Parts of An Argument
Definitions
Rhetorical Appeals
Character Motivation
Other Topics
100

What the author is arguing/trying to prove. 

What is a claim?

100
How the author feels towards a subject.

What is tone? 

100

Is a question that isn't really seeking an answer. It is used to get the reader thinking about the author's argument.

What is a rhetorical question?

100

It is why the character does something.

What is motivation?

100

It is how the narrator sees things. It can be told in first person, second person, or third person.

What is perspective? 

200

Is WHY the writer thinks what they think 

What is reasoning?

200

Something you can touch or measure. 

What is tangible?

200

It is when an author makes you think about their argument so it makes sense. It is a way for you to see how they are thinking, and trying to get you to agree. 

What is logos? 

200

What was Annie's dad's motivation for getting rid of the statue?

Think back to "The Book of the Dead." 

Annie's father dumped the statue into the lake because he didn't deserve it because he was a prison guard that tortured people.

200

It is how the reader feels from what the narrator/author shares.

What is mood? 

300

Supports the author's reasoning in a piece of writing.

What is evidence?
300

Something that has deep emotional meaning, or is specifically important to someone. It can be an object, location, or memory. 

What is sentimental?

300

It appeals to the emotions of the reader. 

What is pathos? 

300

What is Ralph's motivation for keeping the fire lit?

Ralph's motivation for the fire was to build enough smoke in order for any ships or planes nearby to see it and get rescued. 

300
What we know from our experiences + What we know from the text. 

What is an inference?

400

Addresses the opposite argument and explains why they are wrong.

What is an opposing claim?

400

The moral lesson or central idea of a story.

What is theme?

400

True or False: Can figurative language (simile, metaphors, personification, etc.) be used to appeal to the reader? 

True

400

What is Jack's motivation for not agreeing with Ralph's rescue plan?

Think back to "Lord of the Flies."

Jack wanted to stay on the island and be wild because he wanted to hunt. He also wanted to prove he was a better leader than Ralph.

400

The emotional meaning/impact behind a word in a sentence.

What is connotation? 

500

Summarizes all reasoning and evidence and points made in a piece of writing.

What is a conclusion?

500

The craft of using language (words, phrases, figurative language, etc.) in order to get the desired outcome in a scenario.

What is rhetoric?

500

It is what gives the author credibility in an argument.

Think: "Why should I trust them? What credentials do they have?"

What is ethos?

500

Three things we can ask to figure out a character's motivation. Hint: "What does the character ___, ____, and ___?"

What does the character want, believe, and/or fear? 

500
True or False: You must make inferences to figure out a theme. 

True

M
e
n
u