University Writing 30:151

March 1, 2016

last week:

thesis statements

argumentative crux that holds your essay together

handout

in-depth look @ argumentation

persuasive writing

why argument is important in an academic context

demonstrate and apply knowledge 

An essay not only contains an argument -- it makes one on your behalf

not just a message about the subject; a message about you

I think the smarter thing to say is that in many tight, insular communities—where membership is partly based on intelligence, proficiency and being able to speak the language of the discipline—pieces of writing become as much or more about presenting one’s own qualifications for inclusion in the group than transmission of meaning.

your intellectual ability is represented by the quality of your argument

crucial to understand "argument" in an academic context

misconceptions:

"a debate" in which you "score points"

black-and-white / either/or

disagree w/ or resist the text

unfounded / uninformed opinion

occur opposite to, or in defiance of, facts & evidence

establishing terms

observations

"The roads are icy."

"it rained last night."

"it was cold this morning."

facts

"icy roads are caused by slick roads and cold weather."

inference (possible explanation)

"they forgot to sand this road."

assumptions

"sanding the roads is not a priority."

opinions

"it is absolutely critical to sand the roads more frequently."

arguments

"we need to dedicate more resources to road maintenance and snow clearing to ensure drivers' safety."

analysis

A few observations about "argument" in the context of academic writing

elements of argument

  • SUBJECT

  • AUDIENCE

  • CLAIMS

  • EVIDENCE

  • ORGANIZATION

subject

topic, theme, & work under discussion

what makes a good subject?

  • SINGULAR

  • SPECIFIC

  • SIGNIFICANt

  • SUPPORTABLE

audience

who are you writing for?

claims / reasons

what are you claiming to be "true" or "right" or "real"? why?

evidence

what proof do you have?

organization

basic requirement of all essays

techniques of persuasion

adapting to audience

introducing the opposition

using a moderate tone

appeals to reason and logic

avoiding argumentative fallacies

definition

errors in logic and argumentation -- making a claim / conclusion based on faulty reasoning

3 broad types:

evasion

 

inappropriate appeals

 

oversimplification

examples of fallacies based in evasion

strawman fallacy

MISREPRESENT or simplify another's argument to attack it

You support safe-sex education? I'm surprised you think teen pregnancy is okay; you must not have kids. 

inappropriate appeals

  • appeal to popularity (bandwagon Fallacy)

  • APPEAL TO false AUTHORITY

  • APPEAL TO EMOTION

  • appeal to nature

bandwagon fallacy (Argument ad populum)

using popular opinion to validate or prove your argument

EVERYBODY USES SOCIAL MEDIA, SO IT MUST BE UNCONDITIONALLY GOOD AND YOU CAN'T CRITICIZE IT.

appeal to false authority

using an irrelevant authority to support your argument

generic example:

THE EARTH IS 6,000 YEARS OLD BECAUSE THE OLD TESTAMENT SAYS SO.

gravity is a bad film because Neil deGrasse Tyson says the science is inaccurate!

OR: USING A SINGLE AUTHORITY TO DISMISS MANY OTHERS

examples of fallacies based in oversimplification

hasty generalization

making a judgment or a claim based in insufficient evidence

my nephew doesn't know his times tables so math education is in a crisis among young people!

either/or fallacy (false dilemma)

presenting or framing an issue as black-or-white or binary

you're either with us or you're with the enemy!

slippery slope fallacy

arguing that one change will lead to more extreme, less desirable changes in the future

rand paul on same-sex marriage:

I think it's a conundrum. If we have no laws on this, people take it to one extension further, does it have to be humans, you know?

effective argumentation requires awareness, not memorization

identify and address tendency to support claims illogically

element of organization:

introduction

4 purposes:

1: serves as a "transition space" for your essay

2: introduces your topic and its significance

3: pulls your readers in / gets their attention

4: houses your thesis statement (main argument)

"pattern of development" for introductory paragraphs

body paragraphs?

topic sentence

>

Support (Evidence & Examples)

>

ANALYSIS OF EVIDENCE

>

CONNECTION TO BROADER ARGUMENT

introductions:

 

inverted triangle / funnel

establish context

("setting" of analysis)

>

FRAME YOUR ARGUMENT

>

state your thesis

3 qualities:

 

concise

 

engaging

 

clarity of purpose

common strategies in academic essays:

what you need:

 

Topic Question

 

Working Thesis Statement

explicit discussion of context

anticipate your outline

define a key concept and connect it to your subject

pose a question your essay tries to answer

use an illustrative anecdote, quotation, or statistic

write an agreeable observation that "leads" into your thesis

ineffective openings:

aimless, vague assertions that relate to your topic

webster's dictionary introduction

verbatim restatement of essay prompt or question

broad, imprecise generalizations

don't be too general:

 

"throughout human history . . ."

 

"since the beginning of time . . ."

 

"human society consists of many social problems . . ."

rambling elaborations on one point

bulky quotations with no purpose

"jumping right in" to your argument

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grammar:
 

noun-pronoun agreements

rule / principle 

similar to subject-verb agreements:

principle:

 

two related grammatical units must agree

verb takes the singular or plural form based on its grammatical subject

pronoun takes the form of its "antecedent" or "referent"

"referent" / "antecedent"

the noun (person / thing / concept) a pronoun refers to or replaces

Joe went to his parent's house. He helped set up their new computer. 

we talked about our vacation.

apple, inc. is staunchly committed to the privacy and security of its users.

joe and amy worked on their school project.

either joe or mike will bring his computer.

indefinite pronouns

Each of the women worked on her project.

a few of us brought our snacks.

problems

anyone who doesn't submit their exam Will be behind.

some solutions:

anyone who doesn't submit his or her exam will be behind. 

Students who don't submit their exams will be behind. 

collective nouns as antecedent

 (depends on context)

is the group (collective noun) acting as a singular unit?

or are the members of the group acting individually?

"the team worked on its penalty kill before the game."

"the team took their seats before the film session."

general tips

keep the pronoun and its antecedent close

parents are worried about their sons and daughters when they leave for college or university. there is a sense that freedom can be a blessing and a curse. they don't know how to react. 

avoid ambiguity

"when tim told joe that he passed the exam, he was thrilled."

"tim was thrilled when joe told him about passing the exam."

vague reference: this and that

"The warehouse is full and there isn't enough staff. This is an intolerable situation." 

"The full warehouse and absence of staff produce an intolerable situation at work."

"THE WAREHOUSE IS FULL AND THERE ISN'T ENOUGH STAFF. these circumstances are intolerable."

missing antecedent

"After the captain's speech he led the team to victory."

After the captain finished his speech, he led the team to victory. 

informal: using "you," "they," and "it" without an antecedent

in order to pass, you must submit every assignment.

in order to pass, a student must submit every assignment.

It states in "I Type, Therefore I am" that communication has evolved with technology.

Tom Chatfield states in "I type, therefore I am" that communication has evolved with technology.

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UW: March 1, 2016 (Basic Rhetoric, Logical Fallacies, Introductions, Noun-Pronoun Agreement)

By Trent Gill

UW: March 1, 2016 (Basic Rhetoric, Logical Fallacies, Introductions, Noun-Pronoun Agreement)

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