Planning & Setting Up
What step is missing from this process for setting up for an argument essay?
1) Rephrase the prompt into a QUESTION
2) Create a list of evidence- examples of the topic/issue that could be used to support a position one way or another (Ask yourself- where has this issue come up in society? In history? In my own life? Try C.H.O.R.E.S.) (Jot down evidence in whether it would answer the question with YES or NO/ AGREE or DISAGREE/ etc.)
3) Decide which side is stronger. That will be the side you can take in your essay!
4) Create a thesis statement that acknowledges a counterargument, establishes the position you selected, and includes at least two (2) supporting reasons
Need to organize the evidence you will use into groups based on commonalities/patterns AND identify conclusions that can be made based on these groups of evidence.
(These will be the supporting reasons for your argument as well as the claims/topic sentences for your body paragraphs)
Ideally, your thesis statement should present your position on the issue, provide 2-3 supporting reasons, and...
A mention of the counterargument
What needs to be improved about the following thesis in response to the prompt below?
The writer Neil Gaiman once stated, “Fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gift of seeing the world through their eyes.” Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gaiman's claim on the impact of fiction is valid.
Although some argue that fiction primarily serves as entertainment and does not produce lasting change in readers, other people would say that Gaiman’s claim is largely valid because fiction has been shown to expand people's perspectives in ways that transform society throughout history and individuals have been shown to be more deeply impacted by narrative than by other methods of communicating information.
The writer doesn't give their position, they just present the opinions or positions of other people. Because of this, the thesis becomes more factual than arguable.
Suggested rewrite: Although some argue that fiction primarily serves as entertainment and does not produce lasting change in readers, Gaiman's claim on fiction is valid because fiction has been shown to expand people's perspectives in ways that transform society throughout history and individuals have been shown to be more deeply impacted by narrative than by other methods of communicating information.
What is sophisticated about the conclusion below?
Twain's claim about the role of schooling in an individual's growth, development, and learning is both a valid and important one. As shown in the number of examples of individuals thriving outside of and even sometimes without formal schooling, as well as the ways traditional classroom settings have overlooked and even suppressed some students' natural gifts, traditional schooling isn't always completely necessary and can sometimes even hinder growth. It is important not to discount the value of what is developed and experienced outside of the classroom, and also to engage in and perform formal education in a way that does not suppress abilities that might be more unique. Society runs the risk of silencing those voices if they are suppressed while students are still in school, and missing out on the transformative impact those perspectives can have.
Conclusion addresses the 'so what?'/significance/application...
It is important not to discount the value of what is developed and experienced outside of the classroom, and also to engage in and perform formal education in a way that does not suppress abilities that might be more unique. Society runs the risk of silencing those voices if they are suppressed while students are still in school, and missing out on the transformative impact those perspectives can have.
Where could you find a model introduction to emulate in the introduction to your own essay?
In the background information before the prompt that CollegeBoard provides! (Except they wouldn't really give that 'big picture' stuff- that would be up to you)
Rephrase this prompt into a question:
The writer Neil Gaiman once stated, “Fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gift of seeing the world through their eyes.” Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gaiman's claim on the impact of fiction is valid.
Possible answers:
"Does fiction give us empathy?"
"Is Gaiman correct that fiction gives us empathy?"
"Is fiction impactful in that it gives us empathy?"
Ideally, your introduction paragraph should include an introduction/definition of the topic, an establishment of the relevance of the topic/application of the topic, and...
A brief mention of a couple of the different positions or arguments that exist on the issue ("Some groups believe..., others argue that..."
What needs to be improved about the following thesis in response to the prompt below?
The writer Neil Gaiman once stated, “Fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gift of seeing the world through their eyes.” Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gaiman's claim on the impact of fiction is valid.
Although some argue that fiction primarily serves as entertainment and does not produce lasting change in readers, Gaiman’s claim is largely valid because fiction has been shown to expand people's perspectives in ways that transform society throughout history and is consistently one of the most popular genres in literature.
FALSE. Hypotheticals don't offer concrete proof- try and avoid as much as possible! (If you're absolutely desperate they could maybe help you get some points on the map, but definitely not full credit.)
What is a piece of evidence you could use to formulate and support a position for the following prompt?
"America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves." — Abraham Lincoln. Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Lincoln's claim about threats to freedom in America is valid.
idk
True or False: You should discuss counterarguments in a separate paragraph
FALSE- weave them in as you go!
What needs to be improved about the following CLAIM in response to the prompt below?
The writer Neil Gaiman once stated, “Fiction gives us empathy: it puts us inside the minds of other people, gives us the gift of seeing the world through their eyes.” Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Gaiman's claim on the impact of fiction is valid.
CLAIM: Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin both expanded and transformed the perspectives of the audiences that read it (Source A).
Claim is actually a piece of evidence, so it is not arguable. That fact is just true. Claims are still a statement of opinion, they're just in support of the overarching argument.
TRUE or FALSE: You can use personal experience as evidence.
Which of the following would NOT be relevant evidence to include for a response to the following prompt.
"I never let schooling interfere with my education." — Mark Twain. Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Twain's claim on the role of schooling in an individual's learning and development is valid.
A. Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, and Mark Zuckerburg were college dropouts.
B. Studies show that the vast majority of people, (>80%) say a teacher changed their lives for the better, and even more believe that good teaching can change the course of a student's life
C. In "Do Schools Kill Creativity?" the most watched Ted-Talk of all time, Sir Ken Robinson explains that schools instill a fear of being wrong that quenches creativity
D. The U.S. high school graduation rate reached about 87% in the last few years, up from around 80% a decade earlier.
E. According to the PEW research center, communities with public education opportunities have higher voter turnout, more civic participation, and greater community involvement
D- the fact that more students are completing formal schooling through high school isn't evidence to whether it helps or hinders these students' development and learning
What could use improvement about the COUNTERARGUMENT included in response to the prompt below?
"I never let schooling interfere with my education." — Mark Twain. Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Twain's claim on the role of schooling in an individual's learning and development is valid.
...The number of individuals that are able to set productive goals and achieve them separate from, and sometimes apart from formal schooling proves that much important learning happens outside the classroom. There are many that would argue the public education system today is much better equipped to support diverse learners and the individual needs of many different kinds of students. It is true that there is an increasing amount of resources and information available to schools to help students develop their own unique potential...
The counterargument does not relate to the specific point currently being discussed. It seems to be countering the point that schools are not equipped to handle diverse learners, which is not what is being discussed.
A better counterargument would be, "It is worthwhile to note that a great deal of beneficial, productive learning and development happens inside the classroom as well..."
If you have to pick and choose which parts of the essay you're going to complete for the sake of time, which two (2) parts are the MOST critical that would help you earn the most points?
"I never let schooling interfere with my education." — Mark Twain. Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Twain's claim on the role of schooling in an individual's learning and development is valid.
Create a CLAIM/TOPIC SENTENCE for the following two pieces of evidence that could be used to support an argument in response to this prompt.
Famed dancer and choreographer Gillian Lynne was thought to be disabled because she couldn't sit still in class and struggled in school. When a specialist observed her and noted she moved constantly when music played, he told her mother, "Your daughter isn't sick- she's a dancer." Lynne went on to be successful and well known in the dance world.
Though he excelled in school, Albert Einstein struggled to stay focused and complete assignments in the rigid environments in some classrooms.
many possible answers