LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Unit 1 Seminar LS526-01: Academic and Professional Writing Expository and Persuasive Essays Argumentation, Academic Integrity Dr. Vicki Hill

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Topic 1: The Olympic Games Expository Essay (2 pages): Explain the rules of a particular Olympic sport (due in Unit 2) Persuasive Essay (3 pages): Persuade the reader that a certain spot should or should not be included in the Olympic Games (due in Unit 4)

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Topic 2: Your Favorite TV Show Expository Essay (2 pages): Explain the basic format and structure and describe the main characters of your favorite TV show (Due in Unit 2) Persuasive Essay (3 pages): Persuade the reader to watch this show. How would he or she benefit from watching? What are its values, culturally, dramatically, or otherwise? (Due in Unit 4)

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Process: TOPIC: Identify a specific aspect of the subject RESEARCH: About which you want to learn more THESIS: To reach an informed opinion THESIS STATEMENT: To share with an audience PERSUASIVE ESSAY: To convince the audience to share your views

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Expository writing… Informs or educates the audience on a given topic. Explains the topic using facts rather than opinions. Presents pros and cons in an unbiased fashion, pointing out comparisons and contrasts of viewpoints. For these reasons, writing an expository essay is a good way to learn about all the different perspectives on a topic as preparation for writing a persuasive essay.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Checklist for Expository Writing Is my essay informative? Remember, expository essays should be informative, not persuasive. Do the quotes and information I use throughout the assignment give the essay more depth and credibility? Do I include a lead paragraph that captures my audience’s attention and inspires them to read more? Have I presented the information in a logical, easy-to-follow manner? Does the essay meet the assignment’s requirements? (APA format, 2-page length)

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Persuasive writing… Aims to convince readers that your perspective on the topic is the correct or most desirable one Persuades without showing bias (in an academic setting) Acknowledges various ways to look at the situation and avoids extreme points of view

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Argumentation –v- Persuasion Argumentation involves the use of sound logic, reason, and objective statements. Persuasion includes the use of dramatic, emotional, and motivational types of support for a particular point of view. Therefore, these two styles of writing work well in concert with each other.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 For example, if a writer wants to convince readers about the existence of hunger in the United States, he or she would research facts, statistics, and expert reports. However, if the writer wants to motivate readers to take action to alleviate hunger, a dramatic illustration of a real-life case history about hungry children might be effective.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 The Rhetorical Triangle Logos (Text) Ethos (Writer) Pathos (Audience)

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Logos (“logic”) – the reasonable argument made by the text Ethos (“ethics”) – the argument by authority, either the authority of the writer himself or herself, or of the writer’s sources Pathos (“sympathy”) – the argument by emotions, intended to manipulate the reader’s response

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 LOGOS The main focus in writing a persuasive essay is the logical soundness of the argument. For example, if you want to convince readers that a community church’s minister embezzled from the church, presenting reliable evidence is critical because people will tend to believe a minister is a good, moral person. This is the skill of using sound logic.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 ETHOS Using reliable research sources from experts who have good reputations through their education, experience, or life’s accomplishments encourages readers to be more receptive to the claims made in the essay. For example, quoting a holocaust survivor is more powerful than just quoting a young historian without that actual life experience. Also, you must convince the reader that you, as a writer, are worth listening to throughout your essay. This is the skill of using the source’s or author’s credibility.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 PATHOS Another approach to persuasive writing uses emotional power to convince readers. Consider, for example, commercials that use emotional appeals, such as a cute puppy or a sexy woman or man, to convince customers to buy certain products. In writing, persuasion is accomplished with evocative phrases such as in this land of the free or jaws of the animal trap crush the bone. By using dramatic phrases and evidence, the persuasive writer enables readers to envision whatever is being discussed. This is the skill of dramatic, emotional appeals.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Audience: the people with whom you wish to communicate your ideas. Consider… Who are you writing to? What do they already know about the subject? What do they need to know? What expectations, assumptions, or preconceptions might they have? What kinds of evidence will be informative or persuasive for them? What level of diction will they best understand? What is their emotional disposition toward the topic? What tone will be best to use?

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Analyze the audience to account for any assumptions or preconceptions they might have about the topic. In making an argument against the death penalty, for instance, you already know that some of your audience will disagree with you. What is the basis of their disagreement? Can you anticipate the kinds of counter- arguments they might make? Do you need to acknowledge their disagreement or rebut their position?

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Finally, to maintain your audience’s trust, it is important to fully understand and avoid any type of plagiarism. Below are some common misconceptions about written work in your courses: FALSE: Reusing one of your own papers is not considered plagiarism. FALSE: As long as you include a reference page at the end of your paper, you are safe. FALSE: It is okay to use someone else’s work as long as you replace a few of the words and change the sentence around a bit. FALSE: A source is plagiarized only if you forget to use quotation marks. FALSE: Plagiarism counts only if it is intentional. “I didn’t mean to” is an acceptable excuse for plagiarism.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Kaplan’s Academic Dishonesty Policy (from the University catalog): Charges of academic dishonesty brought against a student shall be made in writing by the instructor to the Provost's Office. The Provost's Office maintains a database of plagiarism offenses and a file of all plagiarism charges. When an offense has been committed, the Provost's Office sends the student a copy of the plagiarism policy and a letter of the action taken, and informs the Academic Department Chair, the Academic Advisor, and the course instructor of any plagiarism charges.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Academic dishonesty is a serious offense and may result in the following sanctions: 1st offense: Failure of the assignment in which the action occurred. 2nd offense: Failure of the class in which the action occurred. 3rd offense: Expulsion or permanent dismissal from the University.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Because the matter of academic integrity is so important to your success as a student and as a writer, we will focus heavily on APA style to insure that your research is always accompanied by appropriate citation and documentation. The Provost has provided a list of FAQ’s and other information regarding Kaplan’s academic honesty policy and some tips on how to avoid inadvertently plagiarizing. I have placed the Provost’s information, “FAQ’s About Plagiarism,” in Doc Sharing for your use.

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 Upcoming Assignments In this first week of class, you will… Choose the topic for your expository and persuasive essays Turn in a completed “Bubble Brainstorm Map” of your topic (see Participate in Discussion Board

LS Unit 1 Seminar, 3/1/12 I’m looking forward to working with all of you in this class. If I can be of any assistance, please contact me: