Argument

What is an argument?

• a yelling match

• a reason

• the position a writer or speaker takes on an issue

• always begins with "I believe"

What is a reason?

• statements that support the claim

• statistics

• expert opinion

• the same thing as a claim

How many reasons should a claim address?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

What is evidence?

• anything you find in an article

• your personal opinion

• why you support a certain side of an argument

• proof of each reason

Choose which of the following is an example of evidence.

• I think all students should wear school uniforms.

• Students who wear uniforms score 33% better on state tests than those who do not wear uniforms.

• Dogs are better pets than cats.

• Dogs are better pets than cats because they have more personality and are cuter.

The counterclaim is...

• a synonym for evidence

• evidence to support your reasons

• your claim

• the opposite of what you are arguing

When addressing the counterclaim you must also

• refute the evidence

• prove why the counterclaim is right

• restate your thesis

• avoid addressing the evidence

Choose an example of a counterclaim sentence starter.

• I believe...

• In the text ____ it states "..."

• Some may argue that...

• This is important because...

What is the first sentence of your introduction paragraph?

• counterclaim

• thesis

• hook

• evidence

In the third body paragraph, you must

• distract your reader with random personal stories

• restate your thesis

• summarize your essay

• acknowledge the counterclaim and refute it