2 .1 THE RESEARCHED ARGUMENT

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IN/ARGUABLE STATEMENTS

Inarguable

•  Women’s magazines earn millions of dollars every year from advertising.

Arguable

•  Advertising in women’s magazines contributes to the poor self-image that most young women have.

You want your argument to be important, but you can’t argue for big changes in 1500 words. You need to argue for a small, specific change.

SCOPE

GENRE – RESEARCHED ARGUMENT

ETHOS, LOGOS, & PATHOS

Ratio

Logos

Ethos

Pathos

ETHOS

•  Can you provide information about your topic from sources other than your own knowledge? •  How reliable are your sources? •  Do any sources contradict one another? If so, can

you account for or resolve the contradictions? •  If you have personal experience relating to the

issue, would telling about this experience help support your claim?

LOGOS

•  How representative are the examples? •  Are they sufficient in strength or number to lead to a

generalization? •  In what ways do they support your point? •  How closely does the precedent relate to the point

you’re trying to make? Are the situations really similar? •  How timely is the precedent? (What would have

been applicable in 1920 is not necessarily applicable today.)

USING SOURCES DIFFERENTLY

•  provide background information on your topic •  demonstrate your knowledge of the topic to

readers •  cite authority and testimony in support of your thesis •  find opinions that differ from your own, which can

help you sharpen your thinking, qualify your thesis if necessary, and demonstrate fairness to opposing arguments

COUNTERARGUMENTS

COUNTERARGUMENTS

•  How can you show that you are taking into account all significant points of view? •  How can you demonstrate that you understand

and sympathize with points of view other than your own? •  What can you do to show that you have

considered evidence carefully, even when it does not support your position?

S TA R T O U T L I N I N G N O W

ORGANIZATION IS EVERYTHING – PA 6

INTRODUCTION

•  Gain readers’ attention and interest. •  Establish your qualifications to write about your

topic. •  Establish common ground with readers. •  Demonstrate fairness. •  State or imply your thesis.

BACKGROUND

•  Present any necessary background information, including pertinent personal narrative.

LINES OF ARGUMENT

•  Present good reasons and evidence (including logical and emotional appeals) in support of your thesis. •  Generally present reasons in order of importance. •  Demonstrate ways your argument may be in

readers’ best interest.

CONSIDERATION OF ALTERNATIVE ARGUMENTS

•  Examine alternative points of view. •  Note advantages and disadvantages of alternative

views. •  Explain why one view is better than others.

CONCLUSION

•  Summarize the argument if you choose. •  Elaborate on the implication of your thesis. •  Make clear what you want readers to think or do. •  Make a strong ethical or emotional appeal.

AS YOU DRAFT, REMEMBER TO CHECK OFF THE FOLLOWING:

PA 6

•  By midnight on Monday, post a working thesis and outline. In the outline, you need to identify argumentative points and techniques you plan to use and where you plan to use them. Make clear just how far you plan to take your audience to your purpose. Find a template for the outline on my blog.

SAMUEL’S ARGUMENT

•  Posted to the blog is Samuel’s researched argument. Please read it and leave a comment about something specific about this document. For example: •  Thesis •  Organization •  Use of Support •  Transitions •  Conclusion •  Topic Sentences

•  This is a very good researched argument, but there are some flaws. We will be going over it together next class.

MONDAY

•  First-Year Writing Ch 14 pp. 303-340; Review Chapter 5 •  Student Sample in book and on blog

•  Exchange your Researched Argument’s introduction for with a classmate for workshopping.

•  Instructions for specific aspects to critique will follow in the next class.