (F(5, 73) = 1.29, p = 0.27).
However, it was found that the quality of the received peer feedback including justification and constructive features of feedback can predict students’ perceived trustworthiness of peer feedback (F(5, 73) = 2.35, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.14). The adjusted R square value indicated that 14% of the students’ perceived trustworthiness difference could be explained by these factors, but only two predictors (i.e. justification and constructive features) were significant.
The results also showed that the quality of the received peer feedback including justification and constructive features of feedback can predict students’ perceived fairness of peer feedback (F(5, 73) = 3.00, p < 0.05, R 2 = 0.17). The adjusted R square value indicated that 17% of the students’ perceived fairness difference could be explained by these factors, but only two predictors (i.e. justification and constructive features) were significant (Table 16.6 ).
6.1 discussions for findings of the rq1.
The findings revealed that students' attitude towards peer feedback had no predictive impacts on peer feedback performance. This means that the quality of the feedback that students provided was not influenced by their attitude towards peer feedback. Even though students showed a positive attitude towards peer feedback (Table 16.3 ), this finding showed that this attitude did not significantly affect students' peer feedback performance. To explain this finding, it can be argued that providing feedback is more a behavioral act and it is considered a skill that students should acquire through practice. Previous research has shown that practice is crucial for the development of peer feedback skills (Sluijsmans et al., 2002 ). Students who have more practice with peer feedback, the more likely are to develop expertise in making a critical evaluation of peers’ essays to provide constructive points for improvements (Panadero, 2016 ). Researchers indicated that when students have more opportunities to practice peer feedback during essay writing in classes, they improve their ability how to give and make use of feedback (Chang et al., 2015; Liang & Tsai, 2010; Tsai et al., 2002; Wen & Tsai, 2006 ). In other words, the more training and preparation students had, the better they appeared to participate in the peer assessment activity. This suggests that students’ opinions toward their practice are influenced by this preparation (Hansen & Liu, 2005 ). Also, Liu and Lee ( 2013 ) showed that the students made valuable modifications to their work with the help of feedback from others, and most of the students had a positive impression of peer feedback after participating in multiple rounds of online peer assessment activities. Therefore, what can be said here is that the quality of provided feedback by peers depends more on their practices and experiences with peer feedback than their attitude towards peer feedback. Also, review publications showed that a number of the round of peer feedback (Chen et al., 2020 ; Liu & Lee, 2013 ), scripting (Noroozi et al., 2016 ), worked example and scripting (Latifi et al., 2020 ), collaborative team of reviewers (Mandala et al. 2018 ), structured peer feedback (Wang & Wu, 2008 ), anonymous (Basheti et al., 2010 ; Lane et al., 2018 ), synchronous discussion (Zheng et al., 2017 ), video annotation peer feedback (Lai, 2016 ), type of provided feedback (Noroozi et al., 2016 ), and peer feedback mode (peer ratings plus peer comments) (Chen et al., 2020 ; Hsia et al., 2016 ) affect on peer feedback performance. For example, Hsia et al., ( 2016 ) showed that the integration of both peer rating and peer comments is an effective approach that can meet the students’ expectations and help them improve peer-feedback quality, and peer-scoring correctness as well as their willingness to participate in online learning activities. And, Mandala et al. ( 2018 ) showed that a collaborative team of reviewers produced higher quality feedback than did individual reviewers. Collaboration improved student engagement in the process. Zheng et al., ( 2017 ) showed that synchronous discussion can significantly improve the quality of affective and metacognitive peer feedback messages. Also, Lin ( 2018a , 2018b ) showed that students in the anonymous group provided significantly more cognitive feedback (i.e., vague suggestions, extension). As a result, based on previous research, it can be said that improving peer feedback performance is more influenced by different educational mechanisms and approaches than students' attitudes toward peer feedback.
The findings revealed that in general students’ attitude towards peer feedback did not predict their feedback uptake in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education. However, the perceived usefulness of peer feedback was a significant predictor for uptaking of peer feedback in argumentative essay writing. This means that if students feel that the received peer feedback is useful to improve their argumentative essay writing, they are willing to implement the received feedback in their essays. This finding, in general, is consistent with the findings of Huisman et al. ( 2018 ), Kaufman and Schunn ( 2011 ), and Strijbos et al. ( 2010 ). In particular, this finding is consistent with the findings of Misiejuk et al. ( 2020 ) and Mulder et al. ( 2014 ) where a relationship was found between the perceived usefulness of peer feedback and uptake of peer feedback. One reason to explain why the perceived usefulness of peer feedback can predict uptake of peer feedback could be related to the fact that when students feel that the received peer feedback can truly improve the quality of their work, then they will be in favor of taking those feedback comments seriously (Harks et al., 2014 ). This is supported by Misiejuk et al. ( 2020 ) study where they reported that students who found the feedback useful tended to be more accepting by acknowledging their errors, intending to revise their text, and praising its usefulness, while students who found the feedback less useful tended to be more defensive by expressing that they were confused about its meaning, critical towards its form and focus, and in disagreement with the claims. In other words, Students who perceived peer feedback useful were more likely to accept it by acknowledging their mistakes, indicating that they want to change their material, and/or appreciating the effectiveness of the peer feedback (Misiejuk et al., 2021; Noroozi et al., 2016 ). Therefore, teachers need to use strategies and mechanisms in the classroom to help students provide useful feedback. Learner attributes such as knowledge of the activity's goals, capacity to apply feedback criteria, and evaluation of the strengths and shortcomings of feedback (Sluijsmans et al., 2002 ) are all critical drivers of a peer feedback activity's success or failure. Future research could explore the impact of peer feedback activities on the skills and characteristics of students.
The findings revealed that the quality of the received peer feedback can influence students' attitude towards peer feedback. This finding is consistent with the findings of Noroozi and Mulder ( 2017 ) and Wang et al. ( 2019 ). The findings showed that feedback that is justified by facts, example, various pieces of evidence as well as suggestions for improvement, makes students more likely to trust that feedback and understand it more fairly. Students also find feedback that contains suggestions for improving work more useful. These findings are supported by Chen et al. ( 2009 ) and Lin ( 2018a , 2018b ). One reason for such findings can be related to the fact that when students find the received feedback of high quality, they are more likely to uptake and use the received feedback in their essays (Noroozi et al., 2023 ; Wu & Schunn, 2020 ). Especially if the feedback is constructive and has suggestions for performance improvement (Valero-Haro et al., 2019a , b , 2022 ). If the received peer feedback is not constructive, and if peer feedback lacks quality features such as justification of problems in the essay and suggestions for improvement, students are more likely to ignore rather than accept and implement the feedback (Dominguez et al., 2012 ; Patchan et al., 2016 ). Because students did not perceive such feedback as useful. Geilen et al. (2010) found that students that have received justified recommendations outperformed in their revised work which is an indication for uptaking of received peer feedback. This depicts that if students explain and support their comments and feedback, their peers can better understand feedback and the issues raised in the feedback. This is in line with the prior studies that highlight the importance of high-quality features of feedback in the uptake of feedback (Winstone et al., 2016 ; Yuan & Kim, 2015 ).
This study contributes to extending our knowledge on students’ attitude towards peer feedback, peer feedback performance, and uptake. This study provides insights into how students with different attitudes perform and uptake peer feedback and how students with different qualities of received feedback perceived peer feedback in the context of argumentative essay writing in online education. This study revealed that the nature and quality of the received feedback plays a critical role in students’ attitude towards peer feedback. This study suggests that for improving students’ attitude towards peer feedback, students should be encouraged to provide high-quality feedback including features such as cognitive and constructive feedback with justified elaborations.
Although in this study we explored what features of the received feedback can predict students' attitude towards peer feedback in essay writing, we did not explore the role of provided feedback features in students' argumentative essay writing. It would be interesting to explore this in future studies and compare the effectiveness of the received and provided feedback features on students' attitude towards peer feedback. This can provide insights into the role of the assessor and assessee in the feedback process and its impacts on students' attitude towards peer feedback in the context of essay writing in higher education.
Since peer feedback also contains an internal process where students reflect on their own mind by critically reading and reflecting on peers’ argumentative essay writing (Huisman et al., 2018 ), it is suggested that future research examine individual factors such as gender, culture, previous experiences and knowledge in relation to students’ attitudes towards peer feedback. Also, more research on peer feedback perceptions and responses to various aspects of peer feedback implementation is required.
In this study, students' prior knowledge and experiences regarding peer feedback and argumentative essay writing have not been investigated. The results of this study might have been influenced by this factor. Due to this reason, we should cautiously interpret the results of this study. For future studies, we suggest exploring the relationship between students’ peer feedback performance on argumentative essay writing, their background knowledge and experiences with peer feedback, and their attitudes toward peer feedback. Another of the limitations of this study is the workload needed to provide and utilize peer feedback, so student attitudes may also depend upon the "fatigue" which can be experienced by students in peer assessment arrangements and their perception of trade-offs between benefits envisaged or gained and costs.
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With the defenestration of President Biden and the ascent of Kamala Harris, conventional wisdom has gone from asking, “How can Donald Trump lose?” to “How can he win?”
It’s basically a tossup race, but a successful Harris rollout and convention, coupled with a stumbling Trump performance since Mr. Biden’s exit, have created a sense of irresistible Harris momentum.
As usual when he falters, Mr. Trump is getting a lot of advice from his own side.
For as long as Mr. Trump has been in the ascendancy in the G.O.P., he will go off on some pointless tangent, and Republicans will urge him — perhaps as they hustle down a corridor of the U.S. Capitol — to talk about the economy instead of his controversy du jour.
A close cousin of this perpetual advice is the admonition that Mr. Trump should concentrate more on the issues in this campaign. Neither recommendation is wrong, but they are insufficient to make the case against Kamala Harris.
Presidential races are won and lost on character as much as the issues, and often the issues are proxies for character. Not character in the sense of a candidate’s personal life but the attributes that play into the question of whether someone is suited to the presidency — is he or she qualified, trustworthy and strong, and does he or she care about average Americans?
Presidential races, in this sense, are deeply personal; they usually involve disqualifying the opposing candidate, rather than convincing voters that his or her platform is wrongheaded.
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IMAGES
COMMENTS
Make a claim. Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim. Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim) Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives. The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays.
An argumentative essay is a type of writing that presents the writer's position or stance on a specific topic and uses evidence to support that position. The goal of an argumentative essay is to convince your reader that your position is logical, ethical, and, ultimately, right. In argumentative essays, writers accomplish this by writing:
Keep in mind that three main elements shape the content of each essay (see Figure 2.3.1). [1] Purpose: The reason the writer composes the essay. Audience: The individual or group whom the writer intends to address. Tone: The attitude the writer conveys about the essay's subject.
3 Drafting: Write a rough draft of your essay. It helps to include any data and direct quotes as early as possible, especially with argumentative essays that often cite outside sources. 4 Revising: Polish your rough draft, optimize word choice, and restructure your arguments if necessary. Make sure your language is clear and appropriate for the ...
An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here's an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3. 1. Introduction: Hook: Start with a compelling statement, question, or anecdote to grab the reader's attention.
1. First evidential support of your reason (known as confirmatio) 2. Second evidential support of your reason, then third, and so on. B. Summarize your first reason again and tie it together with evidential support. III. Second reason, etc. A. Continue to list your reasons in the same format as the first.
In an academic argument, you'll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you'll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions. Figure 1. When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience.
An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance. An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the ...
An argumentative essay is a structured, compelling piece of writing where an author clearly defines their stance on a specific topic. This is a very popular style of writing assigned to students at schools, colleges, and universities. Learn the steps to researching, structuring, and writing an effective argumentative essay below. Requirements ...
What is argumentative essay? The fundamentals of a good argumentative essay. Let's explore the essential components that make argumentative essays compelling. 1. The foundation: crafting a compelling claim for your argumentative essay. The claim is the cornerstone of your argumentative essay. It represents your main argument or thesis statement ...
Argumentative Essay Example 2. Malaria is an infectious disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people through female Anopheles mosquitoes. Each year, over half a billion people will become infected with malaria, with roughly 80% of them living in Sub-Saharan Africa.
In 8.2: Word Choice and Connotation, we noted that words like "driven by need" and "good intentions" evoke feelings of compassion and sympathy.In describing the tone, however, we could go further to talk about the writer's purpose and attitude. Their admissions of uncertainty in the first sentence indicate an attitude of humility and openness, so we could describe the tone as "humble."
When preparing to compose a good argumentative essay, utilize the following steps: Step 1: Select a topic. Step 2: Identify a position. Step 3: Locate appropriate resources. Step 4: Identify evidence supporting the position.(NOTE: If there is little evidence in support of the claim, consider re-examining the main argument.)Steps to write an argumentative essay
Now let's move on to those argumentative essay examples, and examine in particular a couple of introductions. The first takes on a common argumentative essay topic —capital punishment. The death penalty has long been a divisive issue in the United States. 24 states allow the death penalty, while the other 26 have either banned the death ...
An argumentative essay takes a stance on an issue and presents an argument to defend that stance with the intent of persuading the reader to agree. It generally requires extensive research into a topic so that you have a deep grasp of its subtleties and nuances, are able to take a position on the issue, and can make a detailed and logical case ...
In an academic argument, you'll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you'll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions. Figure 1. When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience.
At the macro level, a good argumentative essay is composed of a) a clear position, b) arguments and data in favor of the position, c) ... It is striking that attitude toward argumentation was not related to knowledge and behavior, as previous research indicates that students' attitude (e.g., psychological, ...
Remember, a strong argumentative essay requires a clear thesis statement that presents your stance on the chosen topic. Your thesis statement should be concise and arguable, providing a solid foundation for your arguments. ... When countering opposing views, it is important to approach the task with a respectful and open-minded attitude. Rather ...
Try our student writing prompts. In 2017, we compiled a list of 401 argumentative writing prompts, all drawn from our daily Student Opinion column. Now, we're rounding up 130 more we've ...
The use of peer feedback in higher education, particularly in online classes with large size of students has been considerably growing (Latifi et al., 2021; Yang, 2016), especially in writing classes (e.g., Noroozi & Hatami, 2019; Shang, 2019).For example, in the context of argumentative essay writing, peer feedback is acknowledged as an active and effective learning activity since it involves ...
Example Of An Argumentative Essay Writing an essay on the topic "Example of an Argumentative Essay" can be a challenging task, as it requires a careful balance between presenting a clear argument and providing relevant examples to support that argument. The difficulty lies in not only understanding the intricacies of constructing a persuasive argument but also in selecting appropriate examples ...
Rogerian Argument By definition, "Argument is an activity, often pleasurable and productive, that engages us at high levels of inquiry and critical thinking" (Ramage 2). Although, in my opinion, argument can be defined as a disagreement between two people with opposing views and or beliefs on a given issue. An argument that comes easily to mind is one that my mother and I had post-prom.
Positive Attitude. INTRODUCTION A good attitude or positive attitude is the outward manifestation of a mind that dwells primarily on positive matters. It is a mind-set tipped in favour of creative activity rather than boredom, joy over sadness, hope over futility. A positive attitude is that state of mind which can be maintained only through ...
Synonyms for ARGUMENTATIVE: controversial, contentious, aggressive, polemic, polemical, stubborn, irritable, quarrelsome; Antonyms of ARGUMENTATIVE: pleasant ...
Guest Essay. Trump Can Win on Character. Aug. 26, 2024. ... Responding in kind doesn't mean lashing out in Truth Social posts but crafting a comprehensive anti-Harris argument that implicates ...