Structure of
Argumentative Essay:
Summary
What does a summary of
argumentative essay mean?
The Argument Summary is a summary of an
essay that does more than just reiterate, in order, each and every idea of the essay. You need to
summarize the argument. This is a slightly different and more complex task.
In this Summary, you (as the author) will teach
the reader of your paper about the essay being
summarized.
Where should a summary of
argumentative essay be placed?
It should be placed in a concluding paragraph.
One paragraph that restates your thesis and
summarizes all of the arguments made in your
body paragraphs. Rather than introducing new
facts or more arguments, a good conclusion will
appeal to a reader’s emotions. In some cases,
writers will use a personal anecdote explaining
how the topic personally affects them.
To begin this process of
summarizing, ask yourself the
following questions: What is important about this essay: Why do the
arguments in this essay matter? Who is the author of the essay talking to? What is there to be learned and gained by understanding this article well? What is the key issue in this argument?
What is the primary claim (thesis) of this essay?
What are the supporting claims—evidence, sub- arguments, etc.—and how do they work with the thesis?
What do you as the primary reader of this essay find to
be the most interesting? And how can you make that
the most interesting feature for your reader?
By answering those questions will get you well on your way to a summary that:
engages the reader,
teaches the reader something useful (a new way of thinking about the essay in question),
helps the reader to see the bigger picture that the summarized essay is a part of, and
helps you as the writer to gain a deeper
understanding of the issues and arguments of the
essay being summarized.
A successful argumentative summary will do two things:
1. summarize the argument (which is a
different task than summarizing the essay) 2. give a third-party who hasn’t read the
article an overview of the content of the article and insight into the value of the article—a sense of why the article is
important and how they might use it.
To achieve the goals stated above (a successful argumentative summary), the summary must:
present a main idea that will guide the organization of the essay
be logically organized around the thesis
provide sufficient supporting evidence from the thesis
(hint: your summary thesis will echo the
thesis of the essay)
Steps for Writing an Argumentative Essay
1. Review all the reading material on the subject — notes, highlighting, etc.
2. Divide the main points into those for your issue and those against your issue.
3. Write a thesis statement identifying the issue and your position.
4. Construct an outline which has the primary main ideas supporting your position and one or two
opposing arguments for refutation. Choose a pattern
of organization which is logical and convincing.
To be continued:
5. Outline secondary supports for each of your major points, including evidence, examples, explanations,
testimony, cause/effect, etc. and, of course, include your reference material.
6. Begin your draft. Write the body of the essay based on your outline, using your major supports as topic
sentences. Make sure that you use transitions between and within paragraphs. Make sure that opposition
arguments are stated briefly and refuted at length, so that your reader knows you do not support the
opposition's points.
To be continued:
7. Write your introduction. Include briefly some
background information so you set the stage for your argument. State that there is an opposition view and the main points you plan to dispute. Give your thesis and an essay map outlining the main points in
support of your thesis.
8. Write your conclusion. Make sure you restate the main premise, present one or two arguments which summarize your main points. Provide a general
warning of the consequences of not following your premise and/or a general statement of how the
community will benefit from following your premise.
To be continued:
9. Check your draft for the following:
Do your paragraphs present arguments which support your main points as non-debatable or as facts? Do you have adequate and convincing support?
Do one or two of your paragraphs present arguments which
oppose your main premise as debatable and possibly untrue? Do you begin those parts with phrases such as "opponents believe"
or "some people argue," etc.?
Have you clearly marked the place where you shift from the
opposing to the supporting points with such words as "however"?
Do you have an introduction that draws your reader into your argument? Do you have a conclusion which leaves the reader feeling the strength and logic of your position?
10. Revise, revise, and proofread. Take your paper to
the writing center.
Examples of Essay
Conclusion: Summary
Should students be allowed to have cell phones in elementary school?
In conclusion, although it's easy to see why allowing an elementary
school child to have a cell phone would be convenient for after-
school pickups or arranging playdates with friends, there is too
much evidence to show that it's generally not a good idea. Children
already have a lot of access to media (on average over seven hours
per day) and it is the parent's responsibility to monitor their media
access, which is more difficult if the child has exclusive cell phone
access. Cyber bullying, which is increasingly becoming a problem,
is also going to be a risk when your child has unlimited access to a
smart phone. Clearly, elementary school-aged children are not
emotionally mature enough to handle the responsibility of a smart
phone, and the borrowing of a parent's cell phone should be highly
monitored to ensure safe and healthful usage.
Should sexual education be taught in public schools?
It's clear that sexual education is completely vital to the public- school curriculum. Not only does this lead to a better understanding of human development and human sexuality, but awareness and sex education also reduce the rates of teen pregnancy. Studies have shown that comprehensive sexual education increases the age of when teens have sex for the first time. Learning about contraception and how to use contraception correctly ultimately leads to lower rates of STDs.
Lastly, comprehensive sex education also teaches students
about consensual sex, and will hopefully lead to healthier sexual
relationships and lower rates of sexual assault in the future. Not
only should sex education be taught in public schools, but it
should be mandatory for all public-school systems.
How do video games affect children and teenagers?
Video games have been an integral part of childhood and adolescence for a few decades now, but the effects on aggression levels and exposure to violence may make us take pause on how much exposure parents should let their kids have to these games. The video game industry is growing exponentially, and as the technology and video quality increase so does the ability to separate virtual reality from reality. Games with violent content are known to cause aggressive and sometimes even violent behavior in teens. Many video games, first-person shooter games in particular, have violent content. When the player is rewarded for violent behavior in the game, it reinforces the subtle idea that violence is acceptable and can be used in real life. With busy schedules and easy access to so much media, it's difficult for parents to be able to oversee everything that their children are exposed to. Video game designers should be held accountable for the violent content in their games, and a push should be made for more parental oversight and rules on video game usage.
