Lesson 3: developing a strong argument
Continuing our study of academic argument:
In this lesson, we will begin to be taught how WE, as individuals, can create an academic argument.
The content contained in this lesson are not only important to learn as a school lesson, but knowing how to formulate an academic argument is something that can be empowering to you as an individual.
At this time, we will practice using school "stuff" but remember, anytime in life that you need to try to convince someone or a group of people of something, you will always have an advantage if you employ what will learn here and in the rest of the unit.
Is it easy? No.
Is it possible? Absolutely.
You are beginning to learn to be powerful.
Here we go...now pay close attention.
In this lesson, we will begin to be taught how WE, as individuals, can create an academic argument.
The content contained in this lesson are not only important to learn as a school lesson, but knowing how to formulate an academic argument is something that can be empowering to you as an individual.
At this time, we will practice using school "stuff" but remember, anytime in life that you need to try to convince someone or a group of people of something, you will always have an advantage if you employ what will learn here and in the rest of the unit.
Is it easy? No.
Is it possible? Absolutely.
You are beginning to learn to be powerful.
Here we go...now pay close attention.
Claim/counterclaim
STEPS TO DEVELOPING AN ARGUMENT:
1) What is your point? The fancy word for that (your point) is claim.
a) counterclaim: what do people who disagree with you say?
To be the best arguer you can be, you'll ALWAYS want to say what you are going to prove, and RIGHT AWAY let your audience know what the people who disagree with you say.
Review the drop downs on slide 2 for examples of claims and counterclaims.
Slide 3 offers an opportunity to listen to John F. Kennedy (president of the U.S. in the 1960's--ancient history, right?) give a speech about America's goal to travel to the moon (that hadn't happened yet). At this time in history, America was involved in a 'space race' with Russia--the two countries were in fierce competition to see who would land on the moon first.
The interactive on slide 3 is pretty good at showing you how to develop your own claim, which you'll be asked to do on the quiz at the end of this lesson.
Slide 4 offers an opportunity to listen to the same speech, except this time, we are to pay attention to Kennedy's counterclaim.
Slide 5 has an interactive demonstrating how to write a counterclaim. Spend some time here...writing a counterclaim is also on the quiz.
1) What is your point? The fancy word for that (your point) is claim.
a) counterclaim: what do people who disagree with you say?
To be the best arguer you can be, you'll ALWAYS want to say what you are going to prove, and RIGHT AWAY let your audience know what the people who disagree with you say.
Review the drop downs on slide 2 for examples of claims and counterclaims.
Slide 3 offers an opportunity to listen to John F. Kennedy (president of the U.S. in the 1960's--ancient history, right?) give a speech about America's goal to travel to the moon (that hadn't happened yet). At this time in history, America was involved in a 'space race' with Russia--the two countries were in fierce competition to see who would land on the moon first.
The interactive on slide 3 is pretty good at showing you how to develop your own claim, which you'll be asked to do on the quiz at the end of this lesson.
Slide 4 offers an opportunity to listen to the same speech, except this time, we are to pay attention to Kennedy's counterclaim.
Slide 5 has an interactive demonstrating how to write a counterclaim. Spend some time here...writing a counterclaim is also on the quiz.
Supporting your claim
So, now that you have a claim and have addressed the counterclaim, here comes the 'hard' part: presenting facts and using persuasive techniques to prove that your claim is valid (doesn't necessarily have to be 'right.')
When you support your claim, you try to convince your audience that what you think is true, and what the opposition thinks is not.
Basically, your job is to 'prove it.'
IDENTIFYING FACTS
In an academic argument you can't just say something is true because 'I say so.'
You have to put more into it than that, or else your argument will fall on deaf ears.
In an academic argument, facts are to be used as much as possible. Real facts, not things that just look like facts. Part of your skills as an arguer will be to determine when a fact is real or just looks real.
Have fun with the interactive on slide 6 and try to decide if what you are reading is true or not!
Continue to slide 7. The interactive there attempts to show that a 'good' source of facts gives specific and detailed information. CAUTION!! THIS IS NOT THE ONLY WAY TO IDENTIFY UNBIASED FACTS!!
Evaluating (judging) information is a BIG skill that takes practice, time and experience to get good at. Remember: just because information comes from a screen doesn't mean it is true. You'll need to learn how to evaluate (judge) what is fact and what is crap. And trust me, there's a lot more of the second thing out there than the first.
Please view this 2:27 video instructing you how to give a source the CRAAP test:
And, just for fun, listen to this song about the CRAAP test:
The important thing for us to understand is that not everything presented to you is true, accurate or in your best interest.
Don't support your claim with facts from sources that don't pass the CRAAP test.
An academic argument demands reliable support.
refute the counterclaim
Support (tell why) your claim is valid (true) and VERY SOON afterward, refute the counterclaim.
When you refute, you deny the importance of OR prove something wrong.
A strong arguer will always spend time refuting (proving wrong) the counterclaim.
Slide 8 describes how Kennedy refutes the counterclaim in his speech, "We Choose to Go to the Moon."
When you refute, you deny the importance of OR prove something wrong.
A strong arguer will always spend time refuting (proving wrong) the counterclaim.
Slide 8 describes how Kennedy refutes the counterclaim in his speech, "We Choose to Go to the Moon."
assessment: quiz
There is a 5 question quiz for this lesson.
Please be sure you are comfortable with the purpose of a claim and counterclaim, and how to write an example.
See, that wasn't so hard...
Please be sure you are comfortable with the purpose of a claim and counterclaim, and how to write an example.
See, that wasn't so hard...