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This is an arguement paper，5-7 pages.
Your grade will be determined by two factors.
a. Content: Your faithful application of the strategy for writing dialectical arguments. Your
grader will be looking for
every step to be well represented. Moreover, these tasks
should be pursued in the spirit of open-mindedness, honesty, and integrity.
b. Form: The clarity of the essay matters. This assessment includes grammar and spelling.
The 8-Step Dialectical Form:
1. An introduction to the problem that seems to divide her and her “opponent”.
2. A demonstration that the opponent’s position is understood (done with a fair, generous, and
neutral representation of that position).
3. A statement of the contexts in which the opponent’s position may be valid or correct. (Note,
this does not mean explaining the position away.)
4. A statement of the writer’s initial position.
5. An explanation of the contexts in which the writer’s position is valid or correct.
6. An articulation of those things that the writer and opponent share (assumptions,
experiences, perceptions, insights, values, principles.
7. Moving forward. An explanation of the way in which, because of considering the opponents
position and the writer’s initial position, the writer’s original position has been changed. (This
may include understanding that the opponent’s position may compliment the writer’s, or that
the opponent’s position offers a way to correct the writer’s initial position. It may even
include ways in which the writer’s original position was correct in ways the writer did not
understand or see, or it may include ways in which the opponent’s original position can
benefit from the writer’s.)
8. An explanation of areas of further (mutual) discussion, exploration, and investigation.
Example Essays
Here are some example essays submitted by students in the past (posted here with their kind
permission).
Please note: These essays are not in MLA format (which would also require that they be double-
spaced), I was trying to save space.
Example 1.
Guest Coaching Controversy
I am a figure skater and assistant coach at the local ice skating rink. I
have been skating for six years, four of them at this rink, and I have been
an assistant coach for two years. I believe that, although I have a lot to
learn, I have a good general understanding of how the skating world operates
and how the people involved in it relate to one another. The skating world,
like so many sports’ environments, is an extremely complicated place, with
its share of politics and controversies. A particular issue that is important
at my rink concerns the rights and regulation of guest coaches.
The rink hires coaches who work under the skating director/head coach and
teach the figure skating classes. The rink holds the half hour classes on
certain days of the week. The coaches are paid for each class they teach, but
the pay is minimal and the rink gets most of the profit. In addition, these
“resident” coaches may also teach private lessons on public skating sessions
or official figure skating sessions. Skaters must pay their coaches for their
lessons and the rink for the skating time. In this way, the coaches can
technically keep the money they receive for their private lessons and the
rink still makes money.
In order to teach private lessons, however, the coaches must also teach
two classes per week and they must pay a three-hundred dollar coaching fee
per month. The entire process of payment and lessons applies to all coaches
whom the rink employs, although if a coach does not want to teach classes,
she can opt to pay a higher monthly fee. Most other rinks have similar
processes in place. Generally, coaches can only work for one rink at a time.
However, at some rinks, “guest coaches” from other rinks are allowed to
“visit” a number of times per month, but they pay a daily coaching fee, which
is usually around twenty dollars.
Some coaches from different rinks have expressed interest in doing this at
our rink. They would bring their current students with them and they would
also give lessons to skaters at our rink. They still want to remain employed
by their original rink and they do not want to teach classes. Currently,
there is a new no-guest-coaching policy at our rink and many skaters,
including me, want to change that rule.
The rink and skating director put the current policy regarding guest
coaches in place in order to protect the resident coaches from competition
and to ensure that there will always be a sufficient number of coaches to
teach the classes. The rink believes that the policy guarantees equal
coaching opportunities and preserves the financial stability of the rink.
After considering the views of the skating director, I found some very
interesting and valid arguments for the rink’s position. The first two
concerns are closely related to one another. They involve how guest coaching
would affect our resident coaches, who might suffer financially because they
could lose students. First, skaters are free to change coaches at will and,
thus, they may decide to take lessons from a guest coach instead of a
resident coach. While this would not hurt the rink directly, it would make it
harder for the resident coaches to pay the three hundred dollar monthly fee.
Since the average coach makes around thirty-five dollars for each private,
half-hour lesson, they must give at least nine lessons a month to break even.
If they lose even one lesson to a guest coach, they will be in a financially
difficult situation.
Similarly, our current coaches might feel threatened by higher-level
coaches who come as guests. Our rink is a relatively new establishment for
the skating world and most of our coaches are fairly young. They have on
average seven years of coaching experience, which is not much compared that
if coaches at other rinks. When guest coaches with more experience come to
teach at our rink, they may, intentionally or unintentionally, draw skaters
away from our young—but no less talented—coaches.
The third problem with guest coaching is that it might bring too many
skaters from other rinks who would make the skating sessions busier. They
might then crowd out our current skaters by making it more difficult for them
to practice. As a skater myself, I can certainly see how inconvenient this
would be when I am trying to practice.
A major concern for the rink is that some resident coaches could avoid
teaching classes, and paying the three hundred dollar fee, by declaring
themselves guest coaches. If, for example, guest coaches were allowed to
teach even one day a week at the standard twenty dollars per day, the coaches
would only be paying eighty dollars each month as opposed to three hundred
dollars. Now, of course, these coaches would not be able to give as many
lessons as those who coached every day, but they would also not have to teach
the classes, which are held in the late afternoon and on weekends. The
resulting effect of resident coaches becoming guest coaches would be that the
rink loses both money and a stable staff.
The last reason that the rink and skating director feel that guest
coaching should be prohibited is because of the complicated and often
unpleasant politics between competing coaches. Many resident coaches have
come to our rink to avoid working with other coaches they do not get along
with. Theoretically, these people could come as guest coaches and for ethical
reasons, the rink could not discriminate against them. The resulting
conflicts that might ensue would create a negative atmosphere for everyone at
the rink.
I understand the rink’s and skating director’s view on guest coaching and
think their concerns are valid. Nevertheless, I believe that guest coaching
should be allowed at our rink for the substantial benefit to skaters and,
indirectly, the coaches. One of the reasons that I feel this way is because
there are a number of skaters at our rink who would like to take private
lessons from certain Olympic and Nationally-ranked coaches in the area. These
coaches are extremely well-respected in the skating world and they do not
want to teach classes or be tied down to our rink. They do not even want to
coach at our rink every day. If guest coaches were allowed, skaters would
have the opportunity to take lessons from these coaches while still skating
at the same rink. This would not only be convenient for the skaters, but it
would also monetarily benefit the rink by keeping business busy. My sister, a
competitive skater, is a prime example. As it stands now, she must drive to
Los Angeles several times a week in order to have lessons from an Olympic
coach. She would much rather pay our rink for her skating sessions and be
able to take her lessons closer to home.
An additional benefit of guest coaching to the skaters concerns the
coaches’ areas of skill. Many skaters take lessons from two or three
different coaches, who each specialize in a certain aspect of the sport and
who bring in varying levels of expertise. Currently, the coaching staff at
our rink is limited; we do not have coaches with certain specialties, such as
Ice Dancing and program choreography. Allowing these types of coaches to come
as guests would give skaters more opportunities and would probably bring
additional income to the rink by attracting a variety of skaters.
Allowing these high-level coaches would bring benefits to the resident
coaches as well. The healthy rivalry that they could bring would force the
young coaches to keep their qualifications and credentials current in order
to attract and keep students. They would also have the chance to share
students with, and learn from, these more experienced coaches. This would
ultimately be good for the rink’s reputation – it would have higher quality
coaches and skaters.
A final reason that guest coaches should be allowed at this rink,
specifically, is that it has the most sessions of all the rinks in the area
and, thus, offers more time for skaters to have lessons. A wide variety of
skating session times is a great advantage to skaters, who often need to
practice early in the morning before school and in the late afternoon after
school. More skaters could have additional lessons if guest coaches could
teach on our numerous sessions.
The guest coaching policy issue is divisive and arguments on both sides
are very strong. There seems to me, however, to be three underlying points of
agreement that we share. Naturally, the reason any of us can skate or coach
is that we have an operational ice rink, so we agree that the rink must make
money to stay open. We also want to have competent, qualified coaches who are
satisfied with their positions and who have opportunities to develop their
coaching skills. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, we desire to benefit
the skaters by providing them with a comfortable, high-quality environment in
which to learn with a minimum of political interference.
With these points of agreement in mind, and with a clearer understanding
of the rink’s viewpoint, I can certainly see how a no-guest-coaching policy
is an efficient and reasonable solution. After all, if there are no guest
coaches allowed, many of the political factors could be avoided and young
coaches might have a better chance at starting their careers. I can see more
clearly now the potential problems with my argument; for example I have no
solution to protect our current coaches if guest coaches are allowed, and, in
fact, my view actually seems to encourage rivalry. I can also see, though,
that my view is more beneficial to the skaters at the rink by offering them
more coaching options. Overall, I still feel that my position has the most
benefits for all parties, including attracting high level coaches, offering
more variety for skaters, and bringing additional income to the rink.
I believe that a satisfying compromise can perhaps be reached on this
issue. If the rink management, skating director, coaches, and skaters could
have an open, fair discussion, they might devise some creative options. For
example, an exact definition of the term “guest coach” could be reached,
including how many days they could coach at the rink and how many students
they could have each day. There might also be a way for guest coaches to pay
a fee higher than twenty dollars. This would give the rink more control over
the situation and prevent the guest coaches from paying less than the
resident coaches who teach classes. A plan that might work would be that
guest coaches could teach an unlimited number of skaters, but could come to
the rink only once per week. This would allow their students to take
advantage of our numerous skating sessions, but it would also prevent
overcrowding every day. The coaches would pay a higher guest fee, maybe fifty
dollars a day, and would be strictly forbidden to solicit students from other
coaches in order to protect the careers of our current staff. My example
proposal is but one idea; if all concerned parties can work out a practical
plan, I believe that we can settle this important disagreement
satisfactorily.
Example 2.
Wedding Guest Controversy
! My cousin, Francine, is getting married this summer in New Orleans. My
sister and I have been honored with being her bridesmaids even though we live
in California. Since weddings are such busy and time consuming occasions to
plan, I asked Francine a year in advanced if I could bring my boyfriend of
two years to the wedding and we were able to make it work. I was very excited
for my boyfriend, Jackson, to finally meet the family that I had grown up
with and to see my hometown. We bought our tickets in December and everything
was finalized. Soon after our purchase it became clear that my sister,
Jessica, wanted to bring her friend, Sarah. Jessica started making plans to
have her friend come to New Orleans during this time, but I believe that it
she shouldn’t bring her friend.
With the excitement of everything that is happening this summer, it is
reasonable for Jessica to want to share it with her friend. Jessica and Sarah
have been close friends for 5 years now and they have been on vacations
together before. Sarah has always wanted to go to New Orleans, so she decided
to ask my sister if she could come with us this summer. Jessica did not want
to say no to her because Sarah and her family have invited Jessica to
multiple vacations at no cost. On top of that Sarah offered to pay for all of
her expenses for the trip including the flight, hotel, and transportation.
Jessica was also upset that she was not able to bring her boyfriend,
Chad, like I was bringing Jackson. Jessica has been with Chad for just as
long as I have been with Jackson. Due to their unusual circumstances– Chad
has an inflexible work schedule– and lack of money, he wasn’t able to come
with her. In contrast, my boyfriend and I have been more fortunate with money
and time. So by bringing Sarah to New Orleans with her, she knew that she
wouldn’t feel so left out and would have a friend to keep her entertained. No
one wants to be left out, it’s more than reasonable for her to want to
prevent being alone during this time.
On top of all this, it’s quite reasonable for her to think that
bringing Sarah wouldn’t be problematic or unduly stressful. After all, Sarah
was getting her own hotel room and Jessica would actually have stayed with
her. One would naturally think that this would relieve Francine of the stress
of finding a place for Jessica to stay. They also would have their own
transportation, relieving yet another burden. Not only does their appear to
be no inconvenience for the family, but it also appears to be win-win
situation for Sarah and Francine.
Jessica has very valid points to her position. It isn’t fair for her to
be in the position where she was unable to bring someone, like I am able to
bring Jackson. She deserves to have Chad to be a part of moments like these
as much as I do. Since he cannot come, it reasonable to conclude that it
shouldn’t matter that it’s a good friend that comes as opposed to her
boyfriend– especially if she’s paying all of her expenses. Jessica wants to
be fair to her friends and give back as much as they give her. Regardless of
the circumstances, no one can really deny Sarah or Jessica the right to go to
New Orleans at any time. Also there is no financial burden laid upon the
family to find place for Sarah, if anything it relieves some stress due to
Jessica’s absence. Jessica is a giving person and a loving friend. Such
friends, she knows, should be able to reciprocate when people like Sarah who
have been so good to her.
Unfortunately, Francine and our grandmother didn’t speak their
opposition when Jessica started talking to them about bringing Sarah.
Although Francine and grandma didn’t speak to Jessica, they were very vocal
to me about their disapproval to Sarah coming. They both have hit their limit
for everything that was going on at this moment and didn’t want to add to the
continuously growing list of things to do or worry about. I disagreed with
Jessica’s decision to bring Sarah to New Orleans. It was just poor timing and
bad circumstances. One reason that Sarah shouldn’t come is because she is
only a friend and that this trip is more than just another fun trip to New
Orleans. This is an important family function. I’m not bringing Jackson just
for the companionship. Rather, meeting my family and seeing where I grew up
is, for us, taking the next step in our relationship. This is a meaningful
and symbolic trip for us, one that we’ve been planning on for a full year. If
Jessica were to bring Sarah, it would make the experience feel more like just
another family trip.
Moreover, our family in New Orleans would feel like they have to
entertain Sarah and make her apart of everything if she did come. Certainly
Francine deserves the weekend that she wants, and I don’t want to add any
burden’s to her experience. While it’s true that Jackson would also need to
be made a part of things, they understand that he’s not merely a friend. This
is a time when, perhaps, he starts to see himself as a part of our family and
this is something that Francine and I are both excited about.
One of the many reasons why I love my sister is because of her
spontaneity and free spirit. Along with these gifts, though, comes the
susceptibility to getting easily distracted –especially when friends are
around. As with most women her age, her free time is centered on her friends
more than her family. I’m worried that Sarah would distract her from her
responsibilities as a bridesmaid. Indeed, Jessica is a good friend and would
want to give her friend the kind of attention that would make her trip
enjoyable for her as well.
In all honesty, too, Sarah has also been known to be unfriendly and
rude with people, and that may create an uncomfortable environment for
everyone. Since we are Francine’s bridesmaids we have an obligation to make
the wedding planning– and the wedding itself– as smooth and easy as
possible. It’s only fair to Francine that we guard against problems, and
problem personalities, that can easily be avoided.
I believe that my points are also valid. This time is about family and
creating new memories for those who are (or perhaps soon will be) family.
Also, Jessica and I have a responsibility as bridesmaids to be focusing on
those tasks, rather than enjoying time with friends.
Jessica and I do have some mutual agreements in the situation. We both
believe that Francine and grandma should have spoken up rather than saying
things behind her back. While Jessica is very focused on her friends, she
would also do anything her family asked of her and so would I. Whenever we
accept a responsibility we both fulfill it to our maximum capability and
won’t accept anything over our heads. I also would like to think that we
share that giving attribute to want help others by inconveniencing them less
and making everyone happy in a situation.
Originally looking at this situation, I saw a blatant disregard for our
family in New Orleans. All I saw was my sister wanting to do whatever she
pleased and whatever would be fun rather than taking care of her family.
After doing my best to consider what it would be like in her shoes, I really
understand her decision. She didn’t have the full information to make a
decision, and she was going off of what information was provided to her. Now
I see her good intentions and her good reasons. I feel like I should have
seen them all along. Although I still believe it is still not good timing, I
do understand her decision to begin planning.
I think the most important step that needs to be made is that Francine
and grandma should express their thoughts honestly the next time they talk to
her. I realize now that I can help them have that conversation. I have good
faith that my sister will reconsider her decision as soon as they talk to
her. I also believe that if I had I talked to Jessica about Sarah’s conduct
around me, she would wait for another time to bring her to New Orleans.
Indeed, I realize now that I wish I had had more courage to speak to her
about my concerns with Sarah sooner.
