developing your essay argument - macquarie university
TRANSCRIPT
Developing your essay argument
Overview of this workshop
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Some questions answered :
What is an argument ?
How do I formulate one ?
What makes an argument strong ?
What is an argument ?
An argument at university
is…
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a stance, a position supported by evidence
an angle
an informed opinion
an academic discussion that expresses a point of view
An argument at university
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attempts to persuade or convinceothers of your claims (it goes beyond disagreement)
provides an answer to a question
is about something that is debatable – not a fact, not a personal preference
An argument at university
requires you to …
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develop a point of view or interpretation of particular information, ideas or theories
provide and use evidence in support of your point ofview
think critically and debate
An argument at university
is…
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and importantly …
often the purpose of academic writing
the word argument doesn’t have to be written anywhere in your question for it to be an important part of the task
Opinion versus position
Opinion Position
used in everyday life used in academic writing
may be supported by arguments supported by arguments
may be supported by evidence supported by evidence
evidence not necessarily verifiable evidence verifiable
subjective objective
personal impersonalCOPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING
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The thesis statement
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what is it
The thesis statement
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is …
a sentence (sometimes two) which presents your argument , your position
a statement of the essay’s position in relation to the question
a statement that is put forward as a proposition to be argued and maintained in the essay
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The thesis statement
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is the most important sentence in your essay
tells the reader how you will interpret
the significance of the subject matter
is the road map for your essay
informs your reader the direction
your essay will take
The thesis statement
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is the of your essay’s academic
argument
The thesis statement
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How do I formulate one…
The thesis statement
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Before you can formulate your thesis statement
you need to:
understand the essay question
read widely on the topic
decide on your position
collect and organise evidence and
information
look for possible relationships
look for the significance of these
The thesis statement
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How do I develop my thesis statement ?
what is your point of view on the topic?
which point of view seems the most credible? Why?
what are their strengths and weaknesses?
identify the range of points of view in relevant readings
Remember, before you move into the body of the essay …
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What makes a thesis strong?
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(See activity 2)
The essay introduction- sample
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‘Natural disasters are really not so natural.’ Compare the roles of nature and society
in the subsequent impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Cyclone Yasi.
Cyclone Yasi and Hurricane Katrina were two similar natural disasters however they
resulted in two very different outcomes. Cyclone Yasi made landfall as a category 5
system on 3rd February, 2011 (Global Post 2011) on the Northern Queensland coast of
Australia, a well developed and well resourced area. Cyclone Yasi indirectly caused death
to one person (Freeman 2013). Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall on the
Mississippi / Louisiana border, USA on August 29th 2005 where it caused the deaths of
over 1,500 people (Kates et al., 2006). New Orleans, USA will be the area of focus for
Hurricane Katrina: an under-resourced area that contained many people in poverty because
of its slave history and more recently because of middle class families and jobs moving away
from the city and higher taxes reducing the area’s economic resilience (Katz 2006). The
severity and outcomes of the following subsequent impacts from the two disasters house
damage, flooding and lack of availability of food and clean water are compared. It is
determined that Hurricane Katrina’s impacts were much more severe and caused more loss
of life than Cyclone Yasi’s even though the two disasters were very similar in magnitude, and
the reasons for this are explained by comparing the minor of nature and the more major role
of society in the impacts. The role of society in these impacts are explained in terms of
political systems, poverty and inequality, history of the places and the role of nature in terms
of the natural environment. (adapted from: student 100 level essay)
The essay introduction- sample
The essay introduction- sample
19COPYRIGHT © LEARNING & TEACHING CENTRE I
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‘Natural disasters are really not so natural.’ Compare the roles of nature and society
in the subsequent impacts of Hurricane Katrina and Cyclone Yasi.
Cyclone Yasi and Hurricane Katrina were two similar natural disasters however they
resulted in two very different outcomes. Cyclone Yasi made landfall as a category 5
system on 3rd February, 2011 (Global Post 2011) on the Northern Queensland coast of
Australia, a well developed and well resourced area. Cyclone Yasi indirectly caused death
to one person (Freeman 2013). Hurricane Katrina made its second landfall on the
Mississippi / Louisiana border, USA on August 29th 2005 where it caused the deaths of
over 1,500 people (Kates et al., 2006). New Orleans, USA will be the area of focus for
Hurricane Katrina: an under-resourced area that contained many people in poverty because
of its slave history and more recently because of middle class families and jobs moving away
from the city and higher taxes reducing the area’s economic resilience (Katz 2006). The
severity and outcomes of the following subsequent impacts from the two disasters house
damage, flooding and lack of availability of food and clean water are compared. It is
determined that Hurricane Katrina’s impacts were much more severe and caused more loss
of life than Cyclone Yasi’s even though the two disasters were very similar in magnitude, and
the reasons for this are explained by comparing the minor of nature and the more major role
of society in the impacts. The role of society in these impacts are explained in terms of
political systems, poverty and inequality, history of the places and the role of nature in terms
of the natural environment. (adapted from: student 100 level essay)
The essay introduction- sample
What makes a thesis strong?
20
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it answers a question
it takes a position that is debatable
it is backed up by evidence and
argument
it answers the ‘so what ?’ question (that
is, it clarifies its relevance and significance)
it is supported specifically by the essay
Writing the thesis statement
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Thesis Checklist Yes Not Yet
Does it answer the essay question ?
Does it answer the question ‘What is my point?’
Does it take a position? (That is,does it
challenge/oppose/agree in part or in full OR does in simply
state, summarise or describe?)
Is it expressed in a strong and concise sentence?
Is it specific enough?
Does it pass the ‘so what’ test ?
Does the essay specifically support the thesis with sufficient
evidence?
Thank you!