1. Academic Argument: The Key to Success

2. Elements of an Academic Argument
Claim
Reason
Evidence
Warrant
Counterargument

3. CLAIM Argument begins with a problem, questions, or
prompt. A claim is your solution to this argument.
The claim is the thesis of your argument, which will
most often be presented in a written format.
A claim is just a statement until it teams up with
some good reasons and evidence. You develop a
claim by:
drawing up a list of reasons to support it, or
find evidence that backs up your point

4. REASON
Reasons are statements that support the claim in your argument. When the claim + reason are paired correctly = they often spell out the major terms of an argument. Let’s practice: Claim: Violence on television and video games should be moderated… Reason: because…

5. EVIDENCE
Reasons and evidence might be seen to be just different words for the same thing, but they are not: we think up reasons, we don’t think up evidence. Think of evidence as anchoring your argument in facts. Claim because of Reason based on Evidence or Evidence + Reasons so Claim

6. WARRANT A warrant is the big idea underlying the argument
that connects the claim to the reason and evidence.
Think of a warrant as the glue that holds your
argument together. A warrant can either
name a general circumstance, belief, or principle
state a general conclusion
When developing an argument, there must be a
logical, persuasive connection between the claim
and the reasons supporting it. Warrants give you the
authority to proceed and tell your reader what your
assumptions are in this argument.

7. WARRANT Claim: Violence on television and video games
should be moderated…
Reason: because children who watch lots of violent
entertainment tend to become violent adults.
Warrant: