Notes on Constructing an Argument - Thesis Reasons Support Opposition

Notes on Constructing an Argument #1

Your Thesis Statement:

Your thesis statement is the "central idea" -- or the "umbrella" -- for your argument essay -- everything in your argument essay should "fit under" your umbrella -- in other words, everything in your essay should clearly relate to and support your thesis statement.
THESIS = topic/issue + your position or point of view on the topic/issue
To generate a thesis statement, perhaps begin by completing this phrase: "I [argue / believe / think] that . . . "

Your Supporting Reasons:

Your supporting reasons are essentially your "sub-arguments" -- in other words, they are your "main points" or your "main ideas" -- thus, they will most likely appear in your topic sentences.
Your supporting reasons should directly relate to and support your thesis statement -- in essence, your supporting reasons "break down" your thesis statement or your argument into parts, and they argue each part separately.
To generate your supporting reasons, perhaps begin by completing this phrase: "I believe that . . . [insert your thesis here] . . . BECAUSE . . . "

Your Supporting Evidence:

You offer supporting evidence to support or back up each of your supporting reasons -- in other words, your supporting evidence is your paragraph development (the "meat" of each paragraph).
Supporting evidence falls into five (5) basic groups: Facts, Statistics, Examples, Expert Opinion, and Personal Experience.

Your Opposition:

Since this is an argumentative essay, your thesis and supporting reasons must make assertions that others might disagree with -- if not, you are not writing an argument.
You must consider and address your opposition at some point in your essay. It might be only one paragraph where you address your opposition's main point(s) and then try to refute them. Or, it might be several paragraphs where you take your opposition's main points, one at a time, and try to refute them, one at a time.
If you have mixed feelings about your argument and you end up arguing "both sides" in your essay, you are automatically addressing your opposition, just in a different way.