1. What is an argument?

2. What is a written argument?  It is always about the topic of the text.  It is a claim or claims an author makes about how things are or should be.  It is supported by evidence.  It’s purpose is to convince, to inquire, to persuade, or to negotiate.

3. What is evidence?  It comes in various forms such as: 1.Personal experience (anecdotes) 2.Statistics/facts (data) 3.Allusion (making a reference) 4.Authority (expert information) 5.Examples (a comparison of similar events) 6.Analogy (a comparison of unlike things) 7.Hypothetical situation (description of situation that is not real)

4. Example of claim  Claim: Alcohol is a drug and should be treated as one.

5. Personal experience (anecdotes)  My uncle started drinking to escape the stress at work and now he is addicted to alcohol.

6. Statistics/facts (data)  According to a recent study, in the United States alone, approximately 14 million people combat some form of alcohol abuse.

7. Allusion (making a reference)  If people don’t stop drinking, alcoholism will reach epidemic proportions like the swine flu.

8. Authority (expert information)  According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), "Alcoholism is a chronic, often progressive disease with symptoms that include a strong need to drink despite negative consequences, such as serious job or health problems.

9. Examples (a comparison of similar events)  An addiction to alcohol is no different than an addiction to heroin. Even though alcohol is legal and heroin is illegal, the addict suffers the same fate. =

10. Analogy (a comparison of unlike things)  Asking an alcoholic to give up drinking is like asking a teenager to give up texting.

11. Hypothetical situation (description of situation that is not real)  Imagine being an accident victim of a drunk driver who thought he was okay to drive because he hadn’t been taking drugs.

12. Assignment  Practice identifying the seven types of evidence.  Claim: The drinking age of twenty- one creates more problems than it solves.