How to form an argument
Reigate College English Department
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=erUYZ6eBDhI

Transkript (automatisch erstellt)

0:04 an English a level exam tests your ability to form a series of arguments in relation to the question set understanding what makes a good argument
0:14 is crucial to the quality of your essay points in one sense of the word an argument is a form of verbal conflict in an academic context however an argument
0:26 is a written justification for a viewpoint that you hold a bit like the other sort of argument academic arguments are all about getting your
0:34 point of view across before this is possible we need to make sure we have a viewpoint in the first place the format of an a-level English question does
0:43 change depending on what course and paper you're doing but they will always be open-ended to encourage you to express your views here is an extract
0:52 from a student's response to this a level literature question how does Shakespeare present the theme of marriage in Twelfth Night
1:00 Shakespeare presents the theme of marriage through the character of the Duke Orsino who at the end of the play decides to marry viola once he learns
1:08 her true identity not long after the uncovering of violas pageboy disguise Orsino announces his intention to marry her by remarking that he shall have
1:17 share in this most happy wreck this is a significant turning point for our ceno's character who finally seems now able to put aside his unrequited love for Lady
1:27 Olivia that has plagued him since the opening lines of the play Orsino's mercenary image of having a share in the happy wreck that viola - Illyria reminds
1:36 the audience of how things have changed since act 1 fortunes are now reversed through circumstances beyond the characters control bad luck had finally
1:45 turned to good luck this is not a bad point it's focused on the theme of marriage and it is evident that this student knows the play well but what's
1:55 lacking is a clear sense of argument one simple way that this response could be improved is the addition of a topic sentence to outline its argument
2:04 explicitly you can think of a topic sentence almost like a direct answer to the question set
2:12 even though it's focused on the correct theme the first sentence of this point does not fully answer the question there is no argument here the student has
2:21 picked a plot event relevant to the theme of marriage but is launched into explaining what happens in the play rather than giving an interpretation of
2:28 how Shakespeare explores the theme this could be fixed with an additional sentence beforehand Shakespeare presents marriage in Twelfth
2:36 Night as something which can provide resolution and closure two characters who have suffered from the misfortunes caused by love this is a topic sentence
2:46 that presents an argument it's an interpretation that some are now studying the play might potentially disagree with it expresses a viewpoint
2:54 about the significance of marriage in the play before going on to justify that viewpoint with an example a clear topic sentence at the very beginning of a
3:02 point will help to guide your reader through the arguments you make the function of the rest of the point is to justify the argument you outlined in the
3:11 topic sentence make sure that you don't drift away from your own argument over the course of your point let's now add a final sentence to this point that links
3:20 back to our argument have a look at the second paragraph here Orsino's mercenary image of having a share in the happy wreck that brought viola to Illyria
3:28 reminds the audience of how things have changed since act 1 fortunes are now reversed through circumstances beyond the characters control bad luck has
3:38 finally turned to good luck Orsino his revelation that he can now marry viola resolves the love triangle not between Olivia viola and himself and through
3:47 this Shakespeare creates the happy ending of marriage that is a convention of all of his comedies bear in mind that essay writing is a creative skill
3:58 examiner's want to see your own interpretations and viewpoints of the texts you study presenting a clear sense of argument is what will elevate your
4:07 essay from being a dry and explanatory thing to being a genuinely interesting and engaging piece of work