Claims
What is a claim?
A claim is a statement that shows your opinion or position on a topic.
What is a stance in argumentative writing?
A stance is the side or opinion you take on an issue.
What is a counterargument?
A counterargument is an opposing viewpoint or opinion that disagrees with your claim.
What is a source?
A source is where you get your information, like a book, article, or website.
What is a topic sentence?
A topic sentence introduces the main idea of a paragraph.
True or false: A claim is a fact.
False. A claim is an opinion that you must support with reasoning and evidence.
Define “reasoning” in an argument.
Reasoning explains why your evidence supports your claim.
Why is it important to address counterarguments in your writing?
It shows you understand other views and makes your argument stronger and more balanced.
What’s the difference between a primary and a secondary source?
A primary source is original, like a diary or interview. A secondary source explains or analyzes primary sources, like a textbook or article.
What usually comes after the topic sentence in a body paragraph?
Evidence or an example that supports the topic sentence.
Name three parts of a strong claim.
A clear topic, a stance (your position), and a reason or preview of support.
Give two reasons to support the idea that students should wear school uniforms.
It reduces peer pressure about clothing. 2. It helps students focus more on learning.
Give a counterargument to “school lunches should be free.”
Some people say free lunches would cost too much money for schools or taxpayers.
Give one example of a primary source and one of a secondary source.
Primary: A speech. Secondary: A news article analyzing the speech.
Name all the parts of a strong body paragraph.
Topic sentence, evidence, explanation/reasoning, and a concluding sentence.
For a claim to be strong, it has to be
Clear
How do you connect your stance to your evidence in a paragraph?
You explain how the evidence proves your claim or supports your reasoning.
What is a rebuttal?
A rebuttal is your response to the counterargument that defends your original claim.
What makes a piece of evidence credible?
It comes from a reliable, trustworthy, and up-to-date source.
Why is a concluding sentence important in a paragraph?
It wraps up the idea and reinforces the point you made in the paragraph.
How is a claim different from a topic?
A topic is the subject being discussed; a claim is your opinion or position on that topic.
What’s the difference between a reason and evidence?
A reason is why you believe something; evidence is the proof or facts that support your reason.
Write a counterclaim and a rebuttal about banning cell phones in school.
Counterclaim: Some say banning phones limits student freedom.
Rebuttal: However, phones can distract from learning and cause classroom disruptions.
Why is it important to use more than one source in your argument?
Using multiple sources gives a stronger, more balanced argument and shows that your ideas are well-researched.
Rewrite this paragraph with better structure:
“School uniforms are good. Everyone wearing the same thing looks nice. Also it stops bullying. It’s better.”
Topic sentence: School uniforms are helpful for students.
Evidence: They create a neat, unified look and reduce bullying based on clothing.
Reasoning: When everyone wears the same thing, it’s harder to judge others by appearance.
Conclusion: For these reasons, uniforms help create a better school environment.