CAASPP Vocabulary

Claim

• The position being taken in an argument

• Claiming that a certain event did not happen

• Making a statement that is not based on fact

• Asserting that an opinion is the only valid one

Evidence

• the facts, examples, or sources used to support a claim; quotations and paraphrasing

• Corroboration

• Estimation

• Opinion

Facts

• evidence we can know by study or experience.

• The Earth is square.

• The sun revolves around the Earth.

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Analysis

• Detailed reasons, elaboration that support the claim and connect to evidence.

• Drawing conclusions without considering all the facts

• Making assumptions based on limited evidence

• Relying on hearsay and rumors to form opinions

Reference

• to acknowledge the contribution of other writers and researchers in your work.; to give credit to the writers from whom you have borrowed words and ideas.

• Copy and paste text from other sources without attribution

• Re-word the ideas of others without citing them

• Use information from other sources without permission

Effective

• focused on the topic and does not contain extraneous or loosely related information

• has an organizational pattern that enables the reader to follow the flow of ideas because it contains a beginning, middle, and end; uses transitional devices

• Includes a variety of different perspectives

• Includes a variety of different sources of information

Relevant

• important or significant in that situation or to that person

• Irrelevant

• Inconsequential

• Trivial

Elaborate

• the process of selecting and integrating details that support, explain, illustrate, and/or develop ideas

• Constructing a narrative

• Making a list of facts

• Creating a visual representation

Details

• a particular item of information that supports an idea

• Unsupported theories

• Unsubstantiated claims

• Unvalidated facts

Counter-Argument

• The opposing/opposite viewpoint

• The writer's thesis statement is too narrow in scope, and does not take into account the full range of potential outcomes.

• The writer has failed to include sufficient evidence to support his or her argument.

• The writer has not addressed the potential implications of their argument on other areas of interest.