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Copyright © 2007 Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. All rights reserved.

Organizational Structures

Concession/Rebuttal Causal Chain

Order of Importance Introductions/Conclusions


Organizational Structures

•  Persuasive organization frequently looks very different from expository organization.

•  As we look at different structures, we will see what that means regarding the organization of the paper.


Organizational Structure – Concession/Rebuttal

Acknowledging or recognizing the opposing viewpoint, conceding something that has

some merit, and then refuting it with another argument


My Turn! Your Turn! (Preparing for Concession/Rebuttal)

•  Get with a partner.

•  Choose one rule in your school that needs to be revised, added, or eliminated, and think about why. Each partner may choose a different rule.

•  Each of you takes the role of a student. Write the rule, what needs to be changed, and why.


My Turn! Your Turn!

•  Trade your paper with your partner. •  Acting as principal, respond to your partner’s paper

and write back with the principal’s arguments. •  When you get your own paper back, respond again,

this time as a student. •  Repeat. •  Repeat once more. •  Your paper, when complete, will show two points of

view (an argument and counter argument).


Group Discussion

•  Say goodbye to your partner and find two other people for a discussion.

•  Each student reads his/her own paper aloud. •  Select one paper from your group. Discuss

and write the answers to the following questions based on that paper: w Which arguments were effective? w What made them effective? w Were you persuaded? Why or why not?


Concession/Rebuttal

•  Concession and rebuttal (or counter argument). In a concession, you acknowledge that certain opposing arguments have some truth. The rebuttal explains how this does not weaken your argument. This makes you sound open–minded. This sounds like. . .

I know what other kids would say… I have a possible solution to this problem.

I realize most teachers don’t want cell phones in class because they cause problems, but…


Develop your Point with Concession/Rebuttal

Concession/rebuttal from the “late homework” prompt –

…I’d want all the icky procrastinators to get no credit, because they didn’t turn the work in on time and I did. I’m one for fairness, and a fair school is a great school! Sure it sounds mean, but some people need to take up the reins and learn some responsibility.


Concession/Rebuttal

•  How many of you have been in a discussion with someone and you remember saying, “Yeah, that’s true, but…” This is concession/rebuttal.

•  Let’s list several examples where this applies.


Transitional Phrases – Concession/Rebuttal

•  It is true that…however…therefore… •  Certainly…but…in short… •  Admittedly…on the other hand…so… •  Of course…nevertheless…as a result… •  Obviously…on the contrary…finally… •  Sure…however…in addition…


Concession/Rebuttal – your turn

•  Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework.

•  Find a possible place to add a concession and rebuttal.

•  Write a concession and rebuttal that will strengthen your argument.

•  Share what you have written with someone else, discuss its effectiveness, and revise if needed.


Organizational Structure – Causal Chain

A connected series of cause/effect events


Example of a Causal Chain

This is the house that Jack built. This is the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the rat That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built. This is the cat That killed the rat That ate the malt That lay in the house that Jack built…


Causal Chain – examples

•  Causal chain is a chain of cause/effect events (e.g., “a” causes “b” causes “c,” etc.) This organizational strategy can be used for an entire essay or for a portion of an essay.

If you give us more time for a

break, we will get more homework done, so our grades will be better,

and our parents will be proud.

If your mom forgets to buy gas, then you will run out of gas on

the way to school, and then you will be late and get detention.


Develop your Point with the Causal Chain

Mrs. Rawlins, I do not want you to put into effect the rule of no late homework. One reason is the grades. You see, it is scientifically proven that teenagers between the ages of eleven to sixteen need at least nine hours of sleep every night for their brain to function well. If every teen in this middle school had to stay up later to complete their homework in order for it not to be late, their grades would plummet accordingly. Soon, grades would degenerate and dwindle to the average of a C or lower in most middle and high schools. All of this just because of the ‘no late work’ policy.


Causal Chain – example

If the teachers of Pacific do not allow the students to turn in their homework late then the students will learn to finish their work on time, correct? This may be, but the Sink or Swim philosophy often leaves many students failing ... If a student does not see themselves as being able to finish the assignment on time, they may simply decide to not do it. This would not only cause the student’s grades to fall, but also his or her teacher would likely spend unnecessary time trying to persuade the student to do work. This would not be only one student though! Many students would fall into this downward spiral of not doing their homework. This would result in many declining grades… This in turn would result in the school’s reputation declining… So how do we solve this?


If you give a mouse a cookie,

He’s going to ask for a

glass of milk.

When you give him the milk,

He’ll probably ask you for

a straw.

When he’s finished, he’ll ask for a napkin. ?

Try it Together

Vote Yes-Yes on Feb. 14 Do you value quality education? Do you believe that the children

in our community are our future? If you have answered “yes” to these questions, here’s another one that perhaps you should stop and think about before you answer. Do you plan to support the growth in the Clear Creek Amana School District by voting Yes-Yes to the upcoming school bond issues on Feb.14? If not, you may need to re-evaluate your previous answers above.

Clear Creek Amana schools are extremely overcrowded and in desperate need of additional buildings. The upcoming bond issue will not close any of the existing sites; rather, some of the bond will actually be used to upgrade the Amana and Oxford locations. Please do your own research, listen to the facts, and vote responsibly. Do not believe the rumors and other false information floating around.

Schools bring residents; residents bring money to the community. Schools bring businesses; businesses bring new jobs, services and income into the community. We all have a chance on Tuesday, Feb. 14, to be active and responsible community members. Will you do your part?

We urge all of you to vote Yes-Yes to each of the ballot questions for the upcoming school bond issue. Our future, our children and our community are depending on you.



Causal Chain – your turn

•  Look at the baseline paper you wrote on late homework.

•  Find a possible place to add a causal chain.

•  Write a causal chain that will strengthen your argument.

•  Share what you have written with someone else, discuss its effectiveness, and revise if needed.


Organizational Structure – Order of Importance

Ordering arguments from least to most important (or visa versa) to

persuade an audience


Order of Importance

•  Your PE teacher wants to change the activities offered in your physical education class. Identify one activity that you think should be added or dropped, and think of reasons/arguments to support your position.

•  Organize your arguments from least important to most important.

•  Discuss why this would be an effective way to present your arguments.


Reflect

•  Imagine that you are coaching a 7th grader who is having trouble writing to the persuasive prompt of the WASL.

•  Consider the strategies that worked for you during these lessons. What should the student be sure to add?

•  What should he or she avoid? •  From your point of view, what can you tell the

student about good persuasive writing?

Organizational Structures - Weeblybrightenacademymiddleschool.weebly.com/uploads/8/4/4/3/... · 2020-01-28 · Organizational Structures • Persuasive organization frequently looks

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