From rhetorical precis to the Body of the Text

Plan for today

• Go over rhetorical precis as a group• Question? Concerns?• How to build an argument using multiple texts: > extend, complicate, challenge, illustrate > From Batman to Danah Boyd

Return of first essays and remarksHomework: introductory paragraph (typed, 12 pt. Times Roman), bring two copies

Boyd precis

• Author’s credentials followed by first and last name in her type of text, title of text, published in addresses the topic of and argues that argument. • • She supports this argument by claiming that _____, (then) ______, (then)

______, and finally ______.• • Author’s last name‘s purpose is to _____in order to change author wants to

achieve in readers.• • He/she adopts a(n) ______ tone for his/her audience, the readers of

publication and others interested in the topic of ______.

The Argument or Main Claim

• Begin with a simple argument or claim from our original text (source 1).

• Claim from source 1: Batman is the best superhero ever depicted in popular literature because he relies on intelligence instead of super powers. Film adaptations help establish his superiority.

Use Source 1 to develop & analyze this claim. How can we do this with Boyd?• What is Boyd’s argument/main claim?

The task: Put it in conversation with other texts’ claims.

Extend

• Claims (from Additional Source) that extend do the following: they advance or extend the claims (from source 1). They work together in the same direction, but go farther than either could go alone.

• Main claim from (Source 1) is that Batman is the best superhero because he uses his brain instead of superpowers, and the movie depictions help establish his superiority.

• Example that extends: Additional Source claims that the movie depictions of Batman establish him as not only the best superhero but the easiest to identify with.

Boyd’s Argument/Main Claim

• Boyd says (Source 1): “The rhetoric of ‘digital natives,’ far from being useful, is often a distraction to understanding the challenges that youth face in a networked world.”

• Additional Source that extends: • What specific challenges do youth face in a networked world? • Admitting the existence of these challenges, do they apply equally to different

ethnic groups?

• To extend means: “yes, and” – i.e. the source agrees but goes further

Complicate

• Claims (from Additional Source) that complicate claims (from source 1) introduce information that is at odds with or contradicts the information in claims from the first source.

• Example from Additional Source : Because the Bat suits look so ridiculous, no criminal would ever be afraid of Batman. How intelligent can he be if he dresses like this?

Back to Boyd’s piece…

• Boyd says (Source 1): “The rhetoric of ‘digital natives,’ far from being useful, is often a distraction to understanding the challenges that youth face in a networked world.”

• Additional Source that complicates:• Granted that the rhetoric of “digital natives” hasn’t been particularly helpful, it

is far from certain that it has had the negative impact Boyd claims it has. • The rhetoric of ‘digital natives’, while problematic, accurately highlights the

enormous gap in digital literacy between teens and members of the older generation.

Challenge

• Claims (from Additional Source) that challenge disagree outright with the main argument/claim (from source 1). They suggest that the author of the original (Source 1) claim is just wrong.

• Main claim from (Source 1) is that Batman is the best superhero and that film adaptations help cement this theory.

• Example of Challenging Claims from Additional Source :• The use of the term “superhero” requires the presence of superpowers—thus,

Batman is not even a superhero.• Batman films depict a brooding, sulky, anti-hero bent on revenge and should

not be part of the superhero canon.

Additional source challenges source 1 and insists that “Superman is the only true superhero.”

Back to Boyd…

• Boyd says (Source 1): “The rhetoric of ‘digital natives,’ far from being useful, is often a distraction to understanding the challenges that youth face in a networked world.”

• Additional Source that challenges: • The rhetoric of ‘digital natives’ highlights the enormous gap in technological

savvy between young versus older people and is therefore very useful. • Teens in Western societies are among the most sophisticated and competent

users of modern technology in human history.

Illustrate

• Claims (from Additional Source) that illustrate give additional examples and/or evidence that correspond to a given argument.

• Examples that illustrate: • Additional Source illustrates that many characters—good and bad—in Gotham are

normal people without superpowers: Joker, Catwoman, Robin, Riddler, etc.• Additional Source demonstrates how Bruce Wayne’s intelligence enables him to

devise cool gadgets and toys.• Additional Source exemplifies mass appeal of Batman by showing sales reports of

all Batman-related merchandise, in contrast with some other superhero.

Illustrate the Argument:Additional Source illustrates Batman’s supremacy over Superman…

2016—stay tuned

Back to Boyd….

• Additional Source illustrates the biased nature of information available on Google and other search engines.

• Additional Source confirms the uneven level of digital literacy among today’s teens.

• Additional Source illuminates the danger of an uncritical acceptance of the digital natives rhetoric.

Entering the Conversation…

• Choose a thesis for your own paper that you can subscribe to

• Possible topics using what you learned: • Extend Boyd’s argument by focusing on digital inequality• Complicate Boyd’s argument regarding the emergence of the digital native• Complicate Boyd’s discussion of wikipedia as a site of knowledge production• Challenge Boyd’s argument that youth need new literacies• Illustrate Boyd’s argument about the harmful rhetoric of digital natives

Homework for Monday

• Based on the precis and today’s class, write the introductory paragraph for your Boyd paper. Make sure you include all the necessary information from the precis and use metalanguage to introduce your thesis.• E.g. “In this paper I will extend/challenge/illustrate Boyd’s argument

…”• Feel free to model your introduction on material from this power

point. It will be posted on blackboard.