Reading and Writing Arguments Chapter 12 – Reading and Writing Arguments © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Opening Activity Professional- and college-based arguments can differ from the ones you encounter in everyday life. Reflect on and discuss the following: Think of an argument you have had (or have witnessed taking place) with someone you know. Now, think of an argument you may have read about in a college or professional writing. How are those arguments alike and different? What is unique about the arguments in college or professional writing? © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Learning Outcomes By the time you finish reading and studying this chapter, you should be able to: LO1 Understand arguments. LO2 Read and respond to an argument. LO3 Plan an argument. LO4 Write the first draft. LO5 Revise the writing. LO6 Edit the writing. Monkey Business Images, 2014/Used under license from Shutterstock.com © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Understanding Arguments You will encounter common types of arguments, such as: Opinion pieces written by the editors of newspapers or other periodicals Editorials Opinion pieces written by someone other than editors; they may appear as blog entries or on a periodical’s “Opinion’s” page Personal Commentaries Writings that define a problem and convince readers of a solution or set of solutions that can solve the problem Problem-Solution Writing Short statements presenting an opinion on a subject Position Papers © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Reading and Responding to Arguments When you read an argument text, separate facts from opinions: © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Reading and Responding to Arguments Analyze the parts of an argument, which consist of: A Main Claim (or thesis statement Supporting Claims Evidence A Counterargument A Call to Action (or response) © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Planning an Argument After you have selected a topic, you need to state a preliminary position. © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Planning an Argument Once you have a preliminary position: 1. Refine it 2. Gather details © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Writing the First Draft Follow these writing tips when writing your argument paragraph: In the opening Lead up to your claim, if necessary, by providing reasonable background. Make your claim firmly but respectfully. In the middle Give the reader plenty of reasons to adopt your claim. Use valid research to back up your position. Politely and convincingly address any counter-claims. In the closing Restate your position in light of the reasons you provided. If appropriate, give the reader a call to action. © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Revising the Writing Avoid logical fallacies, which are false assertions that weaken your argument. © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Editing the Writing When edit your writing, check for capitalization errors. © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Editing the Writing If your paragraph contains numbers or statistics, follow these three basic rules: Numbers from one to one hundred are written as words, i.e., two, seven, and twenty-five. Numbers 101 and greater are usually written as numerals, i.e. 1,489 and 103. Numerals or Words They are used for the following forms: decimals, percentages, pages, chapters, addresses, dates, telephone numbers, identification numbers, and statistics, i.e., 13.1, 2.4 feet, 20 percent and Highway 41. Numerals Only Use words to express numbers that begin a sentence, i.e., “Thirteen players suffered from food poisoning.” Words Only © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Editing the Writing Use an editing checklist (Figure 12.6) to help you edit your writing for style and correctness. Add an attention-getting title. Try one of the following strategies: P.Kanchana, 2014/Used under license from Shutterstock.com

© 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved. Closing Activity Use what you have learned about writing arguments to create an opinion piece for an issue currently being discussed in various media sources. 1. Follow the guidelines for what to include in the opening, middle and closing of your opinion. 2. Use the editing checklist in Figure 12.6 to help you edit your writing for style and correctness. 3. Share your opinion piece with a classmate. 4. Does your opinion piece include all of the elements of a well-written argument? Camilo Torres, 2014/Used under license from Shutterstock.com © 2016. Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.