 A persuasive discourse, a coherent and considered movement from a claim to a conclusion  A means of better understanding other people’s ideas as well as your own

 Arguments to Convince › Establish significance/concern  Arguments to Persuade › Move to action  Arguments to Inform › Provide information  Arguments to Explore › Analyzes varying views of the same data/idea  Arguments to Make Decisions › Encourage wise decisions

PASTFUTUREPRESENT What is it called? ForensicDeliberativeEpideictic What are its concerns? What happened in the past? What should be done in the future? Who or what deserves praise or blame? What does it look like? Court decisions, legal breifs, legislative hearings, investigative reports, academic studies Proposals, bills, regulations, mandates Eulogies, graduation speeches, inaugural addresses, roasts

 Claim = an assertion or proposition › Must be arguable (can’t be a statement of fact) › Answers What’s your point? Where do you stand on that? › Statement supported by evidence › 3 Types: claims of fact, claims of value, and claims of policy Evidence & Reasons So Claim

1.) SUV owners should be required to pay an energy surcharge. 2.) Charter schools are an alternative to public schools. 3.) Requiring students to wear uniforms improves school spirit. 4.) The terms global warming and climate change describe different perspectives of a complex issue. 5.) Students graduating from college today can expect to have more debt that any previous generation. 6.) Print newspapers will not survive another decade. 7.) People who read novels are more likely to attend sports events and movies than those who don’t.

 Assert that something is true or not true › Ex: Zimbabwe has an unstable government  Facts are arguable when they are questioned, when they raise controversy, or when they challenge people’s beliefs  Read Amy Domini’s “Why Investing in Fast Food May Be a Good Thing” › Find her claims › Which ones are claims of fact?

 Change proposal  Argument of policy: Definition of the problem (claim of fact), explanation of why it’s a problem (claim of value), and then an explanation of the change that needs to occur (claim of policy)  Read Anna Quindlen’s The C Word in the Hallways excerpt

 Argues that something is good or bad, right or wrong, desirable or undesirable  Personal judgments based on preference or objective evaluations based on external criteria  Ex: Leonardo DiCaprio is the best leading man in Hollywood  Need to establish specific standards or criteria  Read Roger Ebert’s “Star Wars”

 In small groups, read “Felons and the Right to Vote” and annotate the claims. Identify each claim as fact, value, or policy.

 Think about what claim(s) you want to make in your revised essay.  If you are choosing 1 claim, then you need to establish your criteria.  Think about potential evidence- examples, facts, quotes (you don’t need to be specific yet)  Are you going to address a counterargument?

 More specific about what you are arguing  Sets purpose and point of view › Look at “The C Word in the Hallways”- find the thesis statement  Traditionally, a single sentence in the introduction (typically the final sentence)  Should preview the essay with clear, unambiguous language while establishing main points  Types: Closed Thesis (Restricted), Open Thesis, Counterargument Thesis

 Main idea of the argument that also previews the major points  Limits the number of points › Ex: “The three-dimensional characters, exciting plot, and complex themes of the Harry Potter series make them not only legendary children’s books but enduring literary classics” (Shea 95). › Reliable for a short essay › Organizational help

 Doesn’t list all of the author’s points › Ex: “The popularity of the Harry Potter series demonstrates that simplicity trumps complexity when it comes to the taste of readers, both young and old” (Shea 96). › More effective for longer essays

 Both open and closed thesis  Summary of a counterarguments, typically qualified by although or but, precedes the writer’s opinion › Ex: “Although the Harry Potter series may have some literary merit, its popularity has less to do with storytelling than with merchandising” (Shea 96). › Immediately addresses counterarguments › Argument seems both stronger and more reliable

 Look at your essay- do you have a thesis statement? Where is it located?  Revise your thesis statement- needs to fall into one of the three categories.

 Personal Experience › Adds a human element, appeals to pathos › Effective for intro and conclusion  Anecdotes (stories about other people) › Appeals to pathos  Current Events (locally, nationally, globally) › Connects with reader › Beware of bias and confusion of multiple perspectives

 Historical Information (verifiable facts) › Background to current events/debates › Keep account brief  Expert Opinion › Make sure the “expert” is credible  Quantitative Evidence (stats, surveys, polls) › Appeal to logos

*Relevant, Accurate, and Sufficient Sources*

 Read Dana Thomas’ “Terror’s Purse Strings”  Annotate the essay by identifying the different types of first- and second-hand evidence  As a group discuss which type of evidence is most effective for Thomas’ argument?

 Consider your audience- which type of evidence will appeal to them?  Consider your purpose *Remember that the research method varies by assignment*

 Relevance: How closely related to your topic is the source?  Author Credentials: Is the author an expert on your topic?  Author Stance: What is the author’s position on the issue? Does it affect the information provided?  Publisher/Sponsor Credentials: Is the publisher/sponsor well-known or widely-read?  Publisher/Sponsor Stance: Any biases?  Currency: Date of publication?  Accuracy: Other information cited?  Specialization Level: Is general or specific sources preferred?

 Who can post on the website?  What type of site? ›.com (commercial),.org (nonprofit organization),.edu (educational institute),.gov (government agency),.net (network) › Location:.ca (Canada) or.uk (United Kingdom)  Can you determine credibility?  Are other sources credited and well- documented?  How current is the website?  What perspectives are represented?

 Framing Quotations: Don’t simply summarize or paraphrase sources › With each quote, include at least one sentence of explanation or commentary › Lead-ins prepare readers for the quote › Lead-outs remind readers of your point and how the quote reinforces it › Make sure to cite properly!

 “That fire was really hot,” (33) Tommy admits.

 When Tommy entered the burning house, he knew he was in trouble.

 Little did he know his fire-retardant suit had already melted in places.

 When Tommy entered the burning house, he knew he was in trouble. “That fire was really hot,” (33) Tommy admits. Little did he know, his fire-retardant suit had already melted in places.

 Integrating Quotations › Your goal is to transition smoothly from your words to others’ words- make it sound natural. › Most effective method = embedding › Ex: Howe and Strauss indicate that five out of six Millennials “believe their generation has the greatest duty to improve the environment” and would accept additional “civic duties to bring about needed change. › Lead-in and quote blend together

 Characterize the author’s or source’s viewpoint as well as your own acknowledgesadmitsadvisesagrees allowsarguesassertsbelieves chargesclaimsconcludesconcurs confirmscriticizesdeclaresdisagrees discussesdisputesemphasizesexpresses hypothesizesinterpretslistsobjects observesoffersopposesremarks repliesreportsrespondsreveals statessuggeststhinkswrites

 Anytime you are using someone else’s ideas, you must give them credit (direct quote, paraphrasing, statistics, etc…)  For in-text documentation: › Mention source with the quote (example on the previous slide) › Or include a parenthetical citation after the quote  First item mentioned in the Work Cited Entry (typically, author’s last name or article title)  Work Cited Page › 01/

 Read through the essay and then read the annotations on the side  Discuss with a partner › How does the essay’s organization affect the overall presentation? › What is the benefit of embedding quotations? › What is the purpose of the conclusion?

Lunsford, Andrea A., John J. Ruszkiewicz, and Keith Walters. Everything's an Argument with Readings. Boston: Bedford, Print. Shea, Renee Hausmann, Lawrence Scanlon, and Robin Dissin Aufses. The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric. 2nd ed. Boston, MA: Bedford, Print.