English course - Essay and Argument Structure Discussion

I chose to answer this week's discussion board prompt using Sample Essay 2: Owning A Dog.

1. While reading the provided sample essay, I identified two potential thesis statements. The first possibility comes at the end of the piece's first paragraph and states, "They might think dogs are too loud, dirty, annoying, or even dangerous, but the truth is that the positives of owning a dog always outweigh the negatives" (Owning A Dog, n.d.). The second potential thesis statement, "They can also be loud and demanding companions, but, long-term, they will provide their owners with a lot of good", concludes the essay's second paragraph (Owning A Dog, n.d.). Based on this week's resources, it is my opinion that neither of these statements, singularly or taken together as a whole, comprise an effective thesis statement. For simplicity's sake, I will write my response under the assumption that the first sentence offered above is the writer's intended thesis statement. While both sentences certainly make claims that a reader may disagree with - perhaps a person that has a phobia of dogs, a person whose existing pets or children cannot easily cohabitate with dogs, or a person that simply does not enjoy them - there is little evidence or argument given to support the statement. The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill states, "If a reader's first response is "how?" or "why?" your thesis may be too open-ended and lack guidance for the reader" (citation). I found that I easily understood the writers position on the subject of dog ownership, but found little justification to defend said position.  

2. The writer proposes that "the truth is that the positives of owning a dog always outweigh the negatives" (Owning A Dog, n.d.).  While there are no clear claims present in the thesis statement, the writer does make claims throughout the body of the essay, often in the form of topic sentences. The claims - the positives of dog ownership - are that dogs keep us company and help maintain owners' mental health, provide a benefit to our physical well-being, serve as a form of social lubricant, and provide for their owners a means of security.  

3. The writer attempts to support their claim, that canine ownership improves our social lives, by offering two hypothetical scenarios: strangers stopping to pet an unknown dog and dog owners discussing their dogs (Owning A Dog, n.d.). The writer follows the examples with two statements of their opinion. It is argued that those interactions could not have taken place without the presence of the hypothetical owners' dogs, and that dogs inherently "draw other people to them" (Owning A Dog, n.d.).  

4. The conclusion of this essay does unapologetically restate the writer's thesis, that dog ownership entails an overwhelming amount of positives, as compared to the negatives, and furthers the original claim by stating, "In the end, there really is no excuse to not enjoying the benefits of dog ownership" (Owning A Dog, n.d.). However, the conclusion also introduces another poorly argued claim, that there is a perfect canine fit for every person or situation. While the additional claim does elicit contemplation, it is my opinion that an element so critical to the writer's position requires more examination than a brief, conclusory mention.