1. Persuasive Writing

2. Claim : aka thesis, argument
often the topic sentence of a paragraph
take a position, have an opinion
distinguish from opposing views (counterclaims)
Evidence : concrete, relevant, factual information
it’s what you are basing the claim on
makes your claim stronger
Reasoning : ties the claim to the evidence
aka commentary; warrant
writers original explanations
explains the ‘why’ of the claim
demonstrates deep, thoughtful understanding

3. example
In addition to the original use of animation, the success of Disney’s Mary Poppins can also be attributed to the deliberately silly music in the film.
claim
‘Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious’ is an entertaining song sung during the horse riding episode.
evidence
This song has a tune that gets stuck in your head, partially due to lyrics such as “um-diddle-iddle-iddle-um-diddle-i”, which lift your spirits when you hear them.
reasoning
Furthermore, the song is based on this ridiculously long word, which provides comic relief in the scene when George Banks breaks down and laughs when he is being fired from his job.
evidence

4. claim
evidence
reasoning
You try
claim
The art of the Renaissance period incorporates a rebirth of Greek ideas. In Raphael’s School of Athens, famous figures from Greek culture are depicted along with Greek architecture. Renaissance artwork also uses Greek techniques such as perspective, nude figures, and proper anatomy. Before the Renaissance, art was flat, nude figures would have been considered inappropriate, and the proportions would be unequal, like seen in the Madonna and Child in Glory. Despite some original contributions, the Renaissance style still depends heavily on Greek art elements.

5. claim
evidence
reasoning
You try
Last year the State of Minnesota spent millions promoting their state-run lottery through ads focusing on the contributions made to environmental funds. Churches, too, regularly use raffles, bingo nights, and card tournaments as fundraisers. These activities are in effect a stamp of approval of gambling on the part of government and organized religion, thus explaining the recent increase in gambling. Citizens look at the amount of time and effort devoted to promoting gambling-related activities by their governments and churches and assume that this is a legitimate and even risk-free activity with little social cost.

6. claim
evidence
reasoning
You try
Mass is a measurement of how much matter is in an object and weight is a measurement of how hard gravity is pulling on the object. In lab we measured the force of washers on a spring scale. The data showed that the gravitational force (weight) is proportional to the mass (number of washers). The data also showed that as the mass is doubled, the force of gravity doubles. Gravity is a natural occurrence that makes objects attracted to each other and causes objects to fall to the ground when dropped from a height.

7. claim
evidence
reasoning
counterclaim
You try
Soy milk contains nutrients that promote good health, and so is a better choice than dairy. Soy milk is higher in protein than cow’s milk, and doesn’t contain saturated fat or cholesterol. Since soy is a low-glycemic index food, it may help people feel more satisfied after eating a meal, which is beneficial for weight management. In contrast, whole-fat dairy milk contains cholesterol which, contributes to heart disease, and sugars which are a factor in obesity. The health-promoting components of soy milk have the potential to improve peoples lives by managing both cholesterol intake and weight, making soy milk a healthier alternative to dairy.

8. drag these to show matches
Match Game!
scientific principles, textual information, and prior knowledge that supports the claim. A statement that answers a question, or solves a problem. Information, facts, and/or data that supports the claim.