Thesis Statements
Identify the thesis in this paragraph:
Many schools are debating whether students should be required to complete community service in order to graduate. Supporters argue that it builds responsibility and strengthens communities. High schools should require community service for graduation because it encourages civic engagement and teaches real-world responsibility.
High schools should require community service for graduation because it encourages civic engagement and teaches real-world responsibility.
What rhetorical appeal appeals to logic?
Logos
What type of evidence is this?
"80% of people love having Ms. Ballweg as a teacher!"
Statistic/Data
What is the difference between a concession and a rebuttal?
A concession is to show valid points of the opposing side, and a rebuttal is to disprove the concession and further prove the argument.
Someone is arguing about social media and they state, “Either we ban all social media for teenagers, or their mental health will continue to decline.”
This is an example of what logical fallacy?
Either/Or
Is this a defensible thesis? Why or why not?
“School uniforms are bad.”
It is not because it is too vague and doesn't argue any specific reasons.
Which of the rhetorical appeals has to do with appealing to emotion?
Pathos
If I tell you a story about a personal experience and how it relates to my topic, what type of evidence is that?
Anecdote
Which part of this paragraph serves as the rebuttal?
“While many believe standardized testing is necessary to measure learning, it often narrows the curriculum and increases stress without improving student understanding.”
"...it often narrows the curriculum and increases stress without improving student understanding.”
Imagine; students are arguing about school lunches and one of the students says, "Well you're a big-back, you'd like any school lunch."
This is an example of what logical fallacy?
Ad hominem
What is missing from this thesis? What would make it better?
“Social media affects teenagers.”
It needs to make a clearer stance, and it should argue specifics as to why the writer believes that stance. Overall way too vague.
Which appeal is being used the most in the following example?
“If we truly care about our children’s futures, we cannot ignore the overwhelming scientific evidence about climate change.”
Pathos
What types of evidence do you need to rely on for the ACT?
Personal experiences (anecdotes) and general knowledge (real-world examples)
If I gave you the thesis:
Although standardized testing was intended to measure achievement, its overuse increases student stress and narrows curriculum in ways that ultimately weaken public education.
What points could you make in your concession?
That it is not overused and that it helps the curriculum by giving the teachers more information and data to base instruction off of. (That standardized tests strengthen education in some way)
Someone says, “Everyone is buying the new phone, so it must be the best one.”
This is an example of what logical fallacy?
Bandwagon
Write a thesis about phones in schools.
Answers Vary
Is this appeal effective for the intended audience? Why or why not?
An author uses emotional language like “devastating,” “catastrophic,” and “heartbreaking” in an argument to a scientific board.
It is not, because scientists would be more likely to respond to ethos or logos, as they are typically less emotional and more rational
Which piece of evidence is better for supporting the thesis: High schools should implement later start times because sleep deprivation negatively affects students’ academic performance and mental health.
Option A: A 2022 survey found that 68% of high school students report feeling tired during at least three school days per week.
Option B: A study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that schools that shifted start times later saw measurable improvements in students’ grades, attendance rates, and reported symptoms of depression.
Option B is stronger because:
It directly connects to both parts of the thesis (academic performance + mental health).
It shows measurable outcomes, not just self-reported tiredness.
It demonstrates causation (later start → improvement), not just correlation.
Come up with a rebuttal for the following concession:
“Some people argue that homework is necessary because it reinforces what students learn in class.”
“While homework can reinforce learning, excessive assignments can cause stress and burnout, leaving students too exhausted to retain information effectively or engage meaningfully in class.”
Identify the fallacy and explain WHY it is a fallacy: “Either we ban all junk food in schools, or students will never learn to make healthy choices.”
Either/Or, and it is only presenting two options when more exist
Which thesis is better and WHY?
A. Schools should start later because early start times negatively affect students’ sleep and academic performance.
B. Schools should start later because early schedules disrupt adolescent sleep cycles and undermine both academic performance and long-term mental health.
B is better because it's more specific and the stakes are higher making it more persuasive.
List at least three reasons as to why an author would choose one appeal over another in their argument.
Audience expectations
Credibility
Context
Persuasion strategy
Which evidence best support the thesis: Social media companies should face stricter regulations because their platforms contribute to declining teen mental health.
Option A: A national survey reports that 72% of teenagers say they use social media every day.
Option B: A longitudinal study tracking 5,000 adolescents over five years found that increased daily social media use was associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression symptoms.
Option B
Relevance
Specificity
Research credibility
Connection to the claim’s reasoning
Come up with a concession for the following rebuttal: “While some argue that longer school days help students learn more, research shows that extending hours leads to fatigue, lower focus, and diminished retention, making extra class time ineffective.”
“Some people believe that longer school days are necessary because more instructional time allows students to learn more.”
Identify the fallacy and explain WHY it is a fallacy: “If we let students skip PE class, next they’ll want to skip all academic classes too.”
Slippery Slope
Why: This argument assumes that one small action (skipping PE) will inevitably lead to extreme consequences (skipping all classes) without evidence that this chain will actually happen.