Argument

Persuasion vs Argument Persuasive Writing Argumentative Writing Goal: To get reader to agree with you on a particular topic Goal: to get reader to acknowledge your side is valid General Technique: Blends facts and emotion to convince the reader that the writer is right General technique: Offers the reader evidence to show that the writer has a valid perspective Starting point: identify a topic and your side Starting point: Research a topic and then align with one side Viewpoint: based on personal conviction with only one goal. The writer only presents one side: his or her side. Viewpoint: Acknowledge that opposing views exist and gives the opportunity to counter these views in order show that your own view is the better view to hold. Audience: Needs intended audience in order to attempt to persuade that audience to his or her side Audience: Doesn’t need an audience to convince. The writer is just putting it out there. Attitude very personal, emotional, and more passionate Attitude: The writer is sharing a conviction, regardless of if the audience agrees. Based on facts and not emotions.

Argument: claim, evidence, counter-claim (along with justification and rebuttal) put together Claim: Final result/judgment made based on the Evidence (thesis) Evidence : Statement used as proof (building blocks of the argument) Counter – Claim: the overall idea of of the other side of the argument Valid: An argument whose evidence genuinely support(s) its Claim. Note: You MUST check to make sure the Claim is valid (reasonable) Logic: sound reasoning

Example Evidence 1: You must be 18 to vote Evidence 2: Sarah is 17 years old Claim: Sarah cannot vote Check: Is this Claim valid?

Example Evidence 1: You spilled it Evidence 2: Whoever makes the mess cleans it up Claim: You should clean up the mess Check: Is this Claim valid?

Example Evidence 1: If Burger King sells Big Macs, McDonalds will go out of business Evidence 2: Burger King sells Big Macs Claim: McDonalds will go out of business Check: Is this Claim valid?

Example Evidence 1: Jesse just turned one years old Evidence 2: Most one year olds can walk Claim: Jesse can walk Check: Is this Claim valid?

Identify Evidence and Claim Cats with long hair shed all over the house so you should not get a long-haired cat. I have heard that they also have lots of fleas. Evidence 1: Evidence 2: Claim: Check: Is it valid?

Identify Evidence and Claim Cats with long hair shed all over the house so you should not get a long-haired cat. I have heard that they also have lots of fleas. Evidence 1: Cats with long hair shed Evidence 2: Cats with long hair have a lot of fleas Claim: You should not get a long-haired cat Check: This is valid IF shedding and fleas bothers the audience

Identify Evidence and Claim Since the housing market is depressed and interest rates are low, it's a good time to buy a home. Evidence 1: Evidence 2: Claim: Check: Is it valid?

Identify Evidence and Claim Since the housing market is depressed and interest rates are low, it's a good time to buy a home. Evidence 1: The housing market is depressed Evidence 2: Interest rates are low Claim: It’s a good time to buy a home Check: This is valid because it is reasonable

Identify Evidence and Claim You should not eat that greasy hamburger. It is loaded with fat. *Note: Sometimes a Evidence is not explicitly said Evidence 1: Evidence 2: Claim: Check: Is it valid?

Identify Evidence and Claim You should not eat that greasy hamburger. It is loaded with fat. Evidence 1: Hamburgers are loaded with fat Evidence 2: You shouldn’t eat too much greasy fat (implied) Claim: You should not eat that hamburger Check: This is valid

Evidence Indicators Claim Indicators Since Because For As Follows from As shown by In as much as As indicated by The reason is that Given that Therefore, Hence, So, Thus Accordingly, Consequently In consequence Proves that As a result For this reason It follows that I conclude that Which means/means/shows that We may infer