Writing an Argument
GEAR UP Writing Episode 4
Stephanie Sommers
Minneapolis Adult Education Program
Webinar Logistics
•
Who’s ready to go? Please check your audio.
– Speakers working?
– Microphone?
•
Check out the “mute” webinar tool. Make sure you are muted. Even
quiet background noises can be distracting.
•
When you want to speak, unmute yourself, introduce yourself, and remute. We do want you to share!
•
We will be watching a clip from a You Tube video. If you are on a
computer that blocks You Tube, please see if you have the ability to
override the block. You will need to open a new window and the
Internet.
•
Locate the chat box from the webinar control panel.
Stephanie Sommers
stephanie.sommers@mpls.k12.mn.us
“If you can’t win an argument,
correct their grammar instead.”
Regional Professional Development
Coordinator (Metro Region)
ACES Facilitator & Advisory Group Member
ELL User Group member for the LINCS ESL Pro
Project
(Open Educational Resources)
Adjunct Instructor, St. Mary’s University, Twin
Cities,
(English Language Academy)
Objectives & Agenda
Objectives
• Understand the basic parts
of an argument
• Learn about some tools &
resources to use with
students
• Learn ideas for scaffolding a
lesson that focuses on
argument writing
Agenda
•The parts of an argument
•Getting started (even if your
students aren’t quite ready)
•Using scaffolding tools, like
graphic organizers, sentence
frames, and outlines.
•Editing and Evaluating
Materials
Access from the Materials Tab in GTT or via e-mail after the webinar
• Idea planning chart
• Media Bias Text from Points of View Reference Center
(Electronic Library of MN- ELM)
• Variety of Graphic Organizers
• Outline Template
• Peer Editing Sheets
• Evaluation Rubric
• Resource List
Parts of an Argument
• claim
• evidence
a statement that is presented as being true
factual information that supports the claim
• warrant explanation of how the evidence supports the claim
• counterargument a statement that disagrees with the claim
• refutation/rebuttal
a reason why the counterargument is
not valid or accurate
Engaging with the Ideas of Others
Although writing may require some degree of quiet and solitude, the
“they say / I say” model shows students that they can best develop
their argument not just by looking inward but by doing what they often
do in a good conversation with friends and family- by listening carefully
to what others are saying and engaging with other views.
This approach to writing therefore has an ethical dimension, since it
asks writers not simply to keep proving and reasserting what they
already believe but to stretch what they believe by putting it up against
beliefs that differ, sometimes radically, from their own.
-From the Preface to “They Say/I Say” The Moves that Matter in Academic Writing by
Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein, and Russel Durst
Activities for Helping Students to
Enter the Conversation
• Theories of Ethics (Immanuel Kant, John Stuart
Mill, Aristotle)
Reason to Write, Unit 8
Ethics in the Digital Age
• Ethical Question Star
Lesson available from OER Commons
http://www.oercommons.org/courses/developing-persuasivearguments-through-ethical-inquiry-two-prewriting-strategies/view
Using Ethical Questioning
Techniques
Uses for Ethical Questioning
Activities
• Pre-writing and planning
• Students think of a local issue that is of importance to
them
• Students imagine that they are going to write a letter to
someone who could create change (e.g. school board,
city council, state legislature)
• Students decide how they will use the star to guide their
writing. For example, it could help the student to
formulate an outline of points to be covered.
Getting Students to Choose a Topic
Examples of Student Responses
Example 1: Class Size
Students can achieve more by reducing
class sizes. With fewer students to teach,
teachers can get a better performance
from students. Smaller class sizes can
help students get more help from
teachers, while in a bigger class students
might not get as much help as they
need. In some cases students tend to
get lost or easily distracted by a larger
group of students. Smaller classes offer
teachers the chance to devote more time
to each student to improve their
learning. Some students feel as if they
aren’t getting enough help or attention
from teachers, so they tend to shut
down or not even try.
Example 2: Bullying
Thinking about issues in the world I can think of many.
But the most important issue to me at this moment is
bulling in high schools. Bulling in high school is a huge
issue all over the world, its causing teen to commit
dangerous crimes and its also pushing teens to kill
themselves.
Research shows bulling have a huge effect on teenagers
ability to learn efficiently, also bulling has a huge
negative effect on young adults self-esteem. As a child I
was bullied and it affected my social skills also my ability
to believe in myself.
Bullying is huge issues to me because I have an eightyear-old daughter and I would be sadden and outraged
to find out my child was socially incompetent or had low
self-esteem due to being bullied. As parents, adults and
mentors we need to pay closer attention to our younger
peers by educating them on how bad and negative
bulling can have on each other. I really believe if we had
opened our eyes and educate and be involved in our
children/teens life there would be less deaths crimes and
suicides in the world.
Modeling the GED Prompt
In your response, analyze the two texts to
determine which position is better supported.
Use relevant and specific evidence from the
texts to support your response.
Sources for texts:
procon.org
Points of View Reference Center Database (Electronic
Library of MN- ELM)
Example Prompt Using the
Media Bias Text
The texts present arguments from those who
claim the media has a liberal bias and those
who claim it has a conservative bias. In your
response, analyze both positions presented in
the texts to determine which one is better
supported. Use relevant and specific evidence
from the texts to support your response.
Argument Graphic Organizers
QUESTIONS
 Which graphic organizer (GO)
did you choose to use with the
Media Bias reading?
 Why did you choose it?
 Do you use GOs with your
students?
 How do you use them?
Argument Graphic Organizers
Example of a Completed GO
Using the Media Bias Text
Choosing Sides
What has the analysis shown us?
• Which text has the better supported
argument?
The Media has a Liberal Bias
The Media has a Conservative Bias
• Why?
Outline an Argument
The Introduction
• Explicitly teach students the structure of an essay.
• Talk about how the introduction moves
from general to specific information.
• The hook is a general statement (or statements) that is designed
to capture attention & lure the reader in.
• The hook is followed by connecting information.
• The last sentence in the introduction is usually the thesis
statement. In the thesis statement, the writer tells the reader
what specific information will be discussed in the body of the
essay.
Thesis Statement & Supporting Ideas
Hook
In discussions of the media
in the United States, one
controversial issue has
been whether or not the
media has a bias.
Thesis Statement
The better supported
position is that the media
has a conservative bias
because of the expert
sources, the number of
examples given, and the
way the writer clearly
connects those examples to
the claim being made.
Outline an Argument
The Body
Topic Sentences:
–Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky are experts who have
written a book on this subject.
–The Media has a Conservative Bias text gives six categories of
ways in which the media has a conservative bias: ownership,
advertising, sourcing, flak, anti-ideologies, and the militaryindustrial-media complex.
–The examples given are clearly connected to the author’s
argument.
Outline an Argument
The Body
Supporting Information
– Evidence
– Warrant
Practicing with Claim, Evidence
& Warrant
Look at the picture.
Write 5 claims that can be supported by evidence
that you can see in the picture.
Try to add a warrant for each claim. The warrant
is a statement that explains how the evidence
supports the claim.
Note: This activity was originally presented in GEAR UP Episode 2:
Identifying and Evaluating Evidence. It was suggested by Chelsey
Tulgren.
Practicing with Claim, Evidence & Warrant
Photo taken from the book Crime and Puzzlement
Outline an Argument
The Body
– Counterargument
– Refutation
Practicing with Counterargument and
Refutation
Practicing with
Counterarguments & Refutation
Taken from Great Writing 4: Great Essays
National Geographic Learning/Cengage Learning
You Try It!
Please use the chat box to write a one-line refutation to one of these
counterarguments. Remember to use a contrasting connection word to begin
your refutation.
1. Those who are against mandatory school uniforms say that students
who wear school uniforms cannot express their individuality.
2. People who illegally download music and movies argue that it should be
legal because it is such a widespread practice and very difficult to stop.
Outline an Argument
The Conclusion
• The conclusion is structured to move from specific
to general information.
• The conclusion should begin by restating the thesis.
• The restated thesis is followed by a summary of the main points
from the argument.
• The last sentence in the conclusion is usually a general
statement. This can be a prediction, an opinion, or a suggestion.
Tell ‘em all about it!
The introduction tells the reader what you
are going to tell him.
The body tells the reader the information.
The conclusion reminds the reader what
you have just told him.
Outline an Argument
Outline an Argument
Example taken from Great Writing 4
•
Give students opportunities to
practice with using outlines
before they create their own.
•
As a class, outline an argument
text that you have read
together.
•
Next, provide students with a
partially completed outline and
let them fill-in the details. These
can be their own ideas or they
can be pulled from an example
text.
Accountable Talk
Using Language Stems to Respectfully Talk through an
Argument
Agreeing
Disagreeing
• I agree with ______
because ________.
• I disagree with ______
because ________.
• I like what _______ said
because ________.
• I’m not sure I agree with
what ______ said
because ___________.
• I agree with ________;
but on the other hand,
__________.
• I can see that ________;
however, I disagree with
__________.
Sentence Frames for Arguments
The Introduction
In discussions of ________, one
controversial issue has been
_________. People who believe
_______ claim that __________.
On the other hand, those who
believe ________ assert that
________. Based on the
evidence, ___________ is the
stronger argument because
________, _________, ______.
There are a variety of
opinions on_______.
Opponents believe _______,
while supporters argue
_______. The better
supported position is
___________ because
________, ________,
_________.
Sentence Frames for Arguments
The Body
Counterargument
Refutation
• Opponents of _______ say
___________.
• However, as stated
previously ___________.
• Proponents of _______ are
right to argue that ______.
• But they are incorrect to
claim that _________.
• On the one hand, it can be
agreed that __________.
• But on the other hand, it
must be pointed out that
____________.
Sentence Frames for Arguments
The Conclusion
Restate the Thesis
In conclusion, then, as was
suggested earlier,
defenders of ________
need to make a stronger
argument. Their assertion
that ____ is simply not
supported by the evidence
that has been given.
End with a General
Statement
• Ultimately, what is at
stake here is ________.
• Although _______ may
seem of concern to only a
small group of _______,
it should, in fact, concern
anyone who cares about
___________.
Revise, Revise, Revise
• Students need to be reminded that good writers always
revise their work.
• Teach students to look for their own mistakes. Practice
peer-editing or group editing.
• Take the time to teach editing marks.
“There is not great writing, only great
rewriting.”
-Justice Brandeis
Revise, Revise, Revise
Peer Editing Sheets from Great Writing 4
Argument Essay Outline
Argument Essay
Evaluation and Feedback
Thank You!
Your participation today was
greatly appreciated!
Please contact me if you have any
questions:
Stephanie.Sommers@mpls.k12.mn.us