Argumentative Essay Writing

1. Is global climate change man-made? ( Find Sources )
2. Is the death penalty effective? (Find Sources)
3. Is our election process fair?
4. Do colleges put too much stock in standardized test scores? (Find Sources)
5. Is torture ever acceptable?
6. Should men get paternity leave from work?
7. Is a lottery a good idea?
8. Do we have a fair taxation system?
9. Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?
10. Is cheating out of control?
11. Are we too dependent on computers?
12. Are parents clueless about child predators on the Internet?
13. Should animals be used for research?
14. Should cigarette smoking be banned?
15. Are cell phones dangerous?
16. Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy?
17. Are test scores a good indication of a school's competency?
18. Do we have a throw-away society?
19. Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago?
20. Should companies market to children?
21. Should the government have a say in our diets?
22. Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy?
23. Does access to condoms lead to irresponsible, dangerous, or bad behavior?
24. Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
25. Are CEOs paid too much?

26. Do violent video games cause behavior problems?

27. Should creationism be taught in public schools?
28. Are beauty pageants exploitive?
29. Should English be the official language in the United States?
30. Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels?
31. When should parents let teens make their own decisions?
33. Should the military be allowed to recruit at high schools?
34. Should the alcohol drinking age be increased or decreased?
35. Does age matter in relationships?
36. What age is appropriate for dating?
37. Should gay couples be able to marry?
38. Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school?
39. Does boredom lead to trouble?
40. Does participation in sports keep teens out of trouble?
41. Is competition good?
42. Does religion cause war?
43. Should the government provide health care?
44. Should girls ask boys out?
45. Is fashion important?
46. Are girls too mean to each other?
47. Is homework harmful or helpful?
48. Should students be allowed to grade their teachers?
49. Is the cost of college too high?
50. Is college admission too competitive?

Spring 2015 Unit #1 - Argumentative Writing

Argumentative Writing – Your purpose is to persuade the audience to agree with your opinion about a controversial topic.

ESSAY - The writing task asks students to read two texts that present different perspectives on the issue and construct an argument that refers to these texts.

•What is the difference between arguments in life and arguments in writing?

Argument:

In life- conflicts engaged in using language.

In writing - opinions that can be backed up with evidence.

•What type of evidence do you use when you are trying to win an argument?

Personal experience, confirmed facts, reasons, expert research, and statistics that directly relate to and support a debatable claim.

•How can using evidence help to persuade others to agree with your argument?

•Credible Sources make the claim legitimate, irrefutable, permanent, solid.

Key vocabulary: topic, thesis statement, claim, counterclaim