*The claim is your topic/main idea of essay Argumentative Essay Notes Purpose: (definition) To persuade or convince someone or a group of people to agree with your position on an issue. Format: *The claim is your topic/main idea of essay CLEARLY state this as a factual statement *You will also state the opposing argument (the opposite point of view) *Each body paragraph = 1 main reason to support topic/opinion. This will be done twice = 2 paragraphs *You will also discuss the opposing argument, which is the counterclaim, in the 3rd body paragraph *Use FACTS as evidence to support your opinions in order to make a strong argument

Overall: *Be sure to consider your audience in order to persuade them most effectively! *Use strong word choice ~ at least 5 Wordly Wise words! *Avoid repetition of words ~ use a thesaurus! *Vary how each sentence starts…Use transitional phrases to link all paragraphs AND use transitions within body paragraphs at the beginning of each new sentence *Write detailed sentences ~ compound and complex, not simple sentences STAY FOCUSED! USING FACTS STICK TO ONE SIDE OF THE ARGUMENT! THE COUNTERCLAIM WILL SHOW OPPOSING SIDE

Argumentative Introduction: What you should be writing: Attention Getter (Captures the reader’s attention immediately) Opposing Claim’s Main Argument (What would the other side say?) Claim (State your position ~ state this as a fact NOT an opinion) **This must be a strong statement NOT I think or The purpose of this essay is… or I am going to tell you about… Supporting Claims (Introduce the two reasons that support your claim ~ Do not give away specific details) *This will be done in 2 separate sentences!

Introduction example: A class of about thirty students is working on an essay. Several students have their hands raised because they need help; however, the teacher only has time to assist a few of them. The rest leave frustrated and angry and as a result do not complete their homework because they do not understand it. Many people believe that this example is normal due to the ever-growing class sizes at public schools and feel that class size in not important. However, this situation happens at many public schools across the nation. Many students are struggling because they are not able to get the attention they need in class. Therefore, class sizes need to be smaller in order to receive a proper education. With such large class sizes students cannot get individual help. Furthermore, classroom behavior is worse in a classroom with a large number of students.

Body Paragraphs 1 and 2: Support Your Claim Reason: in your own words, give a reason to support your claim (check introduction for order of ideas – must be written in the same order but using different words from the introduction) Evidence: Provide FACTS! Use a direct quote from articles and give credit to source Elaboration: further explain in own words – be sure to stick to your side of the argument! Analysis: explain how the evidence proves the reason and supports the claim *This is basically a constructed response without the claim and concluding sentence.

Example of Body Paragraph: Supporting Your Claim With the increasing enrollment of students, class sizes may cause a decrease in individual assistance. For instance, students may have to wait for a longer period of time for help and become reluctant to ask questions. In general, a typical class at Martino is sixty-four minutes long so on average students may have approximately half of this time period to ask specific questions. In addition, the remaining time left is open for all students, typically twenty-five, to ask questions. By the time the last question has been answered students often become impatient and choose not to ask their questions or have even forgotten what they actually wanted to ask. In short, as the student population is increasing, the amount of time spent in class has not changed. This means individual student time has actually been shortened. This is not enough time to answer all student questions, which in turn leaves some students not understanding the material presented that day.

Body Paragraph 3: Opposing Argument Counterclaim Argument: List one of your opposition’s claims Counterclaim Evidence: Provide FACTS! Use a direct quote from articles and give credit to source Rebuttal: defend YOUR original claim by providing a final thought about your topic. This should explain how the opposition is not correct.

Example of Body Paragraph 3: Opposing Argument Even though the majority of students and educators realize that class size has an impact on learning, not everyone does. Many people feel that class size does not interfere with student learning. For instance, based on the quote from edutopic.com, “Class size is really irrelevant in this day and age in education. It’s not about how many children you have in the classroom. It’s about how you’re leveraging technology to deliver one-on-one instruction." Yet, by having a large class it does not allow ample time to answer all of the students’ questions, even with the use of technology. This in turn leaves some students possibly not understanding the material that was presented that day, especially if they are unable to use the technology properly to guide them through the lesson.

Conclusion: What you should be writing: Restatement of Claim: Start by restating your original claim. Restatement of Reasons: Using different wording, restate the reasons from the introduction IN 2 SEPARATE SENTENCES! Call to action: What are you encouraging the reader to do now that you have convinced them of your argument? Get the reader involved. Conclusion: wrap up essay by telling what will be achieved by acting on the call to action

Conclusion example: In summary, it is now quite obvious why class size is important. In order to receive an appropriate education, class sizes need to be limited. With fewer students in a class students’ grades would improve. In addition, smaller class sizes would mean less discipline problems. As a result of this information, go talk to your school board today about lessening class sizes and making school a more positive place for all! In the end, students and teachers both would feel more comfortable in a better learning environment, and the outcome would be positive for everyone involved.