Argument Writing:
A Resource for English 10 Teachers
2011
Howard County Public School System
Sydney L. Cousin, Superintendent
Board of Education
Howard County Public School System
Janet Siddiqui, M.D.
Chairman
Sandra H. French
Vice Chairman
Allen Dyer, Esq.
Brian J. Meshkin
Frank J. Aquino, Esq.
Ellen Flynn Giles
Cynthia L. Vaillancourt
Sydney L. Cousin
Superintendent of Schools
ii
Acknowledgements
The development of this resource was a team effort between the Secondary Language Arts
Office and Howard County teachers.
Curriculum Writers
Julia Carter, Howard High School
Cindy Clemens, Lime Kiln Middle School
Leila Chawkat, Glenelg High School
Hillary Frank, Glenwood Middle School
Kim Hopkins, Patapsco Middle School
Annette Kuperman, Mayfield Woods Middle School
Natasha LaVoie, Howard High School
Robin Russell Mitchell, Glenwood Middle School
Rebecca Oberdalhoff, Howard High School
Holly Pascuillo, Centennial High School
Suzi Plaut, Mayfield Woods Middle School
Lee Ann Read, Central Office
Robyn Richardson, Wilde Lake High School
Maria Tolson, Reservoir High School
April Valdesuso, Marriotts Ridge High School
Abraham Wright, Oakland Mills High School
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
How to Use this Guide
This resource includes teacher and student materials for argument writing instruction. Titles of texts from
each grade level are accompanied by sample claims a teacher or student might generate from class
discussion or study of the text. In each instance, the last claim listed has been designed with
supplementary resources as models for how students might synthesize pieces and genres into the
construction of an argument.
HCPSS Argument Writing Instructional PowerPoint presentations are available in the Document
Repository, and copies of the texts appear in this document. Where applicable, texts for “argument”
games (Jeopardy format) are included in this document. The actual game is retrievable from the
Document Repository location.
Using Movies in the Classroom
Some sample activities include movie titles; however, HCPSS’s Policy 8040 states, “Rarely should
teachers show full-length feature videos during class time.” The Office of Secondary Language Arts
stipulates that teachers may only show one full-length movie in class per year. Consider using clips from
these film suggestions in your classroom. Contact the Language Arts Office if you need assistance in this
area.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Contents
College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards for Writing ..............................................
Questions and Answers about Teacher Expectations........................................................................
The Thesis Statement ......................................................................................................................
Argument Writing: What is it? .........................................................................................................
Argument Writing Glossary ..............................................................................................................
Common Core Standards .................................................................................................................
1
2
4
5
6
7
Write to Source
Written Response: The Catcher in the Rye ....................................................................................... 8
Written Response: To Kill a Mockingbird Rubric ............................................................................ 9
Written Response: Macbeth .............................................................................................................. 16
Written Response: Animal Farm....................................................................................................... 17
Written Response: “Why and When We Speak Spanish .................................................................. 19
Written Response: “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person ................................................................ 20
Written Response: “Building a Claim” ............................................................................................. 22
Teacher and Student Resources
Common Fallacious Terms ............................................................................................................... 25
Developing a Claim Based on an Article .......................................................................................... 26
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
College and Career Readiness (CCR) Anchor Standards for Writing
The CCR anchor standards and high school standards in literacy work in tandem to define college and
career readiness expectations—the former providing broad standards, the latter providing additional
specificity (Common Core State Standards).
Text Types and Purposes
1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
2. Write informative/explanatory texts to examine and convey complex ideas and information clearly
and accurately through the effective selection, organization, and analysis of content.
3. Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, wellchosen details and well-structured event sequences. *
Production and Distribution of Writing
4. Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are
appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
5. Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new
approach.
6. Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and
collaborate with others.
Research to Build and Present Knowledge
7. Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions,
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
8. Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, assess the credibility and
accuracy of each source, and integrate the information while avoiding plagiarism.
9. Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Range of Writing
10. Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter
time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of tasks, purposes, and audiences.
Note:
*Students’ narrative skills continue to grow in these grades. The Standards require that students be able to incorporate narrative elements effectively into arguments
and informative/explanatory texts. For example in history/social studies, students must be able to incorporate narrative accounts into their analyses of individuals or
events of historical import. In science and technical subjects, students must be able to write precise enough descriptions of the step-by-step procedures they use in
their investigations or technical work that others can replicate them and (possibly) reach the same results. (Common Core State Standards, page 65)
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Questions and Answers About Teacher Expectations
1.
Is the instructional term “argument writing” or “argumentative writing”?
Argument Writing is the correct instructional term. Curricular staff at the Maryland State
Department of Education currently uses the term argument writing in the Maryland Common Core
Curriculum Framework, English Language Arts. This is the language that will also appear in
Howard County documents.
2.
How does argument writing instruction differ between elementary and middle divisions?
Elementary teachers provide instruction in “opinion pieces.” Students begin hearing and using the
term argument in grade 6.
3.
How does argument writing differ between middle and high?
Middle school teachers require students to develop a thesis/claim in all three grades; however, the
Common Core document requires students to acknowledge counterclaims only in grades 7 and 8.
The Maryland Common Core Curriculum Framework, English Language Arts expands on this
requirement; in fact, this June 2011 documents state that all Maryland middle school students are
expected to “develop” alternate claims in grades 7 and 8.
In high school, in addition to acknowledging the counterclaim, students identify and fairly develop
counterclaims in their essays.
4.
5.
What exactly are teachers expected to do during the 2011-2012 school year?
 All teachers will shift instruction from persuasive writing to argument writing.
 All English teachers (6-12) teachers will provide explicit instruction in argument writing
and opportunities for students to construct and develop claims in the written mode.
 Middle school English teachers should not limit instruction to merely requiring students to
acknowledge alternate claims when students demonstrate the ability to advance to the next
stage- developing counterclaims, an HCPSS 2012-2013 requirement.
 Middle School Reading teachers are expected to have students make argument writing
applications to Big6™ and career units in regular reading classes and have students
produce a written response based on research.
 Advanced Reader Teachers are expected to have students defend interpretations of a text
using argument writing skills and produce a written response based on research.
What about the English local assessments that require students to write persuasive essays? Are
students expected to write argument responses now?
Local assessments will not be modified this year to address argument writing because teachers
would not have sufficient time to make changes to their instruction, nor can teachers be expected
to be at the same point in argument instruction to ensure students are prepared to respond to a
prompt that requires argument writing. The 2012-2013 local assessments will reflect the change.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
6.
The 2014-2015 state assessments will require students to “write to source.” What does that
mean?
Write to source means students construct a response based on something they read, referred to as
diverse media. The source is “cold text” since students will be required to respond to sources for
which they receive no preparation.
7.
I have always instructed my students to develop a thesis statement when writing an essay. Are
we using the term “claim” instead of “thesis statement”? How does the idea of claim relate to a
thesis statement, and does the claim appear at the end of the first paragraph, as does the thesis
statement?
 The thesis statement in argument writing is often referred to as the “claim.” The writer
provides an argument for the reader to accept his/her claim.
 The introduction leads to the thesis/claim statement.
 For other types of writing, such as literary analysis in high school and explanatory writing
in middle school, the term thesis is still appropriate.
8.
Are students expected to generate their own claims or support/refute claims that the classroom
teacher provides?
The samples in this document reflect our best thinking as English and reading teachers. Sample
activities include opportunities for students to respond to a given claim and generate their own
claims, which requires students to read and synthesize texts and then generate a claim.
9.
What about the writing charts that were developed four years ago? Will they be updated?
Yes, the 2007 K-12 Writing Charts are currently under revision.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
The Thesis Statement
The information in the introduction prepares the reader for the thesis statement, which traditionally
appears at the end of the introduction and which specifically presents the main point and indicates the
purpose of the essay. The thesis statement is the most important sentence in the introduction because it
states the controlling idea or point. It also clarifies the purpose for the essay and helps to set the tone. The
thesis statement is the keystone of an essay.
The main point in the thesis statement can be:
 a statement of fact
 a statement of opinion
 a dominant impression
 a general truth.
Explanatory/Informational Thesis Statement
The thesis statement for an explanatory essay seeks to explain, support, or clarify. The thesis statement for
an explanatory essay should be factual and objective. It conveys the writer’s purpose to increase readers’
knowledge, not to change their minds.
Sample Introduction
In the daytime, we see only one star--our own sun. But when we gaze up into the evening sky, we
see thousands and thousands of stars--or suns. And from our earthly vantage point, we see few, if
any differences among them. However, if we could travel through space, we would be surprised to
find that huge differences characterize the millions of suns in the universe. We would note that
while some are quite similar to our own sun, most are vastly different, particularly in size and
temperature. [The thesis statement presents a factual main point.]
Argument Thesis Statement
The thesis statement for an argument essay should be a debatable or even highly controversial assertion. It
introduces the writer’s argument for the reader to consider or accept:
 some interpretation
 an opinion
 a stand on an issue.
It should sound both reasonable and forceful and should indicate that the writer intends to try to influence
the reader’s thinking or actions.
Sample Introduction
When traveling main highways such as Route 29 or 495, it is not out of the ordinary to have a
driver change lanes without signaling. Even on back roads where the speed limit is much lower,
drivers frequently encounter other drivers speeding well above the posted speed. Although in
Maryland it is against the law to use cellular telephones to text others when driving, many drivers
ignore this law. The number of negligent drivers is increasing. Although most Maryland drivers
are responsible drivers, Maryland state leaders should institute severe penalties for negligent
driving and moving traffic violations. [The thesis statement establishes an argumentative purpose.]
Prentice Hall, Grammar and Composition, High School (Grade 12)
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Argument Writing: What is it?
An argument is a "claim" that must be supported by evidence. When writing an argument, students are
required to do more than summarize material or repeat what has already been said. One strategy for
advancing an argument is to anticipate and address counterclaims or oppositions. By developing
counterclaims, the writer discredits the counterclaim and thereby invalidates reasons the reader might
have for not accepting the writer’s argument.
Here are four examples of claims. Specific types of evidence used to support claims are disciplinespecific.
Claims of
Cause and
Effect
Claims of
Definition or
Fact
Claims About
Values
Claims About Policies
One person or
thing causes
something else
to occur
How a thing is
defined or if
something is an
established fact
How something
is valued by
society
For or against a certain
policy
Although there
are several
factors that lead
to Romeo’s and
Juliet’s deaths,
Friar Laurence
is primarily
responsible for
Romeo’s and
Juliet’s deaths.
Romeo is more
capable of falling
in “like” than
following in
“love.”
Romeo has little
or no respect for
family customs
and traditions.
The Capulets have their
daughter’s well-being in
mind when they make
arrangements for her to
marry Paris.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Argument Writing
Glossary
1.
2.
3.
4.
Argument must be supported by evidence.
Bias is a general tendency or leaning in one direction; a partiality toward one view over another.
Claims are statements about what is true or good or about what should be done or believed.
Cohesion is the arrangement of ideas in such a way that the reader can easily follow one point to
the next (literally “sticking together”). Devices for creating cohesion are using appropriate
transition words and phrases, repeating words as needed, and the use of clear pronouns.
5. Conventions are commonly accepted rules of language such as spelling, punctuation, complete
sentences, subject-verb agreement, verb tense, and usage.
6. Counterclaim is an argument that negates the writer’s claim.
7. Credible sources are primary or secondary sources that generally:
a. Are written by someone who is considered knowledgeable regarding the topic
b. Present an objective point of view (free of bias)
c. Are considered legitimate by the reader/audience
d. Present evidence that is current where necessary.
8. Discipline-specific content is text associated with individual subjects or areas of instruction.
9. Evidence is something that gives a sign or proof of the existence or truth of something, or that
helps somebody to come to a particular conclusion
10. Formal style is free of slang, trite expressions, abbreviations, symbols, email shortcut language,
contractions, and the use of the personal pronoun “I.” The writer does not speak directly to the
reader by using the word you. Formal style ensures that readers are able to read and understand
what is written.
11. Syntax is the way in which the words and phrases of a sentence are ordered to show how the
words relate to each other.
12. Tertiary source is a term used for information that has been compiled from both primary and
secondary sources.
13. Tone is an author's attitude toward a subject.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Common Core Standards
Grades 9-10
Writing Standards
W.9-10.1. Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid
reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
 Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create
an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and
evidence.
 Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the
strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and
concerns.
 Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text, create cohesion, and clarify
the relationships between claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between
claim(s) and counterclaims.
 Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while attending to the norms and
conventions of the discipline in which they are writing.
 Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and supports the argument presented.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Written Response to J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye
Unit: A Search for Self
Write to Source: The Catcher in the Rye
1. While Holden is forced to deal with many stressful situations, the death of his brother, Allie,
causes Holden’s mental breakdown.
2. Holden believes that almost everyone is a phony, yet Holden is the biggest phony of them all.
3. The Catcher in the Rye, should not be taught in school because of its sexual content and offensive
language.
Write to Source: The Catcher in the Rye and Outside Sources
4. Support or refute: The best place for people like Holden is a mental institution.
Secondary Sources for Claim 4:
a. A guide on strategies for treating depression:
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/treatment_strategies_depression.htm
b. “Depression Overview:”
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/DepressionOverview/story?id=4356179
c. An article on John Lennon’s murder suspect:
http://www.nytimes.com/1981/02/09/nyregion/lennon-murder-suspect-preparing-insanitydefense.html
d. Information about Depression: http://www.psychologyinfo.com/depression/
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Argument Writing: Grade 10
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Support your claim
with solid evidence
from credible
sources. Anticipate
other views and
supply counterclaims.
The reader should
clearly see and easily
follow the
organization of your
paper.
Connect with the
reader about the
position you are
taking. Speak to the
audience and make
the reader feel that
your argument is solid
and better than any
other position.
Select words that
clearly and
purposefully support
and advance your
position.
In order to keep the
reader’s interest, use
well-chosen
transitions between
and among your
varied sentences as
you advance your
argument.
This is not the time
to show carelessness.
Misused words or
incorrect spellings
and other
grammatical errors
can get in the way of
your message.
This is the place to
show that you care
about a first
impression. Does the
paper look as though
you took pride in
what you produced?
Ideas
o Clearly worded, well-defined claim
o Anticipate reader’s opposition
Organization
o Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or
opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear
relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence.
o Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each
while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner
that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.
o Provide a concluding statement or section that follows from and
supports the argument presented.
70 points
Voice
o Establish and maintain a formal style and objective tone while
attending to the norms and conventions of the discipline in which they
are writing.
5 points
Word Choice
o Use words, phrases, and clauses to clarify the relationships between
claim(s) and reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between
claim(s) and counterclaims.
5 points
Sentence Fluency
o Use words, phrases, and clauses to link the major sections of the text,
create cohesion, and clarify the relationships between claim(s) and
reasons, between reasons and evidence, and between claim(s) and
counterclaims.
5 points
Conventions
o Paper is clear of mistakes in

Spelling

Punctuation

Capitalization

Usage
10 points
Presentation
o Easy to read handwriting
o Double spaced typing
o Well-defined margins
o Use 12 pt. Times New Roman font and double space.
5 points
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
NOTE: The student was asked to respond to one of the two out-of-class assignments. The outline and essay are first-drafts
and require additional development, editing, and revising.
Select one of the questions and respond in a fully developed essay.
1. Focus on the texts you read in the unit “Writers Record Experiences,” and consider the relevancy
of any one text to today’s teenagers.
Consider the following when developing your response.
o Can your peers relate to the story?
o Do the characters speak to teens?
o Should students be required to read the text?
2. Focus on the experiences of “adolescent” central characters whom you encountered in your
English classes (Night, Breathing Underwater, Speak, or To Kill a Mockingbird, Teen Angst,
Great Expectations, Romeo and Juliet, A Separate Peace)
Select one of the adolescent characters whom you believe would probably develop into a
compassionate individual if there were an epilogue or sequel to the text?
Consider the following when developing your response.
o Challenges the character faced
o How the character responded to conflict
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
NOTE: The student was asked to respond to one of the two out-of-class assignments. The outline and essay are first-drafts and
require additional development, editing, and revising.
Thesis Statement: Harper Lee’s fictional story was well received by the public in 1965; however, if it
were written today, few teenagers would be interested in reading it in or out of a classroom because To
Kill a Mockingbird has lost its relevancy to today’s teenagers.
Thesis Statement: Harper Lee’s fictional story was well received by the public in 1965; however, if it
were written today, few teenagers would be interested in reading it in or out of a classroom because To
Kill a Mockingbird has lost its relevancy to today’s teenagers.
I. First Argument
a. Lacks personal connection
b. Prejudice- way of life
II. Howard County
a. Schools- friends
b. Interracial- way of like
III. Counterclaim
a. Respect for the past
b. Appreciation for the present
IV. Second Argument
a. More relevant stories
b. Realistic situations and dialogue
V. Counterclaim
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
NOTE: The student was asked to respond to one of the two out-of-class assignments. The outline and essay are first-drafts and
require additional development, editing, and revising.
Dorian McFadden
June 12, 2011
Stories Must Speak to Teenagers
[BACKGROUND] Although some freshmen struggle with understanding To Kill a Mockingbird,
most students acknowledge the literary merit of Harper Lee’s novel. That is probably a reason why this
story has been taught in Howard County as long as it has. Teachers who have been teaching for many
years continue teaching this book. When new teachers are hired, it seems that they are expected to teach
the novel. Students in most Howard County schools read the novel regardless of the high schools they
attend. Harper Lee’s fictional story was well received by the public in 1965; however, if it were published
today, few teenagers would be interested in reading it in or out of a classroom because To Kill a
Mockingbird has lost its relevancy to today’s teenagers. [Thesis/claim]
It may be difficult for teachers to understand how requiring 9th graders to read this novel is not a
good practice, but few 9th graders can make personal connections to the novel. [First argument point]
Here in Howard County, people of all groups live together. Most freshmen have friends who are from
various ethnic, racial, and religious groups. Howard County is a diverse place to live. Tom Robinson’s
experience is very different from life in Howard County. Tom Robinson is found guilty because he is
black. So what if he is black? When Mayella Ewell addresses the jury and says, “I got somethin' to say.
And then I ain't gonna say no more. He took advantage of me. An' if you fine, fancy gentlemen ain't
gonna do nothin' about it, then you're just a bunch of lousy, yella, stinkin' cowards,” (Lee 188)
[Evidence]. “Lousy, yella, stinkin’ cowards” is the author’s way of communicating that Mayella
knows that her accusations are false and must resort to insulting the jury. Because Tom Robinson is
black and she is white, she challenges the jury to, despite the false
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
accusations, follow tradition and make a racist, rather than just, decision. In her mind, the just
decision is to find Tom Robinson guilty because of his race and not his actions.
Students have a hard time relating to this situation in Howard County because people are
accepting of race and ethnicity. In Howard County, it is not uncommon to see interracial couples
and families. “It's not much of a surprise that Howard County schools have grown to be so diverse”
(Jefferson 2) [Evidence] Such is not the case in this novel for with diversity comes understanding and
acceptance. In the novel, the burden of proof to find Tom Robinson guilty rests with the prosecuting side.
Mayella asserts that the proof and evidence is that she is white, and Tom Robinson is black. Teachers
often tell teenagers to use prior knowledge when reading, most Howard County teenagers have no prior
knowledge that would allow them to make personal connections to the text. Teenagers in Howard County
have difficulty understanding what Mayella is attempting to do: send an innocent person to jail because of
his skin color.
Teachers and parents encourage the reading of diverse texts; however, diversity and depression are
two different concepts. [Counters possible objection] They believe that students must be required to
read texts that allow them to see what life was like in the past because students could better appreciate the
present. While this argument may sound valid, requiring students to “live” and experience some of the
darkest times of society can make some students develop resentment for those who are different from
them because of race. Seeing such behavior presented by Mayella succeed in the trial against Tom
Robinson might encourage teens to take advantages of minorities in their own community. This would be
counterproductive and could cause teenagers to begin to question their existing relationships with people
who are unlike them. What is the purpose of reading diverse literature when teenagers here in Howard
County live diversity everyday?
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Another reason why teachers should not require students to read the novel is because the novel
does not address the topics that are of concern to today’s teens. [Second argument point] The novel
undoubtedly has literary merit, but it fails to show real-life teenage situations. Speak and Breathing
Underwater are also English 9 approved choices (Howard County Approved Textbooks). They are taught
in some schools, but not all. Melinda in Speak explains, “ I chow and watch TV until I hear Dad’s Jeep in
the driveway. Flip, flip, flip – cushions reversed to show their pretty white cheeks, then bolt upstairs. By
the time Dad unlocks the door, everything looks the way he wants to see it” (Anderson 15). Teenagers,
especially girls can relate more to these words, situations, language, and problems Melinda faces with her
peers in Speak than they can to the Mayella-Robinson situation. Also, some teenagers can relate to the
interaction between Melinda and her family better than the home life of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird.
In reference to the relationships in Speak, teenagers of both sexes can relate to Nick and Caitlin’s
problems and situations in Breathing Underwater. Nick makes Caitlin believe that she is the source of
the problem when he asks her, “Why are you doing this Cat?.. I thought we had something special” (Flinn
2). Every student has some kind of issue with friends or significant others in high school. While most of
the situations do not escalate to a restraining order, students can still relate. These books give students a
chance to relate more with the characters, and thus a chance to better connect with the literature.
People also might argue that To Kill a Mockingbird does have real life teenage situations;
however, the only relevant situation is when Dill runs away. [Counters possible objection] While this is
an important teenage theme, only a few of the students can actually relate to it. The situations in Speak
and Breathing Underwater are more easily related to the students today. In Speak the character explains,
“My room belongs to an alien. It is a postcard of who I was in fifth grade” (Anderson 15). Freshmen year
is a very important time. Students can easily relate to the feeling of transition from who you were to who
you want to become. When students can relate to text, it causes more students to be interested in reading.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Teachers have power. They can choose what to teach and what not to teach. Giving students the
opportunity to self-select from the approved textbooks and not require them to read a book that is
outdated and irrelevant would not mean that they would lose their power. It would mean that teachers are
empowering students to make thoughtful decisions when selecting texts that speak to them, and are
relevant to the current time. While this choice might eliminate some of the classics, it would introduce
newer books that could one day become classics. [Conclusion supports thesis without merely
repeating it.]
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Written Response to Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Unit: Tragedy
Write to Source: Macbeth
1. Although Lady Macbeth is often viewed as a negative influence on Macbeth, she is ultimately the
true victim in this play.
2. The outcome of the play Macbeth is determined by fate not Macbeth’s free will.
3. Lady Macbeth’s choices are not based on greed or ambition but on her unwavering love for
Macbeth.
4. Macbeth’s tragic flaw is not his blinding ambition but his allegiance to Lady Macbeth.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Written Response to George Orwell’s Animal Farm
Unit: Satire
Write to Source: Animal Farm
1. While Animal Farm was written as an allegory of the Russian Revolution, it is relevant to all
revolutions regardless of time and place.
2. Although the pigs use various methods of manipulation to oppress the animals, the use of laws and
traditions is their most powerful tool.
Write to Source: Animal Farm and Outside Sources
3. Carefully read the following two sources. Then synthesize information and incorporate it into a
coherent, well-written essay that develops a position to the extent Animal Farm is relevant to
modern society regardless of the dissolution of the USSR. Make sure that your argument is solid
and counterclaims are developed.
Secondary Sources for Claim 3:
a. Political cartoon alluding to Animal Farm:
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/swann/herblock/images/s03534u.jpg
b. Bradbury, Malcolm. Introduction. Animal Farm: A Fairy Story. By George Orwell. New York:
Penguin, 2000. The full text is available at
http://orwell.ru/library/novels/Animal_Farm/english/eint_mb. An excerpt appears here:
“The sign of a good book is that it is endlessly re-read and, in a sense, endlessly rewritten. Today,
around fifty years after its time of writing, Animal Farm retains its power. It has never been out of
print; it has penetrated many societies and transformed many imaginations. Indeed, it has just been
published in its sixty-eighth language. It has continued to comment on a series of late twentiethcentury revolutions that have followed the inexorable course of the fiction itself. ‘All revolutions are
failures, but they are not all the same failure,’ insists Orwell. Yet the pattern of failure he describes —
as good intentions are followed by the emergence of oppressive elites and the imposition of control
through force and propaganda — has acquired a pre-emptive authority. Now, as the twentieth century
ends, the history of the century's revolutions has taken a strange turn. In the states established by
older, proletarian revolutions, the idea of Centrist, bureaucratic revolution has begun to dissolve, as
much from within as without. In that process many of the hidden decencies that Orwell spoke for in
his Clovers and his Boxers, and which many critical readers have found naïve or historically
impossible, have had a strange resurgence. History may be rewritten, historical figures may be
airbrushed from the record, loyal workers may go to the knacker's yard; the human memory
remembers. Tanks may roll, but small figures will stand up for a crucial moment in front of them.
State leaders, ayatollahs and imams continue to decree, and offer their hearers half a bushel of apples
to sacrifice this or that individual to the urgencies of god or history. At the same time other forms of
revolution happen. Orwell, a man of great political and moral intelligence, wrote in a time when, like
most European intellectuals, he assumed that the direction of the century was toward egalitarian or
proletarian revolution. Today we see that perhaps the hidden revolution of the century was a bourgeois
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
material revolution, a revolution of entrepreneurial plenty. That was not Orwell's expectation, and
certainly would not have been his wish.
Yet in a hundred ways Animal Farm triggers our modern intelligence and persists in its relevance,
and its seemingly simple yet subtle fable still belongs to us as we try to find our way through the
changing political and moral labyrinths of twentieth-century history. Though it remains a very English
book, smelling both of the British farmyard and a distinctive and traditional sense of liberalism and
decency, neither extreme in form nor unexpected in its moral urges, its meaning has stretched out into
contemporary history and into world culture; we have all lived or risk living somewhere close to
Animal Farm, or Manor Farm as it becomes again at the end. It is one of the great modern political
allegories, and the story it tells, of innocent and necessary revolution turning into dictatorship and
betrayal, is not just a striking piece of political intelligence but a fundamental modern myth.”
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Written Response to Texts in Models for Writers
Grades 9 and 10
Units: Writers Choose Language (Grade 9)
Writers Record Experience (Grade 9)
Search for Self (Grade 10)
Write to Source: (in Models for Writers)
Carefully read the essay “Why and When We Speak Spanish in Public.” Construct a well-written essay
that develops a position to the extent of creating a law mandating English as the official language in the
United States. Make sure that your argument is solid and counterclaims are developed.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Deconstructing an Argument Using a Text from Models for Writers
Read the argument “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person” on page 524 in Models for Writers. Identify
the following parts of June Tangney’s argument:
1.
The claim:
2.
The counterclaim:
3. The argument’s organization: (Explain using examples.)
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Deconstructing an Argument Using a Text from Models for Writers—KEY
Read the argument “Condemn the Crime, Not the Person” on page 524 in Models for Writers. Identify
the following parts of June Tangney’s argument:
The claim: “Rather than fostering constructive change, shame often makes a bad situation
worse.”
2. The counterclaim: “A number of social commentators have urged America to embrace public
shaming and stigmatization as cheaper and effective alternatives for curbing a broad range of non
violent crimes.”
3. The argument’s organization: (Explain using examples.) This argument is organized by first
giving background on several “alternatives to traditional sentences” for criminals. The author then
makes the distinction between shame and guilt and explains the problems with shame as a
deterrent to crime. In paragraph 9 the author begins to support her claim. She gives examples and
research. In paragraph 16 she acknowledges another argument against her claim, and immediately
refutes it in paragraph 17.
1.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Student Resource Sheet
1 of 2
Demonstration of Building a Claim, an Outline, and an Essay from a Prompt using The Odyssey
Sample Prompt:
Carefully read the following quote from poet and critic W.H. Auden. Incorporate the quote in a coherent,
well-developed essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that Homeric heroes, such as
Odysseus, cannot be considered brave.
Though it would be unfair to describe the Homeric hero as a mere puppet
because of the gods, his area of free choice and responsibility is pretty
circumscribed. In the first place, he is born, not made … so that though he
does brave deeds, he cannot be called brave in our sense of the word
because he never feels fear.
Make sure your argument is central; use the quote to illustrate and support your reasoning. Avoid merely
summarizing The Odyssey.
Sample Outline:
Claim: Auden’s criticism accurately describes Odysseus.
“His area of free choice and responsibility is pretty circumscribed.”
A. The gods cause him to be lost at sea
B. The gods predetermine his return
C. The death of the crew is predetermined; he is not responsible
II.
“Though he does brave things, he cannot be called brave because he never feels fear.”
A. There is no question about his safety or his crew’s death
B. His description of events is confident, not fearful
1. avoiding the sirens
2. stabbing the Cyclops
I.
III.
Counterclaim: Odysseus is brave
A. He risks his life
1. His life is never truly in danger, and he knows this
2. He does attempt to save his crew
a. Attributes their deaths to their greed and fate
b. Sacrifices them to Scylla for his own safety
B. He fears for his wife and son, of whom he has no knowledge
1. He harshly questions Penelope’s faithfulness (not concerned)
2. The aid of Athena during the battle precludes any fear for safety
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Student Resource Sheet
2 of 2
Sample Essay:
Poet and critic W.H. Auden explains, “Though it would be unfair to describe the Homeric hero as
a mere puppet because of the gods, his area of free choice and responsibility is pretty circumscribed. In
the first place, he is born, not made … so that though he does brave deeds, he cannot be called brave in
our sense of the word because he never feels fear.” This criticism accurately describes Odysseus.
Odysseus’s “area of free choice and responsibility is pretty circumscribed.” From his journey
from Troy, the gods decide where he goes and how long he stays there. While he wants to travel home,
the gods keep him out to sea for decades. The gods have also decided that one day he will arrive home on
Ithaca. Though he may choose to travel to Hades, to sail toward Scylla rather than Charybdis, or to the
island of the sun god, he cannot choose poorly; he will always arrive home safely. Similarly, he cannot
choose wisely for his crew. Just as Odysseus is destined to live, his crew is destined to die. Odysseus
cannot make his own choices, so he cannot make brave choices. He is not responsible for the
consequences of his actions, so his actions (because nothing is risked) are not brave either.
Additionally, Odysseus lacks fear. To be brave, as Auden suggests, one must overcome fear.
Odysseus does not fear death because he is destined to live. He does not fear the loss of his companions
because, again, it is destined that they die. Even before Polyphemus’s curse on them, their deaths were an
inevitable result of their poor decisions. Odysseus leads his men without fear or hesitation – a leadership
that is more characteristic of callousness than bravery. His taunting of the Cyclops was certainly not
brave. Flaunting his god-guarded life at the risk of his doomed companions is not brave. Similarly,
Odysseus shows no fear in his confident explanation of his ideas to stab the Cyclops’s eye and plug the
crew’s ears with wax to avoid the sirens. There is no fear or hesitation to his tale; just confidence.
One may argue that Odysseus is brave because he risks his life. This counterclaim is inaccurate
because Odysseus’s life is never in danger. While Zeus, Helios, and Poseidon all endeavor to slow his
journey home, none have threatened to kill him. In fact, Athena, Calypso, and Circe support and protect
him. He is not risking anything except for his crew’s life. He spends no energy trying to save the
crewmembers. In fact, he sacrifices them to Scylla so that he can continue sailing. As for their deaths,
which he does not try to prevent, Odysseus categorizes their demise as an inevitable, fated outcome of
their greed on both the island of the lotus eaters and the island of the sun god. If Odysseus were to battle
fate and attempt to save his crew, those actions would be brave. However, with no risks to his own life,
Odysseus’s journey reveals no bravery.
One may also argue that Odysseus does feel fear: fear for his wife and son’s well-being. This
counterclaim is incorrect because Odysseus does not act out of fear. His actions display a confidence and
arrogance that is inconsistent with fear. The first-person descriptions of his ideas to stab the Cyclops,
avoid the lure of the sirens, and sail toward Scylla include no discussion of alternate plans for if they do
not work. When he does return to Ithaca, he is not afraid for his son’s safety during the battle because he
has Athena on his side. Also, he shows no signs of fear for Penelope’s safety during the time he has been
at sea. Instead, he harshly questions her faithfulness and calls her “cold”. Odysseus does not think of the
well-being of others, so he is not afraid for them. On the island of the sun god, he even takes a nap while
his crew slaughters the cows. Odysseus is not brave because he is not afraid.
The author refers to Odysseus as “the man skilled in all ways of contending,” and though he does
“contend” and exhibits “skill”, he is not brave. He does not feel fear, nor does he have the freedom to
make choices. There is no risk in his tale because fate has already determined the outcome. A hero who
acts without fear of what will happen is not brave. Auden’s criticism of Homeric heroes holds true when
applied to Odysseus.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Teacher and Student
Resources
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Common Fallacious Terms
When building an argument, it is imperative to show that the argument is logical and based on
sound reasoning- not fallacious or faulty reasoning. The writer should avoid faulty reasoning. Here
are examples of common faulty reasoning.
Grades 9-10
Overgeneralization: statements that are so general that they oversimplify reality
Begging the question: when arguing a claim, instead of supplying additional grounds supporting the claim - one simply
assumes the validity of the claim he/she is making
Loaded language: words with strong positive or negative connotations that unfairly frame words into
limited or biased contexts.
False analogy: an elaborate comparison of two things that are too dissimilar.
Straw man: attacking an exaggerated or caricatured version of your opponent's position
Genetic fallacy: an idea is either accepted or rejected because of its source, rather than its merit
Guilty by association: the writer uses an unfair attempt to make someone responsible for the beliefs or
actions of others
Ad populum: trying to prove something by showing that the public agrees
Red herring: introducing irrelevant facts or arguments to distract from the question at hand
Non sequitor: stating, as a conclusion, something that does not strictly follow from the premises.
Rationalization: perceived controversial behaviors or feelings are explained in a rational or logical
manner to avoid the true explanation.
Slippery slope: an argument that says adopting one policy or taking one action will lead to a series of
other policies or actions also being taken
Grades 11-12
Card Stacking: Concealing, withholding, or ignoring evidence, or selecting only that evidence favorable
to your side.
Ad ignorantiam: assuming something is true simply because it hasn't been proven false
Post hoc: assuming that A caused B simply because A happened prior to B
Equivocation: (1) twisting a secondary meaning of a word and claiming that it has the same weight as
another meaning. (2) Using doublespeak; trying to hide the truth behind a euphemism or passive voice.
Ad baculum: based upon the appeal of force or threats in order to bring about the acceptance of a claim.
Ad hominem: attacking the character or motives of a person who has stated an idea, rather than the idea
itself
Ad misericordiam: an argument that appeals to pity
Plain folks appeal: an attempt to convince the public that his/her views reflect those of the common
person and that they are also working for the benefit of the common person
Snob appeal: stating that a claim is accurate simply because someone famous, scholarly, aristocratic believes it.
Tuquoque: defending an error in one's reasoning by pointing out that one's opponent has made the same
error
False dilemma: Claiming that there are only two alternatives to choose from when in fact there are many
options; refusing to see gray areas.
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
Graphic Organizer/Study Guide for Developing a Claim Based on Any Text
Directions After developing your arguable claim, identify quotes or events from the text that support your
claim and build your argument.
Claim:
Textual evidence #1 (direct quotation or event):
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________ (page ____)
Textual evidence #2 (direct quotation or event):
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________ (page ____)
Textual evidence #3 (direct quotation or event):
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________ (page ____)
Counterclaim:
Student Resource Sheet 4
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DRAFT, Argument Writing Grade 10
2 of 2
Textual evidence for counterclaim (direct quotation or event):
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________ (page. ____)
Refutation (Why is the counterclaim not valid?):
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