1. 8 Steps to Success
A Basic Formula for Argumentative Writing That Employs Bloom’s Taxonomy
Doral Academy Charter School

2. Argumentative Writing
PART 1 - ORGANIZATION

3. STEP #1: State your claim.
Make a claim statement.
Claim statements are for argumentative papers.
Thesis statements are for informative papers.
A claim statement directly answers the topic question.
Bloom’s Taxonomy - Knowledge

4. STEP #1: State your claim.
Example Topic questions:
Should abortion be permitted?
Do non-human animals have rights?
Should the Confederate flag be banned?
Should cosmetic surgery be banned?
Is it ever justifiable to execute criminals?
Would warning labels on food make people eat better?
Do schools have the right to search students' lockers?

5. STEP #1: State your claim.
Example Claim Statement:
Abortion should not be permitted.

6. STEP #2: Premises
Create TWO supporting premises for your claim statement
Premises are for argumentative papers.
Reasons are for informative papers.
The first two premises should directly support the claim statement.
Bloom’s Taxonomy – Comprehension & Application

7. STEP #2: Premises Example of two premises:
Premise #1: Abortion causes permanent internal damage to the reproductive system.
Premise #2: Abortion is immoral.

8. STEP #3: Sup. Evidence
Provide TWO pieces of evidence for each premise and cite the source (identify where you got the evidence).
Evidence is used in an argumentative paper.
Supporting details are used in an informative paper.
Bloom’s Taxonomy – Application & Analysis

9. STEP #3: Sup. Evidence Example of Supporting Evidence:
Premise #1 – Evidence #1: <quote>
Source: Journal of American Medicine
Premise #1 – Evidence #2: <quote>
Source: WebMD.com

10. STEP #3: Sup. Evidence Example of Supporting Evidence:
Premise #2 – Evidence #1: <quote>
Source: Society for Pro-Life Advocacy
Premise #2 – Evidence #2: <quote>
Source: Encyclopedia of Religious Action in American Democracy

11. STEP #4: Counter-Claim
Make a counter-claim statement.
Note: Do not say “counter-argument” because steps 4-6 is what forms the counter-argument.
A counter-claim statement directly opposes the initial claim statement.
Bloom’s Taxonomy – Knowledge & Synthesis

12. STEP #4: Counter-Claim Example of a counter-claim statement:
Abortion should be permitted

13. STEP #5: Counter-Claim Premise
Create ONE opposing premise for your counter-claim statement
Note: This opposing premise should directly support the counter-claim.
Bloom’s Taxonomy – Comprehension, Application, & Synthesis

14. STEP #5: Counter-Claim Premise
Example of a counter-claim premise:
Opp. Premise #1: Abortion is about a woman’s right to choose.

15. STEP #6: Opp. Evidence
Provide TWO pieces of evidence for the counter-claim premise and cite the source (identify where you got the evidence).
Note: These pieces of evidence should directly support the counter-premises.
Bloom’s Taxonomy –Application, Synthesis, & Evaluation.

16. STEP #6: Opp. Evidence Example of Opposing Evidence:
C.C. Premise #1 – Evidence #1: <quote>
Source: Society for Pro-Choice Advocacy
C.C. Premise #1 – Evidence #2: <quote>
Source: Womensrights.org

17. STEP #7: 3rd Sup. Premise
Create a third supporting premise to the initial claim statement that directly refutes the counter-claim statement.
Bloom’s Taxonomy – Synthesis and Evaluation

18. STEP #7: 3rd Sup. Premise
Example of a 3rd supporting premise:
A woman’s right to choose is restricted when it comes to the life of a baby.

19. STEP #8: 3rd Sup. Premise Evidence
Provide TWO pieces of evidence for this third premise and cite the source (identify where you got the evidence).
Bloom’s Taxonomy – Synthesis and Evaluation

20. STEP #8: 3rd Sup. Premise Evidence
EXAMPLE:
Premise #3 – Evidence #1: <quote>
Source: Journal of Philosophy
Premise #3 – Evidence #2: <quote>
Source: Pro-Life Advocacy Magazine

21. Argumentative Writing
PART 2 - DRAFTING

22. STEP #1
Connect the dots.
Make sure that you are properly placing together the information from Part 1.

23. STEP #2
Use transitional words and phrases.

24. STEP #3 Maintain a consistent point-of-view. Do NOT shift in POV.
The best POV is 3rd-Person.
Do NOT use:
“me” “my” “I” “you” “your” “you’re” “myself” “yourself”

25. STEP #4 Establish a proper tone (voice) for your audience.
The higher the grade level, the academic in tone the paper should be.
This can be established by incorporating higher level vocabulary.

26. STEP #5 Draft the first paragraph.
Make sure your claim is somewhere in the first paragraph.

27. STEP #6
Review and revise the first paragraph.

28. STEP #7 Draft the rest of your essay.
The essay should follow the organization established in Part 1.

29. STEP #8
Review and revise the whole essay.

30. FSA & Literary Analysis
MODIFICATIONS

31. FSA Modifications
When practicing this in class. The teacher should provide the sources for the students. Ensure that at least one of your sources presents a contrasting view of a topic.
Refer to FSA Core Standards to determine the kind of sources and formatting for your appropriate grade levels. (i.e. length and difficulty of articles)

32. Literary Analysis Modifications
A basic literary analysis paper is an argumentative paper about a topic related to a “text in study”.
For basic literary analysis, teachers should restrict outside sources for students. The only sources allowed are those works of literature used in class.