it's English Essay

Argumentative Topics

People can argue about anything, but not every topic makes a good argumentative essay. People can disagree about how many cell phones were sold last year, who the president of South Africa is, or what the best kind of coffee is. However, the first two topics are about facts that can be easily discovered--the answers are either right or wrong. The third topic is a matter of taste or personal belief. Persuasive arguments won't change anyone's personal tastes or beliefs. Argumentative topics are those that can be influenced by persuasive arguments.

A. Look at the following topics and fill in the chart.

TOPIC	Good argumentative essay topic	Not a good topic-it's about facts	Not a good topic-it's a matter of taste or personal belief
Hybrids are better than gas-only vehicles.
Godiva is the best chocolate.
The population of the world is increasing dramatically.
Exposure to the internet at a young age is a good idea.
Using cell phones, even hands-free phones, should not be allowed when driving.
Reality TV shows are a waste of time.
California needs to spend more money on education.
Cats have become more popular pets than dogs in the U.S.
Marijuana use needs to be legalized.

Putting your arguments in order: no matter which organizational style you choose, you have to decide which of your arguments to start with. There are a couple of ways to arrange them: order of importance and equal importance. The most common way is to end with your most important argument.

Now how do you organize your essay?

a. point-by-point (body)

· topic sentence

· opposite point of view

· rebuttal

· your point of view

· examples

The number of paragraphs depends on the number of points you want to make.

b. block

body paragraph 1

· topic sentence

· opposing arguments

· your rebuttals

body paragraph 2

· topic sentence

· your arguments

· examples

Four paragraphs total