refutation

LENGTH REQUIREMENT: 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. 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. 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. 1)  CHOOSE A SINGLE ONLINE POST to REFUTE! Summarize it.

2. 2)  USE PAGE 261 AND 270 TO CHOOSE YOUR TYPE OF REFUTATION:

REBUTTAL or COUNTERARGUMENT (SEE BLUE AND PURPLE ORGANIZATION PATTERNS)

English 1302

©2017 Stacia Campbell, Ph.D.

4 Full pages MINIMUM, in a 12-

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

4. 4)  Play the “Believing Game” (Page 262) to ask “Where do we agree?”

5. 5)  Play the “Doubting Game” (Page 262-263) to ask “Where

do we disagree?”

6. 6)  Use Page 264 to form a SYNTHESIS from your BELIEVING &

DOUBTING GAMEs.

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

REASONING to back up your claims.

8. 8)  Show demonstrated attempts at FAIRHANDEDNESS and

OBJECTIVITY.

9. 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. 1)  Refutation sub-genre with disputative thesis.

2. 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. 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. 4)  Evidence of CRITICAL THINKING about sources and handling of them.

5. 5)  Transitions to provide logical reasoning and coherence.

6. 6)  Case-building to distinguish writer’s own belief as

rebuttal/counterargument.

7. 7)  Minimum length of 4 pages (ds, 12 pt font) of student original writing

8. 8)  4 sources minimum, introduced, incorporated, cited, and documented on

source list accurately in MLA format.

9. 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 259 for DEFINITIONS of rebuttal and counterargument

SEE PAGE 270 FOR 10 TIPS!

SEE PAGE 265 for “moves”/formulas that will help you with your tone! SEE PAGE 268-269 FOR HELP WITH STYLE!

SEE PAGES 272-281 FOR SAMPLES!

Prof notes

1) Be sure you are searching for TEXTS ONLINE THAT PUT FORTH AN ACTUAL ARGUMENT!  Searching for EDITORIALS, "OP ED articles," or FINDING INTERESTING ISSUES IN THE OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS SERIES = a great time-saver!

2) Remember, you have to find an argument that you DISAGREE WITH first.  Then, your challenge is to DISPROVE that argument WITH YOUR OWN, "WINNING" THE CASE by offering sound claims and reasons that are STRONGER than those of your opponent.  This classical form of argumentation is called "REFUTATION," and it is a worthy CRITICAL THINKING CHALLENGE!  

The best path is to find a worthwhile argument that makes some good points but with which you cannot agree.  

You MUST read the chapter in our course textbook to understand the strategies available to you as an author who is REFUTING another author. 

3) YES, it is also ok to use VIDEO CAPTURES OF SPEECHES, but such a video would have to capture a STRONG OPINION that you DISAGREE with.  You will need to download the script capture for the speech to be able to analyze the text for it closely. 

4) so, A TEXT-BASED PUBLISHED opinionated article, or a SPEECH or TEDTALK that gives you enough to DISAGREE aggressively enough with = the goal.  

5) READ THE CHAPTER.  DON'T SKIP THE CHAPTER.  THE CHAPTER FOR THIS UNIT WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE VOICE AND TONE AND ORGANIZED POINTS YOU MUST MAKE IN YOUR PAPER! 

6) STUDY the assignment sheet.  THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET IS YOUR MAP TO SUCCESS.  DON'T SKIP IT.  THE ASSIGNMENT SHEET WILL SAVE YOU TIME AND FRUSTRATION.  FOLLOW THE MAP TO YOUR DESTINATION!

7) IT will be important to apply the FOUR RHETORICAL CONCEPTS that you see notes on below WITHIN YOUR P4 PAPER.  You should NOT ONLY ANALYZE HOW THESE ARE USED BY YOUR OPPONENT in the text you choose to refute, but you will ALSO BE USING THEM YOURSELF AS THE CREATOR OF YOUR OWN ARGUMENT IN OPPOSITION TO THE OTHER VIEWPOINT. 

RHETORICAL TERMS TO STUDY AND TO APPLY DURING UNIT 4 (REFUTATION):

· ethos (an appeal to CREDIBILITY -- an argument based on the author/speaker's ability to be trustworthy.  Are the author's credentials impressive? Has the author done a lot of research or no?  Is the author presenting legitimate information or unfounded bias? What is worth praising about the sources of the info or the author's way of presenting it?

· pathos (an appeal to VALUES OR EMOTIONS / FEELINGS -- an argument that makes the audience FEEL a call upon their personal values, their "soft spots," topics that give them strong responses but not always the most rational responses); Pathos is located IN THE AUDIENCE and is dependent upon HOW the author has reached or not reached those emotional or value-based "buttons" in the audience's mental makeup

· logos (an appeal to REASONING, PRACTICAL REASONING, LOGIC, OR RATIONAL THOUGHT IN A SEQUENCE OF POINTS); Logos is based in the message itself -- the WORD (which is what logos means in Greek); Pay attention to the REASONS PROVIDED by the author.  Are they valid and presented in a logical and thoughtful way? What logical appeals are made? Does the author make claims in a reasoned way that shows fair and critical thinking within the text or message itself? Are there weaknesses in the practical reasoning in the text? -- Are there FALLACIES -- errors in logic that show manipulation or simply illogical thinking?  For example, is the author guilty of OVERGENERALIZING? SPEAKING FOR OTHERS? DISTRACTING THE AUDIENCE FROM THE REAL ISSUE? LEAVING OUT IMPORTANT INFORMATION or SKEWING details? creating a "SNOWBALL HEADED FOR HELL" slippery slope fallacy, etc?  (You can look up fun lists of fallacies online and apply them to your selected text if you like).

· Kairos (this Greek word means TIMELY OPPORTUNITY -- think of it as the OPPORTUNITY THAT DEVELOPS WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT [or WRONG] for something.  Kairos can be related to historical context, overdue justice and its timely arrival, the need for something to finally happen, happening "in the right time," etc.  APPLY THIS RHETORICAL CONCEPT in interesting ways to explore what time constraints and opportunities are available, unavailable, appropriate/inappropriate, etc. 

YOU ARE LEARNING ABOUT RHETORICAL STRATEGIES IN ORDER TO USE THEM TO ANALYZE THE TEXT YOU WILL ARGUE AGAINST AS WELL AS THE ARGUMENT YOU CREATE AS A RESPONSE. Text Dr. Campbell for an appointment if you would like to talk through these terms and how to apply them to your article.