Argumentative Techniques
Many students graduate from high school without a strong understanding of how to manage their finances. Schools can help prepare students for adulthood by teaching practical skills such as budgeting, saving, and managing credit. Do we really want students graduating without knowing how to create a budget or manage their money?
What argumentative technique is being used in the final sentence?
Rhetorical Question
Identify the verb. What verb tense is used in this sentence?
The students completed their homework before class.
Past tense
Read the paragraph from a student’s draft text.
Our class created a community garden behind the school. Students planted vegetables, flowers, and herbs throughout the garden. ________ is a project that everyone in the class can be proud of.
Which demonstrative pronoun should be added to the blank line to correctly complete the paragraph? And what does the pronoun refer to?
Those, That, These, or This
This
This appeal relies on emotion and audience feelings.
Emotional Appeal or Pathos
During our museum tour, the guide pointed across the large gallery to several paintings hanging on the far wall. The paintings were created more than two hundred years ago. ________ are some of the museum's oldest works of art.
Which demonstrative pronoun should be added to the blank line to correctly complete the paragraph?
This, Those, These, or That
Those
What argumentative technique states the writer’s main position on an issue and can be supported with evidence and reasoning?
Which verb correctly completes the sentence?
Every morning, Marcus _____ his dog before school.
walks — present tense
The Fair Labor Standards Act established a federal minimum wage and required many workers to receive additional pay when working more than 40 hours per week.
Which statement BEST describes how this information helps the reader understand a text about the Fair Labor Standards Act?
A. It explains why most employees are not allowed to work more than 40 hours per week.
B. It shows how the law created protections related to workers' pay and hours.
C. It suggests that employers must pay all workers the same amount of money.
D. It shows that the law was created mainly to reduce the number of available jobs.
B. It shows how the law created protections related to workers' pay and hours.
This appeal relies on logic, evidence, and reasoning.
Logos or Logical Appeal
Define Diction.
The author's word choice or use of words & phrases.
A writer argues that students should get more physical activity during the school day. To support the claim, the writer includes statistics from a government study showing how many teenagers do not get the recommended amount of daily exercise.
Which argumentative technique is the writer using to support the claim?
What is evidence or credible evidence
This sentence contains an incorrect shift in verb tense:
Yesterday, Maya went to the store and buys a new backpack.
What word should be changed, and what should it be changed to?
Change buys to bought.
Many stories follow a similar event pattern: a character is expected to follow society’s rules, chooses to challenge those expectations, and takes a risk to pursue a different path.
How does the clip from Mulan draw on this event pattern?
It includes a character (Mulan) who challenges societal and family expectations by taking her father’s place in the army.
This appeal relies on credibility or trustworthiness.
Ethos or Ethical Appeal
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires many public places to provide equal access to people with disabilities, including reasonable changes to facilities and services.
Which statement BEST describes how this info helps the reader understand the Americans with Disabilities Act?
A. It explains how the law helps remove barriers for people with disabilities.
B. It suggests that all public buildings must be completely rebuilt.
C. It explains why people with disabilities receive different services from everyone else.
D. It shows that the law applies only to people who work for the government.
A. It explains how the law helps remove barriers for people with disabilities.
A writer begins their writing with a brief story or example of an event from their life.
What is Anecdote?
Read the student’s draft.
¹Last Saturday, our school hosted its annual fall festival. ²Students set up booths with games, food, and crafts. ³Several teachers volunteer to supervise the activities. ⁴By the end of the evening, the festival raised more than $2,000.
The text should maintain a consistent verb tense. Which sentence should be revised, and what change should be made?
Sentence 3 — Change “volunteer” to “volunteered.”
Marcus researched several ways teenagers can save money. He suggested creating a budget, limiting unnecessary purchases, and saving part of every paycheck. ________ are useful strategies for students who want to manage their money responsibly.
Which demonstrative pronoun should be added to the blank line to correctly complete the paragraph? And what does the pronoun refer to?
This, That, These, or Those
These
In her 1851 women’s rights speech, Sojourner Truth challenges beliefs about women’s strength and equality.
“I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me!”
Truth primarily uses what appeal?
To do what?
- establish credibility through her own experiences with hard labor
- provide factual data about women working on farms
-make the audience feel sympathy for farmers.
Ethos → establish credibility through her own experiences with hard labor
Many hero stories follow a similar event pattern: a character doubts their abilities, faces challenges, and eventually chooses to accept a difficult responsibility.
How does the clip draw on this event pattern?
Miles overcomes his doubts about whether he can be Spider-Man and takes a “leap of faith.” By choosing to use his abilities to help others, he accepts his responsibility as a hero.
Overcomes self-doubt + accepts responsibility
If our community continues losing 200 acres of farmland each year, projections indicate that local food production will decline by nearly 30% within the next decade.
Which APPEAL is being used AND what specific type/example of the appeal?
Logos (Statistics and Prediction)
Read the student’s draft.
¹During spring break, my family traveled to Washington, D.C. ²We visited several monuments and museums. ³My younger brother takes dozens of pictures throughout the trip. ⁴At the end of the trip, we agreed that we had learned a lot.
The text should maintain a consistent verb tense. Which sentence should be revised, and what change should be made?
Sentence 3 — Change “takes” to “took.”
Stephen Curry driving a sports car and speaking about breaking records and swiftness
What is celebrity endorsements or Ethos
During the Tokyo Olympics, gymnast Simone Biles publicly discussed prioritizing her well-being while facing the intense pressure of competing at the highest level.
“We also have to focus on ourselves, because at the end of the day, we’re human, too.”
Biles primarily uses what appeal? How does that appeal help the speaker/writer achieve the purpose?
Pathos → remind the audience that athletes experience human struggles and deserve understanding
Many stories use recognizable character archetypes. Two common archetypes are:
The Reluctant Hero — a character who initially avoids a responsibility but eventually chooses to face it.
The Exile — a character who is forced from home or society and must create a new life elsewhere.
In this scene, which one best represents Simba. Explain your choice using Simba’s actions and at least ONE specific detail from the clip.
Although Simba has lived away from Pride Rock, this specific scene focuses on his decision to stop avoiding his responsibility. After encountering Mufasa, he chooses to return home and confront what he has been running from.
Because I have spent three decades studying climate patterns, I trust the overwhelming consensus of researchers who conclude that temperatures are rising due to human activity.
Which appeal is mostly relied on? Why?
Ethos
Read the student’s draft.
¹Last month, the environmental club began a recycling campaign. ²Members placed recycling bins throughout the school. ³They also visit classrooms to explain the importance of recycling. ⁴Within three weeks, students collected more than 500 bottles and cans.
The text should maintain a consistent verb tense. Which sentence should be revised, and what change should be made?
Sentence 3 — Change “visit” to “visited.”
In her 2013 United Nations speech about education, Malala Yousafzai mentions leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Nelson Mandela, and Mahatma Gandhi.
How does Malala’s reference to these well-known leaders impact her target audience?
A. It suggests that only famous leaders have the influence to create meaningful change.
B. It shows that Malala is knowledgeable about historical figures.
C. It connects her fight for education to other well-known fights for equality and justice.
D. It encourages the audience to learn more about these historical leaders.
C. It connects her fight for education to other well-known fights for equality and justice.
In “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King Jr. responds to clergymen who criticized the civil rights demonstrations taking place in Birmingham.
“There have been more unsolved bombings of Negro homes and churches in Birmingham than in any other city in this nation.”
King primarily uses what appeal? How does that appeal help the speaker/writer achieve the purpose?
Logos → provide factual evidence showing why action in Birmingham was necessary
Two common character archetypes are:
The Rebel — a character who challenges established rules, traditions, or authority.
The Caregiver — a character motivated by protecting or supporting other people, sometimes at a personal cost.
In this scene, which archetype best represents Mirabel? Explain your choice using Mirabel’s actions and at least ONE specific detail from the clip.
The Rebel - Mirabel directly challenges Abuela's beliefs about what makes the family valuable. Instead of accepting Abuela's authority, she argues that the pressure to be perfect is hurting the family.
The Caregiver - Mirabel confronts Abuela because she wants to protect her sisters and the rest of her family.
Some teachers argue that daily homework gives students necessary practice outside of class. However, when students are assigned hours of repetitive work, the extra practice can become less effective because exhaustion makes it harder to learn.
What argumentative technique is demonstrated most clearly by the italicized sentence?
Rebuttal
¹School uniforms can make getting ready for school easier. ²Some students argue that uniforms prevent them from expressing their personalities. ³School uniforms are cheaper than designer clothes. ⁴However, students can still express themselves through accessories, hairstyles, clubs, and activities.
Which sentence should be removed or relocated to improve the writer’s line of reasoning? Explain why.
Sentence 3.
Why? Sentence 2 introduces an opposing claim, and sentence 4 rebuts that claim. Sentence 3 interrupts the logical connection between the counterclaim and rebuttal.
In his 2005 Stanford graduation speech, Steve Jobs tells students about being fired from Apple and having to start over.
How does Jobs’s personal story about failure impact his target audience?
A. It shows graduates that setbacks can lead to new opportunities.
B. It warns graduates to choose safe careers so they can avoid failure.
C. It shows graduates that Jobs has faced challenges in his own life.
D. It suggests that failing is more important than succeeding
A. It shows graduates that setbacks can lead to new opportunities.
In a speech to the United Nations, Malala Yousafzai advocates for children around the world who have been denied access to education.
“I speak not for myself, but so those without voice can be heard.”
What appeal is mainly being used? How does that appeal help the speaker/writer achieve the purpose?
Ethos → establish herself as a trustworthy advocate for others
A student is creating a multimedia presentation to teach middle school students how to recognize and respond to cyberbullying. The presentation should explain what cyberbullying looks like and give students practical steps they can take.
Name TWO different modes that would BEST accomplish this purpose. Explain how the special feature of each mode would help the target audience.
Short video/skit — This could show a realistic cyberbullying situation so students can recognize what it might look like online.
Step-by-step guide — This could give students clear instructions for what to do if they experience or witness cyberbullying.