Parts of an Argument

information that supports your claim and reasons; comes from a reliable source and PROVES your claim and reasons to be true.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

This disproves opposing ideas or claims that other people have made about the topic.  This means they are proven wrong.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

a statement that explains why your claim is true.  It tells WHY you believe the opinion you do.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

This part of an argument sometimes includes numbers and statistics.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

an explanation of how a specific piece of evidence supports a claim.  It tells what your evidence SHOWS.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

This part of an argument often contains the word “however” or “but.”

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

This part of an argument sometimes contains results of a study or research.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

the statement of your position, or opinion, on an issue; what you want others to understand or agree with.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

This part of an argument sometimes contains expert opinions.

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument

This part of an argument often contains the word “should.”

• claim

• reason

• evidence

• reasoning

• counterargument