Claim A claim is a statement which takes a single side of a controversial issue. The claim should be clear and should make a strong point which will be proven and explained throughout the course of a speech or essay. Note: All claims are inherently biased. Example: Preoccupation with fashion is an unnecessary distraction in an academic setting. Therefore, all public schools should have a strictly enforced uniform policy.

Argument An argument refers to a claim and any evidence and reasoning presented to prove the claim. A good argument is thorough and shows exactly how the presented evidence and reasoning stand as proof of the claim.

Example It is bad to change someone’s name. For example, in Santha Rama Rau’s “By Any Other Name,” Santha says“I don’t know” when the teacher asks for her name. This shows that changing someone’s name also changes their identity.

Example There is a strong connection between one’s identity and one’s name. In Santha Rama Rau’s “By Any Other Name,” Santha says“I don’t know” when the teacher asks for her name. This happens on Santha’s first day at school, right after she was given a new English name by the headmistress. The fact that she cannot provide something so simple and important as her name is significant. More than just a moment of forgetfulness, this scene shows that Santha is lost and out of place in her new school. She does not simply forget her name, she forgets who she is.

Creating Claims Use “Where Worlds Collide” to make two claims answering the following question. Write your answer on your handout: How do the new arrivals’ background affect how they perceive Las Angeles? Ex. In Pico Iyer’s “Where Worlds Collide,” the new arrivals, coming from more rural societies than ours, are shocked by the perceived chaos of Los Angeles.

Supporting Claims Select one of your claims and search for three pieces of evidence from the text which supports your claim. Ex: “The blue skies and palm trees… are scarcely visible from here: just a… smoggy haze, billboards… and beyond those a… mess of gray streets.”

Context of the Support Select one of your pieces of textual support. Explain the important details surrounding this piece of evidence. Be thorough! Pretend that you are explaining the quote to someone who has not read the essay.

Context of the Support “The blue skies and palm trees… are scarcely visible from here: just a… smoggy haze, billboards… and beyond those a… mess of gray streets.” The prospective Americans expect to see normal scenes such as the sky and natural foliage. They are instead met with man made smog, advertisements, and pavement.

Implication of the Support Explain the implications of the textual evidence. Again, be thorough! Make sure to show how exactly the evidence supports your claim.

Implication of the Support “The blue skies and palm trees… are scarcely visible from here: just a… smoggy haze, billboards… and beyond those a… mess of gray streets.” This has a disorienting effect on the rustic foreigners who are accustomed to a more natural environment, causing them to see their surroundings as chaotic and confusing.

Write your paragraph Synthesize the information in your notes to write a single, cohesive paragraph which addresses the prompt: How do the new arrivals’ background affect how they perceive Los Angeles? Must include: A Claim Two pieces of textual evidence. Each piece of evidence must be analyzed using at least three steps.

Example In Pico Iyer’s “Where Worlds Collide,” the new arrivals, coming from more rural societies than ours, are shocked by the perceived chaos of Los Angeles. For example, when leaving the airport they are exposed to a scene in which, “The blue skies and palm trees… are scarcely visible from [the taxi]: just a… smoggy haze, billboards… and beyond those a… mess of gray streets.” It is clear that prospective Americans expect to see normal scenes such as the sky and natural foliage. They are instead met with man made smog, advertisements, and pavement. This has a disorienting effect on the rustic foreigners who are accustomed to a more natural environment, causing them to see their surroundings as chaotic and confusing.