FL B.E.S.T. Standard: ELA.7.R.2.3 | Grade 7 ELA
Analyze an author's purpose and/or perspective in a text. Explain how an author's purpose affects the presentation of information in a text.
Related Skills: Evaluating arguments for validity and logic, identifying bias, analyzing evidence quality, recognizing logical fallacies
Students will identify whether an author's purpose is to inform, persuade, entertain, or a combination, and explain how this shapes content choices.
Students will assess claims and determine if supporting evidence is relevant, sufficient, and credible.
Students will recognize when texts present one-sided perspectives, loaded language, or omit important counterarguments.
Students will identify common logical fallacies that weaken arguments (bandwagon, false cause, ad hominem, etc.).
| Term | Definition | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Claim | The main point or position an author argues | "Schools should start later to improve student health." |
| Evidence | Facts, statistics, examples, or expert opinions supporting a claim | "Studies show teens need 8-10 hours of sleep." |
| Reasoning | The logical connection between evidence and claims | "Therefore, early start times prevent adequate sleep." |
| Bias | A tendency to favor one perspective over others | An article about video games written by a game company |
| Logical Fallacy | An error in reasoning that weakens an argument | "Everyone's doing it" (bandwagon appeal) |
| Counterargument | An opposing viewpoint that must be addressed | "Some argue later start times cause scheduling problems." |
| Credibility | The trustworthiness of a source or evidence | Medical advice from a doctor vs. random website |
| Loaded Language | Words with strong emotional connotations meant to influence | "Dangerous" vs. "risky" vs. "potentially harmful" |
| Fallacy | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwagon | Arguing something is right because many people do it | "Everyone uses this app, so it must be the best." |
| Ad Hominem | Attacking the person making the argument, not the argument itself | "Don't listen to her - she's just a kid." |
| False Cause | Assuming one thing caused another just because they happened together | "I wore my lucky socks, so we won the game." |
| Either/Or | Presenting only two options when more exist | "Either you support this policy or you don't care about kids." |
| Appeal to Authority | Using an unqualified "expert" as evidence | "This actor says this diet works, so it must be true." |
| Hasty Generalization | Drawing conclusions from too little evidence | "I met two rude people from that city; everyone there is rude." |
Give students a persuasive editorial. Have them identify and label:
Then discuss: Is this argument effective? What makes it strong or weak?
Create "fallacy cards" with examples of flawed arguments from advertisements, political speeches, and social media posts. Students work in groups to:
Provide two articles about the same topic from different perspectives (e.g., school uniforms). Students analyze:
Students write their own persuasive paragraph, then swap with a partner who tries to find weaknesses:
What students think: If an argument makes me feel strongly, it must be a good argument.
Reality: Emotional appeals can be powerful but don't replace logical reasoning and evidence. Teach students to separate emotional response from evaluation of argument quality.
What students think: An argument with lots of facts is automatically convincing.
Reality: Evidence quality matters more than quantity. One relevant, credible piece of evidence can be stronger than many weak or irrelevant facts.
What students think: If an author is biased, their entire argument is wrong.
Reality: Everyone has some perspective. Bias should make readers more critical, but a biased source can still present valid arguments and accurate information.
Students engage more with current advertisements, social media posts, news articles, and political speeches than with hypothetical examples. Keep a folder of timely texts to analyze (being mindful of age-appropriateness and political balance).
Teach students to always look for these three components (CER). If any is weak or missing, the argument has a problem. Use graphic organizers that make students identify all three before evaluating.
Model intellectual humility by having students argue positions they disagree with. This builds empathy and helps them understand how to analyze arguments fairly, regardless of personal opinions.
| Day | Focus | Materials |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction: Claims, Evidence, Reasoning; Author's Purpose | Student Concept Worksheet |
| 2 | Evaluating Evidence Quality and Credibility | Student Concept Worksheet, examples |
| 3 | Identifying Bias and Loaded Language | Practice Worksheet (Part 1) |
| 4 | Recognizing Logical Fallacies | Practice Worksheet (Part 2) |
| 5 | Assessment and Review | FAST Format Quiz |
Provide sentence starters for analysis: "The author's claim is... One piece of evidence is... This connects because..." Focus on identifying the main claim before analyzing evidence.
Have students analyze multiple sources on the same topic and synthesize which argument is most convincing. Challenge them to identify subtle fallacies and implicit bias.
Pre-teach vocabulary with visual examples. Provide bilingual glossaries of argument terms. Use graphic organizers that reduce language demands while building analytical skills.
Use argument maps that visually show how claims, evidence, and reasoning connect. Color-code different argument components. Create fallacy flashcards with illustrations.