Argument Terms

English II

Issue

Definition: The topic being debated.

Definition in my own words:

Example: Homework, social media, self-identity, gun control, animal testing, school uniforms, etc.

Claim

Definition: The overall stance or position on a debatable issue.

Definition in my own words:

Example: Unlike mass media sources like television and film, social media networks have unique qualities that intensify the development of self-identity.

Reason

Definition: General statements that back up claims; these identify why the writer’s view on an issue is reasonable or correct.

Definition in my own words:

Example: Users of social media networks, whether it's Facebook, MySpace, or LinkedIn (to name just a few), post more and more personal information in the form of photos, status updates, links, notes, and their likes and dislikes.

Support

Definition: Includes facts, statistics, expert opinions, examples, and personal experiences—these are presented in support of the claim as concrete examples to help demonstrate how the claim holds up (also called evidence/data).

Definition in my own words:

Example: Dr. Suler says of this unique feature of social media networks, “Especially in the case of reconnecting with old friends, we get a chance to compare and integrate "old" perceptions of our identity with our current perception of our identity.”

Justification

Definition: Common sense rules people accept as generally true, laws, scientific principles or principles of a particular area of study, and definitions. These begin to help explain how and why the support connects to the claim.

Definition in my own words:

Example: A misrepresentation of oneself and any subsequent support from others can affect an individual’s concept of self and potentially lead to identity crisis, wherein the individual lacks identity cohesion or can’t live up to his idealized self.

Qualification

Definition: Restrictions placed because a claim or other parts can’t be seen as absolute truth. Example: adding words like probably, in all likelihood, as a rule, etc.

Definition in my own words:

Example: As users add more information, they build a more complete picture of themselves for their friends to view, comment on, and reaffirm.

Backing

Definition: Any additional explanations or logic or principles or definitions that are necessary to demonstrate the connection between the support and the claim.

Definition in my own words:

Example: The impact of social media networks on self-identity is undeniable.

Counterclaim

Definition: A claim made by the opposing view point (it’s in direct opposition to the claim made by the writer).

Definition in my own words:

Example: “For better or worse, social media networks do allow users to share much more information than they would in face-to-face encounters to a much larger population.”

Rebuttal

Definition: Support provided by the writer that directly negates or disagrees with the opposing point of view.

Definition in my own words:

Example: “But if a person engages in too much self-distortion online, or reveals too much of oneself online, the results can backfire.”

Audience

Definition: The claim and support target a specific group or groups.

Definition in my own words:

Example: All people, especially those who intrigued with social media and its impact.