1. Argument Writing An Introductory Guide for Middle School Students

2. An argument in writing An argument in writing is DIFFERENT from arguing with a friend or parent.

3. What’s the point of argument writing? You want others to believe in what you have to say. You want to get your point across. An argumentative essay does the same thing– it tries to convince readers of your point of view.

4. Argumentative Writing In argumentative writing, a writer takes a position for or against an issue and writes to convince the reader to believe. Argumentative essays are written to get the reader to accept a point of view. In order to convince the reader, you need more than an opinion; you need facts or examples to back up your opinion.

5. Characteristics of Argument Writing Convinces reader claim is true Uses evidence—facts and data Acknowledges counterclaims—the other side of the argument (period.7-8)

6. An Effective Claim (Reason) Takes a clear position Is narrow enough to be supported within essay Can be supported by facts or citations from a text

7. Types of Claims Cause and effect —a person, thing, or event caused something else to happen Example: Rikki Tikki Tavi’s victory over the snakes was the result of his natural abilities as a mongoose, rather than his desire to protect the people in the cottage.

8. Types of Claims Claims of definition or fact —argue what a definition is or if something is really a fact Example: In the story, “Gift of the Magi,” by O. Henry, the two characters provide an outstanding illustration what foolish is.

9. Types of Claims Claims about values —argue the worth of something and if it is valued. While Perrault’s “Cinderella” is an interesting story, it is a second-rate story when compared to Grimm’s Cinderella version.

10. Types of Claims Claims about solutions or policies —argue for or against certain approaches to problems. Example: The Capulets have their daughter’s well- being in mind when they follow tradition and make arrangements for her to marry Paris.

11. Addressing the counterclaim… (per. 7-8) Refutes or proves wrong, another point Recognizes the other side’s points Lends credibility to the writer’s claims

12. Components of Effective Argument Writing Clear and forceful claims Well-constructed argument Strong textual support with lucid explanations of text support Addresses counterclaims (p. 7-8) Strong conclusion

13. Check for Understanding… What is a claim? What are some types of claims we discussed? What is the purpose of argumentative writing? What is a counterclaim? (period 7-8)

14. What are some claims for these arguments? School should not start later. School should start later. Students should be allowed to use phones at school. Students shouldn’t be allowed to use phones at school. Students should wear school uniforms. Students should not wear school uniforms.