I'm Learning a Lot at College

Quoth the textbook:

As we said back on page 71, an argumentative essay generally has four components:

1. A statement of the issue
2. A statement of one's position on that issue
3. Arguments that support one's position
4. Rebuttals of arguments that support contrary positions

After reading this chunk of text, I have two questions: Did they actually say that on page 71? and Can I write an essay that contains all four argumentative components?

Answer to the former question: Yes, they do say that on page 71, right above the section on vagueness. I want this to be ironic, but it isn't.

Answer to the latter: Let's find out.

Component One: A statement of the issue.
Who took the cookies from the cookie jar?

Component Two: A statement of one's position on that issue.
Little Brother took the cookies from the cookie jar.

Component Three: Arguments that support one's position.
Little Brother is currently in the throes of a growth spurt. He eats a lot. Like, really, a lot.

Little Brother is especially fond of junk food. Cookies are junk food.

Little Brother lives in the house in which the cookie jar resides, which means that he had access to the cookie jar.

Component Four: Rebuttals of arguments that support contrary positions
If Little Brother is in the throes of a growth spurt, you may point out, why would he stop at eating the cookies alone? If he's that hungry, why didn't he eat the jar, too?

It's quite simple, really. As I pointed out, Little Brother is especially fond of junk food. Cookies jars can be classified as junk. Some may even think they are food. You could even say they are junk food (which the internet says is "food that has low nutritional value, typically produced in the form of packaged snacks needing little or no preparation"), but the fact remains that while I have seen Little Brother consume dozens--nay, hundreds--of cookies over his lifetime, I have never, no not even once, seen him eat a cookie jar.

Clearly Little Brother is entirely capable of eating cookies without eating a cookie jar.

You may also point out that Little Brother is not the only person who lives in the house with the cookie jar. Seven other people live in this house, including me. What about one of them, you ask? What about you, Awkward Mormon Girl? Couldn't you have eaten the cookies in the cookie jar?

Who, me? Couldn't be!
End of Essay
Oh yeah. I've got this in the bag.