Name : Firdaus Akbar

Class : C/S-1
No. : 2011.111.107
Lesson : Speech Writing

Argumentative Speech

Argumentative Speech is a persuasive speech in which the speaker attempts to

persuade his audience to alter their viewpoints on a controversial issue. While a persuasive
speech may be aimed more at sharing a viewpoint and asking the audience to consider it, an
argumentative speech aims to radically change the opinions already held by the audience.
This type of speech is extremely challenging; therefore, the speaker should be careful to
choose a topic which he feels prepared to reinforce with a strong argument.

Argumentative speeches generally concern topics which are currently being debated
by society, current controversial issues. These topics are often derived from political debates
and issues which are commonly seen in the media. The chosen topic may be political,
religious, social, or ethical in nature. The audience should be challenged to re-examine their
long-held values, and will be asked to alter deeply held convictions based on new evidence or
viewpoints on the issue.

Obviously, selecting a topic that is debatable is key to creating an effective speech.

The topic should not be something which is generally already proven, or would require an
enormous leap of faith or logic in order to convince the audience. The speaker should already
possess a strong interest and have a deeply-held opinion on the subject, or else his arguments
will probably not come across as believable to the audience.

The format of Argumentative Speech is:

1. Hook
2. Thesis
3. Background Information
4. Body Paragraphs
5. Claim
6. Evidence
7. Conclusion
8. Sample
 Hook

The hook is an introduction that catches the reader's attention. Argumentative essays
can start with facts, statistics, quotes, or anecdotes that reference the topic of the essay.
Make sure the introduction is interesting enough to 'hook' your readers into wanting to read
more. Once you've written the first sentence, you want to connect the information to what
you ultimately what to try to prove by leading into your thesis statement.

Example:

“ According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 2,700 teen drivers between
the ages of 16 and 19 died in 2010 and over 282,000 were injured. Despite their desire to want
to get behind the wheel, teen drivers simply aren't ready to take on the responsibilities of
driving yet. “

 Thesis

A thesis statement is a sentence that explains what you are trying to prove and
provides an overview of the arguments you will make in your body paragraphs. The thesis
acts as a roadmap for the rest of your paper. Do not worry about going into too much detail
about what your arguments will be; instead, focus on writing a clear, concise statement that
hints at the topics you plan to discuss.

Example:

“ The legal driving age should be changed to 20 because teen drivers are more likely to cause
accidents and they are not mature enough to understand the repercussions of their actions. “

 Background Information

Though not always required in an argumentative essay, a background paragraph may

be vital to your paper if there is information that your audience needs to be aware of to
understand your topic. This might include important historical dates, an explanation of who
the subject affects, or current laws. This paragraph isn't trying to prove a point; it is simply
providing information to help the audience understand the topic.

Example:

“ Driver's license requirements are set by each state, not the federal government. Therefore,
the legal driving age varies from state to state. All states, with the exception of Maine, allow
drivers to have unrestricted licenses at the age of 18. Maine's age is 21. Most states allows
teenagers as young as 16 to have restricted licenses, usually meaning they can drive as long
as they are with a parent or guardian. “
 Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs are where you will explain the evidence you have to support
your thesis statement. Your body paragraphs should start with a topic sentence written in
your own words. You should then include some form of rhetoric (such as a fact or statistic, an
emotional anecdote, or a law) that provides support for your topic sentence. Finally, the body
paragraphs should contain a sentence that explains how the evidence you've provided proves
your overall point.

 Claim

A claim is a statement you make to support your argument.

Example:

“ Bugs are highly nutritious and eating them can fix the problem of hunger and malnutrition
in the United States. ”

 Evidence

For each claim you make, you need to provide supporting evidence. Evidence is factual
information from reliable sources. It is not personal knowledge or anecdotal.

Example:

“ Researchers at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United States state that
‘Termites are rich in protein, fatty acids, and other micronutrients. Fried or dried termites
contain 32–38 percent proteins. “

 Conclusion

In your conclusion, restate your thesis and main points. Also, your conclusion structure
should leave your audience with something to consider, and tell them what they should do
after listening to your ideas. For example, if you’re arguing against a particular law, maybe
you want people to get out and vote against it. Let them know that this is what they should
do.

As you prepare to give your argumentative speech, consider practicing it for friends
and/or family members. Ask them if there are any changes that you can make to strengthen
your argument and effectively persuade your audience.
 Sample

Good Morning Everyone, my name is Joko Widodo as the President of Indonesia. Now I want
to be moral about refusing the death penalty.

Many countries that have carried out a lengthy study finally consider that the death penalty
is a barbaric and inhumane act, Whereas the death penalty is not about who is the most
powerful, right and nationalist. It concerns human life.

The death penalty is a punishment carried out by the state to an individual as a form of
punishment for a criminal act he committed. Throughout history, death sentences have been
imposed on various crimes. In the 18th century BC, King Hammurabi of Babylon made the
death sentence for 25 types of criminal acts.

The abolition of the death penalty has been seriously carried out since 1977 and at that time
only 9 countries abolished the death penalty. Now, 140 countries have abolished the death
penalty, meaning almost two-thirds of countries around the world. Until December 2014, 98
countries had abolished the death penalty with all forms of crime.

Why did they remove the death penalty? The study shows that capital punishment does not
reduce crime rates, and that those sentenced to death are mostly marginalized, poor, and
without access to legal services.

I think the death penalty cannot be morally justified. The basic reason for the death penalty
is revenge or the assumption that the punishment must be equal to his actions. This is called
the retributivism theory. This theory looks back (actions that have been done) and the
punishment received must be in accordance with the act.

But what punishment can be considered appropriate or appropriate? Every act has a different
case that cannot be generalized. For example the case of Rodrigo Gularte, a Brazilian citizen
who will be sentenced to death in the near future for bringing 6kg of cocaine to Indonesia.
Rodrigo has been diagnosed with a paranoid schizophrenic, having a mental disorder.
However, regardless of the specificity of Rodrigo's case, the Indonesian government will still
punish people with mental illness.

For me the real moral question is, is the death penalty fair and useful? So the question is not
only based on the legal reasoning. Applicable law does not ensure justice.

Is it fair that those who smuggle 3 kilograms of drugs are put to death while those who corrupt
trillions of rupiah are free to stare before their eyes? Isn't corruption of public money the
same as evil and also deadens the poor because they rob their service rights? How do you
rape a free underage child within 5 years? Then, what about the cases that turned out to be
wrong, inaccurate, judges bribed or criminalized, deliberately thrown in jail for certain
political agenda interests?

It's time for Indonesia to stop the death penalty. Because the death penalty is barbaric and
very cruel. Reports of women being punished with heartbreaking stoning, how they begged
to be forgiven. Including cases of TKI who were sentenced to death abroad.

The case of Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira who was sentenced to death in Nusakambangan
on January 18, 2015 after 11 years of imprisonment. Marco was dragged from his cell, though
he shouted, cried and defecated in his pants in fear. He is still shot dead without being pacified
or accompanied by his pastor in order to be able to carry out prayers for his inner peace.