Assignment: Argumentative Essay- Introduction Paragraph + Thesis Statement Workshop
Overview: AS we have discussed, the thesis statement is the lifeline of any successful argumentative piece. The thesis statement helps to define the scope of your argument, and also provides an effective roadmap for the writer and audience. We have also learned that the thesis statement should be constructed with a claim + reasons structures as to provide an overarching claim that is supported by subclaims. The subclaims highlight the individual pieces one intends to argue.
For this workshop, students please do the following:
Construct an effective introduction paragraph that sets the stage, provides context for the audience, and also utilizes a persuasive hook to capture the attention of the audience.
Construct an effective thesis statement that responds to the research question/statement.
The thesis statement should be framed in the "claim + reasons" structure and should engage with your research question in an argumentative fashion.
Remember, thesis statements are claims that are debatable/arguable. They should not merely show one side, rather, they should pose a claim that could be argued one way or another.
Ex: Pie is the best desert in America, because it is easy to make, it comes in a variety of flavors, and it is pleasing to the eye.
You can have as many subclaims as you need to flesh out your argumentative.
Discussion topic:
How social media affects mental health?
The subject gives the argumentative essay a wide area of focus. There is a growing corpus of study on the effects that social media use might have on mental health as it has become a more pervasive aspect of our life. I can examine the different ways that social media might impact mental health and wellbeing by choosing this topic.
Research question:
How does excessive usage of social media affect young adults' risk of developing anxiety and depression?
(Within the more general subject of social media and mental health, the study issue is a more focused field of investigation. I can focus my analysis and reduce the breadth of my argument by concentrating on excessive social media use and how it affects young adults' anxiety and sadness.)