Procedures to keep in mind

 What do I mean when I state the claim? What am I trying to communicate?  Example: The policy as written by the Santa Fe High School Administration purely overstepped its bounds when introducing religion to their assemblies.  How did I arrive at my claim? Can I “tell the story” of how I moved as a reader from the literal details to a supported claim about the text?

 Had the creators of the school assembly policy chosen words that did not carry religious connotations, it would appear that they would have had little trouble at all. It was because of the words like “invocation” and “solemnize” that the courts found fault. Each of these terms have secular (non religious) and religious meanings, however the court focused their interpretation on those of the religious.

 Can I point to specific words and sentences from which the claim arises?  Example: Solemnize, Establishments Clause, majoritorian, invocation, (look for repeated words)  What do I need to explain so that the audience can understand what I mean and where my claim comes from?

 The District involved in the court case developed a policy to have a school speaker before the football game. That speaker was to say something that could be considered or even would possibly be a prayer. Because the school is state funded, the courts had to look at the policy and its relationship to the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. This clause states that “Congress should make no law with regard to the establishment of a religion” (25).

 What evidence (quotes) might I use to illustrate my claim?  Example : The judges were anti-religious when they said the District, “failed to divorce itself from religious content” (39).  If my claim contains several parts (or premises) how can I break it down, organize the parts, and organize the evidence that goes with them?

 If my claim involves a comparison or a relationship, how might I present, clarify, and organize my discussion of the relationship between parts or texts?  Example: The only way to solve the problem between the State and Santa Fe High School is to evaluate both sides’ definition of the word “solemnize.”