ENGL 1302 composition

Cateaka

formatandoutline.pptx

Home >English homework help >Article writing homework help >ENGL 1302 composition

ENGL 1302 – SUMMER 2019

Alex Kurian - NLC

Argumentative Writing – An Overview

What is argument/arguing?

Not a fight!!

Argumentative writing – taking a strong personal position on a significant, social, controversial issue, and by the use of evidence and specific strategies, explaining that position, defending that position, responding to counterarguments for that position, and suggesting a solution for that position.

Argumentative Writing as a Process

The aim is to produce something that is understandable and persuasive.

Proper paradigm/perspective

Specific evidence

Clear language/definition of terms (recognizing their denotations and connotations)

Argument – A Process

No unwarranted assumptions

Logos – information

Pathos - emotions

Ethos - ethics

Requirements of Essay 1

Must write on first topic in your list of topics

Pick a side (for or against)

Have at least 2 different reasons (but not more than 3) to support your position

Explain reasons (with evidence)

Requirements of Essay 1 (cont’d)

You must have at least 2 print sources in the essay (book, magazine, newspaper, journal, catalog, etc)

They must be accessed in the original printed form (e-book, PDF, or anything else accessed electronically does not count as a print source)

Requirements of Essay 1 (cont’d)

Recommended course textbook does not count as a print source

At least 1of your 2 print sources must be used in the body of your essay (the other can also be used in the body or in the introduction or conclusion)

Requirements of Essay 1 (cont’d)

Must attach photocopy or picture of each print source used (no credit for print sources otherwise)

Photocopy/picture must show the cover along with the page/information you actually used

If the source is from a library, the picture must also show the library barcode/sticker

Requirements of Essay 1 (cont’d)

You must also have at least 2 online sources in the essay. These must be DCCCD academic database sources.

Once you have these, you may add additional sources apart from the database, as long as they are reliable sources

Requirements of Essay 1 (cont’d)

At least 1of your 2 online database sources must be used in the body of your essay (the other can also be used in the body or in the introduction or conclusion)

You do not need to submit pictures or printouts of your online sources

Requirements of Essay 1 (cont’d)

Personal experience – can be used in only one reason, up to ¼ page (5 lines)

How much documented evidence – one documented evidence for every 10 lines in your paragraph.

Any numerical data must be from 2014 onwards

Outline of Essay 1

Intro (1 Para)

Reasons with evidence (multiple paras)

Conclusion (1 para)

Length: 3-4 pages (starts with first word of intro, NOT top of first page!)

Prewriting Stage

Know the purpose – to argue/persuade by informing and analyzing.

Know the genre – formal academic essay (MLA format)

Know your audience – varied and general

Know what resources you need

Writing Stage

Parts of an Essay

Title

Introduction

Body

Conclusion

Works Cited

Guidelines for a Proper Title

Purpose of the title is identification

Should indicate subject and position of essay

Should not be more than 6 words

Cliché/slang/humor allowed in title

Cute/clever/funny title does not necessarily indicate a proper title

Introduction – First Impression

Must not summarize your entire paper

No dictionary/formal definitions

No clichés or overused phrases

No apologies

Must include your thesis statement

Should be a preview/guide to your essay

Thesis Statement (The Main Idea of Your Paper)

One thesis per paper

Only one sentence

Combination of fact and opinion

Avoid phrases such as – in my opinion, I think, I believe, it seems to me, I feel

A Thesis Should Contain…

Your topic

Your position on the topic

At least 2 reasons to support your position (but no more than 3)

Introductory Techniques

Provide background info

Tell a relevant story

State why your topic is important

Relevant images or description

Present an opposing viewpoint

Relevant quotation(s)

Techniques(cont’d)

Relevant example(s)

Relevant question(s) [not more than 3]

Finding common ground with the reader/audience

Length of introduction – 1 paragraph, ¼ to ½ page (5-10 lines)

Body Paragraphs

Where you explain or prove your thesis with evidence.

Every reason must have at least one piece of evidence

Evidence – Basis of Your Argument

Some types of evidence – observations (real or artificial), statistics, tests/experiments, analogies, expert testimony, examples, analyses, predictions, personal experience, religious views, etc

Note: Statistics must be from 2014 onwards years and contain sample size

Characteristics of Evidence

Relevant

Specific

Adequate

Accurate

Representative

Verifiable

Support Your Reasons (cont’d)

Have a variety of evidence

Maintain proper perspective (e.g. movies, stereotypes)

Distinguish between fact, opinion, and false statement

Beware of “the blame game”

Is evidence local or universal?

Support Your Reasons (cont’d)

Make sure evidence is understandable to audience

Treat all issues as ‘sensitive issues’ (balance between arguing and offending)

Body Paragraphs

Write paras that are focused, developed and organized

Length of paras: ¼ - ¾ (5-18 lines) of a page. Have balance among reasons!

How many paras per reason – you decide

Ask yourself – would my paper be any different if I took this paragraph out?

Conclusion – Final Impression

Do not summarize your entire paper

Do not repeat thesis or introduce any new main ideas

Avoid statements like in conclusion, to summarize, in closing, etc.

Conclusion – Final Impression

Summarize most important reason only (do not even mention other reason/s)

If you want, you can use any introduction technique (other than the one you used in the intro) to help you summarize

Length of conclusion – 1 paragraph, ¼ to ½ page (5-10 lines)

The Research Process

Research involves finding, evaluating, using & documenting sources

Most important consideration when evaluating a source – who is the author or manager or editor of the information?

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using another person’s language or ideas without acknowledging them or using them and acting as if they were your own.

Plagiarism is derived from the Latin word for kidnapper or thief.

Plagiarism (cont’d)

Plagiarism is treated so seriously because you are trying to be someone you are not and not acknowledging the hard work or effort of someone else.

Types of Plagiarism

Deliberate plagiarism – with intent

Accidental/unintentional plagiarism – due to carelessness, hurry, or ignorance

Cite Sources…

When you quote an entire sentence word for word

When you quote part of a sentence word for word

When using your own language but based on someone else’s idea (paraphrasing)

Works Cited vs Bibliography

Bibliography – can list all sources referenced or referred to even if they do not appear in your paper

Works Cited – can list only those sources actually used in your paper

We are using Works Cited

Indicating Sources in Paper

I. By name of author

According to name of author, “72% of people that….”

“72% of 300 people surveyed stated that….” (name of author).

Name of author = first & last name or just last name, NOT just first name.

Indicating Sources in Paper

II. By name of source (e.g. book/article).

According to name of source, “72% of people that….”

“72% of 300 people surveyed stated that….” (name of source).

Indicating Sources in Paper

If source is book/magazine/newspaper/ website put in italics.

If source is name of article put in quotation marks.

Indicating Sources in Paper

Can use various verbs for introducing quotes/paraphrases (asserts, believes, claims, reports, observes, etc)

Quote should not be more than 4 lines

Quote should not be in first or last sentence of any paragraph.

For print sources, page number(s) should be indicated.

Indicating Sources in Paper

For the 4 required sources (2 print and 2 database), you must quote something from them, not simply paraphrase.

After you have at least one quote from each of the required sources, if you want to paraphrase, you can.

You should have no more than two paraphrases in the essay.

Times New Roman, size 12 font

1-inch margins all around

Double-spaced

Black ink, white paper

Stapled (in order!)

Layout of first page – see example essay on e-campus

Need last name and page number in top right corner of every page

Formatting (MLA)

3-4 pages of content (Works Cited page does not count)

Length starts with first word of intro para (NOT top of first page)

Make sure on each full page you have 23 lines total; otherwise, you will have to make up those lines on the last page to meet the minimum length requirement.

Format of entries – must follow current MLA standards (handout on e-campus).

Every entry in works cited page must correspond to an entry in your paper and vice versa.

Formatting (cont’d)

Some Specifics Regarding Formal Writing

Avoid clichés/slang and informal language

Avoid repetition/wordiness

Have correct spelling & punctuation

Use correct rules for capitalization, abbreviations, and numbers

First word in a sentence

A sentence in a direct quotation

Main words in titles/headings (unless the others words are the first or last ones)

Capitalization

Proper nouns

Companies, holidays, months, days, historical events & documents, religious documents, languages, specific courses

Capitalization (cont’d)

Seasons of the year

Words like company, department, school, college, government, association when they stand alone

Names of commercial products (e.g. Nike shoes Not Nike Shoes)

Capitalization Pitfalls

Shortened form of a word

CAN USE common ones for people - Mr. George Smith, Dr. Kathy Lawrence, Jim Jones M.D., Carlos Lopez Jr., J.B. Russell

CAN USE for companies if you are confident that audience will know what they are – AAA, NLC, AT&T, FBI,UPS

Abbreviations

CAN USE for unit of time – a.m. or A.M. NOT a.M.

CANNOT USE address abbreviations – St., Ave., P.O. Box, DFW, TX (exception:USA)

CANNOT USE for units of measure – cm,ft,in,gal,lb,kg,mph

Abbreviations (cont’d)

CANNOT USE for days and months

Varies for miscellaneous abbreviations - ASAP, ETA, CEO, DVD, ATM

Abbreviations (cont’d)

Spell out numbers 1-100

Use numerals, even for numbers less than hundred, with units of measure and with percentages.

In a list, if there are numbers greater than hundred, use numerals for all.

Numbers

Spell out when numbers occur at the start of the sentence

Spell out indefinite numbers

Years – spell out or use numerals

Ages - Spell out or use numerals

Sums of money are written in numerals

Numbers (cont’d)

Words and numerals are used for amounts of a million or more

For time, numerals are used with a.m. or p.m. and words must be used with “o’clock”

For dates, the ‘th’ or the ‘st’ or ‘rd’ or ‘nd’ in not needed as long as the month is written first.

Numbers (cont’d)

Must write on second topic in your list of assigned topics

Have at least three reasons to justify your position (but not more than five)

Have a separate paragraph (between the intro and body) to give some additional context/background of the issue

Requirements of Essay 2

Body - explain & defend reasons with evidence

In each reason, you must indicate one strategy you have used in that reason (indicated with ** and name of the strategy at the beginning of the first paragraph for each reason)

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

Don’t indicate the same strategy in more than one reason

Have a separate paragraph between body and conclusion that contains two counterarguments

Concluding paragraph will be just the solution (no summary!)

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

Length: 6-8 pages (not counting Works Cited)

Length starts with first word of intro para (NOT top of first page)

Make sure on each full page you have 23 lines total; otherwise, you will have to make up those lines on the last page to meet the minimum length requirement.

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

Intro (1 para, ¼ - ½ page or 5-10 lines): Any intro technique(s) and thesis

Background (1 para, ¼ - ½ page or 5-10 lines): Any two history/background techniques

Body (multiple paras, ¼ - ¾ page each or 5-18 lines): Explain reasons with evidence

Counterarguments (1 para, no more12 lines): Two counterarguments and their responses

Conclusion (1 para, ½ - ¾ page or 10-18 lines): Solution (no summary)

Outline of Essay 2

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

You must have at least 2 print sources in the essay (book, magazine, newspaper, journal, catalog, etc)

They must be accessed in the original printed form (e-book, PDF, or anything else accessed electronically does not count as a print source)

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

Recommended course textbook does not count as a print source

At least 1of your 2 print sources must be used in the body of your essay (the other can also be used in the body or in the introduction, background para, counterarguments para or conclusion)

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

Must attach photocopy or picture of each print source used (no credit for print sources otherwise)

Photocopy/picture must show the cover along with the page/information you actually used

If the source is from a library, the picture must also show the library barcode/sticker

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

You must also have at least 4 online sources in the essay.

These must be DCCCD academic database sources.

Once you have these, you may add additional sources apart from the database, as long as they are reliable

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

At least 2 of your 4 online database sources must be used in the body of your essay (the others can also be used in the body or in the introduction, background para, counterarguments para or conclusion)

You do not need to submit pictures or printouts of your online sources

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

Personal experience – can be used in only one reason, up to ½ page (10 lines)

How much documented evidence – one documented evidence for every 10 lines in your paragraph.

Any numerical data must be from 2014 onwards

Requirements of Essay 2 (cont’d)

For the 6 required sources (2 print and 4 online), you must quote something from them, not simply paraphrase.

After you have at least one quote from each of the required sources, if you want to paraphrase, you can.

You should have no more than two paraphrases in the essay.

Opposites or Contraries

Comparison-Contrast*

Cause-Effect*

Induction/Deduction*

Narration/Description*

Process

List of Strategies

Classification

Emotion

Definition

Hypothetical Situation

*Counts as only one strategy

List of Strategies (cont’d)

Purpose: To provide some additional context to your issue

Should include only 2 of the following techniques…

How long the issue has been in existence (origins of the issue)

What parts of the world/country are most affected by the issue

Background Paragraph

Any significant rulings/laws related to the issue (e.g. Roe v.Wade)

Any significant event(s) related to the issue (e.g. 9/11)

Dictionary/official definitions of any key concepts/terms

Any significant person/people/groups involved with the issue

Background Para (cont’d)

Do not repeat anything already mentioned in intro

No personal experience in this para

Length: ¼ - ½ page (5-10 lines)

History/Background Para (cont’d)

Definition of what is right and wrong OR good or bad

Ethics

You get extra change back at the grocery store

You see somebody doing something wrong

You get a higher grade by mistake

Plagiarism

An effective message isn’t necessarily an ethical one – sales pitches or commercials

Ethics in Everyday Life

Need to give the audience proper information

Need to gain the audience’s support

Need to do it in the right way

3 Problems Faced by Arguers

When it prevents people from making the best decisions or leaves them at a disadvantage

When it is unclear what you are trying to get across

When it offends/insults in a way that is unacceptable to the audience

What is Unethical Communication?

Withholding info

Hiding conflicts of interest

Exaggeration

Fabricating data

Trying to distract from the truth

Stealing info

Inaccurate info

Ways in Which Unethical Communication Takes Place

Obligations

Values

Consequences

Three Main Factors in Ethics

Never depend only on legal considerations – what’s legal isn’t always ethical (“You’re our #1 priority” OR “This product will last for years”).

Decide where and how to draw the line – a choice YOU have to make

Anticipate Hard Choices

Know when to use – appropriate for certain topics, not for others …who decides?

Don’t distract from the issue (too much humor)

Sarcasm – how much is too much?

Humor – Medicine or Poison?

Responding to the points made by the opposing side

Shows you have thought about the issue from different viewpoints/ angles before coming to your decision.

Counterarguments

Also shows you recognize “flaws” or “weaknesses” in your own position but that you still think your position is the better one

We cannot address all counterarguments – must address only two

Counterarguments (cont’d)

Research

“Flipping” one of your own reasons

How to Find Counterarguments

Format of Counterarguments

Each counterarguments has two parts - stating the counterargument

- your response to it

Must use the exact wording given for both sections to get credit for it

State the counterargument:

- My opponents* may say/argue that….

*[those on the other side, those who disagree with me, proponents of the counter position, those who are for/against, those with a different point of view]

Format of Counterarguments

Respond to the counterargument:

- However, I would respond by saying that…

If you want to use outside sources in counterarguments, you can, but it is not required

Format of Counterarguments

Location & Length of Counterarguments

Both counterarguments will be in one paragraph, between the body and conclusion.

This paragraph should not exceed 12 lines