Portfolio Overview

Question

We would like you to complete Activity 2 from your Unit 4 Curriculum: Consider one claim and one counterclaim made by the author of the text you read, as well as the evidence the author uses to support the claim. Then, in an essay of 300 to 400 words, evaluate the strengths and limitations of the evidence supporting each, making sure to note the criteria for your evaluation, and explain what the author did to develop the claim and counterclaim fairly. Use excerpts from the text to support your analysis. Organize your essay clearly, and follow the rules of English spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

REQUIREMENTS:

1 page, double-spaced. And a centered title

Size 12 font for everything, including the title

Header in the left hand corner with your name, your teacher, English 9A, and the date.

There is a thesis statement that explains the main idea.

The essay reflects a clear organizational structure.

There is at least one citation from the argumentative text.

There is evidence that shows understanding of both the claim and counterclaim.

Correct spelling, punctuation and use of transition words throughout.

Here is an in-depth version of the Argumentative Text Rubric.

Here is a great accommodated google doc for working on your draft.

zoom_out_map
Step 1: Pick your Argumentative Text
You can pick an article from this list, but make sure you scroll down to “argumentative texts.” Or you can choose your own argumentative text. This can be a story or an article.

The article that we are using as an example in class is:

The African Swamp Protecting Earth’s Environment

Vera Songwe

9th: 970

Free to Read

Step 2: Answer these questions and take notes using complete sentences as you read your text.
What is the claim (hint: look at the title!)?

What is the counterclaim (hint: A counterclaim is a claim that is the opposite of the main argument of an argumentative text)?

Are there some limitations to the evidence (hint: Weakness in evidence that might influence the outcome of the research. For example, outdated data, author bias, not enough context, limited sample size, etc.)?

What criteria did you use to evaluate your article (hint: Think of the CRAAP test we did in class. Meet with your teacher if you need help with this part)?

Please share at least one example of the criteria you used to evaluate both the author’s claim and counterclaim.

Please write at least two quotes from this article (hint: make sure to use quotation marks, parenthetical citations, and have the period after the last parenthesis. Meet with your teacher if you want us to look over your formatting).

Step 3: Create your Introduction and Thesis
An easy way to organize this essay is to start with your introduction; you will want a good “Hook” (an introductory sentence that gets the reader interested, such as a good quote for example). You will share information about your article, including the title, author, and a brief summary. You will also share whether or not the author you read had a strong argument or a weak argument, and what criteria helped you to that conclusion.

Example sentences for your Introduction:

Hook: Somewhere deep in Africa’s untamed Congo Basin, the peatlands “store 30 billion tons of carbon. If they did not exist, we would have probably already stepped beyond the threshold of 1.5 degrees of warming” (Songwe, 2022).

Article Info: In “The African Swamp Protecting the Earth’s Environment,” written by Vera Songwe, the author shares her opinion about the peatlands in the Congo Basin and their importance to the global fight against climate change.

Thesis: Songwe creates a weak argument for the importance of the Congo peatlands because 1) she does not have a counterclaim, 2) She has a biases towards Africa since she is from Cameroon and 3) Songwe is an economist instead of an environmental scientist.

zoom_out_map
Step 4: Write your Rough Draft and review the Rubric
Your rough draft does not need to be the full 2 pages, but it should have the majority of your Argumentative Text Evaluation completed.

Use this accommodated google doc to follow the correct format for your rough draft.
You can schedule a time with Mrs. Sodorff or Ms. Kumley to review your rough draft.
Make sure your rough draft is organized so your audience can follow it logically.

Step 5: Submit your Final Draft in the dropbox
You are done! Great work! This was a difficult essay, but hopefully you learned a lot about evaluating Argumentative Texts.

Review your Argumentative Text Rubric one last time before you submit!

Answer 1

[Your Name]  
[Your Teacher]  
English 9A  
[Date]  

                     Evaluating the Argumentative Strengths in "The African Swamp Protecting Earth’s Environment"  

Somewhere deep in Africa’s untamed Congo Basin, the peatlands “store 30 billion tons of carbon. If they did not exist, we would have probably already stepped beyond the threshold of 1.5 degrees of warming” (Songwe, 2022). In “The African Swamp Protecting the Earth’s Environment,” Vera Songwe emphasizes the vital role of the Congo Basin peatlands in combatting climate change. While her central claim asserts that protecting these peatlands is crucial for environmental sustainability, she counters opposing views that downplay their value. This essay evaluates the strengths and limitations of the evidence supporting both the claim and counterclaim, revealing how Songwe presents her arguments fairly.  

Songwe’s claim about the importance of the Congo peatlands is strong due to the substantial evidence she provides. She highlights the staggering amount of carbon stored in these ecosystems and connects it to global warming, establishing urgency in her message. The quote indicating that the peatlands “store 30 billion tons of carbon” effectively showcases the critical role they play in climate regulation. However, a limitation of her evidence lies in its context; Songwe relies heavily on statistical data, but it may not encompass the full scope of ecological complexities involved in preserving these habitats. The argument is based on convincing data, but without addressing local ecological impacts or cultural perspectives, it risks oversimplifying a multifaceted issue. Here, I applied the relevance criterion from the CRAAP test, finding that while the evidence is compelling, the lack of broader context diminishes its overall effectiveness.

Conversely, Songwe addresses a counterclaim suggesting that conservation efforts might impede local development. She acknowledges this perspective but dismisses it by emphasizing that, without peatlands, communities will face more severe environmental degradation and, hence, greater developmental challenges. While this approach shows fairness in her argumentation, the counterclaim could be considered weak as it does not incorporate diverse local opinions. The absence of firsthand accounts from affected communities limits the depth of her rebuttal. This is a significant limitation because it leads to questions about whose voices are included in the conversation about environmental preservation.

In conclusion, Songwe presents a strong claim about the necessity of conserving the Congo Basin’s peatlands, bolstered by substantial evidence. However, the limitations in her contextual data and a somewhat underdeveloped counterclaim hinder the overall persuasiveness of her argument. By acknowledging these aspects, it is clear that while her overall argument is compelling, there are opportunities for deeper engagement with the complexities surrounding the issue of environmental conservation.  

Notes for Final Draft:

1. Ensure that the placeholders for names, teacher, and date are filled in correctly.
2. Double-check the formatting to match your instructor's requirements.
3. Review punctuation and spelling to ensure clarity.
4. Consider discussing the ecological or cultural impacts in more detail if it strengthens the argument.