Feedback on Argumentative

Writing Skills10/27/2014

Mrs. Weber

English/AVID class

Reminders for Writing an Effective Claim

Restate question so the reader knows what you are answering.

How to use 1st person point of view (don’t hurt credibility)

Be specific – if I can ask any questions about what you mean, you’re being to vague (see my feedback)

Must be debatable

Restate QuestionPrompt: Discuss the role that education (or lack of) plays in the story of Henrietta Lacks and her immortal HeLa cells.

CORRECT WAY:

Education plays are role in the story of Henrietta Lacks because…

Henrietta’s family lacks an education and therefore…

In the story, education…

[All of these sentence starters are objective and directly address the prompt]

INCORRECT WAY:

I think that the family didn’t have an education so…

Henrietta’s family was scared of what was happening…

[Keep your opinion out of it and get straight to the point]

Reminders for Writing an Effective Claim

Restate question so the reader knows what you are answering.

How to use 1st person point of view (don’t hurt credibility).

Be specific – if I can ask any questions about what you mean, you’re being to vague (see my feedback)

Must be debatable

How to Use First Person Point of ViewWhat is first person point of view?

First Person Pronouns:  I, we, me, us, my, mine, our, and ours.

Examples (and Non-Examples)

I believe that the Lacks family is uneducated | You don’t “believe” this, it is a fact.

I believe that the Lacks didn’t get money because of their lack of education.

- This is a debatable opinion, so it works. However, don’t forget to back it with evidence and commentary explaining that evidence

Reminders for Writing an Effective Claim

Restate question so the reader knows what you are answering.

Avoid 1st person point of view (hurts credibility).

Be specific – if I can ask any questions about what you mean, you’re being to vague (see my feedback)

Must be debatable

Examples (and Non-Examples) of an Effective Claim

Prompt: Discuss the role that education (or lack of) plays in the story of Henrietta Lacks and her immortal HeLa cells.

Good claim or bad?

1. Education played a big role in the story.

2. I feel like education played a big role in the story because if the Lacks were more educated, their whole life would be different.

3. The lack of education in the Lacks family made it difficult for them to research and understand the use of their mother’s cells, which often lead to fear and anger.