1. Argumentative Essay Formal Structure

2. Parts of an Argument Essay
1) Claim: The writer’s stance, or overall argument.
2) Reasons: Main points that use logic or reasoning to justify the writer’s claim.
3) Data: Evidence (facts) that support the reasons (claim).
4) Counterclaim: A claim that disagrees with the writer’s claim. (the opposition’s stance)
5) Rebuttal: Evidence that disputes or disagrees with the counterclaim.
Your claim is your opinion / your reasons help justify your claim with logic / your data is the evidence you find to back up and make your claim stronger and more credible (believable) / your rebuttal is an answer to the counterclaim and shows you are not afraid of your opponents
To win an argument, make sure you start with a strong claim. Support your claim with logical reasons and facts. Find credible sources that agree with your claim.

3. Strengthening Your Argument: Reasons
 Once you have your CLAIM, you’ll want to break it up into REASONS.
REASONS will support your opinion for your CLAIM.
But reasons alone cannot support your claim/thesis… you need to find evidence.

4. Addressing the Counterclaim
 Know the COUNTERCLAIM: This is the opposite, or opposing viewpoint, of your claim.
 ADDRESS the COUNTERCLAIM in your paper, acknowledging that there are those who disagree.
 WRITE a REBUTTAL: Prove the COUNTERCLAIM is FALSE or ineffective with your own EVIDENCE that refutes theirs.
 USE transition words and phrases, such as: Those who disagree say…, however, in contrast, even so, nevertheless, rather, yet, instead, but, etc.
You can strengthen and protect you CLAIM by acknowledging and addressing the opposition’s COUNTERCLAIM. Not backing down from you opponents give you “street cred” or credibility.
ADDRESS the counterclaim – this shows your readers you realize that some may disagree with you.
WRITE a rebuttal: Your rebuttal is another reason, but this time it is in direct response to your opponents. It’s like the final round of an arm wrestling competition and you have to lay down the hammer. Be STRONG!

5. Finding Credible Sources
 Homepage: =
 Author: Look for who the author is and what you can find out about that person or organization.
 Sponsor: Look for who owns the site.
 Date: Make sure the information is current.
 Documentation: Make sure you know where the facts come from.
 Type of Site: Determine the type of site you are considering.
You do not have to worry too much about this because I am providing many of the sources for your essay. However, I will allow you to choose an additional source if you choose, but make sure that it is first approved by me. So what makes a source credible? Credible means able to be believed or trusted.
Books or published articles are generally good starting points since theses are usually evaluated by editors before publication.
The internet is different, since many of you will resort to web-based sources, here are few ways to determine credibility.
Homepage…. Always look at the homepage of any web site. So check out the web address through the domain name. So if you were on the following website, simply delete the information from the end. On the homepage you can find more information. Especially be sure to check out the “About us” link, which will sometimes reveal the author or sponsor.
Author… What are the author’s qualifications? Do they have a PhD or masters degree? Are they well known? If there is no author, think twice before using the source.
Sponsor… Is it a reputable group or organization? If so, that is a good sign, even if no individual author is listed. If you cannot tell what group or individual developed the site, think twice before using the source.
Date… For many disciplines, the currency of information is vital.
Documentation… Where do the facts come from? If the source mentions many details or statistics with no documentation, be wary. If it does include documentation, you can always follow up on it and use it as a source.
Type of Site… is it a database or other site recommended by the library? Is this a blog or homepage owned by an individual person? If so, you want to avoid it unless you can verify the person’s credentials. Is it a wiki? A wiki is a website where any user can modify the information, and thus there is no way to verify authorship. Examples of wikis include Wikipedia, Wiktionary, and Wikiquotes. These sources may provide a general overview or lead to more credible sources, but avoid using them in an essay.

6. Sources
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