(Unit 1) (Skill 7) Developing arguments about interpretations of the text Flashcards
Define:
Claim
A statement that requires defence with evidence from the text
What was the teacher’s description of a claim?
An accumulation of individual ideas that are brought together in a cohesive manner to form one original and insightful idea
What does a claim start with?
Various ideas that result from the things that you pick up as you read:
Important sentence
Key word
A whole paragraph that seems crucial
A symbol emerges
True or False:
A claim is comprised of all of the ideas that you form from the things you read
True
A good claim is like a ____ _________. Why?
Firm handshake
Like a firm handshake, you look the reader in the eye and reassure them that you know what you’re doing and have something worthwhile to say
State the details of a claim (3)
They synthesize smaller ideas into a bigger, cohesive whole
They have insight and originality
They demonstrate mature thinking
Good claims are __________, weak claims are _____
Insightful
Vague
True or False:
Claims need evidence to support them
True
Do paragraphs need to be convincing?
Yes, they do need to be convincing (a good paragraph is like a good lawyer)
Describe weaker claims (3)
Restates the prompt or rephrases it in one’s own words but doesn’t put forth an original idea
Are generic and superficial; they say nothing specific to the story or the prompt
Provide a claim, but do not respond to the prompt
What does it mean that a claim is “generic”?
The claim is really saying anything
Describe stronger claims (3)
Puts forth an original idea that is a result of an accumulation of evidence
Provide big ideas that need to be defended with evidence
Respond to the prompt in an insightful way
Identify the weak points of this claim:
“The first-person point of view in Raymond Carver’s “Catherdral” adds to the story” (2)
Merely identifies the point of view
“Adds to the story” doesn’t say anything specific to the story or point of view. It is a generic phrase that can be applied to just about any story
What are two ways that can be used to strengthen a claim?
Instead of stating the point of view, make statements and discoveries from the point of view
Make discoveries of the information that is hinted or suggested and use them to support your claim
For a claim to be defensible, it must be:
Insightful
