Writing Argumentative Essays

Sorting arguments into topics and paragraphs

On this page you will start working on a longer text made up of 3 paragraphs. These paragraphs will be pargraphs 2, 3 and 4 from an argumentative essay on the issue: Should marine mammals be kept in captivity in marine parks?. Marine mammals are warm-blooded sea animals such as whales, dolphins and seals. Marine parks are places where these animals are kept in pools and perform in shows for the public to see. An example of a marine park in Australia is "Seaworld" on the Gold Coast in Queensland.

Earlier in this unit we saw that each paragraph in an argumentative essay discusses a different topic related to the issue of the essay. Therefore, you need to sort your arguments into different topics when you preparing to write your essay. On this page you will practice sorting arguments into topics.



Task 1: Identifying the topic of a paragraph
Below are the beginning sections of three paragraphs on the issue, Should marine mammals be kept in captivity in marine parks? Because they are the beginnings of the paragraphs they each present and problematise opposing arguments on the issue. Describe the topic of each paragraph in four words or less and write the description in the margin next to each paragraph. (You will need to print the page out - the blank lines are there for you to write on in Task 3 below).

Before you complete this task you might want to look back at the work on describing paragraph topics that you completed earlier in this unit.

.
Main Premise: We should not keep marine mammals in captivity
It has been argued that dolphin parks provide the only opportunity for much of the public to see marine mammals (Smith, 1992). Most Australians, so this argument goes, live in cities and never get to see these animals. It is further claimed that marine parks allow the average Australian to appreciate our marine wildlife. .................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

Dr Alison Lane, the director of the Cairns Marine Science Institute, contends that we need marine parks for scientific research (The Age, 19.2.93). She argues that much of our knowledge of marine mammals comes from studies which were undertaken at marine parks. The knowledge which is obtained at marine parks, so this argument goes, can be useful for planning for the conservation of marine mammal species. .................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

It is the contention of the Marine Park Owners Association that marine parks attract a lot of foreign tourists (The Sun-Herald 12.4.93). This position goes on to assert that these tourists spend a lot of money, increasing our foreign exchange earnings and assisting our national balance of payments. .................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................................................

Check your answer here



Task 2: Sorting the supporting arguments into topics
Below is a list of arguments that support the writer's main premise. Later (in Task 3) you will add them to the essay above. However, first they need to be sorted into the different topics that are covered by each paragraph so that you know which paragraph they can be added to.

The following abbreviations represent the different topics you identified in Task 1:

PA= Public access to animals
SR= Scientific research
ECO = Economic Benefits from tourism
Sort the following supporting arguments into the three topics by writing the correct abreviation in the boxes:

Arguments that support the author's main premise
a box However, as Smith states, dolphins, whales and seals can be be viewed in the wild at a number of places on the Australian coast.
a box Moreover, dolphin and whale biology changes in marine park conditions.
a box Furthermore, we should be promoting our beautiful natural environment to tourists and not the ugly concrete marine park venues.
a box Tourists come here to see our native wildlife in its natural environment and not to see it in cages and cement pools.
a box In addition, marine mammals in dolphin parks are trained and this means that their patterns of social behaviour are changed.
a box In fact, there are more places where they can be seen in the wild than places where they can be seen in captivity.
a box In addition, places where there are wild marine mammals do not charge an exorbitant entry fee - they are free.
a boxSurveys of overseas tourists show that they come here for a variety of other reasons and not to visit places like Seaworld (The Age, Good Weekend 16.8.93).
a box Therefore research undertaken at marine parks is generally not reliable.
a box However, foreign tourists would still come to Australia if the parks were closed down.
a boxThey can usually see animals in those conditions in their own countries.
a box However, as Jones (1991) explains, park research is only useful for understanding captive animals and is not useful for learning about animals in the wild.
a box Their diets are different, they have significantly lower life spans and they are more prone to disease.
a box Moreover, most Australians would have to travel less to get to these locations than they would to get to the marine parks on the Gold Coast.

Check your answer here



Task 3: Adding the supporting arguments to the paragraphs
Now the supporting arguments are sorted into the same topics as the pargraphs in the text in Task 1. You are ready to add them to the text. Add them to the text now. (If you haven't yet printed out this page do so now).

You will need to pay careful attention to the connectives in each of the supporting statements to complete this task correctly. You might want to look back at the pages that you studied earlier in this unit on:

1.Listing connectives: Moreover, In addition etc.
2.In fact and Indeed
3.However

Check your answer here.



Top Back to the top of this page ©Bill Daly, 1997
just a blue and white bar
Next Next: A complete model of an argumentative essay
Back Back to Converting an informal text into a formal text
Home Back to Front Page