Planning-and-Writing-a-Discursive-Essay.ppt

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1. © 2007 www.teachit.co.uk 4439 1
Writing an argument
Aims:
To plan a piece of discursive
writing
To structure a convincing
argument.
To revise how to use transitional
markers effectively

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What are the ingredients of a good argument?
•A number of views and opinions, both for and against
a subject.
•Well structured points progressing in a logical order.
•A convincing and logical approach.
•Language appropriate to the audience.
•Use of ‘counter argument’ (‘You could state that ….
However, this is clearly not the case because ….’).
•Tone appropriate for your audience.
•Evidence -this will be slanted to support your pov.

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CONTENT
•Choose a Subject –Must interest you and you must have a definite
view. Must be controversial, contentious.
•Maintain a clear line of argument –Own views clearly presented,
convincing argument backed up by explanation and evidence.
•Brainstorm and Prioritise –Write down as many arguments as you
can then select 4 or 5 that you feel are strongest. Use as basis for
paragraph plan.
•Acknowledge that there are other viewpoints –Deal with these and
dismiss them in favour of own stance –be convincing.
•Construct your argument –combination of opinion, supported by
evidence, examples that illustrate point.
You need to make your argument/opinion impossible to argue with

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Choose a Topic…
You are interested in
You have a definite view about
Is current enough that you will find resources easily
Is not too ‘big’ for you to do justice to
Is contentious, controversial
For Example: ‘Child Abuse’ in itself is not controversial (everybody would
probably agree it is wrong!)
Instead: ‘Child Abuse is easily preventable’ or ‘Should smacking a child be
classed as child abuse?’

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Planning your arguments
•Firstly, construct a plan. This can take the
form of a bullet pointed list or spider
diagram –whatever suits you best.
•Select your most convincing arguments to
promote your p.o.v.
•Remember to take the opposing viewpoint
into consideration and break down their
points to make your p.o.v. more
convincing/persuasive.

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K.W.L Grid
Once you have selected your strongest, most convincing arguments you
will have to do some research to find out facts, figures, examples,
supporting detailandexpert opinionthat will add weight to your
argument.
•K-Write down points that you already KNOW
e.g. Smoking has health implications
•W-Write down things that you WANTto try and find out
(questions)
e.g. How many people in Scotland die of smoking related illnesses per
year?
•L-Write down what you have LEARNED(answers to questions)
Remember to make a note of where you got the answer (the source) –
who provided it (expert), what website/book/source, when you accessed
it.

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Researching your topic
•Newspapers/magazines
•Internet
•School and local library
•Documentaries
•News programmes
•TV debates
•Leaflets
N.B. note down all your sources for a
Bibliography/source list (with dates)

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Persuasive Techniques
Rhetorical Questions
Repetition –Rule of 3
(Triad)
Persuaders–
Clearly, naturally,
self-evidently
Emotive Language–
strong connotations
Figurative Language –
Create vivid picture,
non-literal meaning
Puns–provides
humour, play on
words
Jargon–Technical
language
Bold Assertions –
‘It is a fact…’
Manipulation of Tone

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Sentence Structure
Sentence Length–long (description, detailed
explanation, relaxed) V short (action and impact) Creates
dramatic effect
Broken Sentences–Again for effect, minor/incomplete
sentences. Single word for impact.
Word Order–Inversion: alter normal order to emphasise
particular word (start or end of sentence)
Must vary sentences to appeal to the reader –Grab
attention and maintain interest. Sentence structure can
reinforce meaning and by making it easier for reader to
understand they are more inclined to believe your
argument.

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Punctuation
•Careful use of punctuation can suggest
different kinds of feeling, tone or
atmosphere
Dashes–stream of thoughts or impressions
causing reader to share experiences.
Colons –balance ideas against each other,
introduce explanations, clarification,
exemplification.
Semi-colons and commas–separate list of
qualities, feelings or facts.

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•Connective words can help you with this.
•Look at the following list and select at least five of them to use
in your own piece of argumentative writing. (transitional
markers sheet)
Firstly
To begin
with…
In the first
place…
Secondly
Furthermore What is
more…
In addition
In conclusion
To
conclude
To sum
up
Therefore
So how should I structure my discursive piece?

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Argumentative
Structure

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Come up with a question as your title –e.g. Should Capital Punishment
be abolished?
Introduction –Introduce your topic and state your personal feelings
clearly –not using I
Paragraph 2 –Introduce your first point in support of your viewpoint.
Paragraph 3 –Make a second point in support and develop your
argument.
Paragraph 4 –Produce a final argument in support of your view.
Paragraph 5 –State an opposite view and then say why you disagree
with it.
Paragraph 6 -State another opposite view and then say why you
disagree with it.
Paragraph 7 –final against view –make this point particularly strong –
to lead to conclusion

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Persuasive
Structure

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Come up with a title indicating direction of argument –e.g. ‘Making a
Hash of the Drug Law’ or ‘The Dangers of Passive Smoking’
Introduction –Introduce your topic and make your stance clear –not
using I
Paragraph 2 –ARGUMENT 1 Present the first point in support of your
position then develop the paragraph (Opinion + Evidence = Argument).
Paragraph 3 –ARGUMENT 2 Repeat procedure for 2
nd
point, preferably
using a different approach to developing your argument.
Paragraph 4 –ARGUMENT 3 –As for paragraphs 2 and 3
Paragraph 5 –Refutation/dismissal of opposite viewpoint –introduce
alternative argument and dismiss it. State idea clearly then counter it
with appropriate and clear response. Demonstrate you have thought
about and around the subject –show confidence in your beliefs)
Paragraph 6 –Restatement of attitude –finish by strongly reiterating
argument and drawing on some main points.

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Introductions
A good introduction should grab the reader’s attention and
engage them in the controversy under discussion
State what the controversy is about –clearly showing
what your stance is (No ‘I think’!!!)
Perhaps use a quotation from an expert
Illustrate the situation by creating a picture in the
reader’s mind
You could do this by:
Use a rhetorical question

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Main Body
Clear explanation of argument/opinion
Illustrate, exemplify opinion using evidence
(statistics, expert opinion, examples, quotation)
Topic Sentence –Varied and catchy
Transitional Markers –helping to show
direction and structure of argument
Sub-conclusion –making stance clear,
summing up attitude, points, linking to next
point

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Conclusion
An effective conclusion should:
Summarise and weigh up conflicting arguments
Draw together main threads avoiding needless
repetition
End essay with powerful statement, leaving
reader with no doubt about your views on issue
Bibliography after conclusion: referencing all sources –
name of website/publication, author, address, date
accessed

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Introductions
All through history Capital Punishment has caused much
controversy throughout the globe. Although it has been used for
hundreds of years, the majority of countries today have already
dismissed it as an accepted means of punishment. However,
some countries such as Guatemala, Africa and areas of Asia still
retain it, the most well known being the United States of America.
Many people, even today, feel that taking the life of a criminal
should be counted as justice. However, most countries now
clearly feel that the death penalty is not an appropriate way to
punish criminals. They argue that it is extremely expensive and
does not benefit the justice system. So, should Capital
Punishment be used, or should these cruel and unusual methods
of punishment be abolished for good?
Is this person for or against Capital Punishment? Explain why.

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When we think of Capital Punishment, an immediate sense of
controversy arises in the mind: there are a myriad of divided views
on the wrong doing of justice or the justified need to punish a
criminal. Yet many people believe it is time to end this five hundred
year old law as the value of life is too high. However, if a person is
willing to commit the atrocity of killing another human being, they
sacrifice their own right to life. So, is this punishment in fact just?
•Is this person pro/anti Capital Punishment. Explain.
•Strengths?
•Areas for improvement?

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Murder is the unlawful killing of another human being with an
intentional or criminal intent. In today’s world, terrible crimes are
being committed daily, and thus many people believe these
criminals deserve one fate: death. While some argue that the ‘eye
for an eye’ idea is a very competent way of punishing a crime,
others believe that it causes more violence. So should this cruel
way of ending a human life still be utilised or should it be abolished
and left for the historians to study?
•Is this person for or against Capital Punishment?
•Strengths?
•Areas to improve?

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Exemplar paragraphs
In support of their case
The worst act a human being can commit is to take a fellow human
being’s life. It takes away a life which could have continued to
flourish and grow. Some people believe that after committing such a
heinous crime, a person should receive the same fate as that of the
victim. Logically, this makes no sense. Are there any positives to
taking away the life of yet another human being? Would it bring the
victim back from the dead? Would it extinguish or quench the
victim’s family and friends’ grief? All a conviction or decision to kill a
criminal would do is create an extensive and expensive trial.
Remember, killing the criminal will not mean that she or he is
declared innocent of their crimes.

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One argument that is echoed through many modern-day countries is
that all kinds of Capital Punishment are a complete waste of time
and money. Even though methods of Capital Punishment are
supposedly quick solutions to sentencing a criminal, many of the
convicted spend weeks, months and even years waiting for their
sentence to be carried out. This means that they can serving almost
a full life imprisonment sentence, whilst they are waiting to be
destroyed, which is, arguably a complete punishment in itself:
waking up every single day not knowing whether you will live to see
tomorrow. Additionally, while it can be argued that relatives or
friends of the victimised see this extreme sentence as justice, most
others feel that this is an expensive and unnecessary punishment
and is just costing the government large sums of money that would
be better spent on other things: such as, the police force, tax cuts, or
solutions to the ever-growing credit crunch.

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Equally important is the fact that this is the only form of punishment
that cannot receive a reprieve: if a citizen is wrongly convicted and is
sentenced to death, then there is no way for that citizen to be
released. Atrocities like this only contribute to any doubts that exists
in the public’s mind, and not one country in this world, needs or
wants its people to have doubt in their own government. Those who
are convicted of crimes they did not commit have died in vain. Were
their deaths really necessary or could they have been prevented?
Did the court make a simple mistake, or did they overlook valuable
information? Nobody should have their life taken from them without
good reason –and the justice system should make no exceptions.

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Arguing against the opposition case
Furthermore, many people who support Capital Punishment say
that it is only fair to take the life of a criminal, if they have taken the
life of another –as goes the saying ‘an eye for an eye.’ Yet many
people forget how the end of that proverb continues –‘an eye for
an eye…makes the whole world blind.’ killing the offender may
make the family of the victim feel safer, but it is absolutely pointless.
What good has it done? Yes, they may be off the streets, unable to
harm anyone else but that same feeling of security can be achieved
through sentencing them to life imprisonment. People have to
realise that killing that criminal is not going to bring back the friend
or family member that they have lost. It is only going to create
more hatred and violence in a world already too brutal and cruel.

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Those in favour of Capital Punishment have often stated that
exterminating criminals prevents any need for prisons –if those who
commit crimes are killed, then they do not contribute to the serious
overcrowding in many of our prisons. Yet many fail to remember
that we cannot kill every person who commits a crime so there will
always be a need for prisons. Furthermore, criminals still need to
be housed until the time come for their execution, and this
sometimes takes up to decades at a time. Also, once again, killing
the criminals is extremely expensive ; therefore, it is much cheaper
and morally acceptable to simple give a life sentence.

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Conclusions
Need to include:
•Sum up main points of argument.
•Strongly state how you feel about CP and reasons why.

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Ultimately, Capital Punishment will always remain a disputed topic.
Whether it is about morality or immorality, humanity or inhumanity,
abolishment or prolongation, it will be a sustained argument for a
long time to come. In one sense Capital Punishment is seen as
immoral, expensive and an unnecessary waste of human life.
Nevertheless we can easily see the need of Capital Punishment as
a deterrent, a justified means of punishment and furthermore the
solution to life sentenced murderers re-offending due to early
release. Even for the latter reason alone, it is clear that Capital
Punishment is necessary.
Strengths?
Areas for improvement?

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In the modern world, we cannot and should not be adding to the
death toll every year unnecessarily, simply because wefeel it is
justified. As we can clearly see, methods of Capital Punishment are
utterly pointless: they are costing governments ridiculous amounts of
money that could certainly be better spent on improving public
services and lowering taxes, and therefore are doing no good
whatsoever. Capital Punishment is not the way forward in today’s
already violent world as the negatives considerably outweigh the
positives. Ultimately, the entire argument over the death penalty can
be summed up in one simple quotation from ‘Philosophy In The
Bedroom’ by Marquis de Sade: “The law which attempts a man’s life
is impractical, unjust, inadmissible. It has never repressed crime –
for a second crime is every day committed at the foot of the scaffold.”

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How to make your essay more articulate
“Distancing” Phrases: Use when arguing the case you don’t agree
with.
You will frequently find yourself obliged to mention points which you
do not agree with or, at best, are not actually convinced by them.
For that reason you should introduce them with a phrase which
makes your position clear. The following list contains phrases which
you will find useful. Do not be limited by it ; try to add as many of
your own as you can.
Many people believe that … There is a view that… It is thought
that …
It has been claimed that … Those who support/oppose ……will
maintain that… Supporter/opponents of …… will argue One
popular theory suggests …
It is very important to vary your choice of distancing phrasesto give
your essay a mature and articulate tone

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Phrases and words which “turn” the argument.
When you have set out a point which you do not support it is
important to counter it efficiently. To this you will find it useful to
introduce your counter argument with one of these words or phrases.
However… On the other hand… Nevertheless …. On the
contrary …. The truth of the matter is In fact…..
Add others as you think of them. Once again variety is essential!

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Transitional Markers
Introduce
Sequence
Compare
Continue
Change
Contrast
Give
Reason
Or Result
Give
Examples
Summarising
Furthermore However ThereforeFor
example
To conclude

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Advice
•Formal writing –no contraction etc. do not instead of don’t –
vocabulary you would see in a good quality newspaper.
•Absolutely no I
•No second person –you = informal. We is fine.
•Make your points for the side you support as convincing and as
powerful as possible.
•Make your arguments against the side you oppose as
persuasive as possible. Break down their case as strongly as
you can.

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Bibliography
Then just bullet point the websites/books etc.
•McNeil, Robert, The Scotsman, 11
th
April 2008
•Bell, Emily‘The Leveson inquiry is irrelevant to 21st-century
journalism’, The Guardian Online,
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/nov/28/leveson-irrelevant-
21st-century-journalism> , accessed on 29
th
November 2012

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So … over to you
•Now that you have thought of a
number of arguments for and
against, and have an idea of how to
create a counter argument, you are
ready to write your response.
•Remember to use transitional
markers.
Good
Luck
!