Writing Argument
Writing argument is a lot like driving a car: you can study it, read about it, and have others explain it to you, but until you actually, physically do it, you cannot fully understand it. With that in mind, this page takes you through the basic steps of beginning an argumentative paper and concludes with some links to other writing websites.
1. I have to write an argumentative paper--ARGH!!! What do I do?!?
When trying to figure out what to write about, try to pick a topic that interests you or that you enjoy. It's much easier to write about a subject that you have strong feelings for, especially positive feelings. Try to pick a topic that caught your attention, one that was thought-provoking for you, and/or one that you would like to explore. And remember the particulars of your specific assignment, especially the page requirement. This example would best fit a 3-5 page paper that required one secondary source, but it could be expanded by revising the thesis a bit and finding additional source material.
2. Here a topic, there a topic, everywhere a topic-topic . . .
Everyone who sits down to write has a plethora of topics to select from; the trick is to realize that you are your own best resource and to harness your own personal reference bank of ideas.
The chosen topic: Calvin and Hobbes, my favorite comic strip
Whether or not you may pick any topic for your paper will, of course, depend upon the assignment and whether or not your instructor provides a specific set of writing prompts. If you need to use a prompt, try to interpret it in the best way possible to make it "work" for you and your paper.
3. "So what???"
This, the "eternal question," must be answered in some way. Ask yourself, "What can I do with this topic?" "What things come to mind when I think about this topic?" "What do I want my readers to know about this topic?" (Etc.) This is usually a good time for some brainstorming:
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I love this cartoon . . . OK, "so what?" Why do I love it? |
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it's enjoyable |
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makes use of many different topics and subjects |
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plays with the concept of genre |
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more than "just" a cartoon |
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shows that cartoons can be intellectually stimulating, make you think |
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a "different" type of comic |
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surreal, plays with concept of and perception of reality, especially with Hobbes |
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Calvin, 6 years old |
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Hobbes, his stuffed tiger who "comes to life" for Calvin--because of Calvin |
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Susie (classmate), Biff (bully), Mrs. Wormwood (teacher), Roz (babysitter) |
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Calvin's parents, who are never referred to by their first names |
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dinosaurs, time-traveling, school, monsters under the bed |
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Spaceman Spiff, Tracer Bullett |
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Calvinball, the game with rules that you make up as you go |
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large vocabulary for a 6-year-old |
Now that you have some ideas, return to the eternal question. "So what?" what is the significance? what conclusions can I draw from all of this? What do I want my readers to know, to realize, to appreciate?
Some conclusions:
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it's unique |
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it's mentally stimulating |
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it's imaginative |
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it can make you laugh out loud |
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it plays with language and meaning |
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it plays with the concept of perception and how a 6-year-old boy views the world vs. how his parents view it |
4. You've got some materials, so start building something interesting
At this point you've got a topic, you've got some ideas, and you've got some conclusions to work with. This might be where you try to start drafting the intro paragraph and tentative thesis . . .
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When the subject of cartoons comes up, most people will immediately think of the stereotypical cartoons geared for children. These cartoons are usually quite simplistic and not profound or thought-provoking, because they're meant as light entertainment. Cartoons usually don't hold much value for adults, and they certainly can't be intellectually stimulating--or so I thought until I read Calvin and Hobbes, a unique cartoon strip that plays with all of the stereotypes surrounding cartoons and actually challenges your knowledge and critical thinking skills while making you laugh out loud. |
While this draft is OK, it can be better . . .
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When searching for something intellectually stimulating to read, you might choose an insightful book, a news magazine, or the newspaper, but how many people would choose a comic strip about the adventures of a six-year-old boy and his stuffed toy tiger? If this seems odd, then it's probably because you've never experienced Calvin and Hobbes, a unique comic strip that plays with the stereotypical qualities of a comic by challenging your imagination and critical thinking skills while causing you to literally laugh out loud. |
Again, this is fine, but one more draft should do it . . .
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If you were to question most adults about what they find intellectually stimulating in the newspaper, the answers would probably include the headlines, current events, and the editorial page. But how many would mention the funnies? While many readers might flip through the comics every once in a while, they most likely do so for light reading and a possible laugh or two. The funnies are meant to be funny and enjoyable, not profound or thought-provoking, and are often dismissed as not being worth much intellectually. However, there is one comic strip that should not be dismissed so lightly, because it is interesting as well as entertaining: Calvin and Hobbes. By looking at the world through the eyes of a six-year-old boy, Bill Watterson has created a unique cartoon strip that plays with the traditional stereotypes surrounding cartoons and challenges the audience's knowledge and critical thinking skills while making them laugh out loud. |
Now that you've drafted an introduction and a tentative thesis, it's time to start thinking about secondary sources as well as how to quote and paraphrase.
5. Sources and quotes and paraphrases--oh, my!
Since this assignment only calls for one secondary source, and you already own The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book by Bill Watterson, your task here is relatively easy. This is a good source because it contains many examples of the comic in addition to comments and explanations by Bill Watterson, the creator of the comic, and it will suit our needs here. (For more information, see Critical Researching.)
Source: Watterson, Bill. The Calvin and Hobbes Tenth Anniversary Book. Kansas
City: Andrews and McMeel, 1995.
The first step is finding a quote that will help support our thesis and further our argument. This is the original text, shown here in block quote format (i.e., a longer quote that does not require quotation marks):
Original text: The so-called "gimmick" of my strip--the two versions of Hobbes--is sometimes misunderstood. I don't think of Hobbes as a doll that miraculously comes to life when Calvin's around. Neither do I think of Hobbes as the product of Calvin's imagination. The nature of Hobbes's reality doesn't interest me, and each story goes out of its way to avoid resolving the issue. Calvin sees Hobbes one way, and everyone else sees Hobbes another way. I show two versions of reality, and each makes complete sense to the participant who sees it. I think that's how life works. None of us sees the world in exactly the same way, and I just draw that literally in the strip. Hobbes is more about the subjective nature of reality than about dolls coming to life. (Watterson 22)
While this is a good quote, it is a bit long. For inclusion in a paper, you might want to paraphrase it--that is, keep the original meaning but use your own words:
Paraphrase: While some may see the question of whether or not Hobbes ever really speaks as one of the most important facets of the strip, creator Bill Watterson holds another view. He doesn't define Hobbes's existence in one way or another; in fact, he avoids defining it because he does not feel that it is crucial to the strip. However, he does get a bit philosophical concerning this idea by stating that he is basically exploring some differing versions of reality, and that each version is valid to each individual person. This is what our world is all about, because no two people's perceptions are going to be identical. What is reflected in his comic strip, then, is how reality is basically subjective, not that toys can suddenly spring to life (Watterson 22).
In addition to either quoting or paraphrasing, you can do a little of both by using brackets and ellipses dots:
Brackets are used to add a word or phrase to a quotation for clarification or to work the quotation smoothly into the grammatical structure of the sentence. The word or words in brackets will not appear in the original quotation, and the fact that brackets are used indicates this to readers. (This is shown with the word "because" in the example that follows the definition of ellipses.)
Ellipses (three spaced dots) are used when you wish to leave out a portion of the original quote. The use of ellipses tells readers that something has been omitted. when using ellipses, remember to put a space between each of the ellipses. In other words, they should look like this: . . . and not this: ... in your paper.
Example of brackets and ellipses:
Watterson comments on the dual nature of Hobbes's existence by saying that the "so-called 'gimmick' of my strip . . . is sometimes misunderstood . . . Calvin sees Hobbes one way, and everyone else sees Hobbes another way. I show two versions of reality . . . [because] I think that's how life works. None of us sees the world in exactly the same way . . . Hobbes is more about the subjective nature of reality than about dolls coming to life" (Watterson 22).
By looking at the original text, it can be seen that the previous example retains the meaning while condensing the length with brackets and ellipses. One more thing should be noted: the word "gimmick," which appeared in double quotation marks in the original. You need to use double quotation marks in your paper to indicate that you are quoting Bill Watterson, but the double quotation marks around "gimmick" in the original will result in too many quotation marks in a small space. As the example shows, this is remedied by the use of single quotation marks. The basic rule here is that if your source used double quotation marks, then you will use single quotation marks when quoting it in your paper. Continue to use double quotation marks to indicate the place where the quoted material begins and ends.
6. I think I've got it . . . are we done with quotes/etc. yet?
Not yet. The last thing to mention here is how to introduce and document the quotations in your paper. Quoting exactly, clearly, and effectively is a balancing act: on the one hand you must sharply distinguish the quotation from your own writing, but on the other hand you must lock the quotation firmly into the grammatical structure of your sentence. Above all, you must never let readers lose sight of why you are including the quotation:
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Quotation marks (or block quotes, quotes longer than four typed lines in your paper) set apart both the quoted material and the ideas they express. |
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Citation of the author helps the reader to evaluate the quotation. |
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Parenthetical documentation identifies the source of the quotation so readers can easily check its context. |
For example: According to Bill Watterson, "[n]one of us sees the world in exactly the same way, and I just draw that literally in the strip" (22).
7. Now that I know the basics, where can I learn more?
For further information about writing argument, simply click on the links below:
Purdue University's OWL Online
HFAC Internet Sources on Writing