REVIEW: 6 Elements of an
Argument
 Hook
 Claim
 Concessions
 Refutations
 Support
 Summary/Call to action
HOOK & CLAIM
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Hook = opening that grabs the reader’s attention and establishes a connection between the reader and
writer
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Quote- “Grades don't measure anything other than your relevant obedience to a manager.”
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Question- Do you believe that grades are an accurate measurement of a student’s success?
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Anecdote (short and interesting story or an amusing event)- Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, and Mark
Zuckerberg were not A students, and none of them even finished college.
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Statistic- Three out of five millionaires did not graduate high school with honors.
Claim = clear and straightforward statement of the writer’s belief and what is being argued
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EX: The positive motivational effects of receiving letter grades are overpowered by the
negative impact of competition between students.
IN WHAT PART OF AN ARGUMENT ESSAY
DO YOU THINK YOU’LL FIND
THE HOOK AND CLAIM?
CONCESSIONS &
REFUTATIONS
 Concessions = restatements of arguments made by the other
side
Certainly, grades do serve as a powerful motivational tool for
students. The fear of failure gets otherwise disengaged
students to complete their work, and the desire to receive
excellent marks (A's) motivates good students to push
themselves to do their very best work.
 Refutations = writer’s arguments against those opposing
viewpoints and why the writer’s arguments are more valid
On the other hand, the positive motivational effects are
overpowered by the negative impact of competition
between students.
SUPPORT
 Support = reasoning behind the argument; can include
evidence, as well as logical and emotional appeals; it
may also anticipate objections and provide reasoning to
overcome those objections
Students who don't earn those A's often feel like failures,
even though they have learned a great deal. What is gained
from the B is often lost in the desired an A. Often students
compare their grades with others in an effort to see how
they rank. This relative status has little to do with how
much an individual is actually learning.
SUMMARY/
CALL TO ACTION
 Summary/Call to Action = closing statement with a final
plea for action
In short, we must find another way to motivate students
that puts the emphasis on learning rather than on the
delineation of winners and losers.
IN WHAT PART OF AN ARGUMENT ESSAY
DO YOU THINK YOU’LL FIND
THE SUMMARY AND CALL TO ACTION?
Student Sample
Last class period, you wrote a paragraph responding
to the “As If” article which stated that reading is a
teenager’s “ideal” activity.
1. Read the Student Sample on the next slide.
2. Identify all six elements of an argument within this
example
3. Record each element found within the paragraph
on the “Elements of an Argument” handout
I just read a 600-page book in a day and a half. I couldn't put it
down. It had everything a girl could want: romance, friendship,
adventure, and fun characters. Unfortunately, it’s the only novel
I've read all year. Reading just isn't my top priority, and most of
my friends would agree. After reading this article, I asked ten of
my friends what their “ideal” activity would be, and not one
person answered “reading.” Most of my friends would rather go
shopping or hang out with friends. My smartest friend, who has
a 4.0, said, “I read at least an hour each night for school. Why
would I choose to read more than that?” I figure if I spent the
entire day as an accountant, I would not want to go home and do
math problems! Plus, I have no time. Between soccer, band
practice, and my friends, I could watch a movie for two hours or
read a book for two weeks! I’m sure the person who says that the
book is definitely better than the movie is not a teenager who
has no time to read. I can also hear my Mom telling me that
someday I will wish I had read more books. Perhaps she is right,
but I don’t want that now. What I want now is three extra hours
in every day because I have homecoming to help plan and
homework to do. So until another “can’t miss” book comes out,
my to-do list will not include reading a novel.
Revising

Now, get the one paragraph response to the “AS If” article you wrote last
class from the box. If you cannot find it or weren’t here last class, start from
scratch. ON A BRAND NEW SHEET OF PAPER- revise your writing to
incorporate all 6 elements of an argument. Make sure to include the proper
MLA heading in cursive. **If you weren’t here last class, the prompt is on
the next slide.

Identify the elements of the argument- MAKE SURE TO ANNOTATE
CORRECTLY! THIS IS FOR A GRADE
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Highlight the hook;
Underline the claim
*Star* concessions
[Bracket] refutations
(parenthesis) Support
Circle call to action
Make sure your name and class period are on the paper, staple the
“elements of an argument” worksheet to the back and TURN IT IN TO
THE BOX!
Respond to the following prompt:
Judith Rosen’s article, “AS IF!”, states that teens said
their “ideal” activity is reading a book. For the majority
of teens, do you think reading a book is their ideal
activity? Explain why you agree or disagree, and cite
specific examples to support your position.
Once you are completely
finished…
 Work on Membean
 Get WEIRD