2.2: The Architecture of an Argument
Read this article about how to craft an argument.
Read this article. Stephen Toulmin designed his argument strategies to closely mimic the way that people are more apt to be persuaded. As long as you understand the various parts of an argument, you can arrange them in various ways to suit your needs.
2.2.1: Claim/Thesis - What Do You Think?
Read this article and complete the exercises to learn about crafting a guiding idea or a thesis statement, depending on the genre of writing. Every essay needs a main point regardless of the genre. How are the guiding idea and the thesis statement different?
- Write an introductory paragraph in which you develop a claim that will later be the basis for your second essay, the topic of which is "Are reality television shows more 'show' or more 'reality'?"
Remember to include a strong, complex thesis statement, which is a one-sentence claim or argument of the position you will take in your essay. Try to go beyond simply announcing your topic and listing the discussion points you plan to make in the body of your paper; keep in mind that you will work to prove your thesis in the body of your essay.
Note: If you completed this activity prior to February 27, 2017, you can find your response here. However, the previous version of this activity did have a mistake in its instructions and writing prompt, so it is strongly encouraged that you complete this updated activity.