Student Name: Sebastian Verdugo

Planning an Argument

DIRECTIONS: Follow the prewriting steps below to gather ideas for your argument.

Prewriting Steps
1 Determine a debatable claim for your argument.
2 List sound reasons to support your argument.
3 Brainstorm strategies for gathering factual evidence to support your reasons.
4 Develop possible counterclaims.

Step 1: Determine a debatable claim for your argument. Use the sentence frames below to list
possible claims for your essay.

Everyone should have the right to… Purchase market-specific bags.

_______is unfair. It is unjust that animals perish because
I strongly believe… humans
I stronglydiscard
feel thatplastic bagsshould
everyone with have
rubbish.
their own shopping bags,
A change I would make in my town is… I would buy cloth bags andfordistribute
example,
bags
them made
to tell of cotton
all of would be a
A change I would make in my country is… Ifantastic
would themy
idea.
neighbors.
president to make a law
were noattempt
I would one is allow to use
to gather asplatic
manybags.
A change I would make in the world is…
plastic bags as possible in order to clean
the ocean.
Select a claim from the chart above or one you feel strongly about and you feel confident can
be supported by reasons and evidence. Determine if it is debatable by answering “yes” to these
questions:

 Is someone able to reasonably argue against my claim?

 Does my claim state an opinion rather than a fact?

 Does my claim state an opinion and not just my personal preference?

 Can my claim be supported by logic and not just my emotions?

Step 2: List sound reasons to support your argument. Once you’ve chosen your claim, use the
space below to list reasons why you believe this claim.
We have been using plastic bags for a variety of purposes, such as grocery shopping
and trash disposal.Because we have been doing this for so long, people consider it to
be part of the everyday routine. However, starting in 2021, a number of presidents
began to restrict their citizens' access to this content. This was due to the fact that the
ocean was becoming overflowed with this material, and the creatures that live in those
waters were found dead at the edge of numerous beaches, their stomachs stuffed with
plastic bags. A crocodile found at a beach in India serves as an illustration of this; it had
consumed about 82 plastic bags, filling its stomach to the brim with the material. Similar
to this crocodile, many people have died as a result of using plastic bags worldwide. I
believe it is time to slightly alter the materials we use and exercise a little more caution
when throwing things in the trash can.
 Planning an Argument

Now look for relationships among your reasons. Do some seem to naturally go together? Do
some seem repetitive? Ask yourself which you feel will be easy to back up with evidence.

Step 3: Brainstorm strategies for gathering factual evidence to support your reasons.

List the reasons you plan to use to support your argument in the “Reasons” column.
Remember, there are many types of evidence available to support your reasons: numerical
date, expert opinions, primary research, and sometimes common knowledge and anecdotes.

Reasons Type of evidence I plan to Where I might locate this

look for evidence

100,000 thousands species Basic opinions I could find this proof in the
die each year because of opening and closing
plastic bags on the Ocean. paragraphs.

Step 4: Develop possible counterclaims. Think of possible attacks someone with the
opposing viewpoint make about your argument. How would you respond to the attacks? Use
the space below to plan for at least two counterclaims.

Possible Attack Defense

It's imposible to clean the hole ocean. Maybe we can't, but at least try to take
some garbage out of it. Is better
something than nothing, through years
pass by, there will be a change and we
People just go through life as they are There
will be will
gladbethat
legislation
we took dictating
action in that
time.
taught, with no regard for animals. improper use of plastic bags will result in
a ticket. Additionally, there will be trash
cans designated solely for plastics of any
kind.