Unit 1, pages 1-25 Introduction to Argumentative Essays Writing Week 2 Unit 1, pages 1-25 Introduction to Argumentative Essays

Next Week Monday – there is no class September 12. You should 1) attend a Wednesday class if you are free OR 2) You can go over the ppt and information at home. I will post the ppt on engrade. I teach on: Wednesday at 9:55 am in room 1406 Wednesday at 2:00 pm in room 1304 Wednesday at 3:55 pm in room 1206

Next Week Week 3 class will cover pages 25-31 in the text book. My lecture will also teach citations, quoting, paraphrasing, and referencing rules. This will teach you how to avoid plagiarism. Remember, plagiarizing in my class will result in a failing grade.

www.engrade.com/students Go to the website and create a log in. It can be anything you want Enter the code you received from me Go there to see syllabus, class schedule, and task schedule. 1) To view files, click on your class name. 2) On the left, click on “Calendar” 3 )All files are posted there. You can view them or download them to your computer.

Semester Schedule On Engrade.com there is a semester schedule It has what we will cover each week in class It has assigned homework It has homework due. I will not accept any late homework. If the homework is late for any reason, you will receive a zero grade. If you miss class for any reason, you should make sure I get your homework on time even if you are not there.

Unit 1, page 1 Look over vocabulary in book. Any questions? Exposition – presents a topic in a neutral way. Does not indicate if one viewpoint is better than another. Argumentation – Presenting a topic focusing on a specific viewpoint. Writing should indicate one viewpoint as superior to other viewpoints. Should use strong, clear language Use evocative language: Bad: think, believe, might be Good: demonstrates , shows, is, proves

Argumentative Essays Intro paragraph – introduces the issue and the stance taken on the issue. The stance should be written in the thesis (last sentence of 1st paragraph) Body paragraphs – prove the writer’s perspective on the issue and support the writer’s perspective with facts, details and examples. Often organized: reasons and evidence, emotional appeal, refutation of alternative perspectives Conclusion paragraph – can include a summary of the writer’s argument, and then a conclusion sentence which restates the thesis.

Picking a Topic An argumentative essay presents a topic that is debatable. It can not be an established fact. It should have two or more different viewpoints. I.e. China is one of the largest countries in the world. That is a fact. It is not debatable.

Topics: Specific vs. General The Argumentative topic should not be too general. If it is too general, it is hard to prove a perspective. i.e. College students should have more freedom? In what? What type of college students? How can you focus this topic better? Better: College seniors should have the freedom to choose to live on campus or off-campus. College freshmen should be free to choose their classes before picking a major. See more examples on p. 189

P. 6 Paragraph Comparison Read the two paragraphs on page 6 [5 minutes] Which one makes a better claim and why? The second paragraph is better: Reflects interest of many people More formal language Addresses the specific decision Includes a conclusion First paragraph – self-focused, informal, no conclusion

Formal Language, p. 7 Chart It is a good general guideline. However, in academic writing for my class you must follow formal writing rules. If you write a first person opinion essay, it should never use “We, our, us” Only, “I, me, my” Most essays should be written in third person No: I, me, my, you we, us your, our etc . . . All college level essays at American universities are third person. There should be no contractions No: can’t, don’t, isn’t

Get in groups of 2 or 3 people [10 min] Read and discuss p. 7 and 8. How formal are the writing samples? Why do you think so? What’s the writing situation, tone, distance, sentence length, diction, verbs, slang? What type of writing style should be followed for Page 8 #’s 1-5? Be sure to explain your perspective to your classmates.

p. 10-12 “Spend a little, Save a Lot” 10 minutes – Read Sarah McCreight’s essay 5 minutes – Respond to what you’ve read Then we will discuss the essay. What is the Thesis: “There is a very simple way to help reduce pollution, save money, and be safer all at the same time: ride the bus.” What is the conclusion: “After all, riding the bus helps not only you but your fellow travelers as well.”

Read Student Sample Essays P. 18-19 “Chinese Senior Citizens, Spend and Enjoy Yourselves” 5 Minutes – Read P. 19-20 “Spending Should Be Encouraged” 3 minutes P. 21-22 “Time to Start Budgeting” 5 minutes As you read, identify problems with the writing samples. They are not perfect.

Discuss the questions on p. 22 In Groups of 2 or 3 Discuss the questions on p. 22 What problems did you identify in the writing? Do you think the writing is persuasive? Why or why not?

Homework In class, we will start pre-writing Any pre-writing should be stapled to your handed in copy All essays should be typed and double spaced They should be (roughly) 350-500 words All homework prompts are on engrade Do NOT use the book prompts Please write your prompt at the top of your essay Your student number should be in the top right corner of all pages

Essay 1 – due week 4 Is it more important for parents to save money for their future retirement or for parents to pay for their children’s college education and expenses once they are over 19? College students often do not have a lot of money. Should students’ parents give money to their college-aged children, or should the students be expected to earn their own money while in college? Maintaining a personal budget is the only way to protect yourself from debt. Do you believe budgeting is necessary? China is a growing economy. What is more important for Chinese citizens to do – save money for the future or spend money to promote more economic growth? Many people think that college and high school students should not get a part-time job because they need to focus on their studies. Other people think that students should get part-time jobs so that they learn good money skills. What do you think?

One last thing . . . In China, how do you address teachers? Do you call them by their family names or by their given names? In America, just like in China, it is rude to call a teacher by his or her given name unless the teacher requests that you do so. Emory is my family name. It is not my given name. You should not just call me Emory. You can call me Ms. Emory, Professor Emory, or address me as teacher (though in English, this sounds strange).