developing an argument of your own planning, drafting, and revising an argument

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Developing an Developing an Argument of Your Argument of Your Own Own Planning, Drafting, and Planning, Drafting, and Revising an Argument Revising an Argument

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Developing an Argument Developing an Argument of Your Ownof Your Own

Planning, Drafting, and Planning, Drafting, and

Revising an ArgumentRevising an Argument

Getting IdeasGetting Ideas

Freewriting Freewriting Think on “paper.”Think on “paper.” Feel free to write badly.Feel free to write badly.

ListingListing JottingJotting GistingGisting

DiagrammingDiagramming ClusteringClustering BranchingBranching ColumnsColumns

Asking QuestionsAsking Questions

What What isis X? X? What is the What is the valuevalue of X? of X? What are the What are the causes and effectscauses and effects of of

X?X? What What shouldshould we do about X? we do about X? What is the What is the evidenceevidence for my claims for my claims

about X?about X?

The ThesisThe Thesis

State it early and clearlyState it early and clearly A claimA claim A central pointA central point A chief positionA chief position

Imagining an AudienceImagining an Audience

Who are my readers?Who are my readers? What do they believe?What do they believe? What common ground do we share?What common ground do we share? What do I want my readers to What do I want my readers to

believe?believe? What do they need to know?What do they need to know? Why should they care?Why should they care?

Checklist for a Thesis StatementChecklist for a Thesis Statement

Does it make an arguable assertion?Does it make an arguable assertion? Not and unarguable fact.Not and unarguable fact. Not a topic announcement.Not a topic announcement. Not an unarguable opinion.Not an unarguable opinion.

Is the statement broad enough to Is the statement broad enough to cover the entire argument?cover the entire argument?

Is the statement narrow enough to Is the statement narrow enough to cover the topic in the space provided?cover the topic in the space provided?

Audience as CollaboratorAudience as Collaborator

Who are my readers?Who are my readers? What do they believe?What do they believe? What common ground do we share?What common ground do we share? What do I want them to believe?What do I want them to believe? What do they need to know?What do they need to know? Why should they care?Why should they care?

A Rule for WritersA Rule for Writers

If you wish to persuade, you’ll have If you wish to persuade, you’ll have to begin by finding to begin by finding premisespremises you can you can share with your audience.share with your audience.

Checklist for Imagining an Checklist for Imagining an Audience: 1Audience: 1

Who are my readers?Who are my readers? How much about the topic do they How much about the topic do they

know?know? Have I provided necessary Have I provided necessary

background information?background information? Are they likely to be neutral, Are they likely to be neutral,

symathetic or hostile?symathetic or hostile?

Checklist for Imagining an Checklist for Imagining an Audience: 2Audience: 2

If they are neutral, have I offered If they are neutral, have I offered good good reasonsreasons to persuade them? to persuade them?

If they are sympathetic, Have I If they are sympathetic, Have I enrichedenriched their views or encouraged them to act?their views or encouraged them to act?

If they are hostile, have I If they are hostile, have I taken accounttaken account of of their positions, their positions, recognizedrecognized their strengths, their strengths, but also but also called attentioncalled attention to their to their limitations, and limitations, and offered a positionoffered a position that that may persuade them to modify their may persuade them to modify their position?position?

The TitleThe Title

Imply your thesis in the title.Imply your thesis in the title. It gives information about the thesis.It gives information about the thesis. It suggests the topic.It suggests the topic. It is informative.It is informative.

Do not turn off your reader with your Do not turn off your reader with your title.title.

The Opening ParagraphsThe Opening Paragraphs

Attract the reader’s interest (often with Attract the reader’s interest (often with a bold statement of the thesis, an a bold statement of the thesis, an interesting fact, quote, or anecdote.interesting fact, quote, or anecdote.

Prepare the reader’s mind by giving Prepare the reader’s mind by giving some idea of the topic and often of the some idea of the topic and often of the thesis.thesis.

Give the reader an idea of how the Give the reader an idea of how the essay is organized,essay is organized,

Define a key term. Define a key term.

A Rule for WritersA Rule for Writers

In writing or at least in revising these In writing or at least in revising these paragraphs, keep in mind this paragraphs, keep in mind this question:question: What do my readers need to know?What do my readers need to know?

Remember that your aim is to write Remember that your aim is to write reader-reader-friendlyfriendly prose, and to keep the needs and prose, and to keep the needs and interests of your audience constantly in interests of your audience constantly in mind.mind.

Organizing and Revising the Body Organizing and Revising the Body of the Essayof the Essay

Statement of the problemStatement of the problem Statement of the structure of the essayStatement of the structure of the essay Statement of alternative solutionsStatement of alternative solutions Arguments in support of your positionArguments in support of your position Arguments answering possible Arguments answering possible

objectionsobjections A summary, resolution, or conclusionA summary, resolution, or conclusion

Statement of the ProblemStatement of the Problem

State the problem objectively State the problem objectively (thereby gaining the trust of the (thereby gaining the trust of the reader) and indicate why the reader reader) and indicate why the reader should care about the issue.should care about the issue.

Statement of the Structure of the Statement of the Structure of the EssayEssay

After stating the problem at the After stating the problem at the appropriate length, the writer often appropriate length, the writer often briefly indicates the structure of the briefly indicates the structure of the rest of the essay. rest of the essay.

Arguments in Support of the Arguments in Support of the Proposed SolutionProposed Solution

The evidence offered will, of course, The evidence offered will, of course, depend on the nature of the problem. depend on the nature of the problem.

Relevant statistics, authorities, Relevant statistics, authorities, examples, or analogies may come to examples, or analogies may come to mind to be available. This is usually mind to be available. This is usually the longest part of the essay.the longest part of the essay.

Arguments Answering Possible Arguments Answering Possible ObjectionsObjections

These arguments may suggest that:These arguments may suggest that: The proposal won’t workThe proposal won’t work The proposed solution will create The proposed solution will create

problems greater than the difficulty to problems greater than the difficulty to be resolved.be resolved.

A Summary, Resolution, or A Summary, Resolution, or ConclusionConclusion

The writer may seek to accommodate The writer may seek to accommodate the views of the opposition but the views of the opposition but suggest that the writer’s own position suggest that the writer’s own position makes good sense.makes good sense.

A conclusion ought to provide a sense A conclusion ought to provide a sense of closure.of closure.

A conclusion should be more than a A conclusion should be more than a simple restatement of the writer’s simple restatement of the writer’s thesis.thesis.

Checking ParagraphsChecking Paragraphs

Omit short paragraphs except for Omit short paragraphs except for rare points of transition.rare points of transition.

Checking Transitions Checking Transitions Make sure that the reader can move easily Make sure that the reader can move easily

through the “flow” of the essay. through the “flow” of the essay. Illustrate (Illustrate (for example, for instancefor example, for instance)) Establish a sequence (Establish a sequence (a more important a more important

objection, a stronger exampleobjection, a stronger example)) Connect logically (Connect logically (thus, as a result, therefore, thus, as a result, therefore,

so, it follows thatso, it follows that)) Amplify (Amplify (further, moreoverfurther, moreover)) Compare (Compare (similarly, in like manner, just assimilarly, in like manner, just as)) Contrast (Contrast (on the other hand, however, buton the other hand, however, but)) Summarize (Summarize (in short, brieflyin short, briefly)) Concede (Concede (admittedly, granted, to be sureadmittedly, granted, to be sure))

When Writers ReviseWhen Writers Revise

They They unifyunify the essay by eliminating the essay by eliminating irrelevancies.irrelevancies.

They They organizeorganize the essay by keeping in the essay by keeping in mind an imagined audience.mind an imagined audience.

They clarify the essay by fleshing out They clarify the essay by fleshing out thin paragraphs, by making certain thin paragraphs, by making certain thatthat Transitions are adequateTransitions are adequate Generalizations are supportedGeneralizations are supported

The EndingThe Ending

Good writers provide a sense of Good writers provide a sense of closure byclosure by Returning to something in the Returning to something in the

introductionintroduction Glancing at the wider implications of the Glancing at the wider implications of the

issueissue Illustrating the thesis with a closing Illustrating the thesis with a closing

anecdoteanecdote Summarizing without tediously repeating Summarizing without tediously repeating

the introduction.the introduction.

Outlines: Two UsesOutlines: Two Uses

As Preliminary GuideAs Preliminary Guide Helps planning a tentative organizationHelps planning a tentative organization A means of getting goingA means of getting going

As A Way of Checking a DraftAs A Way of Checking a Draft Is the sequencing reasonable?Is the sequencing reasonable? Are any passages irrelevant?Are any passages irrelevant? Is something important missing?Is something important missing?

Formal Outline StructureFormal Outline Structure

I. A. 1. 2. B. 1. 2.

Tone and Writer’s PersonaTone and Writer’s Persona

Establish your Establish your ethos ethos (character) to create (character) to create trust with the reader.trust with the reader. You must appear You must appear informedinformed.. You must appear You must appear intelligentintelligent.. You must appear You must appear benevolentbenevolent.. You must appear You must appear honesthonest..

Present yourself so that your readers see Present yourself so that your readers see you as knowledgeable, honest, open-you as knowledgeable, honest, open-minded, and interested in helping them minded, and interested in helping them think about an issue of significance.think about an issue of significance.

Last Words on ToneLast Words on Tone

In writing an argument you must:In writing an argument you must: Recognize opposing views.Recognize opposing views. Assume they are in good faithAssume they are in good faith State them fairly.State them fairly. Be temperate in arguing your own Be temperate in arguing your own

position.position.

We, One, or I?We, One, or I?

If you are simply speaking of If you are simply speaking of yourself, use yourself, use I, I, to avoid stiff and to avoid stiff and wordy usages like “This writer wordy usages like “This writer thinks…”thinks…”

Avoid the needless introductory Avoid the needless introductory phrase, “I think.”phrase, “I think.”

Sexist Language vs. PCSexist Language vs. PC

How do we write good prose without How do we write good prose without seeming either sexist or awkwardly seeming either sexist or awkwardly pc?pc? Use common sense.Use common sense. What does not work wellWhat does not work well

He/sheHe/she s/hes/he He or sheHe or she

Easier alternativesEasier alternatives Plural (they)Plural (they) Recasting (…readers will find that)Recasting (…readers will find that)

Peer ReviewPeer Review

Share your Buzzdocs with a Share your Buzzdocs with a dedicated Reviewer, who will make dedicated Reviewer, who will make at least three comments on your at least three comments on your paper.paper. ReviewersReviewers

Offer two comments that highlight what is Offer two comments that highlight what is working.working.

Offer two comments that highlight what is Offer two comments that highlight what is not working.not working.