Writing Specific, Contestable, and Evidence-Based Arguments

An essay about a topic of your choosing where you explain why your “hot take” is worthwhile through evidence and evidence. This assignment is 3-4 pages double spaced in MLA formatting and will cover the writing skills main claims, claims, evidence, and reasoning.

Introduction to Argumentative Writing: The Genre

The clusters below are organized around a single theme and serve as the vehicle for discussing how writers and thinkers construct their arguments: what a contestable, specific, and significant claim looks like and how the writers deploy evidence.

Social Media and Identity

Reading	Guiding Questions
“The Authenticity Delusion” by Eugene Healey (reading) “The I in the Internet” by Jia Tolentino (reading) “How Social Media Shapes Identity” by Ulrike Schultze (video)	What is the main point put forth by each author? How or why would someone disagree with the point? What types of evidence does the author use? Do you find the arguments convincing? Why or why not?

Sports and Fandom

Reading	Guiding Questions
“When football clubs are less successful, fans are more loyal to each other” by Martha Newson (reading) “Sports dynasties are good” by Charlotte Wilder (reading) “The Psychology Behind the Sports Fans” by Trevor Hecht (video)	What is the main point put forth by each author? How or why would someone disagree with the point? What types of evidence does the author use? Do you find the arguments convincing? Why or why not?

The Importance of CUNY

Reading	Guiding Questions
“Why the History of CUNY Matters: Using CUNY Digital History Archives to Teach CUNY’s Past” by Stephen Brier (reading) “Free Tuition and Expansion in New York Public Higher Education” by Tahir Butt (reading) CUNY’s historical role in promoting social mobility (video)	What is the main point put forth by each author? How or why would someone disagree with the point? What types of evidence does the author use? Do you find the arguments convincing? Why or why not?

Essential Writing Skills for Crafting Arguments

Writing Technique: Evidence

Reading	Guiding Questions
“The Ethnic Theory of Plane Crashes” by Malcolm Gladwell, excerpts provided on Brightspace	What types of evidence does Gladwell use? Is the evidence effective? Why or why not?

Writing Technique: Reasoning

Reading	Guiding Questions
“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift	First, identify the evidence that Swift uses to make his argument. How does he analyze, explain, or reason through the evidence? Is the reasoning convincing? Why or why not? *Hint: “A Modest Proposal” is satirical

Writing Technique: Claims and Main Claims

Reading	Guiding Questions
“The Craft of Writing Effectively” by Larry McEnerney, clips	How does McEnerney define effective writing? Do you find his definition convincing? Why or why not?

Writing your own argument

We’re all experts in something—maybe a favorite movie or sports franchise, baking the perfect sourdough, or a city’s transit system. As experts, we can share our knowledge with a range of people: those who aren’t as knowledgeable and those who know just as much as we do. When we share our knowledge with nonexperts, we tend to focus on teaching them something new. But the task changes when we talk to other experts: people who know just as much about the topic as we do. Talking to other experts presents its own challenges, since experts each tend to have their own thoughts and opinions that are well-formed based on evidence. When we talk to other experts, we have to learn how to present our arguments so we can get them on our side—especially when we’re presenting a controversial claim or “hot take.” These types of claims are important, because they help to advance a given field or discourse. But sometimes the most knowledgeable of readers can be the most stubborn and resistant. 

Pick any topic for your argument essay. I recommend choosing a topic about which you are passionate and already have several “hot takes.” A strong argument essay will:

1. Include a clear and easily identifiable main claim that your fellow experts would identify as a claim rather than a fact or opinion
2. Support your main claim through relevant and reasonable evidence. Please include and cite between 3-5 sources.
3. Connect your claims and evidence through reasoning

A strong argumentative essay will also show notable and meaningful revisions between each draft, demonstrating your ability to take feedback from our writing workshops and implement the comments that help you best communicate your story to your readers. Please make sure that you proofread your final draft for grammar and spelling mistakes.