Crafting Cohesive Arguments: Structuring Your Writing

Crafting Cohesive Arguments: Structuring Your Writing

Learning Objective

At the end of the lesson you will be able to make cohesive links between paragraphs to structure a persuasive argument.

What do you already know about structuring arguments in writing?

Understanding Argument Structure

An argument should have an introduction, body paragraphs with supporting evidence, and a conclusion.

Introducing Topic Sentences

Topic sentences introduce the main idea of each paragraph and provide a roadmap for the reader.

Using Evidence and Analysis

Support your points with evidence such as quotes, statistics, or examples, and analyze how the evidence supports your argument.

Transition Words and Phrases

Transition words and phrases help to connect ideas and create a smooth flow between paragraphs.

Practice: Identifying Linking Words

Review a sample paragraph and identify the transition words and phrases used to link ideas.

Crafting Cohesive Paragraphs

Demonstrate how to link paragraphs by referring back to the thesis statement and using transitional expressions.

Interactive Activity: Paragraph Linking

Students will work in pairs to identify ways to link two given paragraphs cohesively.

Revising and Editing

Emphasize the importance of revising and editing to ensure smooth transitions and coherence in the argument.

Peer Review and Feedback

Students exchange their writing with a partner for peer review, focusing on the coherence of paragraph links.

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.