Week 13: Week 13 — The Argumentative Writing Task
Week of Mon, Feb 8 · week closes Sun, Feb 14
This week's items
Exact due times are in Canvas. Each week opens on its Monday and stays open. Practice is never late — but the MCAP window opens April 5, 2027, so keep pace.
Know these cold
- The argumentative task asks you to take a position on a question and defend it with evidence from the sources you are given. You are not summarizing the sources; you are persuading a reader.
- A strong claim is precise and arguable. "High schools should start at 8:30 a.m. or later" is a claim a reasonable person could dispute; "sleep is important" is a fact almost no one would argue with.
- Each body paragraph should carry one reason that supports your claim. The reason is backed by evidence from the sources and by your own explanation of why that evidence matters.
- Explanation is where most points are earned. After every quotation or statistic, write at least one sentence that connects it back to your claim in your own words.
- A counterclaim is the strongest view that disagrees with yours. State it fairly, then answer it with a rebuttal that uses reasoning or evidence.
- Transitions such as however, as a result, even so, and for this reason show how your ideas relate, which helps a scorer follow your thinking from paragraph to paragraph.
- Keep a formal, objective style. Leave out slang, insults, and phrases like "everyone knows" or "it is obvious," because they weaken your credibility.
- Your conclusion should follow from the argument you built. Restate the claim in fresh words and remind the reader why the issue matters.
Meerk's quiz — open the Week 13 gate
10 questions, no time limit. One counted try: 85% opens the gate. Miss it and Meerk's Study Path opens: it teaches every miss back to you, then a mastery check — and it cannot finish before 25 minutes of real study. Then your second try opens. Work alone; the point is to know it, not to have seen it.
Stuck?
Raise your hand. Mr. James gets a message right away and can help you remotely. Nothing else is stored — just your last name, grade, and where you're stuck.
My Progress
Dinner Table Question
Ask at home: If you wanted to convince our family to change one house rule, what would your claim be, and what is the strongest argument someone here could make against it?
En español: Si quisieras convencer a nuestra familia de cambiar una regla de la casa, ¿cuál sería tu postura y cuál es el argumento más fuerte que alguien aquí podría dar en contra?