Hook & Introduction
Identify the type of hook: "According to the CDC, adolescent sleep deprivation has increased by 30% in the past decade."
What is a statistic-based hook?
Identify the claim in this thesis: "Public libraries should receive increased funding because they expand equitable access to information and strengthen community engagement."
What is "Public libraries should receive increased funding"?
Identify which piece of evidence is stronger for an argumentative essay and justify why:
(A) "Many students dislike homework," or
(B) "A 2023 statewide survey of 5,000 students found that 68% report homework negatively impacts their sleep."
What is option B, because it provides specific, large-scale, and recent statistical data that increases credibility and reliability compared to a vague generalization?
Define the function of reasoning in an argumentative paragraph.
What is it explains how the evidence supports the claim?
Explain why a counterclaim must be presented fairly and accurately.
What is to maintain credibility and avoid misrepresentation?
Explain why this hook may be ineffective: "School is something students attend every day."
What is it is too general and lacks engagement or urgency?
Explain why this thesis lacks specificity: "Climate change policies are important for the future."
What is it does not specify which policies or provide clear reasons?
Identify the weakness in this evidence: "A survey of 12 students showed that homework is stressful."
What is the sample size is too small to be reliable?
Identify the missing reasoning: "Studies show later school start times improve attendance. Therefore, schools should change their schedules."
What is explanation of how improved attendance benefits academic performance or student well-being?
Identify the flaw in this rebuttal: "People who disagree are just uninformed."
What is it lacks evidence?
Revise this hook to make it more compelling and specific for an essay about artificial intelligence in schools: "Technology is changing education."
(Example) What is "As artificial intelligence begins grading essays and tutoring students, schools must decide how much control to give machines over learning"?
Strengthen this thesis by adding two defensible reasons: "Schools should regulate social media use."
(Example) What is "Schools should regulate social media use during instructional hours because it reduces academic distractions and protects student mental health"?
Explain why quoting a source without context weakens an argument.
What is it may lack clarity, relevance, or proper connection to the claim?
Strengthen this reasoning: "This proves uniforms are good because they are better."
(Teacher evaluates logical elaboration and specificity.)
Provide a counterclaim to the argument that schools should eliminate grades.
(Example) What is "Grades provide measurable accountability and motivate academic effort"?
Identify what is missing from this introduction: "Many schools are debating whether to implement year-round schooling. Students have different opinions."
What is clear background context and a defensible thesis statement?
Identify the problem: "Although uniforms limit self-expression, they also create equality in schools."
What is it does not clearly take a position?
Evaluate the effectiveness of the following use of evidence and explain its strengths and weaknesses:
"According to a 2022 article published on EducationToday.com, schools that adopted year-round schedules saw a 5% increase in standardized math scores over one academic year."
Consider the credibility of the source, the sufficiency of the data, and whether the evidence fully supports a broad claim about year-round schooling.
What is the evidence has some strength because it includes a date and a specific statistic, but it may be limited if the website lacks established credibility, the sample size is unknown, and a 5% increase over one year may not be sufficient to justify a broad policy claim?
Explain the difference between correlation and causation in argumentative reasoning.
What is correlation shows a relationship, while causation shows one variable directly causes another?
Construct a rebuttal that acknowledges a valid opposing point but maintains your claim.
(Teacher evaluates balance and depth.)
Analyze the following introduction and evaluate its effectiveness. In your response, determine whether the hook establishes urgency, whether the background sufficiently contextualizes the issue, and whether the thesis is specific and defensible:
"In recent years, debates about student surveillance technology have increased. Schools want to keep students safe. There are many opinions about whether monitoring software should be used."
What is the introduction lacks a compelling hook, provides minimal contextual depth, and fails to present a clear, defensible thesis with specific reasons?
Determine whether this thesis is arguable and defensible, and explain why: "Renewable energy investment should replace fossil fuel subsidies because it promotes long-term economic stability and environmental sustainability."
(Teacher evaluates depth of analysis.)
Analyze the following two pieces of evidence used to support the claim that schools should adopt a four-day school week. Determine which is more persuasive and justify your evaluation using criteria such as credibility, relevance, sufficiency, and potential bias.
Evidence A: "A blog post written by a high school teacher states that students seem happier and more rested after switching to a four-day week."
Evidence B: "A 2023 peer-reviewed study published in the Journal of Educational Policy examined 48 school districts across three states and found that districts implementing a four-day week reported improved teacher retention rates and no statistically significant decline in standardized test scores over a three-year period."
What is Evidence B is more persuasive because it comes from a peer-reviewed academic journal, includes a large multi-district sample, provides measurable outcomes over an extended time frame, and presents statistically analyzed findings, whereas Evidence A is anecdotal, limited in scope, and lacks verifiable data?
Analyze the reasoning in the following argument and determine whether the warrant logically supports the claim:
Claim: "Schools should eliminate homework in elementary grades." Evidence: "A 2021 child development study found that excessive homework is associated with increased stress levels in children ages 6–10." Reasoning: "Because homework causes stress, eliminating it will automatically improve long-term academic achievement."
Evaluate whether the reasoning contains a logical flaw and explain your conclusion.
What is the reasoning contains an oversimplification because the evidence shows an association with stress but does not prove that eliminating homework will automatically improve long-term academic achievement; the warrant assumes a direct cause-and-effect relationship without sufficient support?
Analyze how effectively addressing counterarguments strengthens the overall persuasiveness of an essay.
What is it demonstrates critical thinking, anticipates objections, and reinforces the claim?