WRITING / Argument essays / Basic Argument Essay

 Academic Argument Essay Writing Skills

A basic outline of a two-sided essay

Two-sided Argument Outline

Introduction

Background

The issue

Thesis statement

Overview of essay

Main Body

Counter Arguments

Main Arguments

Conclusion

Restate your thesis statement

Summary of arguments

Your opinion/ recommendations for the future

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Example:

Two-sided Argument Outline

Introduction

Background: Parents educate children at home

The issue: Some children find it difficult to fit in school system

Thesis statement: Better to be educated at school

Overview of essay: Look at the arguments for and against

Main Body

Counter Arguments1) – work at own rate / concentrate on specific subjects   support: university at 12 or 13 2) – protect children against harmful influences support: truancy / drugs concluding sentence: School can prevent learning taking place

Main Arguments1) – isolated at home   support: socialize and meet people at school / independent / sport and drama 2) – More resources / equipment support – range of subjects / expertise / expensive 3) – Parents are not teachers support: too much time together concluding sentence: difficult to draw boundaries and affect independence

Conclusion

Restate your thesis statement: School is preferable

Summary of arguments: Home education – aids concentration / protection it fails to develop socializing, a range of resources and possibly professional teaching

Your opinion/ recommendations for the future: Home education ok for disabled / Greater benefits going to school

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Essay

Should parents educate their children at home.

In Britain parents are now choosing to educate their children at home. This is often because some children find it difficult to fit into the a school system because they are especially gifted or have problems of some kind. However, despite the various arguments that have been put forward for home tutoring, this essay will argue that it is better for a child to be educated at school.

Teaching children at home has a number of advantages. Firstly, parents feel that their children will be able to realise their potential better if they can work at their own rate and concentrate on specific subjects. For example, there have been cases of children who have gone to university as young as twelve or thirteen because they especially gifted and have opted out of the school system. Parents feel that they will also be able to protect their children from harmful influences they may encounter at school if they keep them at home. Problems such as truancy and drugs are common and adolescents particularly can be led astray by their peers. Thus, school can prevent learning to take place effectively.

However, there are also arguments in support of sending children to school rather than educating them at home. First of all, children are isolated at home; at school, on the other hand, they are able to socialise and meet people of different ages and so become increasingly independent. Children also need their peers to do subjects like sports and drama. Another important point is that schools have more resources and equipment than can be provided at home. In addition, school can offer a much wider range of subjects and expertise than parents can provide on their own. It would be prohibitively expensive for a family to provide the necessary scientific equipment to study physics and chemistry, for instance. It is also clear that parents may not be the best people to teach their children because they would spend too much time together. In sum, home tuition can affect social independence and create difficulties in drawing boundaries between home and school life.

On balance it seems that education at school is preferable to learning at home. It is fair to assume that home education aids concentration and protection, it also limits socialising, availability of resources and professional teaching. There may be particular cases in which home tutoring would be advantageous, such as for severely disabled children; however, for the vast majority of children there are greater benefits from going to school.

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Argument Essay titles

Look at these topics and think of 2 arguments for and 2 against. Write a two-sided argument essay of 4 paragraphs and approximately 250 words – send it to us to proofread. Check  Argument essay guide.

 To what extent do you agree…

1. University should be free
2. Animal testing is necessary
3. Prisons don’t work
4. Video games encourage violence
5. Euthanasia should be legal
6. Nuclear power is a bad investment
7. Governments are over-spending
8. Marriage is becoming old-fashioned
9. Money is the key to happiness
10. Consumerism is negative
11. Social media is changing how we communicate
12. Military service should be compulsory
13. Education is the key to reduce crime
14. Parents should choose the careers for their children
15. Brexit is a mistake.
16. There is no other life in the universe
17. GMOs are dangerous and should be banned
18. More should be done to control Superstar Corporations
19. Climate Change is a myth
20. Academic research can’t be trusted

 SPSE Essay Titles

 

Look at these topics and think of 2 problems / 2 solutions to these problems and evaluate whether the solution will be effective. Write 250 words and use sources where possible – send it to us to proofread. Check SPSE Essay guide.

1. Plagiarism at university
2. Artificial intelligence
3. Global Migration
4. Climate Change
5. Terrorism
6. Unemployment
7. Cyber crime
8. Depression
9. Food security
10. Discrimination
11. Gender inequality
12. Off-shore banking
13. Debt
14. Superstar Companies
15. Brexit