The KEYS to Finding Evidence for ARGUMENT Essays!

Summary

The video script offers valuable advice to AP students on how to effectively generate evidence for their argument prompts. It emphasizes that students, despite being teenagers, possess a wealth of unique experiences that can be applied to various prompts. The presenter introduces a method to help students select the best examples to support their reasoning, known as 'S Cubed'. This involves considering subjects learned in school, societal elements from mass media and other sources, and personal experiences or hypothetical scenarios, with a caution that the latter can weaken an argument if not concrete. The video also provides a shout out to Ms. Helton and her students, encouraging them to share their AP exam results. To further assist students in constructing their essays, the presenter outlines a process for organizing thoughts and planning body paragraphs before diving into writing detailed examples. The video concludes with a teaser for the next video, which will focus on crafting topic sentences.

Takeaways

• 📚 The AP link student often struggles with generating evidence for argument prompts due to a perceived lack of life experience.
• 💡 The prompts are designed to be accessible from diverse angles, and students have more unique experiences than they may realize.
• 🎯 Remember 'S Cubed' for selecting evidence: Subjects, Society, and Self.
• 🏫 Subjects: Draw from knowledge in school subjects like English, History, Math, Science, and Technology.
• 🌐 Society: Consider mass media, news, entertainment, sports, literature, art, or religion for examples.
• 📰 Use recent controversies or common media ratings as examples from society to support your argument.
• 🧐 Be cautious with the 'Self' category, as hypothetical examples can weaken an argument and are vulnerable to fallacies.
• 📝 Organize your thoughts and examples before writing to construct topic sentences and a strong line of reasoning.
• 🔑 The order of importance and validity of evidence is Subjects, Society, then Self.
• 📈 Practice is essential to refine the process of selecting evidence and generating topic sentences.
• 👍 Shout out to Ms. Helton and the Franklin Simpson High Wildcats for their dedication to AP exam preparation.
• 📈 Encourage students to share their AP exam results in the comments section after the exam.

Q & A

What is the main challenge AP students often face when generating evidence for an argument prompt?

The main challenge is that students, being teenagers, may not believe they have much life experience that can relate to the prompt, making it difficult to find evidence to support their arguments.

What is the purpose of argument prompts in AP exams?

Argument prompts are designed to be widely accessible from diverse angles, allowing students to draw from various sources of knowledge to construct their arguments.

What does the acronym 'S' in 'S cubed' stand for and how is it used in the context of selecting evidence for an essay?

The 'S' in 'S cubed' stands for 'Subjects', 'Society', and 'Self'. It is a method to help students mine their background knowledge to select the best proof to support their reasoning for an essay by considering experiences from school subjects, societal elements, and personal experiences.

What is the first step in picking an example to support an argument according to the script?

The first step is to figure out what personal experience will fit with what you're trying to prove by considering subjects studied in school.

How can students use societal elements to find examples for their argument?

Students can consider elements from mass media, news sources, entertainment, sports, literature, art, or religion to draw examples that can support their argument.

What is the importance of following the direction of the thesis when picking examples for an argument?

Following the direction of the thesis ensures that the examples selected align with the overall argument and help to construct a coherent and persuasive essay.

What is a potential issue with using hypothetical examples to support an argument?

Hypothetical examples can weaken an argument because they are not concrete and can be easily challenged by questioning their validity or possibility.

Why is it advised to use caution when relying on personal or hypothetical examples in an argument?

Relying heavily on personal or hypothetical examples can make an argument vulnerable to fallacies and weaken its overall strength, as these examples may not be as universally accepted or convincing as those drawn from established subjects or societal共识 (consensus).

What is the significance of generating topic sentences before writing the body paragraphs of an essay?

Generating topic sentences helps to organize thoughts, provides a clear direction for each paragraph, and ensures that the essay's arguments are structured logically and coherently.

What is the order of importance and validity of evidence suggested by the script when selecting examples for an argument?

The order of importance and validity of evidence suggested by the script is Subjects, Society, and then Self, with the strongest examples often coming from what is known in school subjects.

How can students practice using the 'S cubed' method and organizing their thoughts before an exam?

Students can practice by using blank organizers, which can be found in the description of the video, to plan out their essays, noting general examples and how they relate to their thesis.

What does the script suggest for students who feel they lack life experience relevant to the AP exam prompts?

The script suggests that all students have plenty of unique experiences that can fit into any prompt given, and it encourages them to draw from their knowledge in school subjects, societal elements, and personal experiences to find relevant evidence.