Developing an argument Chapter 6 Issues

Getting Ideas Best way Talk to others-friends, family, acquaintances To talk to a text-take marginal notes, summarize a piece, ask question raised while reading Writing is an important part of critical thinking—SO take notes- free writing—make lists—diagramming—pro/con— cause/ effect—compare/contrast. Then revise=seeing again or taking a second look at what you are saying and how you are saying it.

To help form argument Ask questions: What is ______? This means research What is the value of ______? 2 purposes-set an assessment and convince the reader that the assessment is reasonable. What are the causes/consequences of ______? Pose questions such as how did___ come around? What would happen if _____ went away? What issues has _____ caused? What should we do about ______? Ideas for dealing with the issue What is the evidence for my claim? It’s not enough to have an opinion—need support to back your opinion.

The Thesis No one formula for a thesis works for every essay. The best advice—formulate a basic thesis (claim, opinion or central point) and state it early in your piece. don’t confuse a topic (guns) for a thesis (guns are bad). If stuck for writing a thesis-include the word “should” Next imagine your audience—who are they? What do they believe? What common ground is shared? What do you want them to believe? What do they need to know? Why should they care? The tone and gist of your argument is shaped by your audience.

Rule for Writers If you wish to persuade—you’ll have to begin by finding premises you can share with your audience. 2 reasons why you should identify and isolate the areas of agreement: No point disputing facts or values on which you and your readers really agree on and it helps to establish good will. You have to know key elements for opposition, so you can establish trust with your readers, esp. if they are from the opposing side.

Essay set-up Title: start with a catchy one—might need to redo at end to match what you have said Opening paragraphs: with a draft– write notes, then come back to it later after you already know what you wrote. Good intros—arouse the readers’ interests and help prepare the readers for the rest of the paper. For opening paragraphs—keep in mind the question—what do my readers need to know? In opening paragraphs, need to attract interest—can do with a boldly stated thesis, intriguing facts/stats, quote or anecdote.

Openings Prepares the reader’s mind by giving some idea of the topic Gives readers an idea of how the essay is organized Defines key terms Gives needed background information Write in reader friendly prose Keep needs and interest of audience in mind

The Body Most argumentative essays follow this path in some form. Statement of problem: can be brief or lengthy depending on the topic and background info. Statement of the structure of the essay: after statement of problem- indicate organization (can be by using points 3 and 4) Statement of alternative solutions: give merit to alternatives to help show why yours is better. Argument in support of proposed solution: evidence to support will vary, depending on the nature of the problem—will be the longest part of your essay. Arguments answering possible objections: argue against the opposing point(s) to your solution. Summary-resolution-conclusion: wrap up—make your last stand.

Revising When revising—make sure organization is clear to your readers. Check to make sure your paragraphs are complete Check transitions: Illustrate—for example.. For instance… Establish a sequence—a more important objection… a stronger example… Connect logically– thus… as a result of… therefore… Compare—similarly… in like manner Contrast– on the other hand…however… Summarize– in short… briefly… When writers revise they look for unification, organization and clarity

The End 2 ways to conclude– ending or judgment/ decision reached after deliberation Ways to end Return to something in the introduction Mention a wider implications of the issue An anecdote that illustrates the thesis A brief summary

Uses of an outline As a preliminary guide—sketch out your essay with As a way to check your draft—after writing, go through the draft and jot down the chief points in order in which you make them—examine your jottings to see what kind of sequence they reveal. Ask: Is the sequence reasonable? Can it be improved? Are any passages irrelevant? Does something important seem to be missing?

Tone and Persona Good writers write with ethos—show they are informed, intelligent, benevolent and honest They inspire confidence by making sure to keep argument logical, quote appropriately and make no snide remarks Developing a persona: Can vary depending on your audience Tone is established through author’s thoughts about the subject—loaded words, connotation and denotation. When writing an argument, it is advisable to be courteous and respectful of your topic, of your audience and of people who hold a differing view from yourself.

Tone cont’d Recognize opposing views: Assume they are help in good faith State them fairly Be temperate in arguing your position Use checklist on page 241

Parting thoughts Use of “I”—only if you are strictly speaking for yourself. If you are representing more people or the overall thoughts of one side of an argument then use indefinite pronouns—most, many, several, etc. Sexist language: many people are still offended by the use of the masculine pronoun in formal writing. So to avoid: Use the plural Recast the sentence to avoid pronouns Lastly, use humans or human beings for man or mankind.