This document outlines the stages of a structured process for teaching students how to write argumentative research papers. The 6 stages are: 1) a gateway activity to introduce topics, 2) researching an issue in groups or individually, 3) practicing using warrants to support claims, 4) drafting essays using organizers, 5) peer review with guided questions, and 6) ensuring proper bibliographic form for citations. The process is meant to scaffold learning and have students help each other develop argument strategies, find evidence, and respond to opposing views.

1. Chapter 8:
Presentation
Devan and Kayla

2. Stages
1. Gateway Activity
2. Research an Issue
3. Practicing warrants
4. Drafting an Essay
5. Peer-Group Response and Author
Revision
6. Attending to bibliographic form

3. The basic procedures involved
in argumentation research
papers:
 Take position on an issue
 Support claims
 Include warrants
 Anticipate counterarguments and
counterevidence
 Respond
 Cite sources

4. Stage 1: Gateway Activity
 Begin by debating an interesting,
controversial topic
 Discuss components of the debate

5. Stage 2: Research an Issue
 Introduce a current issue
 Have open discussion
OR
 Have student work in small groups
 Then have a classroom discussion
OR
 Have student do research

6. Stage 3: Practicing Warrants
 Students may have little experience with
warrants
 Take time to practice warrants

7. Stage 4: Drafting an Essay
 Planning process
 Should use graphic organizers

8. Stage 5: Peer-Group Response
and Author Revision
 Use guided questions for peer reviews
 Purpose: to point out areas in which, the
evidence is not sufficient to support a
claim and suggest additional evidence

9. Types of Guided Questions
 Is the Author’s overall thesis stated and fleshed
out clearly and consistently in the intro?
 Does the argument come across a series of
related claims?
 Is each claim supported by evidence?
 Is the evidence tied to a claim by a warrant?
 Is there a counterargument or counterevidence
stated or rebutted?
 Does the concluding paragraph sum the
Author’s position and restate the thesis?
 Does the paper itself make sense or veer away
from the thesis?

10. Stage 6: Attending to
bibliographic form
 Should consist of logical sequence of
information with appropriate
paragraphing
 Students should learn A style rather than
THE style
 Online sources are a convenient way to
let students see appropriate orders to list
segments of citations.

11. What makes this sequence a
structured process approach?
 Scaffolds students’ learning as they argue
based on what they already know and
extend their knowledge
 Students help one another to develop
argument strategies and find evidence to
support their claims
 Helps students respond to opposing
perspectives critically and openly

12. Please get in the following
groups:
1. Tiffany, Emily, Amy, Joey
2. Jessica, Cali, Nybria, Devynn
3. Elyssa, Rebecca, Kerry, Mary, Candace
4. Stephanie, Brandon, Jana, Alessandra,
Sam