Parts of an argument

Claims

• States your position on the issues you have chosen to write about

• A good claim is not obvious, is engaging, is specific

• A good claim is logical, come from considering the evidence, and is debatable

Ways to develop an argument with claims

• analysis: comparing

• cause and effect

• classification: put into categories

• comparison and contrast

• narration: storytelling

Data/evidence

• the evidence that you cite to support your claim

Types of evidence

Facts: facts are truth claims subject to verification or falsification. Facts usually obtain their status only after repeated verification

Examples: Examples are used to support generalizations. They give specific instances to illustrate the material

Authorities: Authorities are experts in various fields. their work or statements are used as evidence to support claims.

Statistics: numerical data in the form of tables, graphs or charts.

Public records

Interviews: Personal interviews with people who have relevant experience

Personal experience

Using evidence

• summarize: distill or boil down the original to its facts and essential ideas

• paraphrase: restate an author’s idea but in your own words

• direct quotation

Warrant

• explains why/how the data proves the claim

• the connection between a claim and the evidence

• a good warrant will be a reasonable interpretation of facts

• will not make illogical interpretive leaps

• transition sentence between claims

• will not assume more than the evidence supports

• may consider and respond to possible counterarguments

• in this case, so, for example