Mrs. Scruggs’s help forAP Lang Q1 & Q3 ThesesUsing Toulmin structure

• If you look at the reader feedback for the past few years, you ‘ll see that the synthesis and argument prompts require you to make YOUR CLAIM CLEARLY using logic! That’s right—you must use LOGIC!

• As a result, these lend themselves well to a Toulmin logic structure.

A Quick Review of Toulmin:• Claim: the argument you wish to

prove• Qualifiers: any limits you place on

your claim (can be expressed in adverbs like usually, sometimes, etc.)

• Reasons/evidence: support for your claim

• Warrants: underlying assumptions that support your claim

• Backing: Evidence for a warrant

What does this mean for a thesis?• It means, there’s an easy way to

remember how to structure your thesis for Q1 and Q3:

(Your claim) proves valid/true, to (a qualified degree), because of (reasons), which make sense when considering (the warrant), as shown in (backing).

Another thesis option:

• Because (support), therefore, (claim), since (warrant), on account of (backing). –An AP example:• Because it is raining, I should take my

umbrella, since it will keep me dry, on account of the fabric is waterproof, unless there’s a hole in it.