Read on how to write an argument text and the samples of writings here.
Argument Text Type (Graphic Organiser)
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Argument Text Type Chart
| Purpose and Forms | · To present a particular point of view · Commonly found in pamphlets, promotional materials, advertisements and articles by special-interest groups |
| Structure | · An introduction which presents a point of view · Points supporting and elaborating on the point of view · A conclusion to reiterate the point of view |
| Language | · Straightforward presentation of facts · Use of photographs with captions · Generalised participants, e.g., ASEAN vs pirates · Technical terms, e.g., technology, radar, surveillance and SURPIC · Use of words to evoke emotions, e.g., vicious · Linking words such as connectors of reason, e.g., therefore, in fact, because · Use of modals/conditionals, e.g., if, would, could, can, need to · Mostly timeless present tense with some past tense for historical perspective and present continuous for current ongoing actions · Use of some sentences in the passive voice |
Creating an Argument Outline
Although there is no set model of organization for argumentative essays, there are some common patterns that writers might use or that writers might want to combine/customize in an effective way.
For more information on how to create an outline, click here to read Developing an Outline from the Purdue University On-line Writing Lab.
Below are 3 different patterns that you can consider. Also, beneath these are 3 additional outlines that you can print and fill in.
Outline I Introduction/Thesis-Claim Body Paragraph 1: Present your 1st point and supporting evidence. Body Paragraph 2: Present your 2nd point and it's supporting evidence. Body Paragraph 3: Refute your opposition's first point. Body Paragraph 4: Refute your opposition's second point. Conclusion/Restate Thesis | Outline II Introduction/Thesis-Claim Body Paragraph 1: Refute your opposition's first point. Body Paragraph 2: Refute your opposition's second point. Body Paragraph 3: Present your first point and supporting evidence. Body Paragraph 4: Present your second point and supporting evidence. | Outline III Introduction/Thesis-Claim Body Paragraph 1: Present your first point and it's supporting evidence, which also refutes one of your opposition's claims. Body Paragraph 2: Present your second point and it's supporting evidence, which also refutes a second opposition claim. Body Paragraph 3: Present your third point and it's supporting evidence, which also refutes a third opposition claim. |
Chris Polito
Paola Brown
Eng102
25 March 2008
Single Parent Struggle
For many years, children growing up in a single parent family have been viewed
as different. Being raised by only one parent seems impossible to many yet over the
decades it has become more prevalent. In today’s society many children have grown up
to become emotionally stable and successful whether they had one or two parents to show
them the rocky path that life bestows upon all human beings. The problem lies in the
difference of children raised by single parents versus children raised by both a mother
and a father. Does a child need both parents? Does a young boy need a father figure
around? Does the government provide help for single parents? What role do step-parents
and step-siblings play? With much speculation, this topic has become a very intriguing
argument. What people must understand is that properly raising a child does not rely on
the structure of a family but should be more focused on the process or values that are
taught to these children as they learn to mature. Children of single parents can be just as
progressive with emotional, social and behavioral skills as those with two parents.
People claim that the only way for children to gain full emotional and behavioural
skills is to be raised by both a mother and a father. When a topic such as this one has a
broad amount of variables it is impossible to simply link these problems to only having
one parent. In the article, “Single-parent families cause juvenile crime”, author Robert L.
Maginnis states, “Children from single-parent families are more likely to have behaviour
problems because they tend to lack economic security and adequate time with parents”.
The simple statement that raw criminals are products of single-parent adolescence is
absurd. What this writer must understand is that it can be extremely difficult for one
parent to raise a child by themselves for many reasons. A single-parent must work full
time to be able to afford to provide for themselves and their child. They must also be able
to still have time to offer an exuberant amount of emotional time for the well being of
their child. However, even though this may seem impossible, it can be done.
As this subject continues to be looked down on people must realize that single
parents are becoming more common in today’s world. Since 1995 the American family
structure for children ages fourteen to eighteen consists of forty-two percent living in a
first marriage family with both parents, twenty-two percent living in a second marriage
step-family, twenty-one percent living in a single parent, divorced or separated family,
six percent living in a single parent never married family and three percent living in a
single parent widowed family. This is an extremely scary statistic considering that fiftyeight
percent of children in America are living in a single parent family. This is a chilling
percentage because it shows how little faith is put into a relationship before actually
deciding to have children. Unfortunately not all single-parents take the time to perform
the vital tasks needed to raise their children. Parents who think they would never be able
to provide emotional stability for their children by themselves should have taken the time
to think this through before deciding to become parents. Accidents may happen once in
a while but in most cases adults know what is at stake when planning to have a child.
Plain and simple, if you’re not ready, than don’t do it. If you do decide to have this child
and you love this child, then you can be a good parent. There are many ways to enhance
the well being of your child if you simply apply yourselves as parents.
Magginnis later states that, “Boys who do not have fathers as male role models
suffer especially”. While it is extremely important for a male child to have his father
around, there are other ways of teaching a young boy the lessons he needs to become a
man. I know from personal experience that what the author of this article is trying to
convey is wrong. I never had my father around while growing up and I did in fact have
many positive male role models. My Grandfather was always there to help guide me as I
slowly blossomed into a young man. Anytime my mother had to work to support us, my
grandparents, aunt’s, uncles and cousins would step up and provide the time and attention
I needed. Therefore, I had the best support group I could have had as a young man. Being
a child with a single mother had its benefits. Although I came to find how hard it really
was for her to always meet the needs of her child, she did the best job that she possibly
could and gave me the knowledge that I needed to become a successful man without the
guidance of my father.
I did however have the experience of dealing with a step-parent. Today, twentyfive
percent of all American children will spend at least some time of their growing-up
years in a stepfamily. This seems fine for single parents because they feel like they can
start over in a new relationship and receive help from their spouse both emotionally and
financially. A step-parent can cause confusion and emotional stress on the child since
they have just had to adjust to only one parent and now have to adjust to a new parental
figure stepping into the family role. Another factor of bringing a step-parent into a single
family’s life is new step-siblings to get along with. It might not be justified for a step
parent to punish their step-child like they would their own flesh and blood. As long as
both parents have an understanding that their family comes first and that it is important to
communicate between themselves and with the children, a step-family could survive.
Children who are raised with both a mother and a father have more attention from
both parents therefore they get the emotional time they need to progress in life. This
could be true but not in all circumstances. It would not be beneficial at all to grow up in a
two parent family who did nothing but argue and put each-other down. Naturally, a child
who sees this from a very young age until they are ready to be out on their own would
only follow in the footsteps of all that they have ever known. Children who are raised by
one parent who devotes their time and emotion into their child would benefit much more
than a child who has both parents showing them that fighting and arguing is acceptable.
Not all families are lucky enough to have a healthy structure. It is important for
society and government aids to notice these structural differences and take action. There
should be government funded programs to help assist single-parent families with
childcare and finances for parents who must work and still have time for their children.
Whether it’s a mother and a father, a single mother, or a single father, children
need guidance. They will only become a product of what they are taught from a young
age and these children are deeply affected emotionally by the amount of love and
compassion that is put into raising them. Whichever family structure is implied it must be
one of respect and strong moral values that they can someday pass on to their family.
Bonnie Fellhoelter
Paola Brown
English 102
17 March 2008
Argument Paper
“Are you hot?
Are you cold?
Are you wearing that?
Where’s your books and your lunch and your homework at?
Grab your coat and your gloves and your scarf and hat.
Don’t forget; you got to feed the cat!” (1)
Anita Renfroe wrote these catchy words for the song “Momisms”, sung to the
familiar tune of the William Tell Overture. Her words best describe a typical day of
mayhem through the eyes of a mother. Mothers who stay at home know that at times,
their lives can be discombobulating. Despite the chaos, stay-at-home mothers get the
tremendous responsibility of only having one chance of raising their children in such a
way that makes a difference in their children’s lives and in society.
Throughout history, society has looked upon the male as the breadwinner: the one
expected to work and support the family. The mother has been viewed as the nurturer:
the one to stay home and raise the children. During the 1960’s, women wanted more
rights, power, and the ability to get higher paying jobs. Women were given this right so
they expressed this new found freedom by going to work outside of the home. As
women sought employment, their children were left to the care of babysitters and day
care workers. Because society has redefined the role of a mother to be one who is an
important element in the workforce, the loss of the mother in the home has led to the
Fellhoelter 2
decline of the family unit, and thus, to society. This forfeiture has created a generation
for whom social morals and values are not as important as they once were. Perhaps this
is due to a working mother being absent from the home where she is unable to personally
instill these ethical standards in her children, thus leaving her children to receive their
value system from strangers. “Society truly does begin at home”, asserts Sibyl Niemann,
so, in order to return to a culture with better morals and values, the importance of the role
of the stay at home mother should be restored. (2) In this way, stay at home mothers can
improve society.
It is disappointing when mothers are devalued for staying at home to raise their
children. Richard Lowry states, “There is something valuable in a mother’s caring for
her own child.” (4) In general, no one can take care of your child in the same way his or
her mother would. A mother’s care is usually superior to daycare since she naturally
wants what is best for her child. “According to a non-partisan Public Agenda survey in
2000, roughly 80 percent of parents with children five and younger say a stay-at-home
parent is best able to give children the “affection and attention they need.”” (qtd. in
Lowry 4)
A mother’s individual care can also curb the aggression that is evident in day
care centers. “A study done by the National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD), reports that, kids in non-maternal care tend to be associated with
qualities such as “gets in lots of fights,” “cruelty,” “explosive behavior,” “talking too
much,” “argues a lot,” and “demands a lot of attention.”” (qtd. in Lowry 1) Teachers who
work in a preschool environment, like my daughter, are frustrated with how badly the
children usually behave. Workers in day care are governed by strict rules which prevent
disciplining children the way one can do at home. This causes a disregard and loss of
respect for others because many children grow up thinking they can do what they want.
Today, many of the younger generation act like they are owed something. In the
workplace, it is shocking to see the way they treat others with their degrading manners
and think there is nothing wrong with their behavior. They also tend to have lazy work
ethics and “cop an attitude” when asked to do anything extra. This makes it difficult for
many employers to find hard working and respectful employees.
It is important to note that not all children in daycare grow up to be aggressive
and unproductive adults. Even though many women in the work force find raising
children to be a very difficult task which leaves them feeling lonely and bored, they do a
fine job of balancing their jobs with raising successful children. These women enjoy
being able to show their children the advantages of working outside of the home. They
are able to “teach their children how to be independent, inquisitive, and ambitious”, as
well as “learn the value of personal fulfillment and goal setting.” (Karaim 1) Reed
Karaim also proclaims that, “successful working mothers give their children one of the
best gifts any parent can: the example of a life lived to its potential.” (3) I think that all
of these examples are helpful in raising successful children, however, I believe a stay at
home mom can also teach these same qualities in the home. I know this to be true
because I was fortunate to remain at home and raise my children. I was the one who was
the nurturer and demonstrated love and compassion to my children by hugging, cuddling,
and kissing them. I was personally involved in teaching them throughout all the stages of
development and shared in the joy of my children’s accomplishments. There is
something special about hearing your child’s first word and watching them take their first
step as they giggle with glee. I was able to mold my children’s character by instilling
good values and morals that taught them to be independent and set goals for themselves,
such as being on time for work and appointments. These attributes have helped to
contribute to society in a positive way and leave me feeling as if I have done a good job.
Despite the seemingly successful results of a stay at home mom’s efforts, “our
culture no longer values the household supported by a sole breadwinner.” (Niemann 3)
This is demonstrated by the many women who currently do work outside of the home
because they feel the need to contribute to their families’ well being. According to
Niemann, “everything—from buying a house to applying for a college loan for one’s son
or daughter—seems structured around the two income family.” (3) A household that has
a dual income helps “boost many families into middle class.”, says Karaim. (2) This
allows their children to experience the comforts, options for education and opportunities
that they might otherwise not have had.
As tempting as this extra income may be, couples should be careful that this does
not impact their relationship as husband and wife. When spouses compete for power in
the workforce and then return home too tired to deal with the many needs of their
children, the harmony of the family unit can suffer. This is because husbands often feel
threatened by the success of their wives. Steven Rhoads claims that “men are more likely
to divorce women who are ambitious.” (5) Lowry explains that “just the specter of
divorce creates a kind of intra-marital arms race. The wife works to hedge against getting
abandoned, but her very act of working, research shows, makes it more likely that the
marriage will fail—a dismaying downward spiral.” (3) Since divorces negatively impact
society, we should refocus on preserving marriage and on strengthening the family unit.
When men and women are happy and comfortable in their roles as the fatherbreadwinner,
and mother-caregiver, marriages can thrive.
Women who do remain at home should not hide behind their children or husbands
but instead should be proud of their role. They should be vocal about how productive
they are with their children and family. This allows working women and men to see and
appreciate the importance of the role of a stay at home mom. Perhaps they will see for
themselves the advantages of remaining at home and raising their children. According to
Lowry, “most women would like to stay home and care for their children, but society
pressures them into believing that a career is more important than family.” (1) Unless
some changes are made, the family unit will continue to decline. Less time spent with
children building character increases the risk for disregarding and disrespecting others.
The current attitudes of “you owe me”, “I deserve it”, as well as “it is all about me” will
probably continue to get worse.
Even though being a stay-at-home mom may have periods of loneliness, boredom,
frustration, and feelings of futility, the rewards of being personally involved with raising
one’s own children greatly outweigh the negatives. One of the greatest accomplishments
in life is being a stay-at-home mom where one can teach and model good behavior and
moral fortitude. By emulating these morals and values, children enter into adulthood
with the necessary tools needed to produce a successful society. As tough as this unpaid
task may be, this self-sacrifice of staying at home to raise ones’ children can be the most
society enhancing job a woman can do.
Works Cited
Fellhoelter 6
Renfroe, Anita. “Momisms.” 2007 <http://www.squidoo.com/anitarenfroelyrics>
Niemann, Sibyl. “Women Should be Encouraged to be Stay-at-Home Mothers.”
Opposing Viewpoints: Male/Female Roles. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego:
Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale.
Maricopa County Community College. 26 February 2008
<http://find.galegroup.com>.
Lowry, Richard. “Working Mothers Are Harming the Family.” Opposing Viewpoints:
The Family. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego: Greenhaven Press 2003. Opposing
Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale. Maricopa County Community College. 28
February 2008 <http://findgalegroup.com>.
Karaim, Reed. “Women Should Not Be Encouraged to Be Stay-at-Home Mothers.”
Opposing Viewpoints: Male/Female Roles. Ed. Auriana Ojeda. San Diego:
Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center. Gale.
Maricopa County Community College. 28 February 2008
<http://findgalegroup.com>.
Rhoads, Steven E. “Traditional Marriage Roles Would Improve Male/Female
Relations.” Opposing Viewpoints: Male/Female Roles. Ed. Auriana Ojeda.
San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 2005. Opposing Viewpoints Resource Center.
Gale. Maricopa County Community College. 28 February 2008
<http://find.galegroup.com>.
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