RI6: Analyzing How Authors Respond

RI6: Analyzing How Authors Respond

Analyze how the author acknowledges and responds to conflicting evidence or viewpoints.

Do you and your friends agree on everything?

Of course not! there can be as many points of view-what a person thinks or believes about a topic- as there are people in a discussion! And convincing your friends to agree with your point of view can be hard.

When giving opinions or presenting arguments, authors also try to convince readers to agree with their points of view.

To strengthen their positions, authors sometimes point out a viewpoint or piece of evidence that disagrees, or conflicts with, their own.

Rebuttal....

Then they respond by giving reasons, examples and evidence that tell why they don't agree with the conflicting viewpoint-and why readers shouldn't either.

Multiple Choice

Why do authors present opinions or arguments?

• To strengthen their position

• To give the reader options

• Because the author isn't sure about his or her position

Read the following passage. Figure out the author's point of view about solar power in the paragraph below.

Identify the conflicting point of view.

Some people claim that solar power is not practical because no energy is generated at night or when it is cloudy.

While it is true that solar panels work best in full sunlight and do not generate power at night, there are ways to compensate for these "down" times. Batteries can store energy collected during the day for use at night or on cloudy days. As become more even more efficient and practical.

Multiple Choice

Which sentence is the conflicting point of view?

• Batteries can store energy collected during the day for use at night.

• Solar energy systems will become more even more efficient and practical.

• Solar power is not practical because no energy is generated at night or when it is cloudy.

Conflicting Point of View

Solar power is not practical because no energy is generated at night or when it is cloudy.

Author's Response

Acknowledgement: "While it is true that solar panels work best in sunlight and do not generate power at night"

Author's Response Evidence:

1. Batteries can store energy to use at night and on cloudy days.
2. Solar panel and battery technologies continue to improve.

Multiple Select

How can an author present important ideas?

• Author's word choice and tone

• Conflicting viewpoints

• Evidence to support the author's claim