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How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

  • Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
  • Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
  • Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
  • Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
  • Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
  • Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

  • Make a claim
  • Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
  • Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
  • Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

  • Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
  • Cite data to support your claim
  • Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
  • Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

  • Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
  • Highlight the problems with this position
  • Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
  • Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

  • Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
  • Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
  • Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
  • Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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write arguments for and against the resolution education

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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  • Post hoc fallacy
  • Appeal to authority fallacy
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  • Sunk cost fallacy

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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The Case for Affirmative Action

  • Posted July 11, 2018
  • By Leah Shafer

Harvard gate

For decades, affirmative action has been a deeply integral — and deeply debated — aspect of college admissions in the United States. The idea that colleges can (and in some cases, should) consider race as a factor in whom they decide to admit has been welcomed by many as a solution to racial inequities and divides. But others have dismissed the policy as outdated in our current climate, and at times scorned it as a form of reverse racial discrimination.

That latter stance gained a much stronger footing last week when the Departments of Education and Justice officially withdrew Obama-era guidance on affirmative action, signaling that the Trump administration stands behind race-blind admissions practices.

We spoke with Natasha Warikoo , an expert on the connection between college admissions and racial diversity, about what affirmative action has accomplished in the past 50 years, and whether this shift in guidance will severely affect admissions policies in the years to come. We share her perspectives here.

The purpose of affirmative action:

Affirmative action was developed in the 1960s to address racial inequality and racial exclusion in American society. Colleges and universities wanted to be seen as forward-thinking on issues of race.

Then, in the late 1970s, affirmative action went to the United States Supreme Court. There, the only justification accepted, by Justice Powell, was the compelling state interest in a diverse student body in which everyone benefits from a range of perspectives in the classroom.

Today, when colleges talk about affirmative action, they rarely mention the issue of inequality, or even of a diverse leadership. Instead, they focus on the need for a diverse student body in which everyone benefits from a range of perspectives in the classroom.

Colleges have fully taken on this justification — to the point that, today, they rarely mention the issue of inequality, or even of a diverse leadership, perhaps because they’re worried about getting sued. But this justification leads to what I call in my book a “ diversity bargain ,” in that many white students see the purpose of affirmative action as to benefit them , through a diverse learning environment. This justification, which ignored equity, leads to some unexpected, troubling expectations on the part of white students.

What affirmative action has accomplished in terms of diversity on college campuses:

William Bowen and Derek Bok’s classic book The Shape of the River systematically looks at the impact of affirmative action by exploring decades of data from a group of selective colleges. They find that black students who probably benefited from affirmative action — because their achievement data is lower than the average student at their colleges — do better in the long-run than their peers who went to lower-status universities and probably did not benefit from affirmative action. The ones who benefited are more likely to graduate college and to earn professional degrees, and they have higher incomes.

So affirmative action acts as an engine for social mobility for its direct beneficiaries. This in turn leads to a more diverse leadership, which you can see steadily growing in the United States.

But what about other students — whites and those from a higher economic background? Decades of research in higher education show that classmates of the direct beneficiaries also benefit. These students have more positive racial attitudes toward racial minorities, they report greater cognitive capacities, they even seem to participate more civically when they leave college.

None of these changes would have happened without affirmative action. States that have banned affirmative action can show us that. California, for example, banned affirmative action in the late 1990s, and at the University of California, Berkeley, the percentage of black undergraduates has fallen from 6 percent in 1980 to only 3 percent in 2017 . 

Decades of research in higher education show that classmates of the direct beneficiaries of affirmative also benefit. They have more positive racial attitudes toward racial minorities, they report greater cognitive capacities, they even seem to participate more civically when they leave college.

What the Trump administration's reversal of guidance on affirmative action means for admissions practices:

The guidance is simply guidance — it’s not legally binding. It indicates what the administration thinks, and how it might act. In that sense, this guidance is not surprising — many would have guessed that Trump and his team believe universities should avoid taking race into consideration in admissions. Indeed, the Department of Justice under Trump last summer already reopened a case filed under the Obama administration claiming racial discrimination in college admissions.

I hope that colleges and universities will stand behind affirmative action, given its many benefits. The U.S. Supreme Court has decided in favor of affirmative action multiple times — it is settled law.

However — the decision in Fisher v. Texas made clear that colleges would no longer be afforded good faith understanding that they have tried all other race-neutral alternatives before turning to affirmative action. In other words, if asked in court, colleges need to be able to show that they tried all other race-neutral alternatives to creating a diverse student body, and those alternatives failed. This means that affirmative action has already been “narrowly tailored” to the “compelling state interest” of a diverse student body — required by anti-discrimination laws. Ironically, race-based decisions come under scrutiny because of anti-discrimination laws designed to protect racial minorities; these laws are now being used to make claims about supposed anti-white discrimination when policies attempt to address racial inequality.

Additional Resources

  • Read our 2016 Q+A with Warikoo following the Fisher v. Texas decision
  • Listen to Warikoo discuss the Trump administration's reversal on a recent WBUR interview
  • More background on the Trump administration's policy shift on affirmative action.

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The Case against Education

  • Bryan Caplan

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The Case against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money

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Despite being immensely popular—and immensely lucrative—education is grossly overrated. In this explosive book, Bryan Caplan argues that the primary function of education is not to enhance students’ skill but to certify their intelligence, work ethic, and conformity—in other words, to signal the qualities of a good employee. Learn why students hunt for easy As and casually forget most of what they learn after the final exam, why decades of growing access to education have not resulted in better jobs for the average worker but instead in runaway credential inflation, how employers reward workers for costly schooling they rarely if ever use, and why cutting education spending is the best remedy. Caplan draws on the latest social science to show how the labor market values grades over knowledge, and why the more education your rivals have, the more you need to impress employers. He explains why graduation is our society’s top conformity signal, and why even the most useless degrees can certify employability. He advocates two major policy responses. The first is educational austerity. Government needs to sharply cut education funding to curb this wasteful rat race. The second is more vocational education, because practical skills are more socially valuable than teaching students how to outshine their peers. Romantic notions about education being “good for the soul” must yield to careful research and common sense— The Case against Education points the way.

Awards and Recognition

  • One of Tyler Cowen's Best Non-Fiction Books of 2018
  • One of Bloomberg Opinion's Favorite Nonfiction Books of 2018 (Stephen L. Carter)

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"Bryan Caplan raises an important question in [his] controversial new book, The Case Against Education . How much of the benefits of a degree comes from the skills you acquire in studying for it? And how much from the piece of paper at the end – what your degree certificate signals to employers about the skills and attributes you might have had long before you filled in a unviersity application form?"—Sonia Sodha, The Guardian

"Would-be students and their parents are rethinking the assumption that a good life is impossible without an expensive degree—not to mention the chase for college admission that begins at kindergarten if not before. [This new book] may help to let out a little more air."—Naomi Schaefer Riley, Wall Street Journal

"You probably won’t agree with everything he says . . . but his broadside is worth considering carefully given that the U.S. spends $1 trillion or so a year on education at all levels, more than the budget for defense."—Peter Coy, Bloomberg Businessweek

"It is an excellent book, on an important topic. Beyond such cheap talk, I offer the costly signal of having based an entire chapter of our new book on his book. That’s how good and important I think it is. . . . Caplan offers plausible evidence that school functions to let students show employers that they are smart, conscientious, and conformist. And surely this is in fact a big part of what is going on."—Robin Hanson, Overcoming Bias

"A book that America has needed for a long time. If we ever reach a turning point where most of us reject the idea that government should mandate and subsidize certain kinds of education, Bryan Caplan will have a lot to do with it."—George Leef, Forbes

"Economist Bryan Caplan of George Mason University has crunched the data for years from every angle and argues devastatingly . . . that college is, for many of those who go there, a boondoggle."—Kyle Smith, National Review Online

"Excellent argument by Bryan Caplan, but missed something central: convexity of trial-and-error & heuristic learning."—Nassim Nicholas Taleb

"It's like the case against parenting's role in shaping children: I don't want to believe it, but the data force you take it seriously. Good book."—Charles Murray

"Like most fascinating authors, Caplan, too, has scrumptious contradictions. . . . Whatever the truth is, this book is recommended to parents, high school teachers, and college professors for gaining valuable insights into the dynamics of ‘useless’ education."—L. Ali Khan, NY Journal of Books

"[Caplan] is also frequently infuriating. But when he is right, he is very right. The Case Against Education , a book 10 years in the making, is a case of Caplan being right."—Charles Fain Lehman, Washington Free Beacon

" The Case Against Education lays the groundwork for readers to think anew about education, what it does and ought to do, what place it holds and ought to hold in American society. It ought to be a wake-up call for all Americans, especially those who seek to champion ‘education’ without explaining why it’s a worthy cause."—Ian Lindquis, The Weekly Standard

"Caplan delivers a tightly knit, compelling indictment of the vastly inflated, scandalously over-priced and often socially deleterious Ponzi scheme that American higher education has become."—Aram Bakshian Jr., Washington Times

"His words might be hard to digest. But with dismal school performance and achievement year after year, it’s worth challenging the assumptions we make about the education systems that now envelop childhood."—Kaitlyn Buss, Detroit News

" The Case Against Education is a brilliant book that you should read, though you’ll probably reject its conclusions without really considering them."—Jake Seliger

"[Caplan’s] evidence, trends and intuition suggest he has an important point."—Ryan Bourne, The Telegraph

"Bryan Caplan is perhaps the most natural ‘social science book writer’ I have met, besides myself of course. Not only does he want people to agree with him, he insists that they agree with him for the right reasons ."—Tyler Cowen, Marginal Revolution

" The Case Against Education is powerfully argued, provocative but not polemical, marrying a wealth of evidence with an engaging writing style. . . . After 300 pages, Caplan's outlandish proposals seem not just plausible but natural conclusions, whether or not you share his ideological commitments."—Aveek Bhattacharya, London School of Economics Review of Books

"Cogently argued."—Megan McArdle, Washington Post

"A persuasive indictment of his own industry."—Gene Epstein, City Journal

"I’m not sure he’s right, especially about education being almost entirely for the purpose of signaling, but goodness does he make a strong case. Agree with him or not, you’ll never look at the schools and colleges in quite the same way."—Stephen L. Carter, Bloomberg Opinion

"Few would disagree that our education system needs reform. While most call for more—more government subsidies, more time in school, more students attending college—Caplan provocatively argues for less. The Case against Education urges a radical rethinking about why we've been unsuccessful to date—and why more of the same won't work."—Vicki Alger, Independent Institute

"Bryan Caplan has written what is sure to be one of the most intriguing and provocative books on education published this year. His boldly contrarian conclusion—that much schooling and public support for education is astonishingly wasteful, if not counterproductive—is compelling enough that it should be cause for serious reflection on the part of parents, students, educators, advocates, and policymakers."—Frederick Hess, American Enterprise Institute

"You doubtless asked many times in school, ‘When am I going to use this?' Bryan Caplan asks the same question, about everything taught prekindergarten through graduate school, and has a disturbing answer: almost never. Indeed, we'd be better off with a lot less education. It's heresy that must be heard."—Neal McCluskey, Cato Institute

" The Case against Education is a riveting book. Bryan Caplan, the foremost whistle-blower in the academy, argues persuasively that learning about completely arbitrary subjects is attractive to employers because it signals students' intelligence, work ethic, desire to please, and conformity—even when such learning conveys no cognitive advantage or increase in human capital."—Stephen J. Ceci, Cornell University

"This book is hugely important. The Case against Education is the work of an idiosyncratic genius."—Lant Pritchett, author of The Rebirth of Education: Schooling Ain't Learning

"Caplan deals provocatively and even courageously with an important topic. Readers will be disturbed by his conclusions, maybe even angry. But I doubt they will ignore them."—Richard Vedder, author of Going Broke by Degree: Why College Costs Too Much

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SPAR Debate: A Format for Rigorous, Real, Ready-to-Go Debating in Class

SPAR Debate is an excellent way to introduce students to debating in the classroom.  It’s an activity for getting students initially exposed to debating, but also for isolating and introducing the key elements of academic argumentation.

SPAR is short for Spontaneous Argumentation debates. The term connotes, too, some of the jousting and practicing that we think of as “sparring.” SPAR Debate can be used with minimal research, and is therefore a very good format for getting students up and arguing.  SPAR Debate can be used with academic issues, as a way to begin to immerse students in curricular content, or with non-academic (“fun”) issues, as a way to focus on debating format and individual argumentation skills.

Through SPAR Debate, students become more comfortable both with the activity of speaking in front of others and of learning about the defining features of academic argumentation. SPAR Debate can be used with “fun” topics, but can equally function as a format for more formal argumentation around issues central to the course curriculum, drawing on texts in use in the course.  SPAR Debate can be used as an introduction to some of the concepts underlying argumentation and debate, or as a transition to content-specific argumentation activities.

Method and Procedure

Formulate an open, focused, balanced, authentic, and interesting debatable issue, based either the key contestable issues in the unit or on an immediately engaging non-academic topic.

If the debatable issue is based in the unit content, assemble readings, portions of texts being read in class, a Media List, or textual evidence selections.  Use a direct instructional approach to teach this content, with reference to arguments that can be made on the issue.

If the debatable issue is non-academic, open with a short teacher-led discussion of the issue, asking students to formulate the viable positions on the issue.

Ask students to formulate two argumentative claims supporting each identified position on the issue.  Then list out the claims on a document camera or on a white board.  Combine any claims that are closely similar, and working with students refine the formulation of claims as needed.  Discuss with the class which are the most supportable claims, though don’t dive deeply into the evidence and reasoning for any of the arguments, at this stage.

Pair students into two-person partnerships, and assign each team a side.  This assignment can either be arbitrarily determined, or it can attempt to reflect student preference.  The viability of including student preference depends a lot on whether the issue is one with an approximately equal number of students on each side.  If the issue is based in unit content, student preference should usually be less of a consideration: students should be academically trained to make arguments on any side of a balanced academic controversy.

Each two-person team should decide on their speaker positions: first affirmative (1A) and second affirmative (2A), and first negative (1N) and second negative (2N).

An alternative structure is to put students into groups of four, and have students decide on these speaker positions, for each side: Case, Cross-Examination, Counter-Arguments, and Closing Statement.  Either structure works.  The two-person structure gives each student more speaking time, but can take longer to implement, since there are twice as many debates taking place.

In the two-person structure, each team divides speeches this way:

1A — Affirmative Case and Affirmative Closing Statement 2A — Affirmative Counter-Arguments and Cross-Examination

1N — Negative Case and Negative Closing Statement 2N — Negative Counter-Arguments and Cross-Examination

Each team’s case should consist of two or three arguments.  The arguments should be drawn from the claims that you listed out (combined, reformulated) in the Step 3 above.  You can let teams decide on the number (two or three), or you can determine that number for this implementation of SPAR Debate.  Each argument should of course be distinct from the other, and each should be supported by backing, in the form of factual or textual evidence; examples, history, or data; and analytical and logical reasoning.

You can either have students develop their backing using their own formatting, or you can distribute Argument-Centered Education Argument Builders and they can use these graphic organizers to build their arguments.

Each team’s counter-arguments should be a rebuttal of the other team’s case – i.e., a point-by-point refutation of their two or three arguments.

Each team should be building at least one counter-argument against each of the claims listed out for the position that they are opposing.  They can formulate these counter-arguments using their own format, or an ACE Counter-Argument Builder graphic organizer.

The closing statement should be an evaluation of the competing arguments in a manner that puts all of the arguments in the debate together, favoring the speaker’s side.  The speaker should extend one or two of the strongest arguments from their case, with a final rebuttal and mitigation of their opponent’s arguments, concise and synthesized.

This, anyway, is the ideal purpose of the closing statement. Students less experienced with academic debate will often attempt to respond to and rebut the counter-arguments and not do much more.

You should take careful notes of all the speeches on the SPAR Debate flow sheets, on a projector or document camera, so that the arguments can be tracked, and students’ refutation and argument evaluation can draw on this record.  Argument tracking – in competitive debate, this is called “flowing” – is crucial to enforcing refutation, which is the locus of critical thinking in academic debate and argumentation.

The SPAR Debate speech format:

Affirmative Case — 3 minutes Cross-Examination of the Affirmative – 1.5 minutes Negative Case — 3 minutes Cross-Examination of the Negative – 1.5 minutes Negative Counter-Arguments — 2 minutes Affirmative Counter-Arguments — 2 minutes Negative Closing Statement – 2 minutes Affirmative Closing Statement – 2 minutes

One suggested method is to conduct one round of simultaneous SPAR Debates, with every team debating against another team, simultaneously.  You will have two roles: (a) most importantly, keep careful and authoritative speech time, announcing the beginning and ending of each speech, and (b) circulate to ensure that teams are debating on task and giving affirmation and direction, as appropriate.  You can select one of the debates to be showcased in a second round, in front of the full class.  This SPAR Debate you should track on a flow sheet screened by projector or document camera for the class.

The students can vote for the winner after the showcase debate.  They should be told to vote exclusively on the arguments and evidence presented in the debate round.  A productive analytic discussion can follow the showcased debate.

Each student can be assessed through a combination of the submission of their group’s argument and counter-argument builders, and the speaking that you hear them perform.  In most instances where teams are two-person, the division of speeches provides each speaker the opportunity to demonstrate each of the five central components of curricular debate.

Additional Considerations

* You can analyze and critique speeches with isolated academic argumentation component criteria in mind.  For example, you can isolate the responsiveness of each speaker in the rebuttals and closing statements.  Or you can isolate the use of evidence or argumentation principles in the cases.

* At or near its beginning, each side’s case (affirmative and negative) should include the issue statement, and whether the speaker is affirming or negating it.

* Each speaker should begin identifying him- or herself, too.

* Each argument in the case should include at least one piece of evidence – some objective fact, example, piece of data, or reference to text.  If texts are being used to form the basis of the debates, each argument should either quote or paraphrase at least one piece of textual evidence.

* The flow sheet is an essential mechanism for enforcing refutation.  The flow sheet records all of the arguments in the debate and reveals whether each argument has been refuted (or at least whether an attempt has been made to refute it) or conceded.  So your flowing the showcase debate is a must, at a minimum.

* There is one SPAR Debate flow sheet for each case (affirmative and negative), and the layout of each flow sheet corresponds with the refutational burdens of each speech after the two cases.

We’ve produced several models for use in implementing SPAR Debate in your classroom, specifically flow sheets from model, in many ways idealized SPAR Debates, and two model Argument Builders completed in alignment with the second of the two model debates.

The first SPAR Debate flow sheet model is on this debatable issue:

Is Chicago a desirable place to live?

The other model SPAR Debate we produced is on this issue:

Should American public colleges be free?

A closer analysis of this SPAR Debate model on free public college will be taken up in a future Debatifier post, but in the meantime here are the arguments that each side opens with.

The affirmative’s opening (case) arguments:

1. College has become unaffordable for a significant percentage of Americans. 2. Excluding people from college based on family background is anti-democratic and un-American. 3. Producing more college graduates improves the economy and is therefore worth the cost.

And the negative’s:

1. Free public college is completely unaffordable for our society. 2. The free system would be gamed and abused. 3. University education would no longer be worth much.

These arguments were built in our model SPAR Debate on these ACE organizers.

With this cache of argument-centered instructional resources, any teacher in any discipline is well equipped to implement SPAR Debate in their classrooms — today, tomorrow, next week, or next unit.

Recent Debatifier Posts

  • Everything-but-the-Kitchen-Sink Assessment May 24, 2022
  • Dismantling Racially-Motivated Arguments for Exclusion August 4, 2020
  • Oedipal Arguments July 24, 2020
  • ACCIS-ing Chess in a Critical Thinking Rich Classroom July 20, 2020
  • Exercising Response and Refutation in Interpreting ‘Interpretater of Maladies’ July 13, 2020

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114 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2023

April 25, 2023

argumentative essay topics

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. Argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of this essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. A strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research, evidence, and logical reasoning skills.

Argumentative Essay Format

A strong argumentative essay will be based on facts, not feelings. Each of these facts should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide: introduction, supporting body paragraphs, paragraphs addressing common counterarguments, and conclusion.

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

For more tips and tricks on formatting an argumentative essay, check out this useful guide from Khan Academy.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

  • Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, the topic you choose will be meaningful to you.
  • Once you’ve selected your topic, it’s time to sit down and get to work! Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Remember to look for possible counterarguments.
  • Outline . Using the argumentative essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put together the pieces of the essay, focusing on logical flow.
  • Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a solid first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) For now, focus on getting the words down on paper.
  • Edit . Be your own critical eye. Read what you’ve written back to yourself. Does it make sense? Where can you improve? What can you cut?

Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
  • Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
  • Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
  • Should cellphones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
  • Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
  • Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
  • Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
  • Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
  • Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
  • Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
  • Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?

Education Argument Essay Topics

  • Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
  • Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
  • To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
  • Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
  • Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
  • Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books?
  • What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
  • Should schools push to abolish homework?
  • Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
  • Should universities do away with Greek life?
  • Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
  • Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
  • Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
  • Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
  • Should we require schools to provide comprehensive sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
  • Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
  • Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
  • Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
  • Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
  • Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
  • Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
  • Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
  • Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
  • Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
  • Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
  • Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
  • Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
  • Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
  • Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
  • Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
  • Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
  • Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
  • Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
  • Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?

Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
  • In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
  • Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
  • Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
  • Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
  • Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?

Social Media Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
  • Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
  • Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
  • Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
  • Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
  • Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
  • Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
  • Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
  • Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
  • Should the United States ban TikTok?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

  • Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
  • Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
  • Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
  • Should the government regulate religious practices?
  • Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
  • Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
  • Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
  • Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
  • Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
  • Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
  • Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
  • Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
  • Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)

Science Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the world eliminate nuclear weapons?
  • Should scientists bring back extinct animals?
  • Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
  • Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
  • Is it ethical to clone animals for scientific purposes?
  • Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
  • What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
  • Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
  • Would the world be safe if we got rid of all nuclear weapons?
  • Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

  • Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
  • How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
  • Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
  • Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
  • Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
  • Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
  • Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
  • Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
  • Is social media harmful to children?
  • Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
  • Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
  • Should websites require proof of age from their users?
  • Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
  • Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?

Business Argument Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
  • Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
  • Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
  • Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
  • Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
  • Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
  • Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
  • Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
  • Should the government raise the minimum wage?
  • Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
  • Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
  • Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
  • Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
  • Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics 

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? Also check out our 85 Good Debate Topics for High School Students .

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Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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Need to defend your opinion on an issue? Argumentative essays are one of the most popular types of essays you’ll write in school. They combine persuasive arguments with fact-based research, and, when done well, can be powerful tools for making someone agree with your point of view. If you’re struggling to write an argumentative essay or just want to learn more about them, seeing examples can be a big help.

After giving an overview of this type of essay, we provide three argumentative essay examples. After each essay, we explain in-depth how the essay was structured, what worked, and where the essay could be improved. We end with tips for making your own argumentative essay as strong as possible.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses evidence and facts to support the claim it’s making. Its purpose is to persuade the reader to agree with the argument being made.

A good argumentative essay will use facts and evidence to support the argument, rather than just the author’s thoughts and opinions. For example, say you wanted to write an argumentative essay stating that Charleston, SC is a great destination for families. You couldn’t just say that it’s a great place because you took your family there and enjoyed it. For it to be an argumentative essay, you need to have facts and data to support your argument, such as the number of child-friendly attractions in Charleston, special deals you can get with kids, and surveys of people who visited Charleston as a family and enjoyed it. The first argument is based entirely on feelings, whereas the second is based on evidence that can be proven.

The standard five paragraph format is common, but not required, for argumentative essays. These essays typically follow one of two formats: the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model.

  • The Toulmin model is the most common. It begins with an introduction, follows with a thesis/claim, and gives data and evidence to support that claim. This style of essay also includes rebuttals of counterarguments.
  • The Rogerian model analyzes two sides of an argument and reaches a conclusion after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each.

3 Good Argumentative Essay Examples + Analysis

Below are three examples of argumentative essays, written by yours truly in my school days, as well as analysis of what each did well and where it could be improved.

Argumentative Essay Example 1

Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns money because libraries are expensive to maintain. They also believe it will encourage more people to read because they won’t have to travel to a library to get a book; they can simply click on what they want to read and read it from wherever they are. They could also access more materials because libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply rent out as many digital copies as they need.

However, it would be a serious mistake to replace libraries with tablets. First, digital books and resources are associated with less learning and more problems than print resources. A study done on tablet vs book reading found that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain 20% less information, and understand 10% less of what they read compared to people who read the same information in print. Additionally, staring too long at a screen has been shown to cause numerous health problems, including blurred vision, dizziness, dry eyes, headaches, and eye strain, at much higher instances than reading print does. People who use tablets and mobile devices excessively also have a higher incidence of more serious health issues such as fibromyalgia, shoulder and back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and muscle strain. I know that whenever I read from my e-reader for too long, my eyes begin to feel tired and my neck hurts. We should not add to these problems by giving people, especially young people, more reasons to look at screens.

Second, it is incredibly narrow-minded to assume that the only service libraries offer is book lending. Libraries have a multitude of benefits, and many are only available if the library has a physical location. Some of these benefits include acting as a quiet study space, giving people a way to converse with their neighbors, holding classes on a variety of topics, providing jobs, answering patron questions, and keeping the community connected. One neighborhood found that, after a local library instituted community events such as play times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers, and meeting spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling more connected to their community. Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in 2015 found that nearly two-thirds of American adults feel that closing their local library would have a major impact on their community. People see libraries as a way to connect with others and get their questions answered, benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.

While replacing libraries with tablets may seem like a simple solution, it would encourage people to spend even more time looking at digital screens, despite the myriad issues surrounding them. It would also end access to many of the benefits of libraries that people have come to rely on. In many areas, libraries are such an important part of the community network that they could never be replaced by a simple object.

The author begins by giving an overview of the counter-argument, then the thesis appears as the first sentence in the third paragraph. The essay then spends the rest of the paper dismantling the counter argument and showing why readers should believe the other side.

What this essay does well:

  • Although it’s a bit unusual to have the thesis appear fairly far into the essay, it works because, once the thesis is stated, the rest of the essay focuses on supporting it since the counter-argument has already been discussed earlier in the paper.
  • This essay includes numerous facts and cites studies to support its case. By having specific data to rely on, the author’s argument is stronger and readers will be more inclined to agree with it.
  • For every argument the other side makes, the author makes sure to refute it and follow up with why her opinion is the stronger one. In order to make a strong argument, it’s important to dismantle the other side, which this essay does this by making the author's view appear stronger.
  • This is a shorter paper, and if it needed to be expanded to meet length requirements, it could include more examples and go more into depth with them, such as by explaining specific cases where people benefited from local libraries.
  • Additionally, while the paper uses lots of data, the author also mentions their own experience with using tablets. This should be removed since argumentative essays focus on facts and data to support an argument, not the author’s own opinion or experiences. Replacing that with more data on health issues associated with screen time would strengthen the essay.
  • Some of the points made aren't completely accurate , particularly the one about digital books being cheaper. It actually often costs a library more money to rent out numerous digital copies of a book compared to buying a single physical copy. Make sure in your own essay you thoroughly research each of the points and rebuttals you make, otherwise you'll look like you don't know the issue that well.

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Argumentative Essay Example 2

There are multiple drugs available to treat malaria, and many of them work well and save lives, but malaria eradication programs that focus too much on them and not enough on prevention haven’t seen long-term success in Sub-Saharan Africa. A major program to combat malaria was WHO’s Global Malaria Eradication Programme. Started in 1955, it had a goal of eliminating malaria in Africa within the next ten years. Based upon previously successful programs in Brazil and the United States, the program focused mainly on vector control. This included widely distributing chloroquine and spraying large amounts of DDT. More than one billion dollars was spent trying to abolish malaria. However, the program suffered from many problems and in 1969, WHO was forced to admit that the program had not succeeded in eradicating malaria. The number of people in Sub-Saharan Africa who contracted malaria as well as the number of malaria deaths had actually increased over 10% during the time the program was active.

One of the major reasons for the failure of the project was that it set uniform strategies and policies. By failing to consider variations between governments, geography, and infrastructure, the program was not nearly as successful as it could have been. Sub-Saharan Africa has neither the money nor the infrastructure to support such an elaborate program, and it couldn’t be run the way it was meant to. Most African countries don't have the resources to send all their people to doctors and get shots, nor can they afford to clear wetlands or other malaria prone areas. The continent’s spending per person for eradicating malaria was just a quarter of what Brazil spent. Sub-Saharan Africa simply can’t rely on a plan that requires more money, infrastructure, and expertise than they have to spare.

Additionally, the widespread use of chloroquine has created drug resistant parasites which are now plaguing Sub-Saharan Africa. Because chloroquine was used widely but inconsistently, mosquitoes developed resistance, and chloroquine is now nearly completely ineffective in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over 95% of mosquitoes resistant to it. As a result, newer, more expensive drugs need to be used to prevent and treat malaria, which further drives up the cost of malaria treatment for a region that can ill afford it.

Instead of developing plans to treat malaria after the infection has incurred, programs should focus on preventing infection from occurring in the first place. Not only is this plan cheaper and more effective, reducing the number of people who contract malaria also reduces loss of work/school days which can further bring down the productivity of the region.

One of the cheapest and most effective ways of preventing malaria is to implement insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs).  These nets provide a protective barrier around the person or people using them. While untreated bed nets are still helpful, those treated with insecticides are much more useful because they stop mosquitoes from biting people through the nets, and they help reduce mosquito populations in a community, thus helping people who don’t even own bed nets.  Bed nets are also very effective because most mosquito bites occur while the person is sleeping, so bed nets would be able to drastically reduce the number of transmissions during the night. In fact, transmission of malaria can be reduced by as much as 90% in areas where the use of ITNs is widespread. Because money is so scarce in Sub-Saharan Africa, the low cost is a great benefit and a major reason why the program is so successful. Bed nets cost roughly 2 USD to make, last several years, and can protect two adults. Studies have shown that, for every 100-1000 more nets are being used, one less child dies of malaria. With an estimated 300 million people in Africa not being protected by mosquito nets, there’s the potential to save three million lives by spending just a few dollars per person.

Reducing the number of people who contract malaria would also reduce poverty levels in Africa significantly, thus improving other aspects of society like education levels and the economy. Vector control is more effective than treatment strategies because it means fewer people are getting sick. When fewer people get sick, the working population is stronger as a whole because people are not put out of work from malaria, nor are they caring for sick relatives. Malaria-afflicted families can typically only harvest 40% of the crops that healthy families can harvest. Additionally, a family with members who have malaria spends roughly a quarter of its income treatment, not including the loss of work they also must deal with due to the illness. It’s estimated that malaria costs Africa 12 billion USD in lost income every year. A strong working population creates a stronger economy, which Sub-Saharan Africa is in desperate need of.  

This essay begins with an introduction, which ends with the thesis (that malaria eradication plans in Sub-Saharan Africa should focus on prevention rather than treatment). The first part of the essay lays out why the counter argument (treatment rather than prevention) is not as effective, and the second part of the essay focuses on why prevention of malaria is the better path to take.

  • The thesis appears early, is stated clearly, and is supported throughout the rest of the essay. This makes the argument clear for readers to understand and follow throughout the essay.
  • There’s lots of solid research in this essay, including specific programs that were conducted and how successful they were, as well as specific data mentioned throughout. This evidence helps strengthen the author’s argument.
  • The author makes a case for using expanding bed net use over waiting until malaria occurs and beginning treatment, but not much of a plan is given for how the bed nets would be distributed or how to ensure they’re being used properly. By going more into detail of what she believes should be done, the author would be making a stronger argument.
  • The introduction of the essay does a good job of laying out the seriousness of the problem, but the conclusion is short and abrupt. Expanding it into its own paragraph would give the author a final way to convince readers of her side of the argument.

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Argumentative Essay Example 3

There are many ways payments could work. They could be in the form of a free-market approach, where athletes are able to earn whatever the market is willing to pay them, it could be a set amount of money per athlete, or student athletes could earn income from endorsements, autographs, and control of their likeness, similar to the way top Olympians earn money.

Proponents of the idea believe that, because college athletes are the ones who are training, participating in games, and bringing in audiences, they should receive some sort of compensation for their work. If there were no college athletes, the NCAA wouldn’t exist, college coaches wouldn’t receive there (sometimes very high) salaries, and brands like Nike couldn’t profit from college sports. In fact, the NCAA brings in roughly $1 billion in revenue a year, but college athletes don’t receive any of that money in the form of a paycheck. Additionally, people who believe college athletes should be paid state that paying college athletes will actually encourage them to remain in college longer and not turn pro as quickly, either by giving them a way to begin earning money in college or requiring them to sign a contract stating they’ll stay at the university for a certain number of years while making an agreed-upon salary.  

Supporters of this idea point to Zion Williamson, the Duke basketball superstar, who, during his freshman year, sustained a serious knee injury. Many argued that, even if he enjoyed playing for Duke, it wasn’t worth risking another injury and ending his professional career before it even began for a program that wasn’t paying him. Williamson seems to have agreed with them and declared his eligibility for the NCAA draft later that year. If he was being paid, he may have stayed at Duke longer. In fact, roughly a third of student athletes surveyed stated that receiving a salary while in college would make them “strongly consider” remaining collegiate athletes longer before turning pro.

Paying athletes could also stop the recruitment scandals that have plagued the NCAA. In 2018, the NCAA stripped the University of Louisville's men's basketball team of its 2013 national championship title because it was discovered coaches were using sex workers to entice recruits to join the team. There have been dozens of other recruitment scandals where college athletes and recruits have been bribed with anything from having their grades changed, to getting free cars, to being straight out bribed. By paying college athletes and putting their salaries out in the open, the NCAA could end the illegal and underhanded ways some schools and coaches try to entice athletes to join.

People who argue against the idea of paying college athletes believe the practice could be disastrous for college sports. By paying athletes, they argue, they’d turn college sports into a bidding war, where only the richest schools could afford top athletes, and the majority of schools would be shut out from developing a talented team (though some argue this already happens because the best players often go to the most established college sports programs, who typically pay their coaches millions of dollars per year). It could also ruin the tight camaraderie of many college teams if players become jealous that certain teammates are making more money than they are.

They also argue that paying college athletes actually means only a small fraction would make significant money. Out of the 350 Division I athletic departments, fewer than a dozen earn any money. Nearly all the money the NCAA makes comes from men’s football and basketball, so paying college athletes would make a small group of men--who likely will be signed to pro teams and begin making millions immediately out of college--rich at the expense of other players.

Those against paying college athletes also believe that the athletes are receiving enough benefits already. The top athletes already receive scholarships that are worth tens of thousands per year, they receive free food/housing/textbooks, have access to top medical care if they are injured, receive top coaching, get travel perks and free gear, and can use their time in college as a way to capture the attention of professional recruiters. No other college students receive anywhere near as much from their schools.

People on this side also point out that, while the NCAA brings in a massive amount of money each year, it is still a non-profit organization. How? Because over 95% of those profits are redistributed to its members’ institutions in the form of scholarships, grants, conferences, support for Division II and Division III teams, and educational programs. Taking away a significant part of that revenue would hurt smaller programs that rely on that money to keep running.

While both sides have good points, it’s clear that the negatives of paying college athletes far outweigh the positives. College athletes spend a significant amount of time and energy playing for their school, but they are compensated for it by the scholarships and perks they receive. Adding a salary to that would result in a college athletic system where only a small handful of athletes (those likely to become millionaires in the professional leagues) are paid by a handful of schools who enter bidding wars to recruit them, while the majority of student athletics and college athletic programs suffer or even shut down for lack of money. Continuing to offer the current level of benefits to student athletes makes it possible for as many people to benefit from and enjoy college sports as possible.

This argumentative essay follows the Rogerian model. It discusses each side, first laying out multiple reasons people believe student athletes should be paid, then discussing reasons why the athletes shouldn’t be paid. It ends by stating that college athletes shouldn’t be paid by arguing that paying them would destroy college athletics programs and cause them to have many of the issues professional sports leagues have.

  • Both sides of the argument are well developed, with multiple reasons why people agree with each side. It allows readers to get a full view of the argument and its nuances.
  • Certain statements on both sides are directly rebuffed in order to show where the strengths and weaknesses of each side lie and give a more complete and sophisticated look at the argument.
  • Using the Rogerian model can be tricky because oftentimes you don’t explicitly state your argument until the end of the paper. Here, the thesis doesn’t appear until the first sentence of the final paragraph. That doesn’t give readers a lot of time to be convinced that your argument is the right one, compared to a paper where the thesis is stated in the beginning and then supported throughout the paper. This paper could be strengthened if the final paragraph was expanded to more fully explain why the author supports the view, or if the paper had made it clearer that paying athletes was the weaker argument throughout.

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3 Tips for Writing a Good Argumentative Essay

Now that you’ve seen examples of what good argumentative essay samples look like, follow these three tips when crafting your own essay.

#1: Make Your Thesis Crystal Clear

The thesis is the key to your argumentative essay; if it isn’t clear or readers can’t find it easily, your entire essay will be weak as a result. Always make sure that your thesis statement is easy to find. The typical spot for it is the final sentence of the introduction paragraph, but if it doesn’t fit in that spot for your essay, try to at least put it as the first or last sentence of a different paragraph so it stands out more.

Also make sure that your thesis makes clear what side of the argument you’re on. After you’ve written it, it’s a great idea to show your thesis to a couple different people--classmates are great for this. Just by reading your thesis they should be able to understand what point you’ll be trying to make with the rest of your essay.

#2: Show Why the Other Side Is Weak

When writing your essay, you may be tempted to ignore the other side of the argument and just focus on your side, but don’t do this. The best argumentative essays really tear apart the other side to show why readers shouldn’t believe it. Before you begin writing your essay, research what the other side believes, and what their strongest points are. Then, in your essay, be sure to mention each of these and use evidence to explain why they’re incorrect/weak arguments. That’ll make your essay much more effective than if you only focused on your side of the argument.

#3: Use Evidence to Support Your Side

Remember, an essay can’t be an argumentative essay if it doesn’t support its argument with evidence. For every point you make, make sure you have facts to back it up. Some examples are previous studies done on the topic, surveys of large groups of people, data points, etc. There should be lots of numbers in your argumentative essay that support your side of the argument. This will make your essay much stronger compared to only relying on your own opinions to support your argument.

Summary: Argumentative Essay Sample

Argumentative essays are persuasive essays that use facts and evidence to support their side of the argument. Most argumentative essays follow either the Toulmin model or the Rogerian model. By reading good argumentative essay examples, you can learn how to develop your essay and provide enough support to make readers agree with your opinion. When writing your essay, remember to always make your thesis clear, show where the other side is weak, and back up your opinion with data and evidence.

What's Next?

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Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Push for career-technical education meets parent resistance

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arguments against career and technical education

SAN DIEGO — Career and technical education has come a long way since the days when students could be steered from academics into hairstyling, auto repairs or carpentry. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to sell the concept of having all students take courses in CTE, as it is known.

Take what happened this March in La Jolla, Calif. Parents rose in protest after the San Diego Unified School District  proposed new high school graduation requirements mandating two years of career and technical education courses—or two to four courses. The district would have been the first in the nation to have such a mandate, experts believe. Parents circulated an online protest petition and school officials spent hours in a meeting to assure hundreds of parents that courses like computerized accounting, child development and website design could be in the best interest of all students.

But afterwards, when parent leaders asked the crowd who favored the requirement, every single parent at the meeting voted against it.

District officials were unprepared for the backlash in the affluent neighborhoods north of Interstate 8, the unofficial boundary between the haves and have-nots of the district. Just two years earlier, the school system passed a mandate—supported by the community—to make all students complete a set of courses required for entry to one of the state’s university systems.

They viewed career and technical education courses as a logical extension of their goal to get all students “college and career ready,” said Sid Salazar, the district’s assistant superintendent for instructional support services. Attending college was once the sole way students could prepare for some professions but opportunities now exist in high school under an expanded definition of career and technical education.

The parents, though, argued that college-bound students wouldn’t be helped by taking career and technical education classes. As one parent wrote on an online petition that garnered 1,326 signatures in 21 days: “If you force the children of … highly intelligent and very academic parents to take less-rigorous VoTech coursework, you will hurt their chances of admission to undergrad and grad school.”

As San Diego demonstrated, despite more than a decade of efforts to revamp its image, technical education still battles a negative reputation. While college-prep graduation requirements are spreading rapidly in California, many affluent parents, and low-income parents who fear their child is being sold short, balk at technical education and assume it won’t lead to college.

Advocates are trying to convince people it’s not an either-or situation. They argue that although many career and technical fields do not require more than a certificate or an associate’s degree, CTE courses can be useful even to those on the four-year university path, including students preparing for professions like teaching and engineering.

Advocates also point to data from the U.S. Department of Education demonstrating that those who concentrate in career and technical education classes in high school are more likely to graduate from high school: 90 percent earned their diploma in the 2007-2008 school year, compared with about 75 percent over all. And nearly 80 percent of those students enroll in post-secondary education within two years of high school graduation.

“There’s always been a saying in the field that public attitude toward career and technical education—and I think this is accurate—[is] it’s great but for someone else’s kids,” said Kenneth Gray, an emeritus professor of education at Penn State, who has written extensively about the role of career and technical courses in high school. “I’m convinced that for a whole lot of people, they would much rather have their kid go to Yale and turn out to be a bum than go into career and technical education and be successful.”

Gray added, however, that mandating it for all was not a solution. “To say everyone has to take it is as ridiculous in my view as saying everyone has to take calculus,” he said.

Last year, the National Association of State Directors of Career Technical Education Consortium hired an outside communications firm and launched its second major PR move in as many decades. The new publicity campaign aims to demonstrate CTE’s links to college and the workforce. But when Kimberly Green, the consortium’s executive director, performs her personal litmus test—chatting with people on airplanes about her job—she still gets a similar response: “I’m so glad people have a place to go that’s not … college.”

“I wouldn’t say the tide has turned,” she said. “The label is still a barrier.”

It’s not the only issue. Many San Diego parents worried about the limited amount of time in the school day, a problem even the staunchest technical education proponents recognize.

“It’s not that we were against the career technical courses themselves, we were against making them a requirement,” said Fran Shrimp, a parent leader in San Diego who organized the petition against mandating the courses. “Getting accepted into a good college is so competitive that students need to pack their schedules with the most challenging courses available just to be in the running.”

Vocational education—as it used to be called—was a means of tracking students who were not going to college. A generation ago, that education enabled grads to enter the middle class with just a high school diploma. In the 1970s and ‘80s, the economy began requiring more skilled workers and middle-class America became more convinced of the importance of college, said Anthony Carnevale, director of the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce. By the mid-1980s, the arguments against tracking flourished and the calls of “college for all” began.

About 10 years ago, responding to the changing economy and attempting to shed its bad reputation, vocational education became career and technical education. But advocates are still trying to cement the name change into the American lexicon. “Career and technical education meant something different than vocational education,” Green said. “It’s academics plus technical instruction.”

The quality and availability of the programs vary. At the top end, students in medical courses might spend time at a hospital, learning key vocabulary and technical skills like drawing blood. Students can learn engineering design programs on computers or spend time taking apart electronics to learn how they work. Students in cosmetology programs might study the chemistry behind hair dye.

Information technology, marketing and business management all fall under technical education’s new wide umbrella, as do professions like engineering and architecture. Even the old standards, like auto shop, require a level of academics not needed in the past to keep up with increasingly computerized car engines, Green said.

At Patrick Henry High School in San Diego, if students pass all three pre-engineering courses offered, they’ll be automatically admitted into San Diego State’s engineering program. At the high school’s teaching academy, students work with nursery school children and graduate with just two community college credits shy of earning a preschool teacher’s license.

San Diego district officials held up programs like these as examples and argued that more than 90 percent of students were already taking at least one of the 158 technical education courses the district offered. And 60 of them were approved by the state university systems to count toward college admission.

The parents were not swayed, concerned about having time in their children’s schedules for electives and Advanced Placement courses. “If the program is successful on its own, why change it?” Shrimp said. She also noted that the same set of CTE courses are not offered at each high school, meaning students might be relegated to classes that don’t interest them.

Within a month of meeting with parents in La Jolla, the San Diego Board of Education voted to rescind the requirements.

Scott Himelstein, director of the University of San Diego’s Center for Education Policy and Law and former deputy secretary of Education for California, viewed the vote as a “major setback.”  Policymakers need to gather the political courage to start promoting career and technical education, given that only a quarter of high schoolers in the state will go on to get a four-year degree, he said. Nationally, more than 30 percent of adults have at least a bachelor’s degree, according to census figures .

One compromise, according to Himelstein, is to approve more career and technical courses to count towards the University of California and California State University systems’ so-called “a-g” entry requirements. This list of courses, which San Diego and several other districts have adopted as graduation requirements, spell out what courses students must complete in high school to be eligible for admittance to the universities, including core subjects like math and English, as well as a certain number of electives.

The university systems approve courses on an individual basis, meaning each district’s biology or calculus course must get a separate approval. Ten years ago, no career and technical classes were approved for a-g, according to Gary Hoachlander, president of ConnectEd, a California group that works with nine districts to create career-oriented high school and college trajectories for students. Now, there are some 10,000 a-g courses across all the state’s districts.

The vast majority count as electives.  Often career and technical science classes, such as environmental science or agricultural science, won’t count as an a-g science credit. “That’s where I think there’s still a lot of work to do,” Hoachlander said.

This story also appeared on NBCNews.com  on July 17, 2012.

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The article states: “they would much rather have their kid go to Yale and turn out to be a bum than go into career and technical education and be successful.” And they’d rather spend $80-100,000 for their kids to end up bums and living at home, than focus on what will enable them to get meaningful jobs than enables them to provide nicely for them and their families. Parents seem to see sending their kids to college as fulfilling their ultimate duty as a parent. It’s a waste.

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Free Education for Children Worldwide: A Research-Based Argumentative Essay

Education is widely recognized as one of the most important tools for social and economic development. However, access to education is still a major challenge for millions of children worldwide, especially in low-income countries. While some countries offer free education to their citizens, many others do not, leaving countless children without access to education. In this article, we will explore the topic of free education for children worldwide and the arguments for and against it.

One of the main arguments for free education is that it would provide equal opportunities for all children, regardless of their family’s income or social status. Education is a fundamental right, and every child should have access to it. Free education would also help to break the cycle of poverty by providing children with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in life. Additionally, free education would lead to a more educated population, which would benefit society as a whole.

On the other hand, some argue that free education is not feasible, as it would place a significant burden on governments and taxpayers. They argue that education is a personal responsibility, and those who want to receive an education should be willing to pay for it. Furthermore, some argue that free education would lower the quality of education, as it would lead to overcrowded classrooms and overworked teachers. In this article, we will explore both sides of the argument and provide a balanced view of the topic.

The Right to Education

The warning of free education, countries without free education, positioning yourself in the debate, the case for free education.

As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, access to quality education has become a vital human right. Unfortunately, millions of children worldwide are denied this right due to financial barriers. In this section, we will explore the benefits of free education and why it is a fundamental right for all children.

Benefits of Free Education

Providing free education for children worldwide has numerous benefits. Firstly, it allows students from low-income families to access quality education without accumulating debt. This ensures that all students, regardless of their financial background, have equal opportunities to succeed in life.

Secondly, free education can lead to a more educated and skilled workforce, which can boost economic growth and development. This, in turn, can lead to increased income and a reduction in poverty.

Moreover, free education can promote equality and social mobility. It can break down barriers that prevent students from disadvantaged backgrounds from accessing higher education and better job opportunities. This can lead to a more equitable society where everyone has a fair chance to succeed.

Education is not just a privilege, it is a fundamental human right. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “everyone has the right to education.” This means that every child, regardless of their background, has the right to access quality education without discrimination.

By providing free education, governments can ensure that this right is upheld and that every child has the opportunity to fulfill their potential. It can also help to reduce inequality and promote social justice.

In conclusion, free education for children worldwide is not only a moral imperative but also an economic necessity. It can lead to a more educated and skilled workforce, reduce poverty and inequality, and ensure that every child has the opportunity to succeed in life. It is time for governments around the world to take action and make free education a reality for all children.

The Case Against Free Education

While free education for children worldwide sounds like an ideal solution to the problem of access to education, it is not without its drawbacks. In this section, we will explore some of the reasons why free education may not be the best solution for all.

The Burden of Free Education

One of the most significant concerns with free education is the financial burden it places on governments. Providing free education to all children worldwide would require a massive investment of resources, which many governments may not be able to afford. This could lead to cuts in other essential services, such as healthcare and social welfare, as governments struggle to find the funds to support free education.

Moreover, free education may not necessarily lead to better outcomes for students. In some cases, it may even lead to a decline in the quality of education provided. This is because the government may not have the resources to invest in the necessary infrastructure and teaching staff to provide high-quality education.

Another concern with free education is that it may lead to a sense of entitlement among students. When education is free, students may not value it as much as they would if they had to pay for it. This could lead to a decline in student motivation and engagement, which could ultimately harm their academic performance.

Furthermore, free education may not be the best solution for all. In some cases, student loans may be a better option. Student loans allow students to pay for their education over time, which can be more manageable than paying for it all at once. Additionally, student loans can help students develop a sense of responsibility and financial discipline, which can be beneficial in the long run.

In conclusion, while free education for children worldwide may seem like an ideal solution, it is not without its drawbacks. Governments must carefully consider the financial burden of providing free education and the potential impact on the quality of education provided. Additionally, students must be encouraged to value their education and take responsibility for their financial obligations.

Evidence and Examples

When writing a research-based argumentative essay for or against free education for children worldwide, it is essential to provide evidence and examples to support your claims. In this section, we will examine countries with and without free education and the impact it has on education, students, and opportunities.

Countries with Free Education

Several countries worldwide have implemented policies to provide free education to all children. For example, Finland, Sweden, and Norway have a long history of offering free education to their citizens. In these countries, education is considered a fundamental right, and the government invests heavily in the education system, ensuring that students receive quality education.

The impact of free education in these countries is evident. Students have access to high-quality education, which prepares them for the future. They have more opportunities to pursue higher education and secure better-paying jobs, which helps to reduce poverty levels in the country.

In contrast, many countries worldwide have yet to implement policies to provide free education to all children. For example, in some African countries, education is not free, and many children cannot afford to go to school. As a result, many children are denied access to education, which limits their opportunities and perpetuates the cycle of poverty.

In countries without free education, the quality of education is often poor, and students do not receive the necessary skills to succeed in life. This lack of education often leads to fewer opportunities for students, which can lead to unemployment, poverty, and other social issues.

In conclusion, providing free education to all children worldwide can have significant economic, social, and educational benefits. It is essential to invest in education to ensure that all children have access to quality education, regardless of their socioeconomic background.

In conclusion, the debate over free education for children worldwide is a complex issue that requires careful consideration. While providing free education to all children can help to reduce inequality and improve social and economic development, it is not a panacea for all the challenges facing the education sector.

On the one hand, free education can help to ensure that all children have access to education regardless of their socio-economic background. This can help to reduce inequality and improve social mobility. Additionally, free education can help to improve economic development by providing children with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the workforce.

On the other hand, providing free education can be expensive and may require significant investment from governments and other stakeholders. Furthermore, free education may not necessarily lead to better educational outcomes if the quality of education is poor. Therefore, policymakers need to ensure that free education is of high quality and that it is accessible to all children, regardless of their background.

In conclusion, while free education for children worldwide is a laudable goal, it is not a silver bullet for all the challenges facing the education sector. Policymakers need to carefully consider the costs and benefits of free education and ensure that it is of high quality and accessible to all children.

Blog and Writing Tips

Writing an effective argumentative essay.

When writing an argumentative essay, it is important to clearly state your position on the topic. In this case, the topic is free education for children worldwide. Make sure to research the topic thoroughly and gather evidence to support your position. Use credible sources such as academic journals, government reports, and news articles.

To structure your argumentative essay, start with an introduction that provides background information on the topic and clearly states your thesis statement. The body of your essay should present your arguments and evidence in a logical and organized manner. Use transitional phrases to connect your ideas and make sure to address counterarguments.

In the conclusion, summarize your main points and restate your thesis statement. Avoid introducing new information in the conclusion.

When taking a position on free education for children worldwide, it is important to consider different perspectives. Think about the potential benefits and drawbacks of free education, and how it might impact different groups of people. For example, some argue that free education would increase access to education and reduce poverty, while others argue that it would be too expensive and lead to lower quality education.

Consider your audience when positioning yourself in the debate. Who are you writing for? Are you writing for policymakers, educators, or the general public? Tailor your arguments and evidence to your audience and use language that is appropriate for them.

Finally, make sure to use a confident and knowledgeable tone in your writing. Avoid making exaggerated or false claims, and back up your arguments with evidence. By following these tips, you can write an effective argumentative essay on free education for children worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should education be free for all children worldwide.

The question of whether education should be free for all children worldwide is a complex one with no easy answer. On the one hand, providing free education to all children could help to break down barriers and provide equal opportunities for all. On the other hand, there are concerns about the cost and feasibility of such a system, as well as the potential impact on the quality of education.

What are the benefits of free education for children?

The benefits of free education for children are numerous. First and foremost, it would ensure that all children have access to education, regardless of their background or financial situation. This would help to break down barriers and provide equal opportunities for all. Additionally, free education could help to reduce poverty and improve the overall standard of living, as education is key to economic growth and development.

What are the drawbacks of free education for children?

While the benefits of free education are clear, there are also drawbacks to consider. One of the main concerns is the cost of such a system, which could be prohibitively expensive for many countries. Additionally, there are concerns about the quality of education that would be provided under a free system, as well as the potential impact on private schools and other educational institutions.

How would free education impact the global economy?

The impact of free education on the global economy is difficult to predict, as it would depend on a variety of factors, including the cost of implementing such a system, the quality of education provided, and the overall impact on economic growth and development. However, it is clear that education is key to economic growth and development, and providing free education to all children could help to reduce poverty and improve the overall standard of living.

What are the potential long-term effects of free education for children?

The potential long-term effects of free education for children are numerous. Providing free education to all children could help to break down barriers and provide equal opportunities for all, which could have a positive impact on society as a whole. Additionally, free education could help to reduce poverty and improve the overall standard of living, which could have far-reaching effects on economic growth and development.

What are the alternatives to free education for children?

There are a number of alternatives to free education for children, including scholarships, grants, and other forms of financial assistance. Additionally, some countries have implemented voucher systems or other programs that provide financial assistance to families who cannot afford to pay for education. While these alternatives may not provide free education to all children, they can help to ensure that education is accessible to those who need it most.

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Ten arguments against Online Education

The global Covid pandemic has drastically changed our lives and all of us are now conducting our everyday activities in completely unfamiliar modes. Physical distancing has become a key element in the new protocol. The biggest impact has been in those activities—public or private—which involve a gathering of people. One of the sectors that was tremendously affected is education, with schools and colleges remaining closed indefinitely. The authorities across the country have resorted to online education as a way out. Each State has adopted its own policy on this. While online education is generally regarded as the only solution available at the moment, it comes with its own specific challenges and pitfalls. Here are ten reasons why online education is not that desirable a solution as we are persuaded to believe.

It widens the social divide

Shifting education to the digital platform gives an obvious and undue advantage to the rich and privileged class of society. They have better gadgets, stronger connectivity and greater familiarity with the technology. If education is supposed to be a social leveller, the weaker sections in this case are pushed several yards behind even before the race has begun. Digital divide or technological inequality is a reality, especially between the urban and rural areas. The unfortunate death, by suicide, of a poor schoolgirl on the first day of the new academic year is a grim pointer to this unpleasant truth. While the various government bodies, at least in Kerala, are trying their best to ensure the availability of devices and network, the fact is that there will still be areas which are left out. And the biggest losers will be those who are already disadvantaged—the rural poor, the migrants, the tribals and those who live in remote pockets.

Home isn’t necessarily the same for everyone

By making online education universal and mandatory, the authorities seem to have assumed that all households are alike. They assume that the home is a happy place for all children and that it is easier for them to learn sitting at home. Perhaps it is true for most families. But there are also quite a number of unhappy homes which are simply not conducive for regular learning. There are many young people with no facility whatsoever at their homes and in some cases, the family includes abusive elders. Exposing one’s background is not necessarily a welcome proposition for all. Young minds are quite sensitive to peer assessment. And many of them consider the time spent on the campus as a relief from the unpleasant realities of their personal lives. Online education does not factor these.

It lacks the socialising component

The teaching-learning exercise that takes place in the classroom is only one part of the totality of education. Much of the rest is provided by the social life on the campus. The personal interactions, collaborative engagements, shared experiences, conversations and meals all contribute towards the education of a student. What is the purpose of going to college? It’s not merely for accumulating knowledge, but for preparing the young person to live in a society. The campus is where the young boy or girl comes across and befriends individuals with various social and ideological backgrounds. It is where the young student experiences cultural difference. Online education, on the other hand, pushes him/her to islands of individuality and privacy. There is already the argument that this generation of youngsters has less of real social interaction. By denying them the experiences of a campus life as well, we are making it far worse for them.

Education is not mere data collection

A related argument is that this exercise reduces education to mere data collection. Online education assigns a higher value to quantifiable and downloadable content. Abstract notions, aesthetic values, sentiments and subjective responses of an experiential kind are sidelined. It does not encourage multiplicity of perspectives, subtleties, deliberations or arguments. This is dangerous and reduces education to a mere utilitarian and technical engagement. One is reminded of Charles Dickens’ famous novel Hard Times which opens with the words of Thomas Gradgrind, a School Superintendent: “Now, what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts.” This is a wrong understanding of the purpose of education. It was Albert Einstein who gave what is perhaps the finest definition of education, when he said that it “is what remains in you after you have forgotten all that you have learnt in the classroom.” The present arrangement does not allow anything to remain with the students once their examinations are over. Online education gives no scope for any sentiments or memories to cherish. It’s a mechanical and repetitive exercise that kills the creative and emotional instincts of the young learner.

It seriously affects the nature of teaching and learning

Online education cannot replicate either the quantity or quality of classroom teaching/learning. There is no time for elaboration here. Data is precious, especially for the students, and has to be used diligently. The first casualty will be the interactive element. In most schools and colleges, the teacher lectures on Zoom, Google Meet, or some such platform and the students listen in passively after switching off their cameras and microphones. It is often a technical ritual, without much communication between the teacher and the learner. A text or topic that usually takes several sessions of discussion in a classroom will be dealt with in the online mode using the minimum time. And the whole orientation of teaching and learning is likely to be around the examinations and their grading mechanism.

It makes teachers irrelevant

As a consequence of the last two reasons, the teacher becomes irrelevant in the new scheme of things. A technological takeover is happening in education. We have several knowledge portals, online resources, Apps as well as courses and content offered by well-known institutions. In the information age, the teacher is no longer the only source of knowledge, and rightly so. But the experience and human interaction that a teacher offers is invaluable. But if online education becomes the mainstay, the very profession of teaching as we know it today can be endangered. Big universities and content providers will attract students from all over the world, offer the new kind of education and certify them. The local school and college will turn redundant and this will have serious sociopolitical and cultural implications.

It weakens critical thinking and political practice

One immediate fallout of online education is that it allows no space for critical thinking, let alone political praxis. The vibrant debates, protests and agitations that take place in campuses now and which actually enhance and deepen our democracy, will soon be a thing of the past. With no collectivity or gathering possible, the students will no longer be political subjects but passive consumers of educational content. The JNU of the future will be more like a self-financing private institution, with disciplined boys and girls in uniform. Remember, well-behaved and obedient youngsters may be good news for parents and authorities, but they are usually useless for the nation.

It allows power structures to monitor individuals

Such a scenario is very convenient for the powers that be. Dissent will die a natural death. The student community will be depoliticised. Any aberrations will be dealt with strictly. The State will have a greater role in the formation of the citizens. This is an opportunity that any fascist government will grab immediately.

It furthers the Neo-Capitalist agenda

Capitalism is always on the lookout for new opportunities for making money. It is driven only by self-interest and profit motive. Its ideological engagement with education can be recognized in two ways. a) It looks at Education primarily in terms of employability. It is not interested in the overall development of knowledge and sensibility. Hence it prefers vocational training any day to philosophy, arts or the humanities. b) The second mode of the Capitalist engagement is in the very commodification of education. It treats education as a product that can be marketed and sold. It therefore sees tremendous business opportunity in the sector. While it wasn’t that easy to control the traditional mode of classroom teaching, this recent shift to online education can easily pave the way for what can be described as the LPG (liberalisation, privatisation and globalization) of education.

The contingency plan can become the norm

If the reader thinks that too much of a case is made against what is actually a temporary or contingency plan, well, that’s where the real danger lies.This contingency plan has every chance of becoming the norm. It suits the interests of both the State and Capitalism. And whenever the interest of the government aligns with that of the Corporate world, what we usually get is a deadly combination that is both irresistible and inevitable. Online education is fine as long as it remains a supplementary tool for the classroom engagement on a vibrant campus. In unavoidable circumstances, it can even be a substitute. But we should never allow the substitute to become the substance itself. Online education should never be allowed to replace the real learning process that involves the communion of teachers and fellow students. That social space is precious and needs to be protected at any cost.

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We reviewed the arguments for and against ‘ high-stakes ’ exams. The evidence for using them doesn’t stack up

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Professor of Higher Education, Centre for the Study of Higher Education, The University of Melbourne

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Senior lecturer, The University of Melbourne

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Across Australia, students are receiving and digesting important exam results. University students began receiving their semester 2 results at the end of November. This week and early next week, Year 12 students are also receiving their final marks.

Love them or loathe them, exams have featured prominently in education for centuries .

For almost as long, debate has raged about whether they are useful for assessing learning. And while there has been a shift towards course work or other forms of assessments in some contexts, exams are still a major part of the way we assess student learning.

To understand why exams remain so heavily favoured, we reviewed the arguments for and against their use in higher education. We found surprisingly little hard evidence to justify their widespread use in university assessment.

Read more: Universities should learn from assessment methods used during the pandemic – and cut down on exams for good

We focussed on “high-stakes” final exams (heavily-weighted, end-of-semester exams that “make-or-break” passing a subject), because they are so widely used.

Traditionally undertaken in large exam halls under strict supervision, they can have immense influence on students’ lives and careers.

We searched the higher education literature for research showing benefits or drawbacks of high-stakes final examinations. We found 122 relevant papers, written in English and published before July 2023.

Across these papers, seven key themes emerged.

1. Knowledge retention

It has long been claimed tests help students consolidate knowledge.

But because exams tend to encourage “cramming” of large amounts of information in a short period, the retention of that “knowledge” is famously short-lived.

Testing can enhance learning when students need to remember a lot of facts. But research shows regular short-answer tests undertaken shortly after learning are far more effective for this than one big exam at the end of the learning process.

A young man reads a sheet of paper while sitting at a desk, with a laptop.

2. Motivation and learning

High-stakes exams can certainly motivate students to study and prepare. But evidence suggests exams tend not to help students’ learning because they activate “extrinsic motivation” (the desire to achieve a high grade) rather than “intrinsic motivation” (the desire for deep understanding).

This has a doubly perverse effect on learning: it encourages students to adopt superficial, “surface” learning strategies such as memorisation, while teachers often narrow the content they teach to what can be assessed in the exam.

3. Real-world relevance

Some argue the information-restricted, time-pressured nature of exams mirrors real-life (nobody wants their doctor or pilot to be leafing through the manual in a crisis situation).

But for the vast majority of modern roles and workplaces, closed-book individual examinations are a far cry from the collaborative, information-rich context in which students will work.

They’re particularly ill-suited to assessing skills like listening and communication, which are highly valued by employers . And because there is typically no opportunity to receive or respond to feedback on an exam, it’s hard for students to learn from their mistakes and do better.

4. Validity and reliability

One might assume because high-stakes exams are so important for final grades, they are carefully validated and reliably measure a student’s ability.

Regrettably, neither is true. Validation of the design of high-stakes examinations (a complex process that ensures we can trust the inferences we make from them) is neither required nor routinely undertaken in university courses.

Exam performance is also notoriously unreliable , susceptible to bias and inconsistency from examiners, the psychological or physical health of the student, the design of the exam and even the conditions under which the exam is taken.

5. Contract cheating and assessment security

There’s a widespread belief that because exams occur in tightly controlled environments and require ID, they’re impervious to cheating. This belief is spurring calls for even greater use of traditional exams in the wake of anxiety about generative AI.

But surveys of tens of thousands of university students in Australia and overseas reveal students cheat more often in examinations than they do in any other form of assessment, using strategies such as impersonation .

As the authors of a 2018 Australian report conclude: “examinations provide universities and accrediting bodies with a false sense of security” and

an over reliance on examinations, without a thorough and comprehensive approach to integrity, is likely to lead to more cheating, not less.

6. Anxiety and wellbeing

Research shows students find exams stressful and this can harm their health and wellbeing. But whether stress affects exam performance is less clear.

Some studies have found negative effects of stress on performance , while others found no effect or even suggest stress is helpful for improving performance .

Although the jury is still out, the adverse effects of examinations on student mental and physical health is concerning, as is the negative impact of examination anxiety on student motivation .

Students sit on steps, looking at notes.

7. Fairness and equity

It’s well known exams favour students who perform well under time pressure and are good at memorising. But there is also growing evidence the exams may promote gender inequality (with women performing worse than men in exams but better in non-exam assessments).

Another way in which exams can contribute to inequity is through their content (which often promotes Western values and knowledge) and their (often hand-) written format. This disadvantages minority students, including Indigenous students, those from less privileged socio-economic backgrounds, or those who have a disability .

Common “Band-Aid” accommodations, such as allowing extra time, do little to address this problem and contribute to feelings of inadequacy. We need to draw on what is known about inclusive assessment design to ensure diverse students are given equal opportunity to succeed.

Where to from here?

In the absence of compelling educational reasons for using high-stakes final exams, it seems they are used because they are cheap and efficient to deliver and grade, as well as easily scalable to large numbers of students.

These justifications seem inadequate when we know there are alternative and more authentic forms of assessment that are also cost-effective, with the aid of educational technology . These include inquiry (using investigation and problem-solving), group or peer-based assessments.

Without compelling academic reasons for retaining them, we need to consider new and potentially more meaningful forms of assessment by replacing, re-weighting or redesigning high-stakes exams.

Read more: We need to change the way universities assess students, starting with these 3 things

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College Education: Arguments For and Against

“Should every student go to college?” is a debatable question. The heated “How essential is a college education” debate against and in favor of the question became very common. This essay analyzes both the reason why not to go to college and why college education is important.

College Education Arguments: Introduction

College education: arguments for, how essential is a college education: debate against, how necessary is a college education: argumentative essay conclusion, works cited.

A college education is important, yet its cost has become an issue. Some feel that the cost is too high, and the returns very low. Many people from parents, students, the press, and the public have all voiced their concern over the cost of a college education.

Due to the high cost charged in tuition, room, as well as board prices college, has become out of reach to many people. This paper will endeavor to discuss the reason why college is worth students’ time and money in spite of the high cost.

Many people wonder if college is worth it. More and more young people are enrolling in college in the twenty-first century in spite of the high cost.

There is “evidence to suggest that in an increasingly knowledge-intensive society, the value of a college education- at least as measured by the difference in earning capacity afforded by a college degree- is continuing to increase” (Duderstadt 23). This has led many people to seek higher education in the twenty-first century.

A college education is worthwhile because it has become a trend in society today. There is increased value for advanced education because “one’s knowledge is the key in determining personal prosperity and well being” (Duderstadt 23).

In addition, courses in technology-intensive areas such as information technology, medicine, engineering, and others cost more, but students who enroll in them are more likely to get a job because of the high demand for knowledge in those areas. Therefore, students get jobs, and the jobs are well paying; thus, their living standards improve.

There is a demand for people with higher education in the job market. Economists explain that there is a “correlation between ability and earnings” (Smart, 29).

Becker urges that there is a higher demand for higher ability represents higher returns because” persons who produce more human capital from a given expenditure have more capacity or ability” (124). In addition, Mincer (56) agrees, “differences in levels of demand curve represent individual differences in productivities or abilities. Economists agree that an individual’s ability is related to their level of education.

People with a college degree earn more than those without. According to the Census Bureau, people who only have a high school diploma earn an average of about $1.2 million in their adult working life while those with college degrees earn an average of about $1.6 million. There is a difference of $ 400,000 due to the lack of a college degree.

Therefore, a college degree is worthwhile because it enables one to earn a higher income. In addition, “college graduates also enjoy benefits beyond increased income” (Lougheed 137).

A 1998 report published by the Institute for Higher Education Policy showed that college graduates enjoy higher savings levels, have increased professional as well as personal mobility. They are able to provide a higher quality of life to their offspring. College graduates are also able to make better consumer decisions and enjoy more leisure and hobbies activities (IHEP 1).

College learning equips an individual with paramount reasoning, communication, reflection, and tolerance skills. These skills are very important in problem-solving as well as resolving conflicts that one encounters ” in the course of personal or professional life” (Benefits of College Education 1).

Moreover, college education helps one to “understand other people’s viewpoints, and learn how to disagree sensibly” (Benefits of college Education 1). Therefore, one is able to lead a satisfying life, depending on how they learn to resolve crises and conflicts. It is important to note that these skills can be learned without attending college, but the college environment enhances their development.

College graduates get an opportunity to expand their “social horizons” (Benefits of college Education 1). This happens because they get a chance to meet new people and make friends in colleges. Colleges comprise of people from different backgrounds and countries.

This gives them a chance to share information with other people and hence learn about different cultures. Through these interactions, the college students get a chance to network- that is, sharing of information.

Many college students have been able to secure jobs through the contacts they made in college. Many college students say the networks formed in college helped them to “expand their horizons from the tribal village to the global village” (Benefits of college Education 1).

Apart from the monetary gains, college students have non-monetary gains, as shown by a report published by Carnegie Foundation. They have the tendency to be more open-minded, more consistent, and more rational; they also become less authoritarian. Due to these qualities that they acquire, they tend to have more fulfilling relationships as well as careers. Moreover, they pass these qualities on their offspring.

College attendance has shown to “decrease prejudice, enhance knowledge of world affairs, and enhance social status while increasing job and economic security for those who earn a bachelor’s degree” (Lougheed 137-8).

Furthermore, research has shown that there is a positive correlation between the completion of “higher education and health” of an individual as well as one’s children (Lougheed 138). Parents who have completed higher education are able to provide and maintain good health status for their children, and there is a lower mortality rate among their children in any give given brackets (Lougheed 138).

College education leads to social benefits. The majority of the research conducted has revealed that there exists a strong correlation between economic growth, cultural values, and family. Highly educated parents, especially women, spend more time with their children, and during this time, they “prepare their children for the future” (Cohn and Geske 263).

This raises the IQ of the children. The mothers are aware of the benefits of a college education and therefore invest more in education for their children. “When children have opportunities to inherit or adopt this information and these values, insights, beliefs, and perspectives from their parents, they acquire an early form of human capital” (McMahon 30).

Children from such advantaged backgrounds have an opportunity to get a higher education because their parents understand the value of advanced education. Moreover, “college graduates appear to have a more optimistic view of their past and future personal progress” (Cohn and Geske 267-9).

College education leads to public benefits. People who attend college pay more taxes; thus, the government is able to collect more revenues. The revenues are, in turn, used to finance government expenditure. College graduates have increased workplace productivity hence higher outputs.

In addition, due to their higher earnings, college graduates have increased consumption. Thus, they contribute to economic growth. They also reduce reliance on the government for support. The government can, therefore, use the money it would have used on them to do other things.

Conversely, there are people who feel that the cost of a college education is too high and thus a waste of time and money due to low returns. Some college students are in school not because they want to “be or because they want to learn” (Bird 147).

Some are there because going to college is a trend, their parents wanted them to go, or simply because “college is a pleasant place to be; because it is the only way they can get parents or taxpayers to support them without getting a job they do not like” (Bird 146). This leads to a waste of money spent on such students by their parents and the state because they do not learn.

To them, college is a social place to meet friends and have no time for classwork. Most such students end up dropping out of college anyway. Therefore, the money invested in these institutions of learning is wasted when not used in the right way.

The cost of a college education is very high, and the high cost makes colleges inaccessible to many students. Those who stay on and finish feel that going to college was not worth as one student put it during an interview “in two years, I’ll pick up a diploma, and I can honestly say it was a waste of my father’s bread” (Bird 150).

The high cost of a college education has led universities to develop packages to attract students and keep their finances solvent. There is a debate about the quality of education offered in some colleges. Many feel that education has been reduced to and become like products to be sold in a market.

The packages developed are commercially built and promise students a wonderful life during their study while focusing less on the curriculum. Thus, a question arises about the quality of college degrees.

The other argument against college education is the high numbers of unemployed college graduates. Doing a translation from college to employment is difficult these days. This has led to high levels of unemployment among college graduates. “Somewhere between the nursery and the employment office, they become unwanted adults” (Bird 179).

In conclusion, there is no doubt that the cost of a college education is high and continues to rise, and this is problematic, especially to students who fall under the lowest income brackets. This becomes a financial burden; however, the long-term benefits to an individual and the society are numerous and far outweigh the high cost.

Therefore, everyone should strive to get a college education because it improves the quality of one’s life hence adding value. Parents and the state should put more effort into providing a college education. The parents should encourage their children to acquire higher education because, in the world of today, many jobs available require some form of post-high school education.

The government, on the other hand, should increase funding to colleges to make the tuition fee affordable to students from low-income levels. The government’s support will help to cushion students against inflation that has led to the skyrocketing of college education cost.

On the other hand, the value of college education cannot be underestimated because it leads to financial rewards. Moreover, it is easier to change careers with a college education. For sure, college education has value and is worth the time and money of a student.

Becker, Gary Stanley. Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education. 2 nd ed. Chicago: university of Chicago press, 1993.

“Benefits of a college Education.” University of Maryland College n.d.

Bird, Caroline. The Case against College. Colorado: D. McKay Co, 1975.

Cohn, Elchana and Geske, G Terry. The Economics of Education. 3 rd ed. Oxford: Pergamon Press, 1990.

Duderstadt, J James. A university for the 21st century. Michigan: University of Michigan Press, 2000. ISBN0472110918, 9780472110919

Institute for higher education Policy (IHEP). Reaping the Benefits . IHEP, 8 Apr. 1998.

Lougheed, Lin. Barron’s How To Prepare for the IELTS (International English Language Testing System). New York Barron’s Educational Series, 2006. ISBN0764179357, 978076417935.

McMahon, W Walter. ”Why Families Invest in Education.” In S.Suydman & MA Spaeth (eds), The Collection And Analysis Of Economic and Consumer Behavior Data: in memory of Ferber (pp 75-91). Urbana, IL: Bureau of Economic And Business Research, University of Illinois.

Mincer, Jacob. The Distribution of Labor Incomes: A Survey in J Mincer(ed), Studies in Human Capital: collected essays of Jacob Minces. Brookfield, VT: Edward Elgar, 1993.

Smart, C John. Higher Education: Handbook of Theory and Research. New York: Springer, 2008. ISBN1402092806, 9781402092800

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For and against standardized tests: Two student perspectives

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    It seriously affects the nature of teaching and learning. Online education cannot replicate either the quantity or quality of classroom teaching/learning. There is no time for elaboration here. Data is precious, especially for the students, and has to be used diligently. The first casualty will be the interactive element.

  21. We reviewed the arguments for and against

    Major examinations have been a part of education for centuries. New research looks at arguments for and against end-of-semester exams in universities.

  22. PDF Arguments For/Against Each Resolution

    resolutions to be voted upon at the upcoming virtual IASB Delegate Assembly. The meeting lasted approximately two and a half hours and allowed delegates to ask all questions or debate any proposal. Below is a summary of the arguments that were made for and against each resolution. A recording of the full October 21 meeting can be found . here.

  23. College Education: Arguments For and Against

    College Education: Arguments For and Against Topic: College Education Words: 1675 Pages: 7 "Should every student go to college?" is a debatable question. The heated "How essential is a college education" debate against and in favor of the question became very common.

  24. For and against standardized tests: Two student perspectives

    Again, standardized tests are a good measure of a student's achievement, the standardized tests and increased testing are a better college preparation, and the testing is not too stressful for students. Immediately, we need to call the United States Department of Education and tell them that standardized tests should be kept in schools.