tab labels 1.structure of argument 2.claim 3.grounds 4.grounds -- introducing evidence 5.grounds –...

Tab Labels

1. Structure of Argument

2. Claim

3. Grounds

4. Grounds -- Introducing Evidence

5. Grounds – Parenthetical References

6. Warrant

7. Warrant -- “What this shows…”

8. Warrant -- Not Stated, But Implied

9. Warrant – Restatement

10.Transitions

The Structure of Argument (adapted from Stephen Toulmin’s

The Uses of Argument)

The simplest form for a complete argument consists of:

•Claim

•Grounds

•Warrant

(No, not that kind of argument…)Sriracha says:Tab 1,

gangsta.



Claim

Evidence1

How evidence1 proves the claim is correct

Transition to (“This is like” / “By Contrast”)

Evidence2

How evidence2 proves the claim is correct

Sum up argument in some way

StillTab 1.

Ya heard?

Claim

A claim is a statement that you are asking the other person to accept. This is the information you are asking an audience to accept as true.

These are the thesis statements of multi-part arguments and the topic sentences of individual arguments.

'Sup. Tab 2.

Example claim statements:

Claim

Thesis Statement: “The Three Bears” is the greatest piece of literature

ever written.

Topic Sentence: The story teaches a good lesson.Topic Sentence: The story is action packed.Topic Sentence: Anything to do with bears is awesome.

’S’up.



Problem: Making irrelevant claims

Prompt: How does allowing the reader to understand the Three Bears’ point of view shift the sympathy away from Goldilocks?

First Body Paragraph: “Goldilocks is a badlittle girl. For example, she “lifted the latch” (1)when she saw that nobody was at home ...”

Huh? What does this have to do with point of view?



Problem: Argument without a claim




Thesis: The Three Bears are more sympathetic than Goldilocks.

First Body Paragraph: “For example, ‘The bottom of the chair came out’ after Goldilocks sat down in it.”

Huh? What is the argument here?




Thesis: The Three Bears are more sympathetic than Goldilocks.

First Body Paragraph: “By describing the damage that Goldilocks does, the reader understands the negative consequences of her actions. For example, ‘The bottom of the chair came out’ after Goldilocks sat down in it.”

The argument is now clear, and the reader knows what to expect.




Plot summaries do not make an argument at all. Adding a claim usually alerts students that they are writing one.

The grounds are made up of data and facts. It is the “truth” on which the claim is based. Grounds may also include the basic premises on which the rest of the argument is built.

This is the textual evidence and textual paraphrase used to support claims.

Grounds

Believe me, this is Tab 3,

playa.Sriracha don’t

lie.

Example grounds statements:

Grounds

Thesis Statement: “The Three Bears” is the greatest piece of literature ever written.

Topic Sentence: The story teaches a good lesson.Grounds: Goldilocks is “an impudent, bad little Girl, [who] set about helping herself.”Topic Sentence: The story is action packed.Grounds: “Somebody has been at my porridge!” Topic Sentence: Anything to do with bears is awesome.Grounds: “They were good Bears-- a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very good-natured and hospitable.”

How you gonna steal a grown

bear’s porridge and then try to act like it

ain’t no thing?



Problem: Argument without grounds

No Evidence = Failing



Problem: Argument with poorly contextualized grounds

“Somebody has been at my porridge!” Huh? Who said this and why?



Problem: Argument with poorly contextualized grounds

“The Three Bears’ is an action-packed extravaganza. For example, after noticing the spoon in his food, the Huge Bear says, ‘Somebody has been at my porridge’ (2)!”

Context establishes the relevance of the evidence.

Grounds – Introducing Evidence

Transition Statements

•For example/instance

•As an example/illustration/demonstration

•To illustrate/demonstrate/explain

•One example/instance

•Another way

•More specifically

Don’t hate: appreciate.

Tab 4.And, wait,

there’s more …

Grounds – Introducing Evidence

Language Templates

•[X] states/explains/says, “______.”

•As [X] puts it/states/explains/says, “______.”

•[The author] writes/says/explains, “______.”

•When [something happens], [a character] states/explains/says, “______.”

•In [X]’s view, “______.”

Sriracha don’t lie.

Grounds – Parenthetical References

“__________” (author last name page number) .

end punctuation: period, comma, quotation mark, etc.

If you are using just one source, you do not need this (as long as it is clear who said it).

If you establish the author in the introduction to the quote (even with multiple sources), you also do not need this.

Tab 5. Ya feel

me, dawg?

A warrant links data and other grounds to a claim, legitimizing the claim by showing the grounds to be relevant. It answers the question, “Why does those data mean your claim is true?”

This is usually where the argument breaks down in high school writing.

Warrant

Purple monkey

dishwasher: Tab 6.

Example warrant:

Warrant

Word.

Topic Sentence: Anything to do with bears is awesome.Grounds: “They were good Bears-- a little rough or so, as the manner of Bears is, but for all that very good- natured and hospitable.”Warrant: What this shows is just how cool bears really are. Even though they have their own place in the woods, the Bears are not standoffish or caught up in their own success. Instead, they are always willing to share a bowl of porridge or invite a friend over to sample the hospitality of their comfortable chairs.



Problem: Argument without warrant

“By describing the damage that Goldilocks does, the reader understands the negative consequences of her actions. For example, ‘The bottom of the chair came out’ after Goldilocks sat down in it. Similarly, when…”

Huh? What’s the point of this evidence?




“By describing the damage that Goldilocks does, the reader understands the negative consequences of her actions. For example, ‘The bottom of the chair came out’ after Goldilocks sat down in it. The image of the broken chair, then, allows the reader to empathize with the Bears who, through no fault of their, have been forced to endure property damage stemming from the actions of a very selfish little girl. Not only is the chair ruined, but Goldilocks shows no remorse, angering the reader at her apparent disregard for the feelings of the Bears. Similarly, when she…”

You have to explain.



Problem: Argument without warrant(not developing explanation)




“Contrary to expectation, it is the Bears who gain the reader’s sympathy, not the adorable little girl. For example, Goldilocks ‘looked in at the window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch’ (1). This shows she is unsympathetic. By contrast...”

Over-simplifying is a hallmark of immature writing.



Problem: Argument without warrant “Contrary to expectation, it is the Bears who gain the reader’s sympathy, not the adorable little girl. For example, Goldilocks ‘looked in at the window, and then she peeped in at the keyhole; and seeing nobody in the house, she lifted the latch’ (1). Rather than knock at the door or wait until someone comes home, Goldilocks helps herself to whatever she wants, a pattern that begins here. The reader is shocked by her brazen behavior, as it violates all expectations of common courtesy and respect, and this begins a shift of sympathy away from her, despite Goldilocks being the only human character in the story. By contrast...”

Focus on what the text actually establishes and explain your reasoning completely (do not skip steps).

Warrant – “What this shows…”

•[X] matters/is important because ______.

•Although [X] may seem unimportant/trivial, it is in fact crucial because it reveals/shows ______.

•[X] has important consequences for [Y] because ______.

•The significance of [X] is ______.

•[The author] states/writes, “______,” establishing/demonstrating/illustrating/indicating/revealing/showing ______.

• When the author states, “______,” it establishes/demonstrates/illustrates/ indicates/reveals/shows ______.

Jikoshokai itadekimas.

Sriracha des. And this is

Tab 7.

Warrant -- Not Stated, but Implied

•Although [X] never says it directly/explicitly, it is clear/obvious that ______ because ______.

•One implication of ______ is ______.

•While [X] never admits as much, it is clear/obvious that ______ because ______.

•Although it might seem that ______ [is true], in fact _____

Fail, damn you, fail!

Tab 8

Warrant – Restatement

•In other words, ______

•What [X] really means by this is ______

•In short, ______

•To put it another way, ______

This suck yet?

Tab 9.

Transitions

Cause/Effect

•accordingly•as a result•consequently•hence•it follows, then

•since•so•then•therefore•thus

Leave room for Tab 10;

there’s a lot to write.

Transitions

Comparison

•along the same lines•in the same way•likewise•similarly•it follows, then

•although•but•by contrast•conversely•despite the fact that•even though•however

Transitions

•nevertheless•nonetheless•on the contrary•regardless•whereas•while

Contrast

Transitions

•also•and•besides•furthermore•in addition

•in fact•indeed•moreover•so too

Addition

•ultimately•hence•to conclude•thus•fundamentally•of course•in brief

Transitions

•in closing•therefore•as a consequence of•consequently•as a result•in sum

Conclusion

See? Told ya there was lots to write. I’m not a liar!

But I AM ON FIRE! Get it? Like that rhyme “Liar Liar”

and I’m hot sauce … You know what? Nevermind.

Back Side

Do Don’t

•Write in present tense

•Change tense of verbs in quotes so that they agree with introductions to quotes

Example: As Smith writes, “Time [passes] slowly.”

Original sentence: “Time passed slowly.”

•“I,” “we,” “us”

•“In my opinion” / “I think”

•“maybe” statements (Don’t be wishy-washy)

•“I don’t know” statements (Don’t draw attention to your deficiencies)

•contractions

•informal language

Catch ya on the flip side.

tab labels 1.structure of argument 2.claim 3.grounds 4.grounds -- introducing evidence 5.grounds –...

Documents

complete argument

stephen toulminsthe

claim thesis

claima claim

claim plot summaries

example grounds statements

body paragraph

thesis statements of