1. Issues of Social Justice Racism Gender bias Prison issues Bullying Gun regulation Poverty Abuse Abortion Child hunger Ageism Human trafficking War Voter rights Immigration Death Penalty Equal Pay Religious issues Pink tax—women pay more than men for beauty products! This is a travesty! Licenses and permits for lemonade stands—really?? Food waste GMOs in food—I don’t really know much about this, but it’s a thing, and people are angry about it! With your partner, discuss your topic. Come up with a claim—it must be debatable. You must show me your claim before you do any research. Once I’ve approved your claim, you may begin research. You must at least find three different sources for your evidence. They must be reliable—websites ending in.org,.gov,.edu are usually reliable sources of information. No Wikipedia, Ask.com, etc. Use the list I gave you. You may use other types of evidence, but you must quote from reliable sources. You will create a Works Cited slide, so you need to save your information/write down the links so you can refer to them again. You must create an outline before you can begin your PP.

2. The Structure of an Argument The Hook – The hook grab’s the reader’s attention. – It often establishes a connection between reader and writer and provides background information. – It can be, but is not limited to, an anecdote, an image, a definition, or a quotation. The Claim – The claim comes in the opening section of your paper. – It states your belief and what you wish to argue. – It can be straightforward and clear, for example, “I believe that...” Support: Reasons and Evidence – Your support is the reasoning behind your argument. – You provide supporting evidence for your claim (data, quotes, anecdotes, and so on) and use support to create logical appeals. Counterclaims: Concessions and refutations – A concession recognizes the arguments made by the other side. – A concession builds your credibility by objectively discussing the other side and granting that the other side has some validity. – Following the concession, a refutation argues at length against the opposing viewpoint by proving your side has MORE validity. Concluding Statement/Call to Action – A concluding statement draws your argument to a close, restates your claim, and makes a final appeal. – Avoid repeating information, but sum up your argument with a few final facts and appeals.

3. Argumentative Essay Outline I. Introduction – A. Hook (more than just a question, it must really make your reader interested in your essay). – B. Background and explanation of the issue. – C. Strong claim/thesis (We believe that_________________ because…) II. First point – A. You need a strong transition, and your first point should be your topic sentence. – B. Give at least three pieces of evidence to support your first point. Each piece of evidence should be its own sentence. – C. Closing sentence. III. Second Point – A. You need a strong transition, and your second point should be your topic sentence. – B. Give at least three pieces of evidence to support your second point. Each piece of evidence should be its own sentence. – C. Closing sentence. IV. Third Point – A. You need a strong transition, and your third point should be your topic sentence. – B. Give at least three pieces of evidence to support your third point. Each piece of evidence should be its own sentence. – C. Closing sentence.

4. Argumentative Essay Outline V. Counterclaim – A. Address the counterclaim (signal words: Others may believe that; It can be argued that; On the other hand; Another perspective is; One could argue that; Opponents disagree because) – B. Refute the counterclaim using evidence, data, facts, and logic (however; yet; but this interpretation is flawed/questionable; yet studies suggest; but what they fail to acknowledge is). VI. Conclusion – A. Restate your claim/thesis in a creative way that makes your argument clear to the reader. – B. Summarize the main points of your argument. – C. Provide a call to action. What should be done to fix the problem? What should someone do if he/she agrees with you?

5. Types of Evidence Facts & Statistics - Numbers from surveys, studies, or observation, as well as pieces of commonly accepted information Analogy – Comparison between two things to support conclusions about one based on similarities to another Personal Experience/Anecdote - True story that describes a person’s experience relative to the topic Illustrative Example - Description of a specific example to support the validity of a generalization Expert/Personal Testimony - Use of a person’s words to support a claim, whether the person is like the audience or an expert Hypothetical Case - Use of a possible scenario to challenge the audience to consider the claim

6. Final PP Presentation Slide #1—Title slide with your names, class period, date, title, and image Slide #2—Background slide (hook, background, claim) Slide #3—First point and evidence to support the point Slide #4—Second point and evidence to support the point Slide #5—Third point and evidence to support the point Slide #6—Counterclaim and refutations Slide #7—Conclusion and call to action Slide #8—MLA Works Cited slide (you should have at least 3 entries)