S I X P A R T S

THE ARGUMENT ESSAY

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Consider the distinct perspectives expressed in the following statements.

If you develop the absolute sense of certainty that powerful beliefs provide, then you can get yourself to accomplish virtually anything, including those things that other people are certain are impossible.~William Lyon Phelps, American educator, journalist, and professor (1865-1943)

I think we ought always to entertain our opinions with some measure of doubt. I shouldn't wish people dogmatically to believe any philosophy, not even mine. ~Bertrand Russell, British author, mathematician, and philosopher (1872-1970)

In a well organized essay, take a position on the relationship between certainty and doubt. Support your argument with appropriate evidence and examples.

1. INTRODUCTION HOOK

(EXORDIUM)

• Introduce the topic (or problem) with a

concrete opening that will gain your readers’

interest and willingness to listen. A Hook.

• Good P.O.D. options for a hook:

• Exemplification—a real or, if need be, hypothetical example

• Narration—a (very) brief anecdote, personal or from your reading/experience

• Description—depending on the prompt, this may or may not be a good option

GENERAL = WEAK INTRO HOOKS

• Certainty and doubt are inevitable parts of life.

• Many of us have experienced being certain of an idea that we later came to discover was untrue.

• You’re in a certain situation where you need confidence. That voice of doubt will not be quiet and it negatively impacts your performance.

SPECIFIC = IMPROVED HOOKS

Weak: Certainty and doubt are inevitable parts of life.

Stronger: The day after the Union Army suffered horrific casualties at the Battle of Fredericksburg, President Lincoln asked Isaac Arnold, a good friend and advisor, to come to his office, where, to Arnold’s surprise, Lincoln began reading him jokes from a book of humor. Lincoln claimed that he needed relief from the burden of knowing that lives were and would be lost because of his decisions. As Arnold realized, Lincoln’s use of humor was a mask used to hide something that was simultaneously present in this leader’s certainty—namely, doubt.

WEAK GENERAL INTRO

EXAMPLES

Weak: Many of us have experienced being certain of an idea that we later came to discover was untrue.

Stronger: Up until the fifth grade, I was certain that Santa Claus was real. Though most of my friends had told me it was a hoax, that our parents were buying the presents, I was convinced that Santa skipped their homes on Christmas Eve because they didn’t believe. I even wrote to Mr. Claus in the off season. When my teacher Ms. Hyam announced that the first graders had written letters to Santa and that we would impersonate Santa’s elves and write them back, I was furious, demanding that their letters be sent to the North Pole. Allowing me to cleave to my childhood certainty, Ms. Hyam sent me to the library while my classmates wrote the elf replies.

PS – totally true story for Ms. Bech

WEAK GENERAL INTRO

EXAMPLES

Weak: You’re in a certain situation where you need confidence. That voice of doubt will not be quiet and it negatively impacts your performance.

Stronger: I have played the flute since I was six. Last summer, I played Chopin’s Nocturne No 20 in C-sharp minor without error for an audience of 500. But as I placed my sheet music on the stand at the competition recital, my hand was shaking and all I could hear was this voice of doubt: “Cut your losses and go home. You’re going to mess this up big time. You haven’t even started playing yet and the notes already lack wind support and sound flat.”

2. BACKGROUND/ENTER THE

CONVERSATION (NARRATIO)

Set up the conversation surrounding the topic by

offering some “They Say” voices:

• If the task asks you to respond to another writer’s

idea, then you must mention his/her name and

paraphrase his/her idea…and try including one or

two additional possible “They Say” perspectives.

• If the task does not ask you to directly respond to

another person’s thinking, then you can still use

the “They Say” that’s provided OR you can

provide some “They Say” of your own OR both

2. BACKGROUND/ENTER THE

CONVERSATION (NARRATIO)

William Lyon Phelps and Bertrand Russell portray

conflicting views regarding the importance of

certainty and doubt. Phelps’s position is that having

certainty in ourselves allows us to accomplish

insurmountable tasks. On the other hand, Russell

believes that it is healthy to obtain a certain level of

doubt in ourselves and that we should not

dogmatically believe in any one philosophy.

Excerpt from a high-scoring 2013 student essay

3. THESIS

• Now it’s time for you to weigh in with your stance,

the argument you will defend.

So, all together, the full introduction paragraph looks like this:

�Hook (exordium)

�Background/Context on “They Say” (narratio)

�Thesis

THESIS TIPS

• Embrace the complexity of the issue and don’t oversimplify it.

• One way to write a nuanced thesis is to structure it as a complex sentence—a subordinate clause (for main opposing argument) followed by an independent clause (for your position)

• When, Although, Except, By, Since, On the one hand, etc.

• Answer the Why does this matter? Question

• You might even want to include the word “because” in your thesis statement to ensure that you are including this part.

EXAMPLE CERTAINTY/DOUBT THESIS SENTENCES

WHICH ARE STRONG? WHICH NEED WORK?

1. Having doubt can cause productive, curious,

and cautious behaviors.

2. Doubt is imperative because it causes

breakthroughs in discovery that lead to new

certainties that would not otherwise be possible.

3. The relationship between certainty and doubt

divides people into two categories: believers and

realists.

4. While a certain degree of confidence is required

for success, an element of doubt in any situation

ensures both efficiency and motivation.

5. By questioning things, one can find new answers,

increase personal freedom, and increase

knowledge.

6. It is through doubting, questioning, and

examining that society has grown.

7. On the one hand, while it’s important to be

certain of ourselves and confident in our

endeavors, we must not assume our beliefs are all

powerful and rule out the ideas of others.

8. Certainty often takes on a motivational purpose

while doubt commonly promotes safety.

EXAMPLE CERTAINTY/DOUBT THESIS SENTENCES

WHICH ARE STRONG? WHICH NEED WORK?

LET’S WRITE AN INTRO FOR THE

HORACE ADVERSITY PROMPT

In 10 Minutes:

• Write a 2-3 sentence hook (exordium)

• Write an accurate paraphrase of Horace’s claim

• Select and copy one of the “They Say”

templates from #6—one that’s opposed to your

thesis

• End with your thesis, as a response to Horace’s

claim