Reading and Writing

Formulating Meaningful Counterclaims in

Response to Claims Made in a Text Read
RECAP

You have learned that assertions are declarative sentences that claim
something is true about something else. It is a statement used to declare or
express strong belief on a particular topic that is often without evidence.

To be a critical thinker is not just being able to identify claims and

assertions. It is also essential to have the ability to analyze an argument and
learn to recognize and formulate counterclaims.

LESSON

There are two sides to every argument: (1) the “claim,” and (2) the
“counterclaim.” The first is a statement of the party’s point, or argument for
something. The second is a rebuttal, or argument opposing the claim.

Counterclaims are just opposite of claims. They provide a contrasting

perspective to the main argument. Once the parties have made their claims
and counterclaims, they introduce the reasoning behind their arguments, and
present evidence to support those claims.
The claim or counterclaim system is used to make points in everything
from essays and scientific papers, to litigation.
Read the situation below and analyze the claim and the counterclaim
indicated.

Marsha is a busy design consultant for a home décor and renovation

company. Her job frequently takes her out of the office to visit clients’ homes
and offices to formulate a redecoration plan, personally pick out supplies, and
to personally check up on the construction or installation. Marsha’s phone is
constantly ringing, as she fields phone calls throughout the day, regardless
of her location. Marsha desperately wants to separate her stressful job from
her personal life, so she tells her employer, Ralph, that she needs a company
cell phone. Ralph, thinking only of the additional expense, simply says “No.”

Marsha has made her claim – asking for a company cell phone.
Ralph has made his counterclaim – responding in the negative.

By being able to locate and provide counterclaims to an argument, you

show a deep competence and familiarity with the writer’s topic. It shows that
you are examining different perspectives and not just passively accepting the
writer’s claims. It shows that you have thoroughly considered the topic and
are willing to engage different viewpoints from your own, thus remaining
objective. It also helps you clarify what your personal position is on the topic.

Introducing a counterclaim
When you introduce the counterclaim, talk about why people believe it
– do not talk about if it is wrong or right.

Start off introducing the counterclaim with phrases such as:

The opposing view is that….

Critiques argue that…
While it may be true that…
It is often thought that….
It is easy to think that….
Some people think…
Some may say that….
Others may believe…

Do not introduce your counterclaim in the introductory paragraph

The following questions will help you formulate a counterclaim:

What are the major points on which you and the author can disagree?
 What is the strongest argument? What did they say to defend their
position?
What are the merits of their view?
What are the weaknesses or shortcomings in their argument?
Are there any hidden assumptions?
Which lines from the text best support the counterclaim you have
formulated?

GUIDED PRACTICE
Identify the claim and the counterclaim in the situation below. Then justify
your answer by answering the given questions.

Jenny is a senior high school student. She told her parents that she
badly needs a laptop with internet connection to attend to her classes and do
her class tasks and assignments. But her parents thought that a smart
cellphone will do since she can opt to have text-based class. They also want
Jenny to use the available books and references at home.

CLAIM COUNTERCLAIM

1. What is the major point of disagreement between Jenny and her parents?
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2. What defenses do each party have?
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3. Who has the strongest argument?
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 ACTIVITIES

Activity 1
Put a checkmark (√) on the space before each number if the statement is a
counterclaim.

________1. There are many reasons why smoking is unhealthy.

________2. Many people say that making school uniforms mandatory take
away one’s personal freedom.
________3. Some might think that allowing kids to make their own choices
will make them responsible citizens in the future.
________4. Schools should block access to certain internet sites particularly
offensive and objectionable sites.
________5. Others believe that technology has damaged intimate relations.

Activity 2
In a short paragraph, express your counterclaim on this essay. Write it inside
the box below.

As online learning becomes more common and more and more

resources are converted to digital form, some people have suggested that
public libraries should be shut down and, in their place, everyone should be
given an iPad with an e-reader subscription.
Proponents of this idea state that it will save local cities and towns
money because libraries are expensive to maintain. They also believe it will
encourage more people to read because they won’t have to travel to a library
to get a book; they can simply click on what they want to read and read it
from wherever they are. They could also access more materials because
libraries won’t have to buy physical copies of books; they can simply rent out
as many digital copies as they need.
 However, it would be a serious mistake to replace libraries with tablets.
First, digital books and resources are associated with less learning and more
problems than print resources. A study done on tablet vs book reading found
that people read 20-30% slower on tablets, retain 20% less information, and
understand 10% less of what they read compared to people who read the same
information in print. Additionally, staring too long at a screen has been shown
to cause numerous health problems, including blurred vision, dizziness, dry
eyes, headaches, and eye strain, at much higher instances than reading print
does. People who use tablets and mobile devices excessively also have a higher
incidence of more serious health issues such as fibromyalgia, shoulder and
back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and muscle strain. I know that whenever
I read from my e-reader for too long, my eyes begin to feel tired and my neck
hurts. We should not add to these problems by giving people, especially young
people, more reasons to look at screens.
Second, it is incredibly narrow-minded to assume that the only service
libraries offer is book lending. Libraries have a multitude of benefits, and
many are only available if the library has a physical location. Some of these
benefits include acting as a quiet study space, giving people a way to converse
with their neighbors, holding classes on a variety of topics, providing jobs,
answering patron questions, and keeping the community connected. One
neighborhood found that, after a local library instituted community events
such as play times for toddlers and parents, job fairs for teenagers, and
meeting spaces for senior citizens, over a third of residents reported feeling
more connected to their community. Similarly, a Pew survey conducted in
2015 found that nearly two-thirds of American adults feel that closing their
local library would have a major impact on their community. People see
libraries as a way to connect with others and get their questions answered,
benefits tablets can’t offer nearly as well or as easily.
While replacing libraries with tablets may seem like a simple solution,
it would encourage people to spend even more time looking at digital screens,
despite the myriad issues surrounding them. It would also end access to many
of the benefits of libraries that people have come to rely on. In many areas,
libraries are such an important part of the community network that they
could never be replaced by a simple object.
https://blog.prepscholar.com/argumentative-essay-examples

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