Please read each term and explanation. Then look back at Lidia George’s argumentative essay and find an example of each term to complete the chart.



Term and Explanation

Example from Lidia’s Essay

Audience



The audience for your argument is the

group of people that you want to convince.

As you develop your argument, consider

your audience’s knowledge level and

concerns.





Purpose



The purpose for writing an argument

is to sway the audience. Your purpose

should be clear, whether it is to persuade

your audience to agree with your claim or

to motivate your audience to take some

action.





Precise Claim



A precise claim confidently states your

viewpoint. Remember that you must use

reasons and evidence to support your

claim, and that you must distinguish your

claim from opposing claims.





Reason



A reason is a statement that supports your

claim. (You should have more than one

reason.) You will need to supply evidence

for each reason you state.





Opposing Claim



An opposing claim, or counterclaim,

shares the point of view of people who do

not agree with your claim. Opposing claims

must be presented fairly with evidence.