ARGUMENTATI

VE ESSAY
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 Objectives:
1. To define what a “hook” and “claim or
proposition” are;
2.To differentiate the ways
c
on how to make an
introduction;
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3. To apply the hints in having a good body

and concluding paragraph;
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4. To familiarize the techniques in writing

arguments
 Argumentative Essay
- presents arguments on both
sides of an issue
Outline of an Argumentative Essay
1st ¶- Introduction
– provide a hook or grabber catching the
c

reader’s attention; it can be a strong

statement, a quotation, an anecdote, a
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statistics or fact, or a series of questions

- relate the hook to the issue
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-give your stand on the certain issue

(serves as the thesis statement or the
main idea of the essay)
 Dangerous Freedom
by Stephen John G. Mancao
Throughout these years, neither men nor women, neither
children nor adults are safe. Bloodstain on the dark streets and
weapons hidden under the clothes. How alarming and how unsafe it
is for all of the citizens while walking down the street! Harassment,
rape, murder, and other unjustifiable acts are committed but the
c
people are blinded and silenced by fear. The sudden increase in the
crime rate spreads like wildfire. Witnesses are like parrots who have
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the freedom to speak but unfortunately, they are caged. When will
this blindness and silence end and when will the truth be told?
Justice takes too long to be served. Because of this, on June 30,
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2016, during his State of the Nation Address, President Rodrigo

Duterte started his campaign “ War on Drugs” because to him
majority of the crimes happening in our country are the result of
prohibited drugs. This campaign of his resulted to what we call
 1. What way did the writer use as his “hook or
grabber”?
2. How did he connect his ”grabber” to the
issue? c
Forming
3. an Opinion
What was Statement
his stand (Stand)
on the issue?
An effective argument starts with a clear
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opinion statement, also known as a claim or

proposition.
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 BODY - consists of 3 paragraphs
- provides evidences to support your
stand
2nd ¶– give one solid reason of your stand
by citing sources from online sites and
c

acknowledge it
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3rd ¶- give another solid reason of your

stand by citing sources from online sites
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and acknowledge it

4th ¶- give an opposing viewpoint of your

 One reason that I am not in favor of Extrajudicial
Killings is that a numerous number of innocent lives
were sacrificed according to Human Rights Watch.
Take for example the life of a former student of my
adviser in Grade 10 who was brutally killed in a buy-
bust operation by police operatives.
c He just
happened to be the “habal-habal” driver of that
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certain person delivering the drugs without his

knowledge. He was not involved in the syndicate. It
was painful for his wife for they have yet to
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celebrate their first wedding anniversary and the

first birthday of their son by December 2018. There
 On July 1, 2016, Oliver Dela Cruz was shot to death in
Bulacan province during a police sting operation. He was
playing cards at a friend’s house when a group of armed men
broke in, interrogated and executed him. Police denied any
responsibility, blaming vigilante violence. The International
Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which the Philippines
has signed, recognizes the rightc to life. The death penalty was
abolished in the Philippines in 1987, and the country signed
the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, becoming part of
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the global movement against the death penalty. Under the

ICCPR, the right to be free from execution also covers arbitrary
and extrajudicial killing. The Human Rights Measurement
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Initiative tracks the performance of countries around the world

on upholding these rights. The killings of Mr. Dela Cruz and
thousands of others are a denial of the right to life and the
 Advocates of Extrajudicial Killings agree to this kind
of justice system which is synonymous to “an eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth”, meaning whatever harm one
gives to his fellowmen, that said harm would also be
given to the perpetrator, because a 25-percent-drop in
the crime rate was reported by the National Capital
c
Region Office (NCPRO) between January and June 2017.
Based on crime statistics released by the Philippine
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National Police (PNP), all the crimes dropped by 9.8%

and the crime incidents decreased by 61,409. The
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campaign of our president gained positive feedback right

after he took office. Yes! These reports are true but I still
would not conform to this because there is still a law
 Hints for a Successful Body
Paragraphs
Clarify your position/stand in
your topic sentence/thesis
statement. c

Address opposing viewpoints.

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Use cohesive
devices/transitional markers
c
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 Conclusion -5th Paragraph
 Summarize the important details of
your argument.
 Restate your stand or thesis statement.
c
 Write a personal comment or call for
action.
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- with a prediction
- with a question
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- with a recommendation
- with a quotation
 To sum it up, I, being a law-abiding citizen who has
the freedom to express my stand concerning the
aforementioned controversial issue, am against the
idea that Extrajudicial Killings is the answer to solve
the increasing crime rate in the Philippines. I believed
that it is not by the law thatc most perpetrators fear of,
but, it is with whom that abides and upholds the
essence of such law. No one is above the law but there
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will always be someone who tries to use power to

pursue it. I think it is time for us to open our mouth to
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speak as witnesses on the committed brutality. It is

with the people of our country that our tomorrow’s
justice relies on. It is and will always be a dangerous
 Techniques in Writing Arguments
1.Distinguishing Argumentation from
Persuasion
Argumentation relies on logic and
evidence
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Persuasion appeals to readers’ emotions

2. Forming an Opinion Statement
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An effective argument starts with a clear

opinion statement, also known as a claim or
 Use this simple formula to craft your
opinion statement. Remember that
the statement will serve as the thesis
for your writing. c
Debatable Topic (Who or what am I
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writing about?)
Focus (What specific belief do I have
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about my topic?) _______________

= Opinion Statement
 Three Categories of Opinion
1.Statements:
Statements of Truth claim that something is or is not the
case.
Despite what you might think, most hunters (topic) are
friends of the environment (focus).
2. Statements of Value claim that
c something does or does
not have worth.
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Podcasts (topic) have become the media of consequence in

the 21st century (focus).
3. Statements of Policy claim that something should or
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should not be done.

What we need most of all isn't mudslinging of political
candidates (focus) but a clear platform from them for the
 In writing an argumentative essay, two
rhetorical appeals should be used; these
are:

✓ appeal to logos means c

providing clear
thinking and solid reasoning to support claims
(using logic)
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✓appeal to ethos means building trust by

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citing reputable sources, providing factual

evidence, and fairly presenting the issue
 • Avoid using logical fallacies in
argumentative writing.
are forms of “mistaken idea" that some
people accidently use (weakening their arguments)
and others intentionally use (manipulating others)
c
Types of Logical
Fallacies
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1. Ad Hominem – Latin word for “against the

man”; rejects or criticizes another person’s view
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on the basis of personal characteristics,

background, or physical appearance not relevant
 2. Appeal to Ignorance -in Latin “argumentum ad
ignorantiam”; uses ignorance as a reason to
support an argument
e.g. No one has ever been able to prove definitely
that extraterrestrials exist, so they must not be real.
3. False Dilemma/False Dichotomy
c – limits the
options to only two instead of more options
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e.g. Either we go to war, or we appear weak.

4. Slippery Slope – takes a minor action to lead to
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major and sometimes exaggerated consequences

e.g. If we allow gay marriage, the next thing we
know, people will want to marry their dogs, or their
 5. Circular Argument – in Latin “petition principii”;
repeating what has been assumed beforehand and
not arriving at a new conclusion
e.g. According to my brain, my brain is reliable.
6. Hasty Generalization – giving a general
statement without sufficient
c evidence to support it
e.g. People nowadays only vote with their
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emotions instead of their brains.

7. Causal – any logical breakdown when identifying
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a cause
a. False Cause – in Latin “non causa pro causa”
(not the cause for a cause); concluding about a
 b. Post Hoc – in Latin “post hoc ergo propter” (after
this, therefore because of this); mistakenly
identified the cause just because it came first;
superstitions are under this fallacy.
e.g. Yesterday, I walked under a ladder with an open
c
umbrella indoors while spilling salt in front of a black
cat. And I forgot to knock on wood with my lucky dice.
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That must be why I’m having such a bad day today. It’s
bad luck.
c. Correlational – in Latin “hoc ergo propter hoc”
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(with this, therefore because of this); mistakenly

interprets two things found together as being
 8. Appeal to Authority – in Latin “argumentum ad
verecundiam”; misuse of authority
a. Fallacy of Irrelevant Authority
e.g. I buy Hanes underwear because Michael Jordan says
it is the best.
b. Fallacy of Misused Authority
c
e.g. Four out of five dentists agree that brushing your
teeth makes your life meaningful.
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9. Appeal to Pity – in Latin “argumentum ad

misercordiam” (argument to compassion); appears as
emotional manipulation
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e.g. Sir, you have to give me an A on this paper. I know I

only turned in a sentence and some clip art. Please
understand, my grandmother suddenly died while traveling
 10. Bandwagon – assumes something is true,
right, or, good because other people agree
with it
a. Ad Populum – means “to the
populous/popularity”; something is accepted
c
because it is popular
e.g. Pre-marital sex is the best way for couples to
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show their love for each other.

b. Consensus Gentium – means “consensus of
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the people”; something is accepted because the

relevant authorities of the people agree on it