Argumentative Essay

Whats your opinion?

What is an Argumentative
Essay?
Also called a persuasive essay
Express an opinion and support it
with facts, statistics, authorities
Try to persuade the reader to change
their beliefs or behaviour
Includes both pro statements
(supporting ideas) and counter
arguments with a refutation

Supporting the opinion

Use facts, statistics, authorities
Avoid:
Generalizations: all, always, never
All people believe that riding a bike is good
It is obvious that bike riding is good for you.

Feelings/Emotions:
It makes people feel

Irrelevant examples:
Riding a bike through the park is pretty.

Faulty logic

The Counterargument
After you have supported the opinion
with positive examples, you go
against your thesis statement and
present an opposite or
counterargument.
The important point is to refute the
counterargument (prove that it is
wrong)

Introducing a
counterargument
Opponents of this idea claim/maintain that
Those who disagree with these ideas may
say
Some people disagree with this idea
However, Nevertheless,
On the other hand,
Although

Topic: Riding your bike to

work is a great way to get fit
Pros:
Bike riding is cardiovascular exercise
Efficient use of time- you have to go to
work anyway so you might as well
exercise while you go.
Costs less money than driving or the
TTC

Topic: Riding your bike to

work is a great way to get fit
Cons (counterargument)
It is dangerous to ride a bike in the city
You get sweaty while riding a bike and
then have to work all day
It takes longer to get to work and to get
home

Refutation
It is dangerous to ride a bike in the city
There are ways to make it safe: helmets,
mirrors, whistles, road awareness
You get sweaty while riding a bike and then
have to work all day
- Many work places have showers, you can
take a change of clothes
It takes longer to get to work and to get home
-It might take longer but youre being efficient
with your time (doing two things at once)

What does it look like?

Introduction
Supporting argument 1
Supporting argument 2
Counter argument and refutation
Conclusion