Constructed Responses / Arguments

Constructed Responses & Arguments with Mr. A

Let's start with arguments

Why do people argue?

Take a few minutes to think about WHAT arguing is, HOW it should be done, and WHAT YOU NEED to win one!

You will work a lot with evidence

What is it?

Unless you have actual proof of something, what you say will not be believed.

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Remember the story of the boasting traveler? If you keep saying it, prove it! NEVER go to an argument without even a speck of proof; you'll lose!​

Evidence

Think what kind of items would be considered good evidence - how would you win your case?

Have you ever watched Judge Judy? If not, you should! She will NOT HEAR YOU unless you give her evidence so that she can render a decision!

Constructed Responses

What is it?​

A constructed response is a particular way to answer a question simply because it has a specific form (and function); these responses follow the RACE strategy: Restate, Answer, Cite, Explain.

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I can help you with this THE BEST!​ Let's look at an example.

​An example of a perfectly acceptable constructed response - WITH evidence!

Here is a non-example - do NOT write like this:

​Odysseus was seen as an intelligent person. Odysseus was intelligent because he had a wooden horse and built a hollow shape and hid in it with his warriors. The text says, "Odysseus had built a hollow shape into the wooden horse to hide there with his warriors.” This means that he was intelligent because he hid in a wooden horse with his warriors.

​^^^PLEASE tell me you see a whole lot of WRONG with this?!?!?!?!?

RACE Explained

R-estate

When you RESTATE something, you are acknowledging the

question or prompt being asked.

RACE Explained

A-nswer

When you ANSWER a question, you can either embed it in your RESTATEMENT or make it its own sentence. Either way, you have to actually answer what is being asked; this shows the next level of understanding.

​RACE Explained

C-ite

When you CITE, you are providing evidence from a reliable source. It does not matter what you are restating or what you answer...if there is no evidence, there is no credibility.

​RACE Explained

E-xplain

Finally, when you EXPLAIN, you are taking what you answered AND the evidence you provided, and you are interpreting it and providing a new perspective for your reader so that they, too, can understand and learn. If you do not explain, your reader will feel lost and confused. Explain

what you just presented; do not assume your reader knows! Avoid repeating; this section should anchor your paragraph.

Multiple Select

What did you think of this presentation?

• Golly, gee, I LOVED IT SO MUCH! THANK YOU!

• I want pizza.

• Meh.

• ME NO LIKE!