DPGE1002 Chap.8 Deconstructing the Argument Task
Deconstructing the Argument Task
Prompt deconstruction identifies topic words, the required task and limiting words before source details compete for attention. This chapter turns the prompt into a decision sentence, reads the three texts by function and builds a paragraph map that controls relevance. It also distinguishes format compliance from argument quality so source selection remains driven by the position and reasoning.
Topic words identify the issue, but the task word determines what the response must do with it. A question asking whether a university should require an action calls for a decision and defence, not a general report on the issue. Limiting words narrow the institution, population, place, condition or policy under consideration.
Circle them before reading because an interesting source point outside those limits can pull the argument off course. Rewrite the prompt as a one-sentence decision and form a provisional position. The position can change, but it gives evidence a purpose from the beginning. Read all three texts for their main claims before collecting detail.
Assign each useful point a role such as defining the problem, supporting a benefit, revealing a cost, explaining a cause, offering an alternative or testing feasibility. Relevance depends on what the point does for a paragraph claim. A source does not deserve space merely because it appears in the input set. Build two distinct claims that support the same position through different reasoning.
Connect sources where agreement, contrast, limitation or combined implication helps establish a claim. Reserve the strongest relevant objection for a response rather than hiding it. The published requirements for length, source use and citation remain important boundaries, but compliance cannot replace an argument.
The final plan should show the position, paragraph jobs, source relationships, writer explanations and the place where the alternative view changes or qualifies the recommendation.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Topic, task and limiting words
- 02
Decision sentence and qualified position
- 03
Source functions in the argument
- 04
Evidence table and paragraph claims
- 05
Format and citation requirements
Worked example · free
Deconstruct a campus refill-station requirement
- +1Define the topic as refill access at major campus events.
- +1Identify the task as taking and defending a position.
- +1Keep the university, major-event and mandatory limits visible.
- +1Select evidence on access, safety, cost and implementation alternatives.
- +1Reject interesting material that does not change this decision.
Key terms
- Topic words
- The subject matter the response must address.
- Task words
- The instruction that determines what the response must do.
- Limiting words
- Terms that narrow population, place, policy, condition or time.
- Evidence role
- The function a source point performs in the writer's reasoning.
Deconstructing the Argument Task FAQ
Why should I choose a position before detailed notes?
A provisional position creates a relevance filter and reveals which objections need evidence. You can qualify or change it after reading, but source collection should not become a summary of everything. Without that filter, detailed notes can anchor the response to a source sequence before the writer has decided what must be proved.
How many sources should each paragraph use?
The task requires at least two texts overall, but quality depends on purposeful connection. Use the number needed to establish, test and explain the paragraph claim without turning the paragraph into a list. One paragraph may use several sources or one carefully developed relationship; the controlling claim and explanation determine whether the evidence is sufficient.
Can a conditional position answer the prompt?
Yes. A justified condition can respond to the strongest feasibility or fairness objection and make the recommendation more precise, provided the response still takes a clear position. The condition should arise from evidence and remain subordinate to the decision, rather than becoming a way to avoid answering the question.
Exam move
Practise deconstruction on short policy prompts. Give yourself three minutes to identify topic, task and limits, then rewrite the question as a decision. Sort sample source points by function and reject those outside the boundary. Finish with two distinct paragraph claims and one relationship between sources for each paragraph.
Use a planning sheet with rows for decision, provisional position, paragraph one, paragraph two and counterargument. For each paragraph, record the claim before adding source letters. Beside every source point, write why it belongs and what relationship connects it to another text. Mark any note that is accurate but irrelevant so you practise exclusion, not just collection.
Compare two possible plans and choose the one with clearer paragraph separation and stronger source connections. Repeat with a changed limiting word, such as every event becoming large events, and observe which evidence roles change. During review, cover the prompt and reconstruct its limits from the plan; if you cannot, the plan is too generic.