Parts of Argument
A controversial question
What is the topic?
Quantifiable data
What is a statistic?
When the evidence is connected to the topic
What is relevant?
99% of respondents agree that school is awesome.
What is a statistic?
Answer to the topic
What is the position?
Something someone says
What is a quote?
When you can trust the evidence
What is reliable?
Many students attend class and work a part-time job. One such person is Dana Millibanks, a high school senior who works after school at a gas station.
What is an example?
A reason for the position
What is the claim/reason?
True, short story
What is a story/anecdote?
When you think about which side the evidence goes with
Suppose you work and go to school. That might mean that you wake up a 6 am, travel to school, attend classes for up to 8 hours, before traveling to your job where you might work up to 4 hours in the afternoon/evening.
What is a scenario?
Factual information supporting your argument
What is evidence?
A thing from a group that explains something about the group
What is an example?
"I'm exhausted," Millibanks said. "But I'm saving enough to help me pay for some college expenses."
What is a quote?
Explanation of how the evidence supports the argument
What is the reasoning?
A hypothetical
What is a scenario?
Millibanks first started working at 13. She would babysit for neighbors on certain weekends. She wanted something more regular, so she looked for hourly work in her neighborhood. She now works at a gas station, where she works 20 hours per week.
What is a story?