Unit I
Lesson 2: Academic Writing: The Argumentative Research Paper
Introduction
Throughout this course, we will discuss both the technical and philosophical aspects of writing a large research paper. We will discuss the technical aspects so that you understand the conventions of form and style. The philosophical aspects are no less important to learning about the process. In other words, the philosophical aspects will be disclosed so that you understand why we are going about the process in a particular way; further, we will discuss these matters so that you can learn the concepts by learning the logic behind them. In the following lesson, we will discuss some of the basic concepts that are foundational to understanding both academic writing and the argumentative research paper.
Remembering Genre and Convention
In EH 1010, English Composition I, we discussed foundational concepts about the writing process, including, but not limited to, concepts of audience awareness, genre, academic writing, and the writing situation. Each of these concepts expanded our understanding of the writing process and how we can better meet the requirements of different writing contexts. Let’s refresh our memories about some of these concepts as they are again foundational for our discussions of the argumentative research paper.
Genres are forms of writing that follow a set of conventions or expectations that convey a message to a particular audience using a devised structure, style, and content. As we discussed in EH 1010, genres have a way of expressing values that are held by a given group, so conforming to the conventions of a genre is a way for you (a) to show your understanding of the culture and values of a given audience and (b) to speak to those individuals in a form that makes sense to them.
Genres can take several forms, depending upon the context and the sphere of influence, different areas of life where writing takes place (private, public, business, and academic). For example, the memorandum (memo) is one of the most recognized forms of business writing that, of course, comes out of the business sphere of influence. The memo contains recognizable and conventional characteristics. Without even knowing all of the conventions of a memo, you are still able to recognize that these conventions exist, and expectations of structure, style, and content must be met.
Knowledge Building and Your Contribution
Academic writing
is a particular style of expression used by academics, including both students and researchers, to produce prose that is precise, formal, and objective. The purpose of academic writing is to build knowledge. Even when you might not think so, you are engaged in the process of knowledge creation when you are writing your essays—especially so when you write an argumentative research paper—because you are adding to what is already known or accepted. Further, with the argumentative research paper, you are attempting to persuade the reader to your perspective. In the eyes of academics, this is an act of contribution to the body of knowledge that humankind has so far created. You may not feel as though you have much to add, but your contributions are important!
Additionally, composition as a field within English studies holds that it is valuable for students to learn how to understand and to write arguments. Understanding and writing arguments are key aspects of engaging in society and taking responsibility as a citizen. In this way, we see how the understanding and writing of arguments are both academic and public undertakings. However, we can easily transfer these skills to our private and business lives as well. Sometimes, we have debates with our significant others about the latest bill on Capitol Hill, or we might need to persuade our superior at work that our proposal is the strongest. These are all arguments to be made, and the aspects of evidence-based writing help us to make them.
Building Upon the Work of Others
Academic knowledge building relies on the principle that knowledge is not stagnant. In other words, what we thought was once true will likely be replaced by newer, more precise findings. Because the world is always changing and the tools we use to measure it are always becoming more exact, human beings are constantly revising what we thought to be the case.
In the sciences, researchers read and interpret data to come to the best conclusions they have at the time, yet new researchers come along who reinterpret those results or who gather new results. This method becomes how science and technology advance. Sociology and psychology are constantly producing new studies on human behavior and the human mind in large part due to the ever-changing nature of their subject matter.
No matter which discipline, though, all of these researchers build upon work that has come before them because knowledge is built upon prior knowledge. By establishing the background for the reader or by using the knowledge of others to support their assertions, these researchers strengthen their studies through independent confirmation.
Revisability
In addition to building upon the knowledge of others, academic writing also values revisability—the understanding that ideas are being posited and might be revised by the author(s) or by others who read them. The notion of revisability gives academics the freedom to make determinations based on the data that they have at a given time. Then, as things change or as the tools for detection improve, they can reexamine the same questions to make new determinations. In science, technology, and medicine, this principle is applied all the time, allowing for new discoveries to be made upon the foundations of older ones. In other pursuits, like history and anthropology, we are always exploring and learning more about what we thought we knew about the past. We can see this principle applied to the study of our societies and politics as well because many of the same questions about what is right or wrong for our nation remain up for debate as we continue to pass legislation that changes how we govern. In your own field of study, you will likely see a great deal of revision as time progresses because innovation is the key to progress. Academic writing allows for this kind of progress and recognizes that arguments should be made to the best of one’s ability at the time.
Check for Understanding
(Answer Key is below Review)
1. True/False: Genres are forms of writing that follow a set of conventions and expectations.
2. True/False: Spheres of influence include private, public, home, and academic.
3. True/False: The purpose of academic writing is to build knowledge.
Review
1. Throughout this course, we will discuss both the technical and philosophical aspects of writing a large research paper.
2. Genres are forms of writing that follow a set of conventions or expectations that convey a message to a particular audience using a devised structure, style, and content.
3. Genres have a way of expressing values that are held by a given group, so conforming to the conventions of a genre is a way for you (a) to show your understanding of the culture and values of a given audience and (b) to speak to those individuals in a form that makes sense to them.
4. Spheres of influence are the different areas of life where writing takes place, including the private, public, business, and academic spheres.
5. Academic writing
is a particular style of expression used by academics, including both students and researchers, to produce prose that is precise, formal, and objective.
6. The purpose of academic writing is to build knowledge.
7. New knowledge is built upon the foundations of previous knowledge.
8. Revisability is the understanding that ideas are being posited and might be revised by the author(s) or by others who read them. The notion of revisability gives academics the freedom to make determinations based on the data that they have at a given time.
Answer Key
1. True: Genres use these conventions and expectations to convey a message to a particular audience.
2. False: The spheres are private, public, business, and academic.
3. True: Academic writing seeks to add to existing human knowledge.
KEYGirl36
unitilesson2script.docx
0
