Final Project Persuasive Essay Claims and Counterclaims

Name: __________________________________ Date ______________ Period __________

Your final essay will be a total of 3 paragraphs, consisting of an introduction, a body, and a
conclusion.
Your introduction should provide an overview of the problem of mass shootings/school
shootings, and set up your thesiseither as an explanation of the cause, or as a solution to
the problem.
Your THESIS will be your claim. It can either be:
1. That _______ is the cause of many mass/school shootings. (The reason behind it.)
Some examples: mental illness, bullying, bad parenting, the American Dream, violence
in the media, over-reporting/sensationalism on the news, easy access to guns, etc.
OR
2. That _______ is the solution to preventing many mass/school shootings from
happening in the future. Some examples: tighter gun control, armed security guards,
better mental health screening, better mental health care, anti-bullying campaigns in
schools, public awareness about something, less media coverage, less violence in
media, etc.
Your body paragraph must include your claim (thesis) in the first sentence. You must include
at least three reasons to support your claim, at least two explanations for EACH reason,
and a concluding sentence. An explanation can and should include evidence directly from
the article: a quote, data, statistics, an example, or a story that illustrates the point. You MUST
include at least one direct quote from any of the articles that we have read, with proper
citation. Overall, your body paragraph will be at least 11 sentences long.
Your concluding paragraph should address at least one counterargument to your position
and explain why that counterargument is false/not really an issue. (For example, While
opponents to this plan would argue that _______________, the evidence shows that this is
actually an exaggeration. According to ______ in the article _______, . . . . ) You should then
briefly restate your three reasons and your claim.
Remember that your goal is to PERSUADE your readers that your argument is correct! Use
academic language and provide direct evidence from credible sources (the articles!) to support
your argument.
Your final draft will be typed and submitted via Google Docs.

Claim, Reasons, and Explanations. Write out your claim, reasons, and explanations
below. Make sure you are using direct evidence from the article(s) that we have read.

CLAIM
Statement of Argument
(Your position on a topic
relating to mass shootings or
school shootings. One
sentence)

REASONS
Because. . .
(Refer to the articles that we
have read. Provide at least
TWO reasons to prove that
your side is right.)
1.

EXPLANATIONS
How I know . . .
(Provide at least TWO
explanations, examples,
stories, statistics, etc. from
the articles for each reason to
back up your argument)
1a.

1b.

2.

2a.

2b.

3b.

Counter-Claims
Now that you have considered your claim, reasons, and explanations, you need to consider
what the other side of your position would say. Re-read the article(s) from their point of view
and make a list of their strongest counterclaim (the argument that would most likely to
disprove your position.) Then, disprove the counterclaim. Provide evidence to back up your
response.

COUNTERCLAIM
REASONS
Because. . .
(Refer to the articles that we
have read. What reasons are
your opponents most likely to
use?)

EXPLANATIONS

YOUR ANSWER

How they know . . .

(Which explanations,
examples, stories, statistics,
etc. from the articles are your
opponents most likely to
use?)

How can YOU disprove

this?
(Make sure you can back it up
with support from one or more
article.)

1.

1a.

1a.

1b.

1b.

Draft Outline.
Once you have figured out your claim, reasons, explanations, and counterclaim,
you need to rewrite it in essay form. Use the following outline to help you.

I. INTRODUCTORY PARAGRAPH. (Explain why or how mass shootings are a

significant problem today.)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________

If the problem of _________________________________________ (your topic)

is not addressed, then ______________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
(what will happen?)

II. BODY PARAGRAPH. THESIS STATEMENT. (Your claim.) ______________

________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________.
A. REASON #1. ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
a. EXPLANATION #1a. ________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
b. EXPLANATION #1b. ________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
B. REASON #2. ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
a. EXPLANATION #2a. ________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
b. EXPLANATION #2b. ________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
C. REASON #3. ___________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
a. EXPLANATION #3a. ________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
b. EXPLANATION #3b. ________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________
D. CONCLUDING SENTENCE. ______________________________
______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.
III. CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH.
A. COUNTERCLAIM. ____________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
B. DISPUTE COUNTERCLAIM. ___________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
C. BRIEFLY RESTATE THREE REASONS + CLAIM. ___________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.
D. WHY THIS IS IMPORTANT (e.g. what will happen if the problem is not
addressed.) __________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________.