a persuasive discourse, a coherent and considered movement from a claim to a conclusion a means of...
TRANSCRIPT
Argumentative Writing
What Is Argument?
A persuasive discourse, a coherent and considered movement from a claim to a conclusion
A means of better understanding other people’s ideas as well as your own
Why We Argue? Arguments to Convince
› Establish significance/concern Arguments to Persuade
› Move to action Arguments to Inform
› Provide information Arguments to Explore
› Analyzes varying views of the same data/idea Arguments to Make Decisions
› Encourage wise decisions
Occasions For ArgumentPAST FUTURE PRESENT
What is it called?
Forensic Deliberative Epideictic
What are its concerns?
What happened in the past?
What should be done in the
future?
Who or what deserves praise or blame?
What does it look like?
Court decisions, legal breifs, legislative hearings,
investigative reports,
academic studies
Proposals, bills, regulations, mandates
Eulogies, graduation speeches, inaugural addresses, roasts
Staking a Claim
Claim = an assertion or proposition› Must be arguable (can’t be a statement of
fact)› Answers What’s your point? Where do you
stand on that?› Statement supported by evidence
› 3 Types: claims of fact, claims of value, and claims of policy
Evidence & Reasons So Claim
Which of these are claims?
1.) SUV owners should be required to pay an energy surcharge.2.) Charter schools are an alternative to public schools.3.) Requiring students to wear uniforms improves school spirit.4.) The terms global warming and climate change describe different perspectives of a complex issue.5.) Students graduating from college today can expect to have more debt that any previous generation.6.) Print newspapers will not survive another decade.7.) People who read novels are more likely to attend sports events and movies than those who don’t.
Claims of Fact
Assert that something is true or not true› Ex: Zimbabwe has an unstable government
Facts are arguable when they are questioned, when they raise controversy, or when they challenge people’s beliefs
Read Amy Domini’s “Why Investing in Fast Food May Be a Good Thing”› Find her claims› Which ones are claims of fact?
Claims of Policy
Change proposal Argument of policy: Definition of the
problem (claim of fact), explanation of why it’s a problem (claim of value), and then an explanation of the change that needs to occur (claim of policy)
Read Anna Quindlen’s The C Word in the Hallways excerpt
Claims of Value Argues that something is good or bad, right
or wrong, desirable or undesirable Personal judgments based on preference or
objective evaluations based on external criteria
Ex: Leonardo DiCaprio is the best leading man in Hollywood
Need to establish specific standards or criteria
Read Roger Ebert’s “Star Wars”
Activity
In small groups, read “Felons and the Right to Vote” and annotate the claims. Identify each claim as fact, value, or policy.
Revision Time
Think about what claim(s) you want to make in your revised essay.
If you are choosing 1 claim, then you need to establish your criteria.
Think about potential evidence- examples, facts, quotes (you don’t need to be specific yet)
Are you going to address a counterargument?
From Claim to Thesis More specific about what you are arguing Sets purpose and point of view
› Look at “The C Word in the Hallways”- find the thesis statement
Traditionally, a single sentence in the introduction (typically the final sentence)
Should preview the essay with clear, unambiguous language while establishing main points
Types: Closed Thesis (Restricted), Open Thesis, Counterargument Thesis
Closed Thesis Main idea of the argument that also
previews the major points Limits the number of points
› Ex: “The three-dimensional characters, exciting plot, and complex themes of the Harry Potter series make them not only legendary children’s books but enduring literary classics” (Shea 95).
› Reliable for a short essay› Organizational help
Open Thesis
Doesn’t list all of the author’s points› Ex: “The popularity of the Harry Potter
series demonstrates that simplicity trumps complexity when it comes to the taste of readers, both young and old” (Shea 96).
› More effective for longer essays
Counterargument Thesis Both open and closed thesis Summary of a counterarguments, typically
qualified by although or but, precedes the writer’s opinion› Ex: “Although the Harry Potter series may have
some literary merit, its popularity has less to do with storytelling than with merchandising” (Shea 96).
› Immediately addresses counterarguments› Argument seems both stronger and more
reliable
Revision
Look at your essay- do you have a thesis statement? Where is it located?
Revise your thesis statement- needs to fall into one of the three categories.
First-Hand Evidence
Personal Experience› Adds a human element, appeals to pathos› Effective for intro and conclusion
Anecdotes (stories about other people)› Appeals to pathos
Current Events (locally, nationally, globally)› Connects with reader› Beware of bias and confusion of multiple
perspectives
Second-Hand Evidence
Historical Information (verifiable facts)› Background to current events/debates› Keep account brief
Expert Opinion› Make sure the “expert” is credible
Quantitative Evidence (stats, surveys, polls)› Appeal to logos
Always Have
*Relevant, Accurate, and Sufficient Sources*
Activity
Read Dana Thomas’ “Terror’s Purse Strings”
Annotate the essay below by identifying the different types of first- and second-hand evidence
As a group discuss which type of evidence was most effective for Thomas’ argument?
Finding Evidence
Consider your audience- which type of evidence will appeal to them?
Consider your purpose*Remember that the research method
varies by assignment*
Evaluating Sources Relevance: How closely related to your topic is the
source? Author Credentials: Is the author an expert on your
topic? Author Stance: What is the author’s position on the
issue? Does it affect the information provided? Publisher/Sponsor Credentials: Is the
publisher/sponsor well-known or widely-read? Publisher/Sponsor Stance: Any biases? Currency: Date of publication? Accuracy: Other information cited? Specialization Level: Is general or specific sources
preferred?
Special Considerations for Electronic Sources
Who can post on the website? What type of site?
› .com (commercial), .org (nonprofit organization), .edu (educational institute), .gov (government agency), .net (network)
› Location: .ca (Canada) or .uk (United Kingdom) Can you determine credibility? Are other sources credited and well-
documented? How current is the website? What perspectives are represented?
Synthesizing Sources
Grammar
Work Cited
Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything's an Argument with Readings. Boston: Bedford, 2013. Print.
Shea, Renee Hausmann, Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin Aufses. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Bedford, 2013. Print.