What is a counterargument
Summary
TLDRIn this informative video, Coach Hall addresses a common question about the AP Language exam: the necessity of including a counterargument in synthesis or argument essays. He clarifies that while it's not a requirement per the exam's current rubric, effectively addressing a counterargument can enhance the nuance and sophistication of an essay. Coach Hall advises that teachers may still instruct students to include counterarguments to develop their argumentation skills, which are valuable beyond the exam. He discusses where in an essay a counterargument might be placed for maximum effect and explains two methods for addressing it: counter claim and rebuttal, and concession and reputation. The video provides sentence frames to help students construct these elements in their writing. Coach Hall concludes with an example of a concession and reputation, emphasizing the importance of considering the counterargument even if it's not mandatory on the AP Lang exam.
Takeaways
- 📚 A counterargument is the opposing side of your argument, representing the extent of the argument's spectrum.
- ❌ Addressing a counterargument is not required by the AP Lang exam rubric but can enhance the sophistication of your argument.
- 💡 Including a counterargument can improve your essay by showing you've considered other perspectives and can strengthen your own argument.
- 👍 Some teachers may require a counterclaim and rebuttal or concession and refutation in essays to develop argument skills beneficial for college and beyond.
- 📈 Placing the counterargument in your essay is flexible; it can be in the first body paragraph, last, or within a paragraph.
- ⏳ If you address the counterargument early, ensure you have time to develop your other points to avoid an unfinished essay.
- 🔄 The most common approach is to include the counterargument in the final body paragraph, which helps manage essay pacing.
- 🔍 Students often address counterarguments within body paragraphs, sometimes just in a sentence or two, to further their argument.
- 📝 Two methods for addressing counterarguments are counter claim and rebuttal, and concession and refutation.
- 🔗 A counter claim and rebuttal are presented together, with the rebuttal disproving the counter claim to support your own argument.
- 🤔 A concession and refutation acknowledge the merit of the opposing view but then provide evidence to refute it, reinforcing your argument.
- 📈 Using these techniques can help you create a more nuanced argument, increase credibility, and effectively counter opposing viewpoints.
Q & A
What is the main topic of discussion in the video?
-The main topic of discussion in the video is whether or not including a counterargument is necessary in AP Lang synthesis or argument essays.
What is a counterargument?
-A counterargument is the opposing side of your argument, presenting an alternative viewpoint that stands in contrast to the one you are advocating.
Is addressing a counterargument required in the AP Lang exam?
-No, addressing a counterargument is not required as part of the current synthesis or argument rubrics for the AP Lang exam.
Why might a student choose to include a counterargument in their essay even if it's not required?
-A student might choose to include a counterargument to create a more nuanced argument, demonstrating consideration of other perspectives, which can increase their credibility and help to squash opposing viewpoints.
Can including a counterargument guarantee earning the sophistication point in an essay?
-No, including a counterargument does not guarantee earning the sophistication point, but doing so effectively can contribute to a more sophisticated argument.
What are the two main techniques for addressing a counterargument in an essay?
-The two main techniques for addressing a counterargument are a counter claim and rebuttal, and a concession and reputation.
What is the purpose of a counter claim and rebuttal in an essay?
-A counter claim and rebuttal serve to present and then disprove the opposing viewpoint, thus strengthening the writer's own argument.
What is the purpose of a concession and reputation?
-A concession and reputation serve to acknowledge the merit or value of the opposing argument while still providing proof that the writer's own viewpoint is correct or more valid.
Where can a counterargument be placed in an essay?
-A counterargument can be placed anywhere in the essay where it best fits the writer's argument, such as in the first body paragraph, as a final body paragraph, or within a body paragraph.
Why might a teacher require students to include a counter claim and rebuttal or concession and reputation in their essays?
-Teachers might require these elements to help students develop their argument skills, which are valuable not just for the AP Lang exam but also for future college papers and everyday situations.
What is the advice given for students who choose to include a counterargument in their first body paragraph?
-The advice is to ensure they have enough time to develop their other points to avoid the essay seeming unfinished or contradicting the thesis.
How can students adapt the provided sentence frames to their writing style?
-Students can adapt the sentence frames by interchanging words to fit their personal writing style and the specific argument they are making.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Counterarguments in AP Lang Essays
This paragraph introduces the topic of whether counterarguments are necessary in AP Lang synthesis or argument essays. The speaker, Coach Hall, addresses the common question and outlines the structure of the video, which will cover the definition of a counterargument, its necessity in the AP Lang exam, and strategies for including it effectively in an essay. The speaker also encourages viewers to subscribe and follow on TikTok for more content and live study sessions as the exam approaches.
🚫 Counterargument Not Mandatory, But Valuable
The speaker clarifies that while including a counterargument is not a requirement for the AP Lang exam, doing so can enhance the nuance and sophistication of an argument. They explain that addressing a counterargument is not just beneficial for the exam but also for developing argument skills that are useful in college and everyday life. The paragraph also touches on the potential requirement by some teachers to include counterclaims and rebuttals or concessions and reputations in essays as a means to improve argumentation skills.
🤔 Placement and Techniques for Counterarguments
The paragraph discusses the strategic placement of counterarguments within an essay. The speaker suggests that the writer can choose where to place the counterargument based on where it fits best and is most effective. They mention that some students prefer to address it in the first body paragraph, while others reserve it for the last body paragraph or weave it into the body paragraphs. The paragraph also introduces two common methods for addressing counterarguments: counter claim and rebuttal, and concession and reputation, providing sentence frames to help construct these techniques.
📝 Example and Recap of Counterargument Techniques
The speaker provides an example of a concession and reputation within a body paragraph in response to a class discussion prompt about technology versus play in elementary education. The example illustrates how to concede a point about the importance of computer literacy while still arguing for the primacy of social-emotional learning through non-technology-based play. The paragraph concludes with a recap, reiterating that addressing the counterargument is not required on the AP Lang exam but can be beneficial for skill development. It summarizes the two major techniques for addressing counterarguments and encourages viewers to subscribe for more helpful content.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Counterargument
💡Synthesis
💡Argumentative Essay
💡Sophistication
💡Rubric
💡Counter Claim and Rebuttal
💡Concession and Refutation
💡Pacing
💡Rhetorical Analysis
💡Sentence Frames
💡Social Media
Highlights
The video discusses the necessity of including a counterargument in AP Lang synthesis or argument essays.
Subscribing and turning on notifications is encouraged for future AP Lang content.
Counterargument is defined as the opposing side of one's argument.
Addressing the counterargument is not a requirement in the AP Lang exam rubric.
Effectively addressing a counterargument can lead to a more nuanced and sophisticated argument.
Including a counterargument is not guaranteed to earn the sophistication point but can enhance the essay.
Some teachers may require a counter claim and rebuttal or concession and refutation for skill development.
Knowing how to address a counterargument is valuable beyond the AP Lang exam, in college and everyday situations.
The decision to include a counterargument and where to place it in the essay is up to the writer.
Including a counterargument in the first body paragraph can be useful but requires careful timing.
Many students prefer to include the counterargument as the final body paragraph for pacing ease.
Addressing the counterargument within body paragraphs can be less intimidating for beginners.
Two common methods for addressing the counterargument are counter claim and rebuttal, and concession and refutation.
Counter claim and rebuttal must come as a pair to further the writer's argument.
Concession and refutation is a softer approach that acknowledges the merit of the opposing side before refuting it.
Sentence frames are provided to help construct counter claim and rebuttal, and concession and refutation.
An example of concession and refutation is given in the context of technology use in elementary schools.
The video concludes with a recap of the key points regarding the inclusion and placement of counterarguments in essays.
Transcripts
hey everybody welcome back to coach Hall
rights in today's video we're going to
be talking about one of the most
frequently asked questions that I
receive about the aplang exam and that
is do I really need to include a
counterargument in my synthesis or
argument essays before we begin let's
stay in touch please be sure to make
sure that you are subscribed with your
notifications turned on that way you
don't miss any future AP Lang content as
you prepare for the exam also if you are
a Tik Tok user would love it if you
would follow me on that platform as well
I try to post videos on my coach Hall
rights account each day and as the exam
approaches I'll be going live on Tik Tok
to help you study for the exam so in
this video we're going to talk about
what a counterargument actually is if
you really need one for the aping exam
and if so where you should put it in
your essay and what it should look like
let's start by talking about what a
counterargument actually is so simply
put a cter C argument is basically the
opposing side of your argument you might
have noticed that in some synthesis or
argument prompts it says the phrase to
what extent that's because essentially
arguments exist on a Continuum and so
whatever position you choose to argue
presumably there is an opposite side as
well that's the counter argument so do
you really need to include one the short
answer is no addressing the counter
argument is not required as part of the
current synthesis or argument rubrics
however effectively addressing the
counter argument can lead to a more
nuanced argument which is one of the
tenants of sophistication now I want to
be clear here just because you include a
counter argument in your essay it does
not guarantee that you will earn the
sophistication point however even if you
include it and don't earn the
sophistication point if you do it well
it could help your evidence and
commentary I also want to address one
other thing and that is even though it's
not mandatory for the exam some teachers
will require that you include a counter
claim and rebuttal or concession and
reputation in your essays and that's to
help you develop your argument skills
knowing how to address the counter
argument is not just valuable for AP
Lang it will help you in future College
papers and honestly it sometimes comes
up in everyday situations as well
whether it's debating with somebody
about something on social media or
writing an email or just talking to a
friend or a family number you might need
these skills so even though it is not
mandatory on the AP Lang exam you might
choose to include a counter claim and
rebuttal or concession and reputation so
let's talk about why this might be
helpful first of all it could help you
create a more nuanced argument and this
is because it would demonstrate that
you've considered other perspectives
which sort of increases your credibility
for your perspective as well it can also
help you squash opposing arguments or
viewpoints and in turn you will further
your argument so even though it's not
mandatory let's say that you want to
include one in your essay where does the
counter argument go well here's the
thing you get to decide so we want to
think about where does it fit best in
your argument we want to think about
where it's most effective and also where
it's most logical to help your line of
reasoning so there's going to be a few
different options we're going to talk
about what it might be like in body
paragraph one the last body paragraph
and also within a body paragraph
so some students like to include it as
body paragraph one and that's because
they kind of like to address the
counterargument early to sort of get it
out of the way this can be a useful
technique but I want to encourage you to
make sure that if you do this in a timed
essay that you have plenty of time to
develop your other points because if you
address the counter argument in your
first body paragraph and then you don't
have time for your other body paragraphs
it will make your essay seem very
unfinished and also it might seem like
you're contradicting your thesis that's
not to discourage you from using this
approach just be mindful of your pacing
and your timing most commonly I see
students including the counterargument
as a final body paragraph many students
prefer this method because since they
put it at the end of their essay they
don't have to worry about pacing as much
because if they're running out of time
they can just omit that paragraph and
they've already made their other points
therefore they've already constructed
their argument now most of my students
actually tend to prefer to address the
counterargument within their body
paragraphs in many cases this is only a
sentence or two so it's not meant to try
for the sophistication point but rather
it's just a way to further their
argument as you're just starting out
with this technique including it within
a body paragraph can be helpful because
I think it's less intimidating there are
two common methods for addressing the
counter argument one is a counter claim
and rebuttal the other is a concession
and reputation so let's talk about what
those terms mean a counter claim and
rebuttal must come as a pair the counter
claim is the opposite position that's
the claim that goes against your claim
and the rebuttal is a statement to
disprove the counter claim so again they
come as a pair because if you only have
the counter claim then you're not
furthering your own argument you're
actually kind of advocating for the
other side so make sure that they come
as a pair in comparison to a concession
and reputation a counter claim and
rebuttal are a bit more bold and so
there's definitely a time or place for
this technique here are some sentence
frames that you can use to construct a
counter claim and rebuttal the sentence
frames are pretty versatile so you can
adapt them to your own writing style or
to your argument and a lot of the words
can be interchanged as well so for
instance if you prefer however instead
of yet just adapt it to your needs if
you find these sentence frames helpful
please feel free to screenshot this
slide and also teachers I'll include
some additional teaching resources in
the description box of this video the
second method for addressing the
counterargument is a concession and
reputation this approach is a little bit
softer because the concession means that
you are acknowledging the Merit or the
value of the other side now like I said
before we need a pair so a concession
should be followed by a reputation so
even though you're acknowledging that
there is some value to the opposing
argument you still want to provide proof
that the opposing view is incorrect or
false and that your side is the side to
go with thus furthering your own
argument now presumably if you are an AP
Lang student you've also worked on
rhetorical analysis and so you might
have noticed that some of the writers or
speakers have used a concession and
reputation in the passages that you've
studied so just like it can help those
writers further their argument you can
use this technique to further your
argument here are some sentence frames
that you can use to construct a
concession and reputation as with the
previous sentence frames these are
pretty versatile so please feel free to
adapt them to your needs and your
writing style if you'd like you may
screenshot this slide now let's look at
a quick example of what a concession and
reputation could look like this
particular example is meant to be part
of a larger body paragraph and this is
in response to a prompt that my students
talk about in class in which they have
to discuss whether elementary schools
especially kindergarten should be more
Technology based or more play based so
you can see on the slide that the or
orange is the concession and the blue is
the reputation so here's what it says
while it is true that we live in a
digital world and as such students need
computer literacy skills adding these
skills to the elementary curriculum
should not come at the expense of an
even more crucial skill social emotional
learning a skill best achieved through
non-technology based play so you can see
here that in the orange we're conceding
that computer literacy is important it's
a digital world so yes kids need access
to computers however the point that
we're ultimately trying to prove though
is that for the younger grades it's very
important that they have time to play
that's how they learn and we don't
necessarily need a tablet or a
Chromebook to achieve that so anyway
that's one quick example but there are
several ways to adapt this technique for
your writing all right let's do a quick
recap do you need to address the counter
argument in your AP Lang synthesis or
argument essays on the exam no however
your teacher might ask you to do so in
class to help you further your skills if
you choose to address the
counterargument it can technically go
anywhere in your essay so make sure that
you're thinking about your pacing and
where it best fits for your argument
there are two major techniques that you
can use a counter claim and rebuttal and
a concession and reputation if you found
this video helpful please make sure that
you subscribe turn those notifications
on that way you don't miss any future
apealing videos and as always happy
writing
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