Argumentative Elements

Argumentative Text & Writing

What is Argumentative Text?

• Text that takes a position (or side) about an idea or topic.

  • For or Against

  • Examples:

    • Should students be required to do homework on the weekend?

    • Should you have to pay Library fines?

• Uses evidence to support the claim (position).

Multiple Choice

What is the purpose of argumentative text?

• To Persuade

• To Inform

• To Entertain

Elements of Argumentative Text

• Claim

• Supporting Details

• Evidence

• Opposing claim

• Rebuttal

• Audience

Claim

• The argument, or claim being made by the author.

  • Also called a thesis statement.

  • What the author is trying to prove or disprove.

  • Answers the question: What do I think?

  • Example: Students should not have to do homework on the weekends.

Open Ended

What is the claim in this passage?

Supporting Details

• Reasons that are provided to support the claim.

  • Evidence is provided to prove the supporting details.

  • Each body paragraph is one supporting detail.

  • Argumentative texts usually have two to three (2-3) supporting details.

  • Answers the question: Why do I think it?

  • Example: Students already have homework every day of the school week.

Open Ended

Provide one example of a supporting detail from the passage.

Evidence

• Used to support supporting details (or reasons).

  • These are facts, statistics, quotations, surveys, etc. that are provided by professionals or related informers.

  • Use at least one piece of evidence for each supporting detail.

  • Answers the question: How do I know (or how do I prove it)?

  • Example: A pie chart showing the performance of students who are required to do homework over the weekend vs. students who are not.

Open Ended

Provide an example of evidence used to support the author's claim.

Be Wary of Sources Used for Evidence!

Sources should be reliable and trustworthy!

Not all websites or books are reliable or trustworthy.

Some websites and magazines intentionally spread misinformation.

• The National Inquirer would not be considered reliable.

• Books without footnotes/bibliography

• YouTube, TikTok, and most Social Media

• .com, .biz, .net

• These sources are unreliable because they are not required to "fact check" or provide actual evidence before posting information.

Unreliable

• Websites ending in .gov, .edu, .org.

• Non-fiction Books (with footnotes and bibliography), newspapers, and academic journals

• These sources are required to provide evidence and "fact check" their sources before they can publish.

Reliable

Reliable vs. Unreliable Sources

Multiple Choice

True or False: Wikipedia is a reliable source.

• True

• False

Wikipedia is NOT a reliable source!

Wikipedia is a public encyclopedia where anyone can edit articles and provide information. The information added is not necessarily true.

While you shouldn't use Wikipedia as a source, you can use it as a starting point in research to help develop questions and search terms!

Counterclaim

• Opposing side or argument.

• This should be its own paragraph with the rebuttal (disproving the counterclaim).

• Used to address what the other side of the argument is and to disprove it.

• Answers the question: What is the other side?

• Example: Many schools believe that requiring students to do homework on the weekends is beneficial.

Open Ended

What is the counterclaim (or opposing side)?

Rebuttal

• Refutes or disproves the counterclaim.

• In the same paragraph as the counterclaim.

• Answers the question: What is my response to the other side?

• Example: However, studies and students themselves demonstrate that schools should not require homework on the weekends.

Open Ended

Provide the author's rebuttal.

Quiz!

Multiple Choice

What is a claim?

• The facts or data provided by the author.

• The reasons the author gives for their argument.

• The argument the author is making; also called the thesis.

• The opinion of the other side.

Multiple Choice

What is evidence?

• The facts or data provided by the author.

• The reasons the author gives for their argument.

• The argument the author is making; also called the thesis.

• The opinion of the other side.

Multiple Choice

What is the opposing claim?

• The facts or data provided by the author.

• The reasons the author gives for their argument.

• The reasons the author gives for their argument.

• The opinion of the other side.

Multiple Choice

What are supporting details?

• The facts or data provided by the author.

• The reasons the author gives for their argument.

• The reasons the author gives for their argument.

• The opinion of the other side.