Jordan is organizing an argumentative essay about implementing year-round schooling. He has three main supporting reasons and has identified two significant counterclaims he needs to address.
Which organizational structure would most effectively help Jordan establish clear relationships between his claim, supporting reasons, and counterclaims?
- Present claim and all supporting reasons first, then address both counterclaims together in a single paragraph near the end before concluding.
- Alternate between presenting each supporting reason and immediately addressing related counterclaims, then conclude by reinforcing the overall claim with strongest evidence.
- Address both counterclaims first to get objections out of the way, then present supporting reasons in order of importance, concluding with the strongest argument.
- Integrate counterclaim acknowledgment and refutation within the discussion of related supporting reasons, using transitions to show how evidence addresses both support and opposition. (correct answer)
Explanation: Choice D creates the strongest relationships by integrating counterclaim discussion with related supporting points, showing how evidence both supports the claim and addresses opposition. Transitions help clarify these relationships. Choice A separates counterclaims from related supporting evidence. Choice B alternates without clear integration of related points. Choice C addresses counterclaims first, which can weaken the argument's momentum.