1. Main points to establishing & organizing an argument
• Organization in writing is
important for the fact: we want
the reader to understand it
• We want the information to be clear,
easy to follow, and the reader to not
keep questioning what they are reading
• In arguments this is important, because it is
easy to jump around from point to point –
which only makes sense in the writers head
2. Method
• The Toulmin Method of logic is a common organizational method to use
when organizing an argument
• The writer first needs to establish their argument with
themselves before they write
• This follows with the Toulmin Method’s first point: a thesis
the writer will argue
3. Claim your thesis
• Exactly what the argument is
and what the writer will be
arguing about should be in a
thesis
Example: Apples are beneficial to
humans, because they prevent a lot
of health issues
Next
Evidence of data
• Gather evidence to prove
your argument and thesis
• An example would be
everything beneficial in
apples and what kind of
health issues they prevent
• Also, compare an
opposing food like
sugar. Compare how
eating apples
opposed to sugary
things is better
4. Backing it up more
• Here more information and explaining your information can help. Show
the reader where you got the information, compare and contrast, and
explain more statistics
Support your claims/thesis
• Now include a warrant or bridge which
explains why or how your data backs up
your claim
An example would be showing your
research on apples and helping prevent
health issues. Like, statistics on the rates of
heart disease when people ate apples
instead of drinking soda
5. Counterclaim
• A counterclaim does disagree
with your argument, but in a good
way
• If the writer is talking about
apples and health benefits then
an example would be bring up
eating more vegetables than
fruit, because fruit does have a lot
of natural sugar
• This does not steer away from the
thesis, but adds to it positively
Rebuttal
• This part is evidence that a
writers counterclaim
disagrees with
• An example would be any
amount of fruit is perfectly
healthy and it is better than
eating junk food.
• Also, fruit still does have a
lot of health benefits even
though the high amount of
natural sugar
6. Establishing the Argument
• Find a topic that you have a very
narrow, tight, and specific focus
on
A topic very broad is where
confusion and little
organization happens
• A topic that is
debatable is a good
one
• Apples are good for your health.
• Yes, but too broad
• Apples are beneficial to humans,
because they prevent a lot of
health issues
• The thesis is good, itcan
be debated against
other foods that people
eat and preventing
health issues and it is
narrow
7. Last
• It is not easy
sometimes to organize
a paper, but if the
writer knows their
topic and what they
want to argue then it
should be easier to
organize
• With that being said
the writer has to take
time organizing where
everything is going to
go exactly or it will be
confusing
8. Sources
• Purdue Online Writing Lab. Developing Strong Thesis
Statements . 25 February 2013. 3 April 2013.
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/01/
• Organizing Your Argument. 11 March 20103 .3 April 2013
<http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/572/03/>.