AP Seminar: Building Your Argument – Part 1

Summary

Allison Malloy, a teacher at Carmel High School, presents a lesson on developing individual written arguments for seminar students. Focusing on lesson six, she guides students through the process of formulating well-reasoned arguments, considering complexity and multiple perspectives. The lesson emphasizes the importance of establishing clear claims, providing evidence, and developing a line of reasoning. Malloy also discusses the rubric criteria for evaluating arguments and provides templates to help students outline and structure their essays effectively.

Takeaways

• 📚 Allison Malloy introduces herself as a teacher at Carmel High School leading a lesson on developing arguments for seminar students.
• 🔍 The lesson focuses on learning objective 4.1a, which involves formulating a well-reasoned argument considering the complexity of the problem or issue.
• 📝 Students are reminded to think about their research questions, which should be written before proceeding with the argument development.
• 📊 The rubric rows 3, 4, and 5 are highlighted as the focus for the day, emphasizing evaluating multiple perspectives and establishing arguments.
• 🎯 The importance of understanding the difference between arguing a conclusion, resolution, or solution is stressed to avoid underdeveloped arguments.
• 💡 The lesson differentiates between a claim with flaws and a clear, convincing argument that is logically organized and well-reasoned.
• 📚 Evidence selection is crucial, with a high score requiring relevant, credible, and sufficient evidence to support claims.
• 🤔 Students are encouraged to consider the type of answer they want to argue for, whether it's identifying a problem, proposing a solution, or discussing a relationship.
• 📉 The transcript provides examples of how different research questions can lead to different types of arguments and papers.
• 📝 Crafting a main claim is essential, and it should be debatable, clearly articulating the complexity of the problem.
• 🛠️ Argument templates are provided to help students formulate and frame their arguments, but they are customizable to fit different papers and arguments.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the lesson presented by Allison Malloy?

The main focus of the lesson is on developing the argument, specifically formulating a well-reasoned argument while considering the complexity of the problem or issue.

Who is Allison Malloy and what is her role in the seminar?

Allison Malloy is a teacher at Carmel High School, and she is running the lesson on developing arguments for the seminar.

What is the significance of Lesson Six in the context of the seminar?

Lesson Six is significant because it is the first part of a two-part lesson focused on developing the argument, which is a key component of the students' individual written assignments.

What are the objectives for the students by the end of the two-part lesson?

The objectives are for students to understand how to connect and analyze evidence to develop an argument, support a conclusion, and understand the importance of a line of reasoning in supporting their argument.

Why is it important for students to have written their tentative research question before proceeding?

It is important because progressing in the argument only makes sense if the students have a clearly defined research question, which was discussed in Lessons Four and Five by Mr. Gonzalez.

What are the rubric rows that the lesson is focusing on today?

The lesson is focusing on rubric rows three, four, and five, which involve evaluating multiple perspectives, establishing arguments, and ensuring the argument is well-reasoned and plausible.

What is the 'dinner party analogy' mentioned in the context of evaluating multiple perspectives?

The 'dinner party analogy' is a teaching tool used to illustrate the importance of including multiple perspectives or viewpoints in an argument, similar to inviting people with differing opinions to a dinner party to enrich the conversation.

What is the main concern with students' arguments in rubric row four?

The main concern in rubric row four is that students often provide only unsubstantiated opinions or claims without sufficient evidence, which can result in a low score.

What are the key elements of a high-scoring response according to the rubric?

A high-scoring response includes a clear and convincing argument that is logically organized, well-reasoned by connecting claims and evidence, and leads to a plausible and well-aligned conclusion.

Why is it advised to have at least two pieces of evidence to support a claim?

Having at least two pieces of evidence helps to establish a pattern and shows that there is more than one source of support for the claim, which is crucial for building a complex and convincing argument.

What is the purpose of crafting a defense in an argument?

Crafting a defense involves considering opposing or counterarguments and providing evidence to support these viewpoints. This helps to show a strong version of the other side and adds depth and complexity to the argument.

What is the significance of the 'aggressor' format in argument writing?

The 'aggressor' format involves leading with the counter-argument and then offering the writer's reason as the rebuttal. This format can be effective when the audience is resistant to the writer's main argument, as it allows the writer to address potential objections upfront.

What are the essential components of a strong introduction in an argumentative paper?

A strong introduction includes a hook to engage the reader, context to establish the significance of the issue, a clear connection to the stimulus material, a stated research question, and a presentation of the main claim.

Why is it important to explicitly state claims and evidence in the body paragraphs of an argumentative paper?

Explicitly stating claims and evidence ensures that the reader clearly understands the writer's argument and how each piece of evidence supports the claims being made. This clarity is crucial for meeting the expectations of the rubric and for effective argumentation.

What is the difference between presenting your own argument and presenting someone else's argument in a claim paragraph?

Presenting your own argument involves stating your claims and supporting them with evidence, while presenting someone else's argument involves summarizing what others believe or have claimed without necessarily supporting it with your own evidence or reasoning.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to the Lesson and Argument Development

Allison Malloy, a teacher at Carmel High School, welcomes students and teachers to a seminar lesson focused on developing individual written arguments. She reminds the audience that they are currently on lesson six, which is part one of a two-part lesson on argument development. The objective is for students to learn how to formulate a well-reasoned argument considering the complexity of the issue. Allison emphasizes the importance of connecting and analyzing evidence to support an argument and to understand the significance of a line of reasoning. She also prompts students to think about their research questions and reminds them of the rubric rows that will be focused on, which include evaluating multiple perspectives and establishing arguments.

05:00

🔍 Understanding Argument Complexity and Rubric Expectations

The paragraph delves into the specifics of what constitutes a high-scoring argument according to the rubric. It discusses the importance of presenting a clear, convincing, and logically organized argument that connects claims and evidence to lead to a plausible conclusion. Allison differentiates between middle and high scores, noting that middle scores often result from underdeveloped arguments or trying to address too many points. The paragraph also previews the importance of selecting and using evidence, which will be covered in more depth in a future lesson. Additionally, it outlines the types of questions students should ask themselves to determine the direction of their argument, such as whether they are arguing for a problem, a solution, or a relationship.

10:02

📝 Crafting Main Claims and Aligning with Research Questions

Allison provides guidance on how to craft a main claim that is debatable and articulates the complexity of the problem. She uses the example of researching universal basic income (UBI) to illustrate how different research questions can lead to different types of arguments. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of aligning the main claim with the research question and key terms. It also highlights the need to avoid trying to combine multiple arguments into one paper, as this can lead to a lower score on the rubric.

15:04

🤔 Developing Reasons, Subclaims, and Evidence

This section outlines the process of developing reasons and subclaims to support the main argument. It stresses the importance of using evidence to support, extend, or complicate claims. Allison advises students to find sources that provide multiple perspectives and to have at least two pieces of evidence to support each claim. The paragraph also touches on the importance of crafting a defense against opposing viewpoints and preparing a rebuttal to those defenses.

20:05

🛣️ Creating an Argument Roadmap and Outline Templates

Allison discusses the importance of creating an argument roadmap before starting to write. She presents various outline templates to help students organize their arguments, including the classic argument outline, the analyzer, and the aggressor formats. These templates are intended to guide students in structuring their arguments logically and coherently. The paragraph emphasizes that these templates are not one-size-fits-all and should be adjusted to fit the specific needs of each student's argument.

25:05

📖 Writing the Introduction and First Claim Paragraph

The focus shifts to writing the introduction and first claim paragraph of the argument. Allison explains that the introduction should include a hook, context, the research question, and the main claim. She provides examples of effective introductions and emphasizes the importance of paragraphing for clarity and style. The paragraph also discusses how to set up body paragraphs with explicit claims, evidence, and connections back to the overall argument.

30:08

🏆 Achieving High Scores Through Clear Argumentation

The final paragraph reviews the key points covered in the lesson, focusing on how to achieve a high score by formulating a well-reasoned argument. It reiterates the importance of clear organization, explicit signposting, and fully explaining how evidence supports the argument. The paragraph also encourages students to make intentional and purposeful choices in their writing and to review high-scoring sample papers to understand how to effectively incorporate the stimulus material into their arguments.

Keywords

💡Argument Development

Argument Development refers to the process of creating and refining a position or claim on a particular issue. In the context of the video, it is the core of the lesson, where students are taught how to construct a well-reasoned argument that takes into account the complexity of the problem. The script emphasizes the importance of connecting and analyzing evidence to support a conclusion, which is a key component of developing a strong argument.

💡Research Question

A Research Question is a focused inquiry that guides a research project or an academic paper. In the video, the teacher instructs students to formulate a tentative research question, which is essential for moving from a general topic to a specific argument. The research question is directly related to the argument development process and helps to define the scope and direction of the students' work.

💡Perspectives

Perspectives, in the context of the video, refer to the different viewpoints or arguments one might encounter when researching a topic. The script mentions evaluating multiple perspectives, suggesting that a high-scoring argument should consider various opinions and not just a single point of view. This concept is used to illustrate the importance of a comprehensive approach to argument development.

💡Line of Reasoning

Line of Reasoning is the logical sequence of ideas or arguments that support a conclusion. The video emphasizes the significance of a clear line of reasoning in an argument, which helps to establish a persuasive and coherent position. It is a critical component in the development of a well-structured argument.

💡Claim

A Claim is a statement or proposition that is put forth as a fact that can be supported by evidence. In the script, the teacher discusses the importance of establishing a claim in the argument, which serves as the central point that the rest of the argument will support. A claim can be a conclusion, a resolution, or a solution to a problem, and it must be clearly articulated and substantiated.

💡Evidence

Evidence is the information or data that supports a claim or an argument. The video script mentions the need to select and use evidence to back up claims, emphasizing that the evidence should be relevant, credible, and sufficient. It is a fundamental part of argument development, as it provides the basis for the claims made.

💡Counterarguments

Counterarguments are opposing viewpoints or objections to the main argument presented. In the video, the teacher discusses the importance of acknowledging and addressing potential counterarguments to strengthen the main argument. This shows an understanding of the complexity of the issue and demonstrates that the argument has considered alternative perspectives.

💡Rebuttal

A Rebuttal is a response to a counterargument that aims to refute or mitigate its impact. The script mentions crafting a defense and a rebuttal, which is crucial for addressing counterarguments and reinforcing the original argument. It is an essential part of argument development that demonstrates the argument's resilience.

💡Rubric

A Rubric is a set of criteria or standards used to evaluate work or performance. In the video, the teacher refers to specific rubric rows that guide the students on what constitutes a high-scoring argument. The rubric provides a framework for evaluating the quality of the arguments, including criteria such as the consideration of multiple perspectives, the establishment of arguments, and the use of evidence.

💡Complexity

Complexity, in the context of the video, refers to the multifaceted nature of the problem or issue being discussed. The script emphasizes the importance of taking into account the complexity of the problem when formulating an argument, which means considering various aspects and not oversimplifying the issue. This concept is integral to developing a nuanced and well-rounded argument.

💡Stimulus Material

Stimulus Material is the source or text that prompts a discussion or an argument. In the video, the teacher instructs students to make sure they incorporate the stimulus material into their arguments, as it provides the context and basis for their research questions and claims. The effective use of stimulus material is crucial for establishing relevance and context in an argument.

Highlights

Introduction of Allison Malloy, a teacher at Carmel High School, conducting a lesson on developing arguments.

Lesson focus on individual written arguments, specifically lesson six, developing the argument in a two-part format.

Objective to learn how to formulate a well-reasoned argument considering the complexity of the problem.

Importance of connecting and analyzing evidence to support an argument and conclusion.

Emphasis on the significance of a line of reasoning in supporting an argument.

Instruction to write a tentative research question as a basis for argument development.

Explanation of rubric rows three, four, and five, focusing on evaluating multiple perspectives and establishing arguments.

Discussion on the importance of including multiple perspectives to avoid a one-sided argument.

Clarification on the difference between arguing for a conclusion and arguing for a solution within an argument.

Advice against trying to combine multiple arguments in a single paper to maintain focus and clarity.

Guidance on crafting a main claim that is debatable and reflects the complexity of the problem.

Importance of defining key terms and ensuring alignment between the research question and the claim.

Process of developing reasons and sub-claims to support the main argument.

Advice on finding and using evidence to support, extend, or complicate claims.

Discussion on crafting a defense and rebuttal to counter and opposing claims.

Importance of considering limitations and implications when building a complex argument.

Use of different argument outline templates to help structure and organize the argument.

Instructions on writing a compelling introduction that includes a hook, context, and clear statement of the research question and claim.

Example of a well-structured introduction from a sample paper, demonstrating effective use of sources and clear argument setup.

Emphasis on the need for paragraphing to improve readability and flow in written arguments.

Final advice on ensuring that the argument is clear, logically organized, and fully aligned with the research question.

Transcripts

hi AAP seminar students and teachers I

am so glad that you could join us for

our newest lesson just a reminder for

those of you who are either new or who

have forgotten my name is Allison Malloy

and I'm a teacher at Carmel High School

and I will be running this lesson for

you so as you recall our focus has been

on the individual written arguments

specifically we are now on lesson six

and our focus is going to be on

developing the argument now this will be

a two-part lesson lesson seven which mr.

Gonzales will have will pick up on the

second part of developing the argument

so let's get right into it in terms of

objectives for today our focus is on

learning objective four point one a

which is formulating a well reasoned

argument taking in to complexity and

taking it taking the complexity of the

problem or issue into

consideration specifically I'm hoping

when you walk a portion of our two-part

lesson you understand how to connect and

analyze evidence in order to develop an

argument and support a conclusion and

you understand how a line of reasoning

how important line of reasoning is and

which line of reasoning would be best in

supporting your argue if we then

progress into this lesson before we do

that I want you to think really

specifically about your research

questions so if you have not yet written

your tentative research question which

in Lesson four and five mr. Gonzalez

talked to you about how to move from

stimulus to a topic and then from a

topic to a research question then I want

you to pause this video and write that

question and because moving forward and

progressing in our argument will only

make sense if you have actually written

your question just a reminder about the

rubric rows that we're going to be

focused on today we're focusing on three

four and five three talks about

evaluating multiple perspectives some of

your teachers use that dinner party

analogy of who would be invited to the

table the idea for the high scores we

want multiple perspectives as well as

multiple pointed points of view so you

want many people who have differing

opinions and arguments because remember

perspective is synonymous with arguments

and so those of you who have watched

Tiger King right if we only ask Joe

exotic what happened to Carol's husband

he's gonna say that she killed him but

if we invite more people to that

conversation obviously we have more

perspectives and it helps us to draw

connection but to consider objections

limitations and limitations mr. Gonzales

will talk to you further about row three

in less than seven so I'm just wanted to

give you just that reminder of what

perspectives are as it pertains to right

now the majority of our focus is going

to be on row four which is establishing

arguments one thing that you'll notice

in row 3 and rope 4 you'll see the idea

of a single perspective or in row four

for the low score the response provides

only unsubstantiated opinions or claims

so those of you who like to write a lot

but don't necessarily say multiple

perspectives or even evidence the

concern there is that it's really just a

rant it's all your opinion without any

evidence to back it up so that's going

to get you a low score in both rows

three and four if there's not other

perspectives and if there's not a

variety of evidence that's supporting

your claim for the middle score in row

four the argument presents a claim with

some flaws in reasoning the response is

logically organized but the reasoning

may be faulty or underdeveloped or the

response may be well written but it's

illogical in its organization or the

conclusion is only partially related so

I like to call this road that you're

doing too much room so if you remember

to lesson one when I talked about the

task directions and you did not have to

have a conclusion resolution and

solution it actually says conclusion

resolution or solution a lot of times

and I'm speaking from the teacher

perspective and also from having graded

these IWA on the exam the biggest

concern with this row is a lot of you

try to do two papers in one so if we

think back to the example that I gave

previously about doctors learning

Spanish right if I want to argue that

there's a problem with translators

they're making too many unnecessary

mistakes then that is arguing for a

conclusion but if I want to argue that

all doctors should be required to learn

Spanish now I'm arguing for a solution

if I put those two in the same paper

then what I'm gonna end up with is that

that middle row because I have a claim

but it's underdeveloped because I'm

trying to make two arguments in two

thousand words rather than just make one

so do not feel like you have to make a

conclusion you have to argue a stance

and then try to solve it that's not the

point here it's to focus on one

conclusion resolution or solution so

most people who end up in the middle

category are because they're trying to

do too much for the high score the

responses clearly and convincing

provides a clear and convincing argument

and it's logically organized it's well

reasoned by connecting claims and

evidence leading to a plausible well

aligned conclusion so number one we have

this idea that it's clear the argument

is clear number two it's convincing

right and if it

going to be convincing it has to be

complex you have to do what you did in

row three to get that high score

consider objections limitations

limitations really the complexity of the

issue the other thing you have to do is

you have to connect your claims and

evidence so that you get to that well

reasoned and plausible conclusion again

if you think about the difference

between a middle and a high score in a

middle if you're trying to do too many

things there's no way you can talk about

plausibility right if I throw a solution

and at the end and say we should do this

if you haven't argued why that solution

would work if you haven't given us all

the details of that solution it's not

going to work so big difference here

between this and the TMP the TMP is a

problem solution you are arguing why one

solution is better than the other for

the IWA you don't have to even address a

solution if it's not the argument that

you're making so keep that in mind

4:05 would just select and use evidence

this rubric rule will be covered more in

less than eight in terms of depth but

just to preview that and to remind

ourselves for that high score the

response includes relevant credible

insufficient evidence in the medium it's

mostly and in the low again it's lacking

evidence or it's lacking credibility and

what is included okay so just a reminder

of what we're actually looking for today

so before we get into actually building

the argument the first thing we need to

do is draw back on something mr.

Gonzalez talked about in lesson 5

remember he talked about if you have a

solution paper or a position paper but

we can't formulate their argument unless

we actually know what type of answer we

want because then we know what we're

actually arguing so on the screen is a

list of questions and you're welcome to

pause right here and go through those

questions and think about what applies

to you or you can just follow along

because hopefully in lesson 5 after you

watch that you solidified what direction

your argument is going into but are you

arguing that something is a problem are

you arguing that something's occurring

that shouldn't be are you arguing that

we should this is how we should solve a

problem are you arguing that we're

focusing on the wrong thing are you

arguing that there's a relationship kind

of like that cause and effect you really

have to solidify your purpose so that we

know what we're trying to build with

argument okay so let's look at an

example so imagine I'm doing research on

universal basic income and I realize

that the piece that Andrea has written

recently has some of you reconsidering

your support of him but we're still

going to look at this idea of ubi and

depending on and you know if I'm basing

that off the stimulus and what that

actually means so if I was researching

universal basic income and specifically

his plan there are multiple ways that I

can write this question but I just read

it three different ways so you could

essentially see the difference and how

different these papers would actually be

so the first question she would accept

what Andrea's universal basic income

improve the happiness levels of American

citizens so if I think about purpose and

I go back and I think about what

question am I actually answering okay

for that first question I'm arguing for

a conclusion right ubi universal basic

income would improve happiness levels or

it wouldn't I'm trying to get to that

conclusion now when I think about

purpose I also want to think about key

terms what terms do I need to define

before I start my argument within my

paper now do not think that you have to

actually define these key terms in your

question because then you'd have that

charles dickens like sentence that lasts

the whole page and it's super obnoxious

right what we want instead is to think

about what i'm going into my paper i

might have a couple sentences that say

for the purposes of this paper ubi will

be defined or maybe I have a background

section on what ubi is but I can't argue

for something unless my audience has the

is on the same page for me as me one of

the times I noticed this the most is

with AP research students will run tests

and they'll want to determine you know

our students happy let's say that was

their research well if you just go

around and ask people if they're happy

you're definition in their definition

might totally be different and so they

may all say yes but based on your

definitions they're not actually happy

and so the big thing here is that we

wanted to find those key terms that

we're all on the same page there's no

confusion there's no question marks in

terms of what that means okay but if we

take that same idea of universal basic

income and now we look at the second

question

what except should the United States

implement and readings universal basic

income plan now we're not arguing for a

conclusion

we're actually arguing for a solution

ubi is the answer right we should we

should do ubi or we shouldn't this is a

completely different paper with a

completely different goal than the first

question again ubi is one of our key

terms and in this case what do we mean

by implement because maybe that's a bit

of a vague chirp okay then we look at

the last question to an extent with the

implementation of Andrew Yang's

universal basic income plan reduce the

number of Americans on unemployment

again same idea universal basic income

but now I'm arguing for a cause and

effect ubi would have a specific effect

on unemployment right it would reduce it

it would have no effect or maybe it

would actually not reduce it right it

would have the opposite effect again my

research could be the same but there's

three different goals and if I try to do

all of these in the same paper if I try

to argue that it would improve happiness

that we have to implement it those are

two different papers and so we don't

want to try to do too much because

that's gonna get us that middle row on

the rubric again just like the others

ubi is going to be that term universal

basic income that I need to define okay

and it's also important if I'm saying

Americans and the first one I said

American citizens and this one I just

said Americans what do I mean by that

and also what do I mean by unemployment

okay but really make sure you know your

purpose before you go too far down

making the argument okay after you know

your purpose the next thing you want to

do is actually craft your main claim and

the best thing you can do is go back to

that research question you've determined

your focus but now think about what the

answer to that question is and remember

that the claim should be debatable and

it should clearly articulate the

complexity of the problem so let's look

at some examples and I have a different

example because I don't want to take you

through Andrew Yang's question this

whole time and then accidentally write

the paper for some abuse I'm going to

show you a different example just so you

can see what that looks like so let's

say the student was looking at to what

extent should the state of Indiana

mandate physical education classes in

public schools for students in grades K

through 12

if we think about their problem or what

they had in their research the CDC says

that the number of students

participating in physical education

classes has been decreasing we also have

this idea that if you look at the second

part of this according to a new review

of research about good moods and

physical activity people who workout

even once a week for as little as 10

minutes a day tend to be more cheerful

than those who never exercise any type

of exercise might be helpful so that's

part of my existing research as I take

my question as I take into account what

research I have if I'm trying to build

my claim it could look something like

this

so because physical inactivity is a

major factor that contributes to

childhood obesity as well as lower

levels of happiness in American students

the state of Indiana should mandate that

all public schools require physical

education classes for all students in

grades K through 12 for 30 minutes at

least twice a week so now when I think

that's my research question this claim

directly answers that question I know my

purpose is aligned my purpose is arguing

for a solution Indiana should require

physical education classes at least

twice a week for 30 minutes right what

are my key terms physical education

classes what do I mean by that also K

through 12 am I talking about public

schools public charter schools am i

talking about all schools what that

looks like and what do I mean by that

thirty minutes is it ten minutes of

exercise but thirty minutes in the class

or is it thirty minutes of exercise that

I'm actually talking about now let's

show how this could shift just a little

bit so when I write this main claim with

the same information physical inactivity

is a major factor that contributes to

lower levels of happiness in American

children which is why American students

need to engage in regular physical

activity now if I think about my purpose

here I'm arguing for a conclusion

engaging in resident regular physical

activity would improve happiness in

children okay key terms pretty much the

same but here's the difference my

research question no longer aligns with

the claim that I'm writing so I have to

shift don't rework the whole paper later

if you notice your questions off the

easier thing to do if I know that this

is what I want to

you this is how an answering is just to

shift my question so rather than having

it how I did before now my new research

question is to what extent would regular

physical activity improve the happiness

levels of American children because in

this I'm looking for a conclusion

physical activity would make us happy or

wouldn't or would have no effect verses

in this example I'm actually looking at

if this is the solution right we need to

do this I'm telling you how we will make

it better for American children okay

hopefully you can see the difference

because this is so crucial to one our

alignment which is reflected on the

rubric but also making sure that there

is cohesion and a very clear focus so

that we can build that complexing

complexity in our argument okay

after we have our main claim we then

need to develop the reasons and the sub

claims for what we're going to argue now

keep in mind that all of this will be

something that you're gonna have to

step-by-step breakdown and do it's gonna

take some time I want to make sure I'm

giving you the forest so you know all of

the steps and then you can go back

through and work through these steps as

you put together your argument okay when

you're crafting your reasons the best

examples I can think of for you to to

look at are those Part A articles that

you may have broken down in class with

your teacher or for those of you who are

a little bit confused you should know

what those are but op-ed pieces in any

kind of newspaper or publication are

great places for you to look right

just like those articles you examined

for Part A when we thought we were doing

that as part of our exam those articles

made a claim they gave us reasons and

then they work to try to convince us

your job is to essentially do the same

thing what is your main claim and then

how are your reasons going to help us

answer that main claim or prove that

main claim as valid okay so once we have

those reasons we then need to think

about our evidence now evidence will be

covered in depth in less than eight

which I have that note listed at the top

just in case you forget but the idea is

that we want to find sources that are

going to support extend or complicate

our claims

it is very important that we don't just

do you know that juvenile research where

we go into Google and say okay my

research is on school start time in my

school should start later here's all of

these people who support what I'm saying

that's not a complex argument it's not a

sophisticated argument if we are

actually making sure that we are

including those other perspectives and

the other people those other people at

the dinner party right

when selecting that evidence like I said

make sure you have multiple perspectives

make sure there's multiple people

involved in those conversations and then

just as a minimum piece of advice it is

always nice to have at least two pieces

of evidence as support for your claim

and that's just minimally right and I

teach ap research in conjunction with

the AP stats teacher and he consistently

tells the class that you can manipulate

research and one piece of evidence isn't

that hard to manipulate because

researchers do it all the time in order

to be published now they shouldn't write

but we can almost always make the data

say something and so with that in mind

if we're really trying to be complex and

we're really trying to be convincing if

we think about two pieces of evidence

the idea is if I have two pieces of

evidence at least I'm charting starting

to show a pattern that there is more

than one support right even one crazy

person will agree to something so we

want to actually show that there's some

validity here and that there's multiple

relevant and credible sources that feel

the same way if we then look at crafting

the defense which would be the next okay

I have my reasons I start to build my

built my evidence so that I can support

those well now I have to think about

those opposing counter rebuttal claims

okay think about where the disagreement

is is it more holistic like are we all

consistently saying okay college cost

too much so it's one thing or do we have

disagreement aligned to specific points

so it's not just this but it's this and

this and every time you make a claim

there might be some contention to you at

that point and then what evidence can be

used to support that side we want to

show a strong version of the other side

not the weakest version okay and again

mr. Gonzalez will talk to you in much

grade

detail about that defense and building

this section of your paper in lesson

seven

after we've crafted the defense we then

want to think about the rebuttal to that

defense right we've said what the other

side is whether it's opposition

alternate opposing whatever that looks

like now how are we going to offer our

rebuttal okay

after we've had the big idea of what all

that's going to look like what are those

limitations and implications of taking

this action or of accepting your

conclusion because we want to make sure

we're still hitting all the points on

the rubric we also want to make sure

we're building a complex argument okay

now I know I took you through a lot of

things really quickly but the idea here

is we have to think through all of those

things we have to really define our

roadmap as we go right I have a

colleague that would happily get in the

car and have no idea where she's going

and take a wonderful road trip I can't

do that I need to know where I'm going

now even she will pull out the map

enough to have stopping points because

she realizes there are certain things

that she wants to do on her journey now

we need to make sure as we build our

argument that we're keeping very very at

the front of our mind our focus is

entirely on what argument we're making

and what our purpose is if at any point

we lose that we're gonna be trapped in a

bunch of words that really don't work

for what we want to do and the big thing

here if you're like my students at all

if you don't do this and you write the

2,000 words by the time you realize

there's a mistake they'll just be like

yeah I already wrote 2,000 words so it's

probably fine but we don't want to do

that we want to work smarter not harder

do it right from the beginning so as you

build your argument there are no

question marks moving forward and so

that everything is a lot okay so these

are just some argument templates that I

took from my AP Ling teacher and these

are things that could potentially help

you now keep in mind there is no

one-size-fits-all here but like I said

if you're making a really significant

argument than what you want to do is

think about how you can put this all

together so that when you put it

together

you're right from the beginning and

you're not doing more work

later right working smarter rather than

harder so in the classic argument

outline essentially all of the papers

are gonna have the first two sections

and in terms of this outline format I'm

giving you you are not required to use

this and even if you start working

through your argument you realize this

doesn't work for you this is just a

template it's something to get you going

to give you a little bit of help in and

how to organize that it's not

necessarily one-size-fits-all you're all

writing different papers with different

arguments so it's really important that

you keep in mind that there are

differences in how we put this together

okay so all the papers are going to look

the same in terms of this outline I'm

presenting to you but it doesn't mean

this is how you have to do it so

introduction attention-getting opening

your point of investigation tie it to

your stimulus tell us the significance

make sure we're really clear there but

then we have this idea of background you

need to define any key terms give us any

history um you know talk us through that

then you start your argument in a

classic model you have reason one reason

two reason three how many of our reasons

you have and then you have your counter

argument and rebuttal right it's very

classic in the way that it's set up

because you have your reasons then a

counter argument which is more holistic

and then the rebuttal that would be

offered then you've got your conclusion

now keep in mind I know it says

conclusion and then in parentheses

solution or so what if you've written

your whole paper about a conclusion

you're not putting your solution at the

end because that's going to cause you

problems on the rubric if your whole

paper is for a solution then in

conclusion you're just reminding us of

why that solution is best but don't

think it means to do two things just to

clarify okay for those of you who know

that the audience is against you when

you start building your argument you do

the same thing you've got your

introduction your background but then

you start with your counter-argument so

one year I had a girl who wanted to

argue that the American government is

very wasteful and inefficient in how

they use time and so she she found

research that suggests that totalitarian

governments were much more efficient if

she starts her paper by saying we should

be more totalitarian like there's gonna

be an immediate cringe from the audience

like I don't think she knows what she's

talking about right so if we know the

audience is resistant to what we're

saying or if they have a different

and we want to start with that

counter-argument first then we use the

rebuttal as a means to present our

reasons okay then we have another

outline format which is called the

analyzer same thing intro background but

this time we have a reason and then a

counter and rebuttal attached to each

reason so we're really going in-depth

and the paper model that you're going to

see and that we're going to go through

later and the mr. gonzalez is going to

talk about more in lesson 7 really uses

this analyzer format but it's really

mixed a little bit more with the

aggressor and I'll show you what that

looks like so this one's leading with

reasons ok the aggressor format then

you're leading with the counter-argument

and then you're offering your reason as

the rebuttal so counter-argument is

leading in this model okay like I said

these are just to help you formulate and

frame your argument and to outline how

you want it to go this is not a

one-size-fits-all every argument is

different feel free to adjust as you go

some of you will have two reasons and

two counters some of you will have four

reasons and two counters like it just

depends on what you're doing but

regardless make sure you know your

purpose and what you're actually trying

to accomplish as you put all of this

stuff together okay so after we have

that outline okay I do not start writing

any sections of your paper until you

actually know what you're going to argue

and what you're planning to do if you

don't make that roadmap whether it's a

formal outline or not you really

shouldn't go further okay because again

if we don't know where we're going how

do we know how to get there so the last

two things I want to focus on is then

actually starting to write the

introduction and the first claim

paragraph or body paragraphs so feel

free to see this as a different section

if you want to pause the video frame

your outline and come back that's

totally fine if not again we're just

trying to see the forest and then you

can dig into this in more depth later so

when you're crafting the introduction

and after looking through a variety of

sample papers over the years as well as

grading and seeing the things that my

students are writing and how their

scores are playing out there are a few

things that you need to include any

introduction the first thing is the hook

you need to establish some kind

significance the importance of the issue

what's really important here is using a

relevant source if you can use multiple

sources that's that's fine if you can

use the stimulus that's even better but

don't force it from the stimulus if it

doesn't actually work but you want some

kind of textual evidence to help hook us

and make sure we understand what you're

trying to do then you want to actually

give us the context I teach research and

so I use the terms focus and scope but

for most of your teachers they use the

term who where when why et cetera like

what's the actual point of tension

what's the debate

what's with the controversy that we're

actually working on here okay

after you've introduced that

conversation or debate that exists

around the issue you've never done the

scope transition into the stimulus

material if you can and set up the

connection some students prefer to do

that stimulus material as a separate

paragraph they put that in their

background because they feel like their

introductions getting too long or it

doesn't necessarily work that's totally

fine but remember we want to see the

explicit connections so if you tell us

the connection obviously it's made very

explicit okay state your research

question and then give us your claims so

that you're setting up for the argument

as we go so let's look at what this

looks like okay and I'm just going to

give you the gist of this and then if

you want to pause and read through it

you are welcome to but if we look at the

purple those are sources and the

University of Minnesota libraries Aurora

University and then there's also a

reference to attention deficit

hyperactivity disorder so ADHD so video

games have become an integral part of

entertainment for many individuals the

popularity of the games doesn't come as

a surprise not only have they emerged as

a new form of entertainment but they've

also transformed our culture including

other types of entertainment art and

education many educators are exploring

the possibilities so this student is

clearly hooked us but they've also set

up the context of who I what where and

where in order to help us get to that

point then the student uses this Jane

McGonigal source which was from and the

stimulus material she's a video game

designer with PhD and Foreman settings

she's explaining and so now we have this

clear tie to the stimulus and by the

time we get to the bottom if we look to

the green

this conflict gives rise to one primary

question should digital game-based

learning be incorporated in classrooms

as a part of the learning process and

then we have the answer or the

complexity that main claim

despite barriers and assumed harms in it

the advantage that digital game-based

learning yield outweigh those negatives

thus it should be incorporated in

classrooms as it increases academic

performance and advances learning while

also fostering skills and attitudes that

are beneficial both academically and

socially so this student in just this

one paragraph has set up all the points

of the introduction if you look at some

of the sample papers or if you look at

once the students have written in the

past some students have a really hard

time with paragraphing and as an English

teacher that especially hurts if you

notice that your paragraphs are full

pages or are multiple pages break them

up find a good place to break them up

even if your introduction is technically

two paragraphs that's okay

it's much easier to read the style is

better the flow is better if you have

paragraphing so just keep that in mind

okay

you'll notice that this student the

yellow who our stimulus in the modern

world were surrounded by sense sensors

and then we have this idea in the second

one with Richard Axel humans smell is

often viewed as something that is a

primal sense right it's aesthetic we've

got this whole idea so they're setting

up the stimulus which is great but

they're not telling us why this topic

matters they're not necessarily

narrowing it in enough detail for us to

get all of the things now if we look at

the question to what extent of

pheromones impact the perceived

attraction one human has to another

that's great we've got the question

there and then we've got the claim

research shows that the exchange of

signals is the most significant basis

for the chemistry of attraction in

humans today

now that totally aligned but do I know

why this topic matters do I know why I

should care is significance established

no it's not so we want to make sure that

we address that if we're gonna try to

get all the points here so the

difference here is the student made a

compelling case use outside evidence as

well as the stimulus to help tell us why

it mattered

this one the student just used two

stimulus which is okay but didn't

actually give us enough evidence to

understand why this topic matters and

what the significance is moving forward

okay so now let's transition back to

that establish argument row of the

rubric so clear and convincing argument

it's logically organized it's well

aligned and it's it's plausible so if we

look at how we get that high score

organization is signposted and explicit

so we're gonna look at that in a second

commentary fully explains how the

evidence supports and the solution and

conclusion is fully aligned with the

research question so alignment is such a

big deal in seminar and everything you

do it's also a really big deal in AP

research so it's not something that goes

away okay so if we keep that in mind as

we look at the body paragraphs which is

the last focus of today when we're

composing reason or claims in support of

paragraph the idea is that we want to

explicitly state our claims and I

highlighted that for you and then we

want to make sure that our evidence is

explicitly working to prove our points

so on a basic level if I'm thinking

about

my main claim then my sub claims will

say this proves my main claim because

right

obviously that's juvenile but we want in

the idea is that it's explicit and it's

connected and it's blatant and we know

what it's actually trying to prove so

how do I set these up well just like

those articles you exert you examined in

a part a right they state a claim they

offer evidence they draw the connection

between the claim and evidence and then

they address this so what in terms of

what it means for their argument you

have to bring it back to your argument

and what it means so be explicit make

sure we know what you're arguing and

even if you feel like you're doing too

much as long as you're consistently

arguing that's really what we want okay

and then don't present the weakest

version of your argument or of another

argument just so you can make it easy

and actually confirm what you're trying

to say okay so let's look at an example

here so again I'm just going to give you

the highlights because I know I'm taking

up a lot of your time but if you want to

pause this come back and read this this

sample paper will also be attached as

well but let's look at how this student

actually sets up the argument and how

they've met the rubric so the first

thing you'll notice in the first

sentence which I highlighted at the

beginning of in addition to capturing

engagement games also foster motivation

and collaboration among students that

greatly benefit them academically and

socially

so that signposting this student is so

explicit about what games are doing and

if we think that because we saw the

students introduction a couple slides

ago this student is trying to prove to

us why we should be incorporating gaming

more into the classroom so games last

paragraph they were probably talking

about engagement now we're talking about

motivation and collaboration so that's

the focus the student then addresses a

counter or an opposition the rebuttal

contrary to this belief we've got that

they use the source there then as I

mentioned earlier they go back to the

stimulus to explain and to actually make

this essential explains that when gamers

are on the verge of an epic win it

serves as motivation for them to

continue to work hard and to collaborate

even if there's failure individuals are

more likely to overcome okay now

remember we talked with that party

analogy in the earlier video so here's

this idea psychologists support

McGonigle's claim by explaining that

players have been rewarded an hour

we're of future rewards so now these two

are in conversations so if she just

walks away the stimulus leaves this

conversation we're gonna notice this is

now essential okay on top of that we're

now backed with this next study about

how motivated to work diligently and

longer at a task these psychologists and

then we have this Jones Scholes Johnson

study is at all here from John Hopkins

University and the University of

Sunshine Coast Queensland right we have

this student has backed all of this into

sources to say here's evidence to

support but what you'll notice is that

the evidence is not being used to say

hey look what these sources found but

rather what it's being used to do if we

look at this bottom the sense of

motivation that games promote augments

one's confidence and contributes to

their sense of achievement thus

improving their well-being which is why

we should be using it in the classroom

now this is a longer paragraph so only

used part of it but the idea here is the

student is very explicit about what

we're doing and how we're bringing this

all together if you look at the

difference between presenting your

argument in someone else's argument when

you're presenting someone else's

argument if you look at this first line

this is what it would look like in a

claim paragraph in general scientists

agree that humans are the main cause of

climate change we have no indication

what the student is arguing from this

sentence what we do know is that this is

what scientists say and as you read

through this entire paragraph you'll

notice a very big difference between

what this student is doing and the last

one this student is presenting someone

else's argument not the argument of

themselves and that is a problem because

this paper is about presenting your own

argument mr. Gonzalez will cover more in

lesson seven about the difference

between perspective and lens because

this student is struggling to understand

what that looks like because not all

scientists have the same argument and

not all of any profession have the same

arguments so they've given us a

profession here but he will cover that

more in detail okay so hopefully it's

very clear what your paragraph should

look like when you're talking about

claims versus what they look like when

you're talking about someone else's

argument just as a reminder of

everything we've covered today because

he covered a lot of stuff in a little

bit of time and we focused on

formulating a well

and argument taking in two complexity

the problem or issue into consideration

as we do that we want to make sure that

you understand how to connect and

analyze evidence to develop your

argument but also how to best support

your argument through developing your

line of reasoning remember that those

outline templates are just templates

they are not one-size-fits-all so adjust

as necessary but author's making

intentional and purposeful choices and

it is important that you do the same as

you start to formulate and bring all of

this stuff together so next steps make

sure you clarify your purpose of your

research question so you know exactly

what you're arguing make sure you

provide um you know evidence as you're

thinking through those things what

you're going to do but read through the

LinkedIn provided sample IWA which is

the paper that you sell high scoring and

two different examples to do let's do

that whole paper and try if you can to

outline your argument even if it's just

writing down direction and it's kind of

bare-bones the idea is then where we

start to think through the complexities

or our argument the easier the writing

of it actually becomes pay careful

attention to where you'll incorporate

the stimulus material so that and you

know where that essential use is going

to happen within the context of your

paper and then if you can try to compose

a rough draft of your introduction I

know that's a lot of things but these

are our steps so think about the steps

in the process that you need to go

through and when you feel ready to do

each proceed forward okay as always if

you have any concerns or issues with

technology that College Board is

committed to that equity and access

piece so make sure you reach out to them

and let them know if you have any issues

or if you have any needs as it pertains

to technology and devices um thank you

for watching and we look forward to you

joining us for our next video and mr.

gonzales has the second part of this

lesson thanks