ACADEMIC ENGLISH IIISeptember 10, 2012

Today• Arguments

• Academic Writing I was more concerned with grammar and the basics of writing:

• - Sentence/paragraph structure.• - Topic sentences.• - Thesis statements.

• In this class, we will continue looking at those basics, but we will also look at content.

Arguments• One of the key elements of academic writing is being able

to support your claims effectively.

• “Cats are superior pets to dogs because I said so.”

• What’s wrong with this support?

position support

What is an argument?• An argument involves the process of establishing a claim

and then proving it with the use of:

• logical reasoning.

• examples.

• research.

Importance of arguments• If a paper has perfect grammar and has well organized

ideas, but does not have proof, it is of no value.

• A strong argument aims to convince your reader (audience) of your position.

• - Rhetoric.

ArgumentsAristotle’s Appeals:

- Ethos (credibility)- An ethical appeal.

- Pathos (emotional)- An emotional appeal.

- Logos (logical) Persuasion through reasoning.

Logical reasoning• An argument is much stronger when based on a solid

reason.

Constructing an argument• What is the first thing you need in order to argue

something?

• A thesis statement.

Thesis statement• The most important sentence in a paper.

• Tells the reader the paper’s main idea.

• Answers the question “What am I trying to prove?”

• Is NOT a factual statement, it is a claim that must be proven throughout the paper.

• - i.e., Korea is a country in Asia Not a thesis statement.

Thesis statement• The thesis statement is your overall position.

To help parents monitor their children’s web browsing habits, web-monitoring software should be a required feature for computers in Korea.

- The body paragraphs are then used to support this position (using strong, well-organized arguments, of course).

Logical reasoning• Logos: Is the argument logically sound? Does the

argument make sense? Do the reasons supporting the argument have no conflict? Do the reasons support a conclusion?

Logical reasoning• Is sometimes compared with math.

Consider the syllogism:

major premise, minor premise, and conclusion.

Logical reasoning• Only people eat cake. (major premise)

• Tim eats cake. (minor premise)

• Therefore, Tim is a person. (conclusion)

• - This conclusion is logical and based on the premises.

Logical reasoning• Be careful of faulty logic, though.

• Only people eat cake. (major premise)

• Ann does not eat cake. (minor premise)

• Therefore, Ann is not a person. (conclusion)

• - These premises do not support the conclusion.

Faulty logic• Here are several examples of faulty logic.

• What is wrong with each?

Faulty logic

Why do I need to go to school? Dogs do not go to school and they go through life just fine.

- Fault: Humans and dogs are not the same thing.

- False analogy

Faulty logic

Everyone wants to live to old age. Fitness and good eating habits are essential to longevity. Therefore, everyone should exercise and eat well.

- Fault: Although this may possibly be true, not everyone wants to live for a long time.

- False premise

Faulty logic

Merritt’s Burgers is a great place to get a hamburger: you can see how clean the kitchens are and how handsome the waiters are.

- Fault: These factors have no connection with the quality of the food.

- Red Herring- A clue (or clues) that are misleading or distracting from the actual issue.

Faulty logic

Professor Oxford is a terrible French professor. She has bad hair and wears ugly shoes.

- Fault: Attacking Prof. Oxford’s appearance is unfair and is not related to her teaching ability).

- Ad Hominem- An attempt to support a claim (or refute it) by pointing out a negative characteristic or unrelated point.

Faulty logic

I had to jump off that bridge. All of my friends were doing it!

- Fault: A belief is not true/correct just because it is widely believed.

- Bandwagon

Faulty logic

The problem of spam e-mail has been greatly exaggerated. Johnson’s (1995) study shows that few internet users actually receive spam.

- Fault: The study’s findings are (very) old and are not relevant to the present.

- Dated evidence- Always try to have the most current evidence.

Faulty logic

Either you like the Samsung Lions or you are a Lotte Giants fan.

- Fault: This claim pretends there are only two choices.

- Either/ Or Fallacy

Faulty logic

All the prisoners in the jail have tattoos. Therefore, if you have a tattoo, you will go to jail.

- Fault: One condition does not necessarily cause the second.

- Coincidence Fallacy- Correlations and causation are different animals.

Faulty logic

Joe Camel, a researcher for Camel Cigarettes, stated that smoking can actually make people healthier.

- Fault: This “expert” may have a biased interest in providing this information.

- Biased Evidence

- It is important to evaluate the sources of your evidence.

Faulty logic

According to Steve Jobs, grasshoppers evolved from tigers.

- Fault: An expert in one field is not an expert in all fields.

- Expert fallacy- Again, evaluate your sources before using them.

Faulty logic

Salad is healthier than pizza because it is better for you.

- Fault: This “reason” just re-states the argument.

- Circular Argument

Faulty logic

Hitler was an excellent leader. Under his leadership, Germany built a wonderful highway and introduced the Volkswagen automobile company.

- Fault: This may be true, but it is selective and ignores larger evidence.

- Cherry Picking- Suppressing evidence; pointing out individual data that supports a position while ignoring significant data that contradicts the position.

Faulty logic

The five students we surveyed prove that 90% of students think that studying Academic English is great fun.

- Fault: There are many students, and this tiny sample (5) may not represent the general opinion.

- Sample Error

ArgumentsAristotle’s Appeals:

- Ethos (credibility)- An ethical appeal.

- Pathos (emotional)- An emotional appeal.

- Logos (logical) Persuasion through reasoning.

Ethos• Credibility and authority.

• Does the writing give the sense that the writer knows what he/she is talking about?

• This is about the reader’s perception of the writer’s competence.

Credibility• Several factors can add to a paper’s credibility.

Can be visual:

i.e.) plain white paper, Times New Roman font, black ink, title page.

vs.

Pink paper with smiley face border with Comic Sans font in blue ink.

CredibilityMore specifically, SUPPORT for an argument.

- examples

- statistics

- relevant quotes

• These are often a problem for students.

• You may have a clear thesis statement, good organization, and a solid argument, but still lack proof.

• Support for your arguments is what makes your argument “fly.”

• To help parents monitor their children’s web browsing habits, web-monitoring software should be a required feature for computers in Korea.

• Monitoring children’s web browsing will help children because the internet is bad for kids.

• - This may be true, but it needs proper PROOF!

Next class• More about arguments.

• Sources of evidence (adding support and credibility).

• Making summaries.

• Check website for a reading about logic.