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PROJECT 4: REFUTATION English 1302 4+ pp ds, 4+ sources, 100 points ©2017 Stacia Campbell, Ph.D.

LENGTH REQUIREMENT: 4 Full pages MINIMUM, in a 12- point Times New Roman font with 1-inch margins. Writing for length does not include header, title, or Works Cited.

RESEARCH REQUIREMENT: MINIMUM OF 4 SOURCES introduced, incorporated, cited, and listed on a correctly formatted Works Cited page. ONE OF THESE 4 WILL BE THE ONLINE POST YOU ARE REFUTING. Visual images are optional this time, but if you choose to use illustrations or graphics to demonstrate how the opposition is wrong, be sure to CITE them correctly in text and at the end of the paper! CLARIFYING DEFINITIONS:

1) Rebuttal “focuses almost completely on the opposing argument, trying to disprove, correct, or undermine it by directly challenging its evidence, reasoning, and tone” (259).

2) Counterargument “responds to another’s argument by challenging its weaknesses and offering a different perspective or alternative approach” (259).

ASSIGNMENT: USING CHAPTER 13 IN Argument Today, WRITE A REFUTATION OF A SINGLE ONLINE POST WITH WHICH YOU DISAGREE. PURPOSE (LEARNING OBJECTIVE): learning how to disagree constructively. Helpful quote regarding our purpose here: “By pointing out weaknesses in reasoning (logos), appeals to authority (ethos), and emotional appeals (pathos), you can persuade the audience that they too should disagree” (Johnson-Sheehan and Paine 261). Follow this path to save time. WORK THE STEPS!:

1) CHOOSE A SINGLE ONLINE POST to REFUTE! Summarize it. 2) USE PAGE 261 AND 270 TO CHOOSE YOUR TYPE OF REFUTATION:

REBUTTAL or COUNTERARGUMENT (SEE BLUE AND PURPLE ORGANIZATION PATTERNS)

3) Then, ANALYZE THE OPPONENT’S POSITION, targeting two to five points you would like to argue against.

4) Play the “Believing Game” (Page 262) to ask “Where do we agree?” 5) Play the “Doubting Game” (Page 262-263) to ask “Where

do we disagree?” 6) Use Page 264 to form a SYNTHESIS from your BELIEVING &

DOUBTING GAMEs. 7) EXPLAIN WHY you think the opposition is WRONG, using

REASONING to back up your claims. 8) Show demonstrated attempts at FAIRHANDEDNESS and

OBJECTIVITY. 9) Maintain an “objective tone with a hint of irritation” (270). 10) Avoid overly EMOTIONAL arguments; rely on PRACTICAL

REASONING and LOGIC to persuade your readers. 11) CONTINUE LEVELING UP WITH YOUR RESEARCH WRITING SKILLS!

Remember to introduce each source use by telling about its author, where and when it was published, the context of the discussion, the expert credentials of its author, the target audience and purpose of the source, etc. GUIDE YOUR READERS into a discussion of what the sources have to offer to THE CONVERSATION you have created.

12) Remember, after the FIRST TIME YOU USE A SOURCE, you may refer to it again and again by the author’s last name only (but in the first reference, you must provide the author’s first and last names!) (and if you don’t have an author, first keyword in quotes).

13) When you have completed your draft, format your Works Cited page in MLA documentation style. See Page 405 of your textbook for this course! Alphabetize your entries; it’s time for NO ERRORS!

14) Before the final deadline, be sure to edit your paper for grammar errors! No comma splices, run-on’s, or fragments should appear in your writing at this second college level of composition! Proofread or see a tutor at our Academic Success Center for help!

GRADING CRITERIA FOR PROJECT 4: NOTE: AN “A” PAPER WILL fulfill all of the criteria here PLUS demonstrate at least TWO of the STYLISTIC STRATEGIES discussed on Page 268-269 (concessive transitions, goodwill- building with common ground, etc.)

1) Refutation sub-genre with disputative thesis. 2) Third-person academic tone free of shifts in point of

view (no second-person “you” in this one—unless you are literally speaking to the counter-AUTHOR!)

3) Demonstrated structure on Page 266-267 of Chapter 13:

 Intro with attention-getter, background info, importance/relevance, and thesis

 Body paragraphs (summarize opposing views fairly, make concessions, challenge the opposition, present different perspective or new approach)

 Conclusion (signal final thoughts, restress importance, provoke thought in readers, look to the future)

4) Evidence of CRITICAL THINKING about sources and handling of them. 5) Transitions to provide logical reasoning and coherence. 6) Case-building to distinguish writer’s own belief as

rebuttal/counterargument. 7) Minimum length of 4 pages (ds, 12 pt font) of student original writing 8) 4 sources minimum, introduced, incorporated, cited, and documented on

source list accurately in MLA format. 9) Sentence variety, style, and grammar at Level 2 of college comp (no

sentence boundary errors, no problems with agreement, and care with phrase and word-level editing!)

MORE TEXTBOOK HELP! DO NOT SKIP CHAPTER 13! IT IS IMPORTANT!

SEE PAGE 266-267 FOR ORGANIZATING YOUR PAPER!

SEE PAGE 265 for “moves”/formulas that will help you with your tone!

SEE PAGE 259 for DEFINITIONS of rebuttal and counterargument

SEE PAGE 268-269 FOR HELP WITH STYLE!

SEE PAGE 270 FOR 10 TIPS! SEE PAGES 272-281 FOR SAMPLES!