Defend, Challenge, Qualify v Develop a Position

Question 1

defend, challenge, or qualify essay

Answer 1

• you will be asked to read a passage and then defend, challenge, or qualify the position of the speaker
  = defend - you agree and write reasons that show support
  = challenge - you disagree and write reasons to show why
  = qualify - you may agree or disagree, but you have some exceptions to your position. not that you MUST have a clear position

Question 2

defend a position essay

Answer 2

• you will be asked to read a passage and then defend the position of the speaker. you can either agree or disagree with the position, but you cannot qualify it
  = defend - you agree and write reasons that show support
  = challenge - you disagree and write reasons to show why

Question 3

if you are asked to write an argumentative essay, what do you need to do first?

Answer 3

read the passage associated with the essay, and then choose a position or main point for your essay

Question 4

how is a “defend a position essay” different from a “defend, challenge, or qualify essay?”

Answer 4

in a “defend a position essay” you can’t choose to write an essay that qualifies a position

Question 5

how would you QUALIFY this position

Answer 5

• while the death penalty should be abolished, it should be a state initiative and not a federal one
• Factory Farms are necessary in some locations, but Americans should shift to local farming methods
• While private sector employees have a stake in federal regulations, generalized rules are bad
• some athletes had cancer and need steroids to help them perform, but the rest should be illegal
• addressing water pollution is important, but it must be part of an encompassing pollution strategy
• while federal regulations already exist, they should be narrowed to limit testing when crucial
• the government should regulate space, and have a leadership role, but allow privatization

Question 6

DEFEND this position

Answer 6

• more than a 1,000 innocent people have been put to death. death punishment is permanent
• the drugs help athletes to perform, train, and compete at their best. this law should be changed
• universities have become greedy and need federal oversight, or the costs will keep increasing
• animals are rarely similar to humans, so the results are not analogous or helpful to humans
• clean water is not an unlimited resource. there are 7 billion people on this planet that need water

Question 7

CHALLENGE this position

Answer 7

• animal testing is necessary to prevent cosmetics from harming or killing a person
• trash disposal supersedes all forms of pollution. the world must solve this problem first
• the death penalty helps ensure that convicted criminals don’t repeat their crimes
• private industry would exploit space for their own profitable gains- not for the public good

Question 8

when you are writing an argumentative essay, besides your position or main point, what else do you need to include in your essay

Answer 8

you need reasons that support the position that you chose