2. Session Overview
What Is It?
Examples
Getting Started
Research
Quotations & Citations
Q & A Time
3. What is an argumentative essay?
Is like a persuasive essay
Should present pros and cons of the issue
Should contain an argument
Should contain evidence or support for the
issue (facts, statistics, anecdotal evidence)
Should concern a manageable topic
Derived from the Bogazici University Writing Lab
4. Examples of Argumentative Topics
Selling marijuana in public places should be illegal *
Polygamy is a natural state, and should be legal *
Assisted suicide should be legal ¤
Animal testing should be illegal ¤
Graphic video games make kids aggressive and/or
violent
Vistas is a better operating system than XP
* From Bogazici University Writing Lab
¤ From Glendale Community College English Department
5. Getting Started
Picking a topic
Something of interest to you
Something interesting
Something controversial
Something argumentative
Getting organized
Outlining your paper
Creating a keyword list
Getting research
6. General Outline of a Paper
Introduction | Thesis statement
Argument-evidence paragraph #1
Argument-evidence paragraph #2
Argument-evidence paragraph #3
Summary of Argument | Conclusion
7. Example Outline
Thesis: Beans are a more healthy source of protein than
beef.
1. Beans are fat-free.
(Or, you can point out that beef is not fat-free)
2. Beans are low-sodium.
(Or, you can point out that beef is not low-sodium)
3. Beans are cholesterol-free.
(Or, you can point out that beef is not cholesterol-free)
Conclusion: Based on the facts that they are fat-free, low-
sodium, and cholesterol free, beans are definitely a more
healthy source of protein than beef.
8. Research
Evidence for argumentative essays
can be objective – like facts, statistics,
and case studies – or anecdotal – your
personal experiences
Objective evidence will require
research – you can use sources like
books, articles, websites, and even
people!
9. Research
Books can be found
using the Library’s
online catalog.
Articles in magazines,
newspapers, and
journals can be found
using the Library’s
databases.
Good websites can be
found using engines
like Google and Ask
10. Keywords
Regardless of where you seek resources –
books, articles, or websites – the best way
to search for resources is keyword
searching
Keywords represent the most important
parts of your thesis statement or argument
Before you start searching, develop a list of
keywords from your argument
11. Keywords: Example
Thesis: Beans are a more healthy source
of protein than beef.
Beans legumes
Source
Healthy – health
Protein
Beef = red meat
Cholesterol
You will combine them together using AND!
Remember: you aren’t
limited to the actual words
from the thesis – use
related words or alternate
ideas! Also, look to your
arguments for keywords,
too – those are key ideas!
14. Catalog
The Stacks are the books
that CAN be checked out.
They are housed on the
2, 3, 4, and 5 floors of the
Library. The first letter will
help you figure out which
floor.
• A-F = 2nd
floor
• G-P = 3rd
floor
• Q = 4th
floor
• R-Z = 5th
floor
Delta Stacks are in our
Stacks, so no worries!
Look! Additional
keyword ideas!
15. The Library’s Resources: Articles
Remember: to find
articles, you have to
check the databases!
Articles = Databases!
20. Databases: Ebscohost
Full-text articles in
Ebsco will either be
HTML, PDF, or both.
If you don’t see
HTML or PDF (or
both), then the article
is not available in full.
23. Quotations & Citations
Quotations: when you use text from a
resource in your own writing
Citations: how you acknowledge resources
you’ve used in your paper
24. Quotations
Indirect Quotation: Some researchers note that "children are totally
insensitive to their parent's shyness" (Zimbardo 62).
Direct Quotation: Zimbardo notes that "children are totally
insensitive to their parent's shyness" (62).
Paraphrase: While not all children are, research has shown that
some children are insensible to the introversion or timidity of their
parent or parents (Zimbardo 62).
25. Citations
Book
Langland, William. Piers the Ploughman.
Baltimore: Penguin Books, Ltd., 1974.
Journal article
Thibodeau, P.L., and S.J. Melamut.
"Ergonomics in the Electronic Library."
Bulletin of the Medical Library Association
83.3 (July 1995): 322-329.
26. Citations
Journal article from a database
Becker, Karen. "The Characteristics of Bibliographic
Instruction in Relation to the Causes and Symptoms of
Burnout." RQ 32.3 (Spring 1993): 346-357. EBSCO ERIC.
ULM University Library, Monroe, LA. 19 May 2009.
<http://www.epnet.com>.
27. Citations
Website
Lowe, Megan. “Citations Guide: MLA Style.” Megan Lowe @ ULM. 8 June
2006. University of Louisiana at Monroe. 12 June 2007
<http://www.ulm.edu/~lowe/MLAcitationguide.html>.
Remember: citations are important for two reasons
They allow you to give credit where credit is due, which
keeps you from plagiarism and cheating charges
Allows readers to retrace your research steps and look
at the actual resources you used
29. Argumentative Essay FYI
Presentation
http://www.ulm.edu/~lowe/argumentativeessay.ppt
Sites Consulted for Presentation
Bogacizi University Writing Center
Glendale Community College English Dept.
Don’t forget: the OWL at Purdue!
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/
My Contact Info
Email: lowe@ulm.edu
30. Thanks for coming!
Remember, if you need help, just ask
at the Reference Desk; email us at
reference@ulm.edu; or call us at
(318) 342-1071!
You can also email me at:
lowe@ulm.edu
