Welcome to Your Unit 4 Argumentative Essay Organizer!

LET'S GET STARTED!

Directions

• As you move through each slide, follow the prompts and directions to complete your research.

​

​

• You can also check out Mrs. Demetros' sample along the way. Look for this icon to see Mrs. Demetros' sample work.

�

2

6/20/2024

From Topic to Thesis Statement

Step 1: Choose or find a topic (stated as a question) that you can answer and PROVE WITH RESEARCH! �Some example questions could be: (you CAN use one of these, or choose your own)

1. Should college be free for everyone?
2. Which is better: cyber school or brick-and-mortar (in-person) school?
3. Should pets be allowed inside all stores that do not sell food?

​

Step 2: Create your Thesis Statement by following this formula: 

Note: The colors show what you need to fill in.

(Answer to your topic question) because (reason 1), (reason 2), and (reason 3).

​

�

3

6/20/2024

Mrs. Demetros' sample thesis statement: (You CANNOT use this.)�Video gaming should be considered a sport because players need to exert themselves, be skilled, and compete.

Thesis Statement

Directions: 

Step 1: Go back to the previous slide and copy your thesis statement.

Step 2: Re-type or paste your thesis statement in the space below so you can use it during your research today.

​

​

​

Step 3: Mark each reason listed in your thesis statement in a different color.

�

4

6/20/2024

Mrs. Demetros' sample thesis statement with color coded reasons: �Video gaming should be considered a sport because players need to exert themselves, be skilled, and compete.

Creating Good Search Terms

Directions

Step 1: Re-type (or paste) your reasons (colored words from your thesis statement) in column 1. 

Step 2: Change the words just enough to make a search-able phrase and put your new phrase in Column 2

�

5

6/20/2024

Column 1         Column 2 �exert yourself   video game exertion

be skilled       learning skills in video games

compete     video game competition OR competition in video games

Mrs. Demetros' SAMPLE

Researching Reasons

Directions: Complete these 5 steps for each of your reasons.          

Step 1: Use your search term for one of your reasons and type it into your preferred search engine (Google, Bing, etc)

Step 2: Look for a website that seems credible and reliable that also talks about the same point you do. 

Step 3: Read the information in the article. If it has the same ideas you do, follow steps 4 and 5. If it does NOT have the same ideas you do, go back to step 2 and try a different article.

Step 4: Copy the URL of the website. Paste it on the slide. 

Step 5: Write down (on the slide) exact quotes or describe facts from the article that prove your point. You need 1-2 facts or quotes for each reason.

�

6

6/20/2024

 Slide 7 = reason 1

Slide 8 = reason 2

Slide 9 = reason 3

​

Watch this VIDEO to see this in action!

Reason #1:

URL of good article

Facts & Quotes

�

7

6/20/2024

Reason #2:

URL of good article

Facts & Quotes

�

8

6/20/2024

Reason #3:

URL of good article

Facts & Quotes

�

9

6/20/2024

�

10

6/20/2024

Your research is now complete! 

​

In the next step you will use this research to help write out your paragraphs! 

​

Move to the next slide to download your official template and then continue on to see some videos on how to write your essay.

Time to Start Writing! 

Step 1: Download THIS DOCUMENT. It is your pre-formatted Word Doc Template that you MUST use for your essay. Do not change any font sizes or colors.

​

Step 2: Watch the video to the right. It explains how to take your research and turn it into your body paragraphs.

​

​

Step 3: Write your body paragraphs! Go back to slides 7-9 as needed to access your researched information.

�

11

6/20/2024

Watch the VIDEO to see this in action!

Moving Along...well, back to the top! 

Now that your body paragraphs are written out, you are going to go back to the top and write your introduction paragraph. 

Intro paragraphs contain 3 important things:

1. A Hook
2. Background Information
3. Your EXACT Thesis Statement

​

**If you want to be SUPER smart about your work, make your topic question your hook! If your topic is about free college for everyone, your hook question could be "Should college be free for everyone?"

​

​

�

12

6/20/2024

Watch the VIDEO to see this in action!

Now to the end! 

You should now have your body paragraphs, and your intro paragraph completed. It's time for your FINAL paragraph called a conclusion paragraph. 

Your conclusion paragraph should contain:

1. A reworded thesis statement (break it into 2-3 sentences instead of just 1 sentence this time)
2. A final sentence to convince me (your reader) that I should agree with you and your reasons.

​

​

�

13

6/20/2024

Watch the VIDEO to see this in action!

Works Cited

Part of the conclusion video on the previous slide talks about creating a Works Cited. This is SUPER important to include any time you use research to prove your statements and opinions. 

​

Use Bibguru and the URLs you copied onto slides 7-9 to create YOUR works cited. If you want to see how to use Bibguru, go back to the previous slide and watch from the 8:30 time stamp to the end. :) ��

​

�

14

6/20/2024

The FINAL Step: �Revise & Edit

�

15

6/20/2024

Pro Tip: Read your essay loud enough to hear your own words.

​

Why? Because, your brain is trained to auto-fix mistakes it sees when you read silently, but when you read aloud your brain is more focused on the letters on the page so you will catch more mistakes on your own!��So read to yourself, a family member, a friend, a teacher, a pet, a stuffed animal, an action figure, a flower, a pillow, or ANYTHING else you can imagine. Just be sure you are at a whisper level or louder. :) 

WOW!

You did it! Your full essay is now complete! Be sure to press SAVE before closing your document. 

​

You may upload it and submit in lesson 4.4.4

(or if that lesson is already turned in, email your 

essay to your teacher.)

�

16

6/20/2024