Making a Coherent Argument

When you develop an argument, make sure your ideas go together in a way that your audience can follow. Read this passage from an argument about celebrities’ right to privacy. Does it make sense and is it easy to follow? Or is it confusing?

At some point in their lives, many of our favorite actors, musicians, and athletes decided to seek the limelight. For these celebrities, fame has brought money and recognition. Not surprisingly, along with that money and recognition comes a loss of privacy. When people make the decision to become professional entertainers or athletes, they automatically give up their right to privacy.

On a daily basis, details about the lives of the stars are revealed through printed materials, websites, radio, and, most frequently, television. Today, each television station schedules 168 hours of weekly programming. Many of those hours are devoted to entertainment and sports news. Celebrities often complain about the public’s obsession with their personal lives. Yet, they are more than willing to take advantage of the media if it serves their purpose. For example, every time a new movie is released, the film’s producers send the stars out to seek publicity for it. It is not unusual to see the same star promoting the same film on a different talk show night after night.

• Strong: Makes sense, easy to follow

• Weak: Disorganized and confusing

When you develop an argument, make sure your ideas go together in a way that your audience can follow. Read this passage from an argument about celebrities’ right to privacy. Does it make sense and is it easy to follow? Or is it confusing?

Celebrities are eager to advance their careers through the media. These personalities complain about media attention if something goes wrong. Many performers and athletes invite photographers and reporters to follow them around. Being available for media exposure allows performers and athletes whose stars have faded to remain in the spotlight. Media availability allows performers and athletes whose stars have not yet risen to gain the spotlight. Much of celebrities’ bad behavior is an attempt to get their names and pictures in the news.

One very successful comedic actor has been quoted as saying he deserves privacy because he “makes a lot of people happy.” Some argue that all people deserve the personal space in which to live their lives. That comedian chose a career that depends on publicity for success. The price, unfortunately, is the loss of privacy.

• Strong: Makes sense, easy to follow

• Weak: Disorganized and confusing

A coherent argument hangs together. That means that all the words, sentences, and paragraphs come together to form a unified whole. How do writers do that?

• Present ideas in a logical sequence

• use pronouns and synonyms

• repeat key words and phrases

• use clear and varies syntax, as well as transitional words and phrases

• all of the above

______________ refers to sentence structure, or the way words are arranged in sentences. By varying __________, writers create unity and add interest.

• pronoun

• syntax

• synonym

• transition

Tags

CCSS.RL.5.3

CCSS.RL.5.5

CCSS.RL.6.3

CCSS.RL.7.3

CCSS.RL.8.3

Pronouns are words that substitute for _______________.

• syntax

• synonyms

• nouns

• transitions

Tags

CCSS.RI.6.10

CCSS.RI.7.10

CCSS.RL.6.10

CCSS.RL.7.10

CCSS.RL.8.10

Every argument must include reasons and evidence to support a claim or _____________________.

• counterclaim

• observation

• synonym

• syntax

Every argument must include reasons and evidence to support a claim or counterclaim (also known as a counterargument). There are several effective ways you can organize that support. These include order of importance, order of complexity, order of familiarity, and

• order of interest

• order of likely acceptance

• order of chronology

• order of words

Read the passage and think about where transitions could be added to link ideas and make the passage more cohesive. Then, choose the revisions that successfully incorporate a transitional word or phrase into each underlined passage.

When was the last time you bought anything for once cent? The United States penny is now almost worthless. Inflation is the cause. The fact is that it costs more than two cents just to make a penny. That means the U.S. Treasury is losing money every time it mints one of these new coins. It is time to do away with the U.S. penny.

• The United States penny is now almost worthless whenever inflation is the cause.

• As a result of inflation, the United States penny is now almost worthless.

• The United States penny is now almost worthless, and inflation is the cause.

Read the passage and think about where transitions could be added to link ideas and make the passage more cohesive. Then, choose the revisions that successfully incorporate a transitional word or phrase into each underlined passage.

When was the last time you bought anything for once cent? The United States penny is now almost worthless. Inflation is the cause. The fact is that it costs more than two cents just to make a penny. That means the U.S. Treasury is losing money every time it mints one of these new coins. It is time to do away with the U.S. penny.

• Because it will save the country money, it is time to do away with the U.S. penny.

• It is time to do away with the the U.S. penny, although some people may disagree.

• In the first place, it is time to do away with the U.S. penny.

Read the passage and think about where transitions could be added to link ideas and make the passage more cohesive. Then, choose the revisions that successfully incorporate a transitional word or phrase into each underlined passage.

Some will argue that the penny is an important symbol in our national culture. They feel nostalgic about the penny. It reminds them of a time when a penny could buy a piece of candy or a glass of lemonade.

The saying goes that "a penny saved is a penny earned." A penny saved today equals more than two pennies lost!

• A penny saved today equals more than two pennies lost, and that’s the truth!

• Because a penny saved today equals more than two pennies lost!

• In truth, a penny saved today equals more than two pennies lost!