The Writing Process & Argumentative Essays
Key terms and strategies for planning, drafting, and revising a thesis-driven argumentative essay.
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Questions Covered in This Set
10 cards to master
What are the five stages of the writing process?
Prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing.
What is the biggest mistake student writers make?
Collapsing all five stages into one panicked session instead of doing one job at a time.
What makes a claim argumentative?
It's a claim a reasonable person could disagree with, then defended with evidence.
What three things does a strong thesis do?
Takes a debatable side, is specific, and previews the reasons (which become your body paragraphs).
State the beginner thesis formula.
"Although [strongest objection], [my claim], because [reason 1], [reason 2], and [reason 3]."
What does T-E-A-L stand for?
Topic sentence, Evidence, Analysis, Link (transition).
Which part of T-E-A-L do beginners shortchange, and what's the ideal ratio?
Analysis — aim for about one sentence of evidence to two sentences of your own reasoning.
What is a "quote sandwich"?
Signal phrase → the quote → your interpretation of why it matters.
Does paraphrasing require a citation?
Yes — plagiarism includes borrowing ideas or data without credit, not just copying sentences.
Difference between MLA and APA in-text citation?
MLA: (Smith 42); APA: (Smith, 2019, p. 42). Both need a Works Cited/References page.
