EXTEND: 
Argument Analysis Template

Ensure that students have an understanding of and can identify different parts of an argument, including but not limited to the author’s conclusion (also called a position or contention), reasons, and evidence. 

Select a reading that presents an argument or issue for students to assess and evaluate. 

Provide students with access to Student Resource: Argument Analysis Template. This template can also be reproduced in students’ notes or distributed to students electronically. 

Lead students through a demonstration of how to use the template and explain expectations for appropriate responses.

 READ AND MARK TEXT: Distribute the selected text to students and have them mark the text as they read with the purpose of determining the author’s conclusion. 

 USE TEMPLATE: Instruct students to write the name of the text and author in the appropriate box near the top of Student Resource: Argument Analysis Template and then record the author’s conclusion in the following box. 

COMPARE RESPONSES: Before moving to the reasons (i.e., support) for the author’s conclusion, have students compare their responses as to what they believe is the author’s overall point with their elbow partner. At this point, depending on the ability level of the class, the instructor could either do a class check to ensure everyone is on track or simply let students proceed to determine the reasons given. 

 FIND EVIDENCE: Direct students to locate the support for the author’s conclusion and list three reasons in the next section. 

REFLECT: Once reasons are listed, ask students to reflect on the quality of the reasons and whether or not the author provides evidence to support each reason. Students should record their responses in the appropriate boxes.

ASK QUESTIONS: At this point, the author’s argument has been identified (conclusion plus reasons), but in order to fully evaluate the argument students need to look at what is not said or purposely left out. A trick that students can use to determine omitted information is to put themselves in the role of someone who doesn’t agree with the author and ask “why…” or “what if...” in regard to the reasons and evidence. 

 EVALUATE: Next, ask students to evaluate the conclusion based on their assessment of the reasons, evidence, and omitted information. Remind students that an argument is only as strong as its support. 

CRITIQUE: Have students critique the argument by listing its strengths and flaws.

Students can work in pairs to analyze a selected article, with multiple articles being used throughout the classroom. Once the articles are analyzed, pairs can swap papers with another partner group and evaluate the quality of the reasons and evidence found in the other group’s analysis.

Students can complete Student Resource: Argument Analysis Template on an assigned article and then research the opposing side to the argument. 

After students complete Student Resource: Argument Analysis Template, have them reflect on whether or not they agree with the author’s position and do a quickwrite explaining their personal conclusion on the issue.