Reading and Writing Arguments Biased opinions Evaluating support

Reading and Writing Arguments Biased opinions Evaluating support Writing credibility Addressing both sides of an argument

What is an argument? An argument is a persuasive text that presents reasons for accepting a belief or a position. An argument can also attempts to incite a specific action from the reader.

3 Parts of an Argument* 1. 2. 3. Issue- the problem or controversial topic Claim- the author’s point of view on the issue, for/against? Support- these are details the writer uses to persuade the reader to accept is/her claim. Ex. Reasons, evidence, statistics, etc.

Refutation*-The 4 th Part of an Argument Good arguments not only give reasons why the reader should accept the author’s point of view, but they also point out what the opposing view might be and why that view is irrelevant.

Biased Opinions A biased opinion is when an author’s point of view is influenced by some outlying factor.

Claim Support Opposing View Reason opposing view is irrelevant IC Pg. 452 Support

Types of Support Facts Statistics Quotations and Citations Examples Personal Experience Comparison and Analogies IC pg. 455

Evaluate the Support & the Author’s Credibility What kind of support did the author provide? Facts, examples, statistics, etc. What gives this author the right to write about this topic? Is the author an expert? If not does it matter? IC pg. 459

Writing an Argument Introduce the issue with an exciting statement or example. Give your topic sentence with your claim within. Give support for your claim. Present the opposing view. Refute the opposing view with more support.

Reading and Writing Arguments Review 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. What is an argument and how can you recognize an argument? What are the parts of a good argument? What is a biased opinion and how does this influence writing? Does it matter what kind of support is used, why/why not? How does the writer’s background impact the argument?