Argument: Key Terms

A R G U M E N T REASON EVIDENCE POSITION COUNTER ARGUMENT CLAIM Opposing view

ARGUMENT TERMS A position is the writer’s stance on an issue or problem. A claim is the thesis statement explaining why the writer feels the way he or she does on an issue or problem.   A reason is a basis or motive for having a certain position on an issue. Evidence is the specific pieces of information that support a claim. Evidence can take the form of facts, quotations, examples, statistics, or personal experiences. An opposing view it is the anticipated argument from the other side. It is a view that would argue against your claim. A counter-argument is an argument made to oppose opposing view. It tells the reader why the opposing view is wrong. First, you anticipate the opposing viewpoint of a possible critic (TURN AGAINST). Then you provide counterarguments to disprove the opposing viewpoint. A call to action tells the reader what they should do to support the author. It gives the reader a direction to help make a change once they have been convinced to take a side.

The Rhetorical Situation - is any set of circumstances that involves at least one person using some sort of communication to modify the perspective of at least one other person. Rhetorical Strategies - Techniques writers use to enhance their arguments and communicate more effectively. Ethos - When audiences wonder about a speaker’s ETHOS, they are considering his/her CREDIBILITY AND TRUSTWORTHINESS. A speaker’s credibility and trustworthiness can affect whether audiences change their minds about the topic at hand. Pathos - The emotional state of the audience produced by the speaker’s word choice or rhetorical strategies. Logos - Appeals to the head using logic, numbers, explanations, and facts. Through Logos, a writer aims at a person's intellect. The idea is that if you are logical, you will understand. Parallelism - The use of similar grammatical constructions to express ideas that are related or equal in importance