Pre-Writing: Claim and Focus
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT 1200 / LESSON 2.1 ACTIVITYPRE-WRITING: CLAIM AND FOCUS 1 Unless otherwise noted, this work is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Credit: “Pre-Writing: Claim and Focus ”, OER Project, https://www.oerproject.com/1PurposeClaim writing is a skill that you will use in this course, other courses, and even in the world of work. This activity will help you master the process of writing and defending a strong claim.Process1.Review the Claim and Focus section from the OER Project Writing Rubric below.Claim and FocusMake a fully developed claim that is historically defensible and responds to the assignment.Establish a strong line of reasoning and maintain a precise focus on defending the described claim.Develop the claim and counterclaims while thoroughly addressing the demands of the prompt.1.In the table below, respond to the following prompt: What factors contributed to the growth of networks of exchange after 1200 CE?You can use your notes from this lesson to help develop your claim. Create a claim statement by responding to the question. If you are stuck, use the following sentence stems. Note how these sentence starters are connected to the prompt.•Networks of exchange grew after 1200 CE because...•Some of the factors that contributed to the growth of networks of exchange are...
WORLD HISTORY PROJECT 1200 / LESSON 2.1 ACTIVITYPRE-WRITING: CLAIM AND FOCUS 22.Review your claim and complete the chart.Review your claimYes/NoExplainDoes my claim make an argument?Does my claim take a position that requires defending?Is my claim focused and precise?Does my claim answer the question, So what?Does my claim reference the evidence I will use to support my argument?3.Now think about the claim someone would make if they were arguing against you.Opposing Claim/Counterclaim If you are stuck, use the following sentence stems•On one hand.... On the other hand....•Though some historians argue..., a deeper analysis shows...•Despite the fact that many people believe...•While many say that...4.You’ll use this claim and counterclaim later in this unit. As you learn more, keep thinking about how you can support your claim with additional evidence.