Where did you hear

that?

The Argumentative Essay

Forming a research question

Topics

Brainstorm:

Choose a list of topics that are somewhat controversial and can be argued

can use topic from Compare/Contrast Essay

Choose Topics

From your list, pick a topic that you would be interested in researching

write the topic at the top of the numbered paper

DO NOT write your name on the paper

put paper aside for later

Argumentative Essay

What is an argumentative essay?

What type of information is included?

What are the steps in writing an argumentative essay?

What is an argumentative essay?

a type of writing that requires you to investigate a topic and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner

As published on Purdue OWL’s website:

every argumentative essay requires a “clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph” (2010)

Steps to follow1. Choose a general topic

2. Do preliminary research

3. Create a research question

4. Do more in-depth research

5. Create an outline with

a thesis and main points

6. Write a rough draft

7. Revise

8. Edit

9. Present findings

10.Write a final draft

Research Questions

What is a research question?

Why is a research question essential to the research process?

How do you develop a research question?

What is a research question?

clear, focused, concise, complex, arguable

should create a question you are genuinely interested in researching

Why is it important?

help writers focus their research

provides a path through the research and writing process

helps writers avoid the “all-about” paper

Steps to Develop a Question

Choose an interesting topic

Do some preliminary research on your general topic

Consider your audience

Start asking questions

Choose an interesting topic

why would you want to study bugs if you aren’t interested

choose a broad topic

ex: economic depression, abortion

Do preliminary research

use quick searches in periodicals and journals to see what information is already available

this helps narrow your focus

Consider your audience

usually the audience is academic

Question to ask:

Would that particular audience be interested in this question?

Start asking questions

Ask the “why” and “how” questions

example:

How does abortion affect the woman?

Why would a woman choose to have an abortion?

Make sure your research question is clear

Make sure your research question is complex

Practice

Read the following research questions; decide whether they are clear or unclear

Example:

a. Why are social networking sites harmful?

b. How are online users experiencing or addressing privacy issues on such social networking sites as Myspace and Facebook?

Answer

b. because it gives specific examples of what social networking sites will be examined, as well as what type of “harm” people are experiencing with these websites.

Your turn

Brainstorm a potential research question that goes along with your topic

Write it on the numbered paper below your topic

Once you are finished, I will be around to collect the papers

Works Cited

George Mason University Writing Center. (2009, October 09). How to write a research question. Retrieved from http://

writingcenter.gmu.edu/resources-template.php?id=59