5 Step Claim Generator.

5 Step Claim Generator

Today's assignment is designed to help us work through the synthesis process. All questions should be answered in complete sentences, with answers growing longer as you move from Part 1 to Part 5. I suggest completing this assignment in a Word Document by copy/pasting it and responding question by question. Please keep in mind that you may start at any point in this assignment; only move through all parts if you are starting from scratch in your brainstorming process.

Part 1: Breaking Down the Articles

Take some time to identify and then summarize or copy/paste the following from each article:

1) Topic

2) Thesis statement

3) Supporting arguments

Part 2: Comparing and Contrasting the Articles

1) What is similar about the articles? 

2) What is different about the articles?

Part 3: Imagine the Authors Arguing

Imagine that the authors of each of these articles are having a conversation, and all they are allowed to say is what they have written in their article.

1) Do they get along? Why or why not? What do they agree about, if anything?

2) Do the authors disagree? What do they disagree about? Are they somewhere between agreeing and disagreeing? 

Part 4: Making Something New

After reading what the authors have to say, now it's your turn. You're entering into the conversation they are having, but you are only allowed to talk if you think you can add something unique to what they are already saying. The trick is that this can only be done using their own words and ideas; you can't look for new sources, and you can't add anything 'from your own head'. Answer at least one of the following questions (you won't have to answer them all!):

1) How does one article help you 're-read' the other? 

2) How does one article help you better understand the other?

3) How does one article help you understand that what the other is saying is wrong?

4) Is there anything the articles both say that you disagree with?

Part 5: Making the argument itself

1) Now that you have worked through these steps, what is your unique, arguable claim?

2) Which specific arguments from the articles do you plan to respond to?

the two articles are uploaded.