RWS 100 and the lower division writing program We ask students to interpret, analyze, and produce written arguments, because this is central to academic literacy, critical thinking, and civic life - Lasch: “argument is the essence of education,” and “central to democratic culture”; - Norgaard: Universities are “houses of argument.” - Graff: “Argument literacy” is key to higher education.

We want students to be able to identify claims, evaluate evidence and reasons, locate assumptions, identify argumentative moves, pose critical questions, produce sophisticated arguments, etc. We do this not only because it’s good for their souls, critical thinking, ability to reason, deliberate, be engaged citizens, etc. But also because it’s key to their professional futures – every gateway requires it.

Why We Fight! (4 your right to write, argue & analyze well) The ability to interpret arguments, locate claims and evidence, analyze moves and strategies, and evaluate arguments are crucial skills. They are central to business, law, professional life, and to academic study (including graduate school). Students tested for these skills in the WPA, the LSAT, GMAT, and GRE – all the gateways to professional life. Consider the LSAT…

Sample LSAT Question FIND THE MAIN CLAIM Pediatrician: “Some parents have decided not to have their children receive the MMR vaccine because they fear that it may cause autism. They cite a study that found a possible link between the vaccine and the disease. However, two other much larger studies have found no link between the MMR vaccine and autism. These parents have, therefore, willfully put their own children and many others at risk of catching measles, mumps, and rubella, while failing to do anything to prevent their children from becoming autistic.” Which most accurately expresses the main claim of the pediatrician’s argument? (A) Parents should not pay attention to medical studies because they can’t understand them; instead, they should get advice from their pediatricians. (B) The study that found a link between autism and the MMR vaccine was unsound because the doctor who conducted it was being paid by a group of trial lawyers who wanted him to find a connection so they could carry out a lawsuit. (C) Public health needs require that parents have their kids vaccinated regardless of their fears about the procedure. (D) Parents’ refusal to have their kids take the vaccine is both medically unjustified and dangerous, because the vaccine has known disease-preventing benefits and refusing it will have no effect on whether their kids become autistic. (E) Despite the results of the two large studies, there is still some possibility that the MMR vaccine might cause autism.

Analytical Writing Tasks Present Your Views on an Issue (45 minutes, choice of 2 topics) Analyze an Argument (30 minutes) Each essay is scored on a 0-6 scale using holistic scoring Two scores for each essay GRE Website presents directions, actual topics, scoring guide, and sample essays for both the Issue and Argument tasks (

Skills Measured in General Test: Analytical Writing Section Articulate complex ideas clearly and effectively Examine claims and accompanying evidence Support ideas with relevant reasons and examples Sustain a well-focused, coherent discussion Control the elements of standard written English

Argumentation/Justification In Wolfe’s 2010 study, assignments from a broad range of disciplines were collected and examined. Results? “A majority of writing assignments (59%) required argumentation. All engineering writing assignments required argumentation, as did 90% in fine arts, 80% of interdisciplinary assignments, 72% of social science assignments, 60% of education assignments, 53% in natural science, 47% in the humanities, and 46% in business. Argumentation is valued across the curriculum. Example: Stockton found that the history faculty she interviewed unanimously, “agreed that argument is the key word for good writing and that the absence of argument constitutes the central problem in students’ written work” (Wolfe, p. 50). This finding was echoed in other fields.

Richard Arum and Josipa Roksa’s Academically Adrift, a comprehensive review of undergraduate education, identifies lack of argumentation skills as a major problem. (They also show that liberal arts degrees produce some of the most literate, sophisticated thinkers) These are points you may want to share with future employers, on grad applications, etc., as you are part of an unusually comprehensive and integrated writing program.

The WPA WHAT IS THE WPA? Every campus in the CSU is subject to the Graduate Writing Assessment requirement, or GWAR. At SDSU, students take the WPA, or Writing Proficiency Assessment test to fulfill the GWAR requirement. WHY THE WPA? CSU Vice Chancellor David Spence says that the GWAR “certifies that students are prepared to address writing demands in the workplace or in graduate school, and ensures that all students in all majors have he opportunity to learn to write well.”

What does the WPA focus on? “The WPA focuses on your ability to read and analyze written arguments. It measures your ability to express yourself clearly, logically and specifically and to organize and develop your ideas well. In addition, it assesses your ability to write coherent paragraphs and appropriately structured sentences.”

What does the WPA focus on? “You will be given a short reading in the form of an argument and asked to write an essay that responds to a series of questions that relate directly to the reading selection. The questions you will be asked to address in the essay will focus specifically on analysis of the argument presented in the reading rather than a personal response. You will be asked to assess the argument's structure, to explain how the author uses rhetorical strategies to persuade an audience, and to evaluate (using evidence from the reading itself) how convincing the argument is…You will be allotted ninety minutes to complete the exam.”

A Sample WPA Exam Question “Craft a coherent essay (i. e. one that is not just a series of paragraph responses to the prompt) in which you respond (in an appropriate order) to all of the following components: Identify and provide a brief explanation of the author’s argument; Describe and discuss two strategies that the author uses to support his or her argument; Describe the overall structure of the reading selection and explain whether it furthers the aims of the author’s argument; Discuss the premise(s) and/or assumption(s) on which the argument is based; Evaluate the extent to which you find the argument convincing.”

Key Terms Used in the WPA Here are some terms to look for along with brief definitions: Brief Explanation: Requires you to put the author’s argument in your own words. You want to keep this as brief as possible by limiting this discussion to only 1 paragraph. Describe, Explain, Discuss: Moving beyond summary, these terms require you to analyze, to go beyond what is written to how it is written. Effective description, explanation, and discussion are objective and impersonal, rather than subjective. Furthermore, they employ specific, direct, concrete language. [Do versus say]

Key Terms Used in the WPA Strategies: Strategies are moves or devices that help build and support arguments. Commonly used strategies include examples, statistical support, appeals to the emotions of the reader (pathos), demonstrations of authorial credibility (ethos), analogies and comparisons, irony, refutations of opposing arguments, and quotations from experts and famous sources. Stylistic devices such as repetition, alliteration, and metaphor can also be characterized as strategies. Evaluate: More subjective than objective analysis, evaluation requires judgment and assessment based on explicit criteria, reasoning, and evidence. Evaluating an argument goes beyond declaring whether or not you agree with it. You are required to assess how its strengths and weaknesses contribute to or undermine its convincingness. Attention to the writer’s efforts to respond to potential opposition is particularly important.

Key Terms Used in the WPA Structure: The way a piece of writing develops and unfolds over time. Premise and Assumption: Treated as synonyms in this assignment, premises and assumptions are the principles, propositions, beliefs, and values upon which arguments or parts of arguments rest. Premises and assumptions can be explicitly stated or implicit (merely implied or suggested) in an argument. They are effective to the extent they come to be shared by the reader and writer, thus forming “common ground.”

Frequently Asked Questions Q: When do I take the WPA? A: Continuing students must take the WPA during the semester in which they are completing 60 units or in the semester immediately following. Transfer students are eligible to take the WPA once they have received an offer of admission. They must take the examination by the end of their first semester at SDSU. Q: How many times can I take the WPA? A: Students are allowed to attempt the WPA twice within the time frames and restrictions described in the question above. Q: What happens if I don't take the WPA during the required time frame? A: Students who do not take the examination by the end of the required time frame will not be able to register for future terms.

FAQ Q: Can I see sample WPA tests and explanations of how they were scored? A: see the GWAR site: Q: What are the scoring criteria? A: They are listed here, and connect closely with skills covered in RWS

Tips You will likely take RWS 200 next semester. I suggest you take the WPA right after that, when you are most familiar with material from RS 100 and 200. If you take it early and don’t score well, you can take it a second time and still have plenty of time to prepare (rather than leaving it late, when you are getting ready to graduate.)

For more info… See the WPA site:

Some skills we have focused on Reading rhetorically/critically Reading for purpose, context and audience Identifying the argument, claims, evidence and project in a text Charting – examining what texts do as well as say. Identifying and analyzing rhetorical strategies Evaluating texts – considering effectiveness, strengths and weaknesses.

Mapping and analyzing relationships between texts (how one text “illustrates,” “clarifies,” “extends,” or “complicates” another.) Interpreting and analyzing strategies in different genres Evaluating evidence Some rhetorical strategies in academic discourse Using one text as a lens on another, applying concepts, claims or arguments to the “target” text. Etc.