Starter: March 10, 2014 Review from Thursday Answer each question in your notebook. You don’t have to write the question first! 1. What is an adjective? Write down the adjective for the following sentences. 2. My grandma lives in a beautiful house. 3. A wooden boat floats down the river. 4. Tony lost his brown leather briefcase. 5. Don’t forget to wear a green shirt next Monday.

Argumentative Writing The parts of a good argument paper: Claim Evidence Warrant Counterclaim (will not do in 6th grade) Rebuttal (will not do in 6th grade) Conclusion How to Shine a Positive Light on your Opinions and thus Argue Better

Claim States what you are arguing for; what point you are trying to make. Claim must be- Debatable: reasonable people could disagree with it Narrow: not too big to deal with Example: Energy drinks are bad for people.

What is a claim? A claim is the main argument of an essay. It is probably the single most important part of an academic paper. The complexity, effectiveness, and quality of the entire paper hinges on the claim. If your claim is boring or obvious, the rest of the paper probably will be too. A claim defines your paper’s goals, direction and scope and is supported by evidence, quotations, argumentation, expert opinion, statistics, and telling details. A claim must be argumentative. When you make a claim, you are arguing for a certain interpretation or understanding of your subject. A good claim is specific. It makes a focused argument (MTV’s popularity is waning because it no longer plays music videos) rather than a general one (MTV sucks)..

OPINION VS. ARGUEMENT Opinion: Twinkies are delicious. I like dance music. I think Virginia Woolf is better than James Joyce. The governor is a bad man.

OPINION VS. ARGUEMENT Argument/Arguable claim: Twinkies taste better than other snack cakes because of their texture, their creamy filling, and their golden appearance. Dance music has become popular for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the music; rather, the clear, fast beats respond to the need of people on amphetamines to move, and to move quickly. Virginia Woolf is a more effective writer than James Joyce because she does not rely one elaborate language devices that ultimately confuse and alienate the reader. The governor has continually done the community a disservice by mishandling money, focusing on frivolous causes, and failing to listen to his constituents.

Twinkies are delicious. VS. Twinkies taste better than other snack cakes because of their texture, their creamy filling, and their golden appearance.

What are the differences? An argument is supported by evidence, which can be debated/challenged. Opinion is supported by more opinion (and ultimately you end up with something along the lines of “Well, just because, okay?”). A claim can be enhanced with research, evidence, testimony, and academic reasoning. A claim is something more than statement and support: an arguable claim also goes on to address the “so what?” question, the implications and why we should care in the first place. Remember that not all claims are created equal, and though a claim may be arguable, the best claims are focused, specific, complex, and relevant.

Fairy Tales Read story you have been given With partner decide on a point to argue. Each partner must choose a different side Study story for evidence State claim regarding your point, then debate with partner why your claim is right.

Evidence Supports your claim. not just more opinions but information from reliable sources that include: Facts or statistics Energy drinks have caused the deaths of 18 people. Expert opinion The Food & Drug Administration has shown … Personal experience I once had to have a heart monitor attached…

Warrant (bridge) Explains your pieces of evidence (arguments) and connects them to your claim. A warrant is the glue that holds an argument together. It links the evidence to the claim. It says something like “This evidence supports the claim because…” A warrant - Is Logical – makes sense Is Reasonable – avoids excessive emotion Does not assume – sticks with the evidence

I Do… James is eligible for the presidency. He was born in Cincinnati, is thirty-eight, and has never been arrested, and any thirty-five year old or older non-felon born in the United States is eligible for the presidency. Claim Evidence Warrant

We Do… The most popular soap opera on American television is Wild West Cowboys. We know that because fully 76 percent of the viewing public in Wadkins, Florida watches this program. The viewing public in Wadkins, Florida is a cross section of viewers much like those in the rest of the United States. Thus, a show’s popularity there indicates its popularity throughout the United States.

Ya’ll Do… Plants need sun to grow. Plants planted in the shade grow smaller and slower than those in the sun, plants in a closet die. Since plants kept away from sun die and those grow in low light grow slower than those in high light; light is necessary for plant growth.

Ya’ll Do… John is a good quarterback. John threw thirty-nine touchdowns last season, he is able to run the entire field without tiring, and he is able to keep track of the football at all times. This was all possible because John practices everyday.

You Do… Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution. Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor. This combination of technologies means that less pollution is produced.

You Do… Think of your favorite ice cream… Take what we discussed the last two days and create a claim (your opinion, specific, and debatable). Example: Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream is better than any other ice cream. Now, support your claim with evidence. Example: Unlike any other ice cream, the mint calms the palate. So, it is a great way to end any meal. Finally, write a warrant that explains your evidence. Example: Modern day foods can put some serious wear and tear on your palate and take your taste buds on a wild ride. A confused palate can make it difficult for your body to recognize your true food cravings for things like water, electrolytes, carbohydrates, vitamins, fiber, healthy fats or protein. Mint is a great way to reset your taste buds.

Conclusion In conclusion, then restate your claim. Following it up by summarizing what you discussed in your essay. DON’T rewrite you 1st paragraph here!!!!

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