Day 23: Argumentative Writing Part 3

1. Warm-Up Activity: Connecting Words

You are already familiar with the many different transitional phrases in English, so this activity is just for a refresher. You may be using the same ones in your writing over and over again, or you may forget to use them sometimes when you need to. This ACTIVITY will remind you of all the synonyms there are for each transitional action, so that you can connect your ideas better in your essays.

2. Peer-Check the Arguments

Pull up the outline you did for homework last night and switch computers with someone near you. You have 5 minutes to peer-check someone else’s outline. You are checking to see that their outline follows one of the two ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY PLANS from last class, and incorporates the opposing arguments. You should also be looking at the actual argument that your peer is presenting. What persuasive strategies does he/she use? Is it convincing? Are each of the Main Topics different, or do they overlap? Is he/she missing any important opposing arguments? Afterwards, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the outline with your peer.

3. Recap of Problematizing: Gaining the reader’s trust

Today we are working to create good relationships with our readers. The reason for presenting the opposing argument is to gain the reader’s trust. You have about 4 minutes to choose one of the opposing arguments from your outline and problematize it. Use the POWERPOINT handout from last class for reference. You don’t need to do research or anything. The point is to work on the structure of problematizing. Then volunteer to read your problematized opposing argument to the class.

4. Tone: Setting up the relationship with the reader

The words you choose to use and choose not to use are extremely important in Academic Writing. You can change the relationship with the reader, either positively or negatively, just by using certain words. Remember, a good relationship with the reader is your #1 priority. You want the reader to not only agree with you by the end of the essay, but also believe and trust in everything you say; you want the reader to like you. Take a look at Part II on the RELATIONSHIP WITH THE READER handout. Which words set good or bad tones for the reader and why?

5. Hedging: Leave room for other possibilities

In the following cases, not only tone is important, but also the strength of our certainty. We are using a skill called hedging to assert claims/explanations/generalizations. To hedge in writing is to choose certain words that will demonstrate how sure we are of a statement we are making. That way, we can leave room for other possibilities and scenarios that the reader may think of, and we can maintain our credibility. Take a look at Parts III and IV of the RELATIONSHIP HANDOUT. Do you see how each word has its own degree of certainty?

6. Avoiding Hasty Generalizations: Don’t lie to the reader! Duh!

When you make a generalization about a group of people, events, etc., you should use hedging to assert your certainty of the statement. It is very rare that you can make a statement that includes an entire group or event in every instance. Even if something is almost always true, it’s not always true! So don’t lie to the reader and tell them it’s always true or you will lose your credibility. Take a look at Part V of the RELATIONSHIP HANDOUT. Which words can be changed so that the writer isn’t making a hasty generalization?

Announcement

I just finished uploading all of your essays with feedback into DropBox. Check the comments and submit revisions by Wednesday, October 20th at 11:59 PM. Name the revised version CCCE2_FirstName LastName. Many of you said that you liked the feedback you were getting on your essays, so I made sure to make lots of comments. I mostly commented on things to improve. There were things I liked, but I wanted to devote extra attention on suggestions for improvement, so I was unable to add those. However, you will receive both positive and negative feedback on the final version.

Good job everyone.

Homework 11: Incorporating Opposing Arguments

Open the INCORPORATING OPPOSING ARGUMENTS HANDOUT. Your assignment is to complete page 1 of the handout. Since you made an outline for the previous class's homework. You may find it helpful to use the ideas you put into that outline. In this outline you should incorporate the opposing arguments along with your main points OR include them in a separate paragraph (other opposing arguments). Do not include opposing arguments in both sections.

Name the file Homework11_FirstName LastName

Upload the file to your ESL114_FirstName LastName folder.

This assignment is due Thursday, October 14th at 11:59 PM.

This assignment is worth 5 Homework points.

Day 22: Argumentative Writing Part 2

1. Warm-Up Activity:
[SIRENS BLARING]
Welcome aboard the spaceship ESL114G. The ship has been struck by a meteor. The life support systems on the ship are now damaged and cannot sustain the whole crew. You and your crew of three other members have just 8 minutes to decide as a group which of the colonists to sacrifice, or the ship will lose power and crash! Be sure to have 3 supporting reasons, using ethos, pathos, logos or kairos. Be ready to present your final decision in 8 minutes! Click HERE to start this mission that is of utmost importance to your survival.

2. Supporting and Opposing Arguments

Read the following ESSAY looking for the key components of argumentative writing that we have discussed so far. Follow the directions and identify the thesis statement, the connecting words used, and the three supporting arguments. Pay attention to the persuasive strategies that the author uses (ethos, pathos, logos, etc.) Then think about why the author mentions 2 opposing arguments. How does this help the argument?

3. “Problematizing” the Opposing Argument

After reading the essay and answering the questions, you will have seen an example of how an author can present the opposing argument. This is an essential component of argumentative writing. Participate during the PowerPoint to learn how to include an opposing argument in your writing without seeming like you agree with it!

4. Two Ways of Incorporating the Opposing Arguments

Now that you know how opposing arguments are used in an argumentative essay, you will need to know how to actually incorporate them into your own essays. Take a look at pages 2 and 3 of the INCORPORATING THE OPPOSING ARGUMENTS HANDOUT to see two different ways. Notice the differences in the order of the arguments and topics, the number of paragraphs for each and how this would fit with the outline that you already have. Then go back to the first page to do some brainstorming and come up with as many opposing arguments as you can. This sheet should help you decide which Plan would work best for your essay.

Homework 10: Argumentative Essay Outline

Select one of the following topics.

medicinal marijuana, arranged marriage, euthanasia, death penalty, bilingual education, cell phones, and cigarettes

Generate ideas using one of the invention techniques.

listing, clustering, free-writing, or questions

Then write a debatable thesis statement so that you can begin filling in THIS OUTLINE. (Check that your thesis is debatable by trying to think of a possible opposing argument). You will need 3 Main Topics with 2 Supporting details each, and you should use at least 2 of the persuasive strategies that we have talked about in class to make your argument more convincing. You don’t need to do any research for this assignment, but if you decide to use any sources, you must list them on your outline.

Name the file Homework10_FirstName LastName

The file should be uploaded to your ESL114_FirstName LastName folder.

This assignment is worth 10 Homework Points.

This assignment is due Tuesday, October 12th at 11:59 PM

Day 21: Argumentative Writing

1. Warm-Up Activity

I will need two volunteers to read the firstSCENARIO as loudly and clearly as you can. I will then need two more volunteers to read the secondSCENARIO loudly so everyone in the class can hear. While listening to the role play think about which child is more successful in his/her argument and why.

2. Fact vs. Opinion/ Debatable vs. Non-Debatable Statements

Next we will review an interactive POWERPOINT. It's not a lecture PowerPoint, so don’t fall asleep because I need your participation! Think about fact vs. opinion, and later, debatable vs. non-debatable statements. A different person should volunteer for each statement. At the last slide, choose a category and type a debatable statement into Microsoft Word, followed by the opposing argument to check that it’s debatable. Then, volunteers will be needed to read/show their statement, so be ready and ask me if you are not sure about something.

3. Reverse-Engineering the Argumentative Essay

You should have already read the article called ARE MEN BORN WITH POWER by Helen Fisher for homework. Now you will work on putting it into OUTLINE FORM to see how the author arranges her information and support. Try to practice your paraphrasing skills when creating your outline. Review the SAMPLE COMPLETED OUTLINE.Also, think critically about the essay. Is the thesis statement debatable? What could be an opposing argument? Is the argument convincing? What strategies of persuasion does she use? What could she have added to make it more convincing?

4. Outlining Support

Take a look at the words written on the board, medicinal marijuana, arranged marriage, euthanasia, death penalty, bilingual education, cell phones, and cigarettes. Choose one that you are familiar with and do one of the pre-writing activities: listing, clustering, free-writing, or questions for 5 minutes. If you forgot the pre-writing activities, you can review them HERE. Then write a debatable thesis statement so that you can begin filling in THIS OUTLINE. (Check that your thesis is debatable by trying to think of a possible opposing argument). You will need 3 Main Topics with 2 Supporting details each, and you should use at least 2 of the persuasive strategies that we have talked about in class to make your argument more convincing. You don’t need to do any research for this assignment, but if you decide to use any sources, you must list them on your outline. Finish the outline for HOMEWORK.

Announcement

For class on Monday, you are all expected to read the following ESSAY because we will be working with it in class, and you will not have sufficient time to read it during class. Please come to class on time on Monday and be prepared.

Have a good weekend.