1. Write an argument of 500-800 words in which you attempt to persuade me to accept or reject one of the following propositions. If you argue in favor of the proposition, assume that I slightly oppose it; it you argue against it, assume that I slightly favor it. 1. Large high schools are better for students than small high schools. 2. Deficit spending (at the national level) is harmful. 3. SC building codes are too strict. 4. The US should provide military support to the forces trying to oust the Syrian President. 5. The US government should regulate the banking industry more closely. 6. The Citadel's fourth class system should be shortened to one semester.

2. Aristotle’s Five Offices of Rhetoric: Invention – finding something to say Arrangement – selecting the best elements & sequencing them logically Style – expressing your ideas well Memory – learning the speech Delivery – performing the speech

3. Invention: Finding content for your paper Common knowledge Personal knowledge and experience Other people’s knowledge and experience Scholarly sources (peer-reviewed) Government documents Websites Interviews

4. Arrangement: Choosing the best available material & putting it in an effective order Introduction: provide a context, identify the issue, find common ground Part 1 Argue one side of the issue (Hint: the other side) Part 2 Argue the other side of the issue (Hint: your side) Part 3 Draw a conclusion based on the evidence, then provide closure Part 4

5. Arguing from claims and evidence Start with a claim (i.e., not a “true” or “factual” statement Explain or clarify if necessary Illustrate with an example if necessary Once the claim is clear, support it with evidence Factual statement Expert testimony Statistic Anecdote (story) Analogy Definition Example Explain, clarify, or illustrate evidence as necessary Include additional evidence as necessary

6. Tips for Using Statistics Use statistics to quantify ideas Use statistics sparingly Identify the sources of statistics Explain statistics in terms that are meaningful to the audience Round off complicated statistics Use visual aids to clarify statistics

7. Do statistics “speak for themselves”? The Citadel had 64 female knobs report for fall 2012. Wando High School had roughly 3000 students in 2005, but has roughly 3600 students in 2012. In 2011, the average salary for an NFL player was $1.9M and the average career for an NFL player was 3.5 years. These statements might be factual, but they don’t “mean” anything until you put them into a context – that is, until you interpret them. You MUST explain what your statistics mean.

8. Style: Expressing your ideas well Write complete, grammatically correct sentences Use subordination and coordination effectively Incorporate sources – especially quotes – gracefully Follow conventions (grammar, spelling, punctuation, citation style, etc) Use punctuation as a rhetorical tool Use a variety of kinds of sentence structure Use precise diction Use examples that will resonate with your reader “Connect the dots” of your argument Avoid fallacies in your argument

9. The Process Invent >>> Choose >>> Sequence >>> Express >>> Edit Invent Choose SequenceExpress Edit

10. 1. Large high schools are better for students than small high schools. 2. Deficit spending (at the national level) is harmful. 3. SC building codes are too strict. 4. The US should provide military support to the forces trying to oust the Syrian President. 5. The US government should regulate the banking industry more closely. 6. The Citadel's fourth class system should be shortened to one semester. Your task for the rest of the period: Engage in some invention exercises to find as much information as possible about your topic. Save your work on your USB drive and mail it to yourself.