Side By Side

Worksheet Description

This worksheet, titled “Refuting Counterclaims,” provides a structured activity where students must first note the author’s thesis and then identify and refute counterclaims. The page is divided into a two-column table where one side is for listing the counterclaims found in a given text, and the other side is for describing how each counterclaim is refuted. The exercise directs students to actively read and engage with a text, enhancing their ability to dissect and respond to opposing views critically.

The worksheet educates students on the analytical process of deconstructing an argument by identifying counterclaims and understanding the author’s methods of refutation. It is designed to improve critical reading skills by compelling students to not only spot counterarguments but also to comprehend and articulate the strategies used to counter these claims. This practice is key in developing their abilities to create strong arguments and to defend their thesis in their own writings. The task also reinforces the importance of directly addressing and dismantling opposing arguments to strengthen one’s own position in an argumentative essay.