Research Precis notes English 1

Task: Turn your argument map into a research précis Claim/Reasons become your thesis  You will discuss both reasons in your paragraph Choose one piece of evidence to support each reason You will have 2 total pieces of evidence that need to come from 2 different sources. Evidence & Analysis #1 = Reason #1 Evidence & Analysis #2 = Reason #2

Yes, this is one LONG paragraph!

Hook/Attention Grabber Purpose: Grab the reader’s attention Make the reader want to keep reading Options for hooks: Quotes from historical or well-known figures Startling facts (NOT a piece of your evidence!) Connections between the theme and everyday life/ our society NO Questions!! No “what-if’s”

Hook Example: Presient Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”

Hook Example: According to the National Institute for Weapon Safety, “Accidental deaths by firearms are 150% higher than those committed for reasons of self-defense” (NIWS).

Hook Example: In America, the inability of police to respond quickly to threats forces citizens to take their safety into their own hands.

Thesis Statement Purpose: Outline what you will talk about in your paper Create the structure your paper will follow Include: Optional: Counterargument Claim statement Reasons

Thesis Example: All states should enact stand your ground laws because not only do self- defense laws need to be strengthened and expanded, but individuals have a duty to protect their families from harm. Claim Reason #1 Reason #2

Thesis A strong thesis statement may also acknowledge the counterargument, in what we call the “Although Statement.” The Although Statement is effective because it acknowledges the other side of the argument, and then seeks to prove why that’s wrong An argument that disproves the other side is always more effective than one that ignores it.

Thesis Example thesis with Although Statement: Although some may say that Stand Your Ground laws are abused, all states should enact stand your ground laws because not only is crime on the rise, but individuals have a duty to protect their families from harm. Counterargument Claim Reason #1 Reason #2

Transition Sentence/Reason 1 This is the link to the first reason you’re going to talk about – think of this as a transition statement. Begin with a transitional word/phrase Example: The first reason why Stand Your Ground should be mandatory is because they will protect families from harm, especially at a time when police forces cannot respond quickly to crimes.

Evidence set up Include in your set up: 2 SENTENCES Article title Author’s name is optional (because it’s in the citation) Main idea of the article (You should have this on your notes page) This ensures that you’re not taking a quote out of context but citing something that is in accord (agreement) with the rest of the article Context for evidence This may be part of the main idea of the article, depends on how well you write it What you want the reader to see in the evidence Do not assume I know what the evidence if referencing Example: In the article “Individual Rights vs. Public Health: The Vaccination Debate,” the author presents the idea that the risks of vaccinations are miniscule and the benefits far outweigh the risks, as the statistics on vaccine complications demonstrate: “blah” (Vidula 5).

Analysis Explain how the evidence proves your reason Include key words that connect to your reason MINIMUM 3 sentences of analysis (But let’s be real… good analysis is more like 4-6 sentences) Use words other than “shows”! No storytelling or summarizing!

Evidence, set up, & analysis #2 Should deal with your second reason Use the transition sentence to move from Reason #1 to Reason #2 Another good place for a transitional word/phrase Example: In addition, violent crime is increasing, making Stand Your Ground laws even more relevant.

Concluding Sentences Restate thesis Parting thought Conclude your paragraph with two to three sentences. Restate your claim and summarize BOTH pairs of evidence and analysis. This is NOT a cute and paste, this is rewording. AND that include a closing statement. What final thought do you want to leave your reader with on the topic?