Tracing An Argument

Tracing An Argument

Language Targets

By the end of this lesson we should be able to determine the author's viewpoint and explain how it is conveyed in a text.

Tracing an argument

To analyze an argument, you trace, or follow the reasoning of, the elements of an argument:

Identify the claim.

Look for the reasons and evidence that support the claim.

CLAIM

A claim is a statement or opinion on a specific issue that needs to be proved.

Which one is the claim?

A) Pepsi has a better flavor than Coca-Cola

B) Pepsi is a product of PepsiCo Inc.

Multiple Choice

Which one is the claim?

• Pepsi is a product of PepsiCo Inc.

• Pepsi is everyone's favorite soda

Reasons

Reasons explain the author's opinion

Multiple Choice

Which is the reason?

• Pepsi makes millions, therefore everyone loves Pepsi.

• PepsiCo's sales are 1 billion dollars worldwide.

Evidence

Evidence can include facts, statistics, and information.

Multiple Choice

Which one is an example of evidence?

• Pepsi has a good flavor

• Pepsi's sales worldwide in 2019 was 67 billion dollars

What is the claim here?

Some people think that we are superior to animals but I think that animals are as smart as we are. Pets react to your moods and seem to know just when It’s dinner time! Some animals use tools, communicate and think for their own. 

Multiple Select

What is the claim in the text?

• Some people think that we are superior to animals

• but I think that animals are as smart as we are

• Pets react to your moods and seem to know just when It’s dinner time!

• Some animals use tools, communicate and think for their own

• I'm not sure

What is the reason here in the text?

If animals can use tools, they must be smart. For instance, a cow named Betty made a hook out of a piece of metal wire. That’s obviously pretty smart but she didn’t stop there.She then used the hook to get treats out of a glass tube

Multiple Choice

What is the reason here in the text?

• If animals can use tools, they must be smart.

• For instance, a cow named Betty made a hook out of a piece of metal wire.

• That’s obviously pretty smart but she didn’t stop there

• She then used the hook to get treats out of a glass tube

• I'm not sure

What is the evidence here in the text?

Another smart animal who used a tool was Fu Manchu the Orangutan. Fu Manchu first traded Food for wire with another orangutan and then he hid it in his mouth until the right time. Then he used the wire as a tool to pick the lock on his cage and escape. I think this shows Fu Manchu was smart because he used a tool and he outsmarted humans by escaping from his cage.

Multiple Select

What are all the examples of evidence here?

• Another smart animal who used a tool was Fu Manchu the Orangutan

• Fu Manchu first traded Food for wire with another orangutan and then he hid it in his mouth until the right time.

• Then he used the wire as a tool to pick the lock on his cage and escape

• I think this shows Fu Manchu was smart because he used a tool and he outsmarted humans by escaping from his cage

• I'm not sure

What is the claim here?

"But that vision of a "people's college" seems awfully remote to a growing number of American students crushed under soaring tuitions and mounting debt. One hundred and fifty years after Lincoln made his pledge, it's time to make public colleges and universities free for every American."

Multiple Choice

What's the author's claim here?

• But that vision of a "people's college" seems awfully remote to a growing number of American students crushed under soaring tuitions and mounting debt.

• One hundred and fifty years after Lincoln made his pledge, it's time to make public colleges and universities free for every American.

• I'm not sure.

What is the reason here?

"This idea is easier than it looks. For most of our nation's history, public colleges and universities have been much more affordable than they are today, with lower tuition, and financial aid that covered a much larger portion of the costs. The first step in making college accessible again, and returning to an education system that serves every American, is addressing the student loan debt crisis."

Multiple Choice

What is the author's reasons for free college tuition?

• This idea is easier than it looks. For most of our nation's history, public colleges and universities have been much more affordable than they are today, with lower tuition, and financial aid that covered a much larger portion of the costs.

• The first step in making college accessible again, and returning to an education system that serves every American, is addressing the student loan debt crisis.

• I'm not sure.

What is the evidence here?

"The cost of attending a four-year college has increased by 1,122 percent since 1978. Galloping tuition hikes have made attending college more expensive today than at any point in U.S. history. At the same time, debt from student loans has become the largest form of personal debt in America-bigger than credit card debt and auto loans. Last year, 38 million American students owed more than $1.3 trillion in student loans."

Multiple Choice

Which is the example of evidence?

• The cost of attending a four-year college has increased by 1,122 percent since 1978. Galloping tuition hikes have made attending college more expensive today than at any point in U.S. history.

• At the same time, debt from student loans has become the largest form of personal debt in America-bigger than credit card debt and auto loans. Last year, 38 million American students owed more than $1.3 trillion in student loans.

• Both of these sections are examples of evidence.

• I'm not sure.

Multiple Choice

What is the order you have to follow when tracing an argument?

• Reason, Trace, Claim

• Claim, Reason, Evidence

• Evidence, Claim, Sandwich Break

• Reason, Evidence, Claim

• I'm not sure