Using the Novel "Monster" and the Ideas of George Hillocks to Write an Argumentative Essay

Part 1

The typical argumentative essay consists of assigning a controversial topic and having the students research both points of view, followed by a written thesis statement, culminating in the writing of the essay based on the thesis statement that the students developed. When students write argumentative essays in this manner, they are not really doing any research, since they only need to choose the point of view that best supports their idea, a point of view that is not even based on any data that was collected by them. According to George Hillocks, Professor Emeritus at the University of Chicago and author of the book "Teaching Argumentative Writing", "Good argument begins with looking at the data that is likely to become the evidence in an argument and which gives rise to a  thesis statement or major claim. That is, the thesis statement arises from questions, which in turn rises from the examination of information or data of some sort."  Furthermore, he makes clear that"the process of working through an argument is the process of inquiry. At its very beginning is the examination of data, not the invention of a thesis statement in a vacuum."
      One type of argumentative essay that can yield good results and that can be developed along the lines of what Hillocks recommends is an argument of fact.  Arguments of fact, especially of the forensic variety  already contain data, which can engage students to come up with a thesis statement based on the evaluation of the evidence that they collected. Click on the link to get a better idea.


Click on the link for lesson

Part 2

After students have practiced with the activity explained in part 1, You can follow up this same idea reading the novel "Monster" by Walter Dean Myers.

This is a novel about a young high school student who is involved in the murder of a store owner. He goes to trial and
both sides, the defense and prosecution present their points of view. As students read the novel, they collect and evaluate the evidence presented by both sides.

Step 1
Read the novel

Step 3 
Develop a criteria for the main character's innocence or guilt

Step 2 
Collect evidence using graphic organizer based on the critieria

Step 3
Divide class into two sides defense and prosecution. 

Step 4 
During group work discuss the evidence using the graphic organizers

Step 5
Based on the criteria developed, write an argumentative essay supporting the main character's innocence or guilt.