Week 2: Week 2 — Thesis Statements

1. A claim is the central assertion an argument defends. A strong claim is debatable — it is not an obvious fact, not a question, and not a purely personal preference.
2. Evidence is the material used to support a claim: facts, statistics, examples, quotations, observations. Evidence alone does not make an argument — the writer must explain the connection.
3. A warrant is the underlying principle connecting evidence to a claim. When you write 'because equal access to education is a right,' you are making a warrant visible.
4. A concession acknowledges that the opposing position has some validity. Making a concession shows intellectual honesty and strengthens, not weakens, the argument.
5. A rebuttal follows a concession: after granting the opposing point, the writer explains why the original claim still holds.
6. A counterargument presents the opposing position fully and fairly before the writer addresses it. Engaging the counterargument seriously is more persuasive than ignoring it.
7. A strong AP Language thesis includes a specific claim, a reason that supports it, and some acknowledgment of complication or counterclaim.
8. Synthesis means integrating ideas from multiple sources to build a new argument — not summarizing each source in sequence.
9. An inference is a conclusion drawn from evidence; the logical move from what is stated to what is implied.
10. A writer's stance is their overall position on an issue — where they stand and why. Stance is broader than a single claim.

Ask at home: What is the difference between stating an opinion and making an argument?

En español: ¿Cuál es la diferencia entre expresar una opinión y hacer un argumento?