Argument and Persuasion Writing
Monday, Nov. 18, 2013 @ 8:00 ET
Presented by Molly Starkweather
Kaplan University Writing Center
To view the recorded workshop, please click this link:
http://khe2.adobeconnect.com/p1ltwdoxolv/
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Agenda
Academic argument
Audience and purpose
Appeals and logic
Takeaways
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Defining Argument
What do we think of when we hear the term “argument”?
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Academic Arguments
Academic argument > “argument” in casual conversation
Argument and healthy debate are natural ways to flesh out ideas in college
writing.
Effective Writing Podcast on Understanding Argument
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“Writing the persuasive essay means that you select a topic you feel strongly
about and take a position on the issue, trying to get others to see your point of
view” (Writing a Persuasive Essay, para. 2). -- We are probably most familiar
with the persuasive essay, which is meant to convince the reader to take our
side in a discussion. A persuasive essay emphasizes the writer’s point of view,
minimizing the focus on other arguments in order to drive home the writer’s
main point. An argumentative essay looks at many different possible
arguments, still driving home the writer’s argument as superior, but looking
more at the writer’s argument alongside other arguments on the issue.
Exploring and evaluating different perspectives and “[deciding] what we think
about them– not only whether we agree with them or not, but whether we think
they are true” (How to Support an Argument and Avoid Logical Fallacies, para.
3). -- It is important to note that these two types of writing borrow elements from
each other.
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Persuasion and Argument Writing
Persuasive- Taking a position/convincing audience to take your position
Argument- Considering many positions and the truth/strength for each position
Both persuasive and argument writing involve
• Considering more than one side
• Organizing/developing evidence
• Reaching the audience
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Role of Audience
Is the audience described in the assignment instructions?
How much information will the audience already have, and what information do
they need?
Should the audience be convinced of one point of view, or should the audience
consider many points of view?
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Appeals to Audience
Three appeals
Logos- appeal to audience’s intelligence/reason
Ethos- appeal to audience’s ethics/sense of fairness
Pathos- appeal to audience’s emotions
Match appeal to purpose/point
Effective Writing Podcast and Transcript
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Logical Fallacies
Fallacious/bad logic: the opposite of good logical tactics
•
Generalizing: Because crime has been reduced in one neighborhood,
obviously the entire town is safer.
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Analogies: It’s so sad that doctors have so many pills for our sex lives but
we can’t cure end-stage cancer without chemotherapy invented fifty years
ago.
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For more, see Ch. 1 and Ch. 22 of the Kaplan Guide to Successful Writing
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It’s important to keep an eye out for mistakes in argument, especially in our own
writing. Here is a chart from the Kaplan Guide to Successful writing that
highlights some of the most common logical fallacies. Check out the Guide
here. Let’s look at some common logical fallacies. The ad hominem argument
says that the only reason a person is making a particular point is because s/he
is a bad person. The bandwagon argument says that because something is
popular means it is true. “Two million Americans can’t be wrong,” a person
might say about a concept, but what if that concept is slavery? Some things are
never right nor true, no matter how popular they might be. Circular reasoning
just goes around and around using the argument to prove itself. It’s like when
Jill Stein was running on the Green Party ticket for President and she might
complain that she didn’t have enough support from the media, so she couldn’t
drum up support from the public for her campaign. Of course, when the media
only focuses on the candidates the public says they are likely to vote for, how
could she get media support without public support in the first place? The last
kind of fallacy is either/or reasoning, which says you’re either for us or against
us. An example might be, “You can either buy Girl Scout cookies or show that
you don’t care about the development of the young girls in our community.”
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Each of these statements makes an ineffective argument using faulty
(fallacious) logic. Can you say what kind of logical fallacy you are seeing in
each of these and why each statement is weak? What could we do to improve
these statements?
1.
If five million people in the state want a new casino, who are you to
argue against it?
2.
We have two choices in this election: leaps and bounds forward for
clean and renewable energy, or falling backwards into total dependence
on fossil fuels.
3. Our PTA president wants us to consider school uniforms, but what does he
know? He’s an agnostic!
1. Bandwagon. A large number of people wanting something to happen does
not make for an effective argument.
2. Either/or argument. It should be weighing options, considering that we have
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some wonderful varieties for alternative fuel sources.
3. Ad hominem– what does a person’s age have to do with effective leadership
of the PTA?
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Takeaways/Review
Argument in college writing can be healthy!
Know your audience and your purpose.
Appeal to the audience using logos, ethos, or pathos depending on the point
and purpose.
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The best time to do a paper review in the Kaplan University Writing Center is
after you have written your first draft. When you come to us early, we can help
you the most by helping you with the structure of your paper. Many students
send papers at the last minute because they want us to simply proofread their
paper. However, KUWC writing tutors do not simply proofread the paper for
you; we want to help you learn to write and proofread your own papers. Since
you can come to the Writing Center 6 times a term, you can submit a first draft,
then submit a later draft if you need further help on an assignment.
If you need help before you write the first draft, you can use live tutoring. During
live tutoring, you can ask questions and brainstorm with a tutor. Live tutors can
help you with other stages in the paper writing process as well. Come visit us.
We can be found under the My Studies tab, then under Academic Support
Center.
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The best time to do a paper review in the Kaplan University Writing Center is
after you have written your first draft. When you come to us early, we can help
you the most by helping you with the structure of your paper. Many students
send papers at the last minute because they want us to simply proofread their
paper. However, KUWC writing tutors do not simply proofread the paper for
you; we want to help you learn to write and proofread your own papers. Since
you can come to the Writing Center 6 times a term, you can submit a first draft,
then submit a later draft if you need further help on an assignment.
If you need help before you write the first draft, you can use live tutoring. During
live tutoring, you can ask questions and brainstorm with a tutor. Live tutors can
help you with other stages in the paper writing process as well. Come visit us.
We can be found under the My Studies tab, then under Academic Support
Center.
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On the main Academic Support Center page, you will see the Writing Center
links. These include Live Tutoring, Paper Review Service, the Writing
Reference Library, Citation Guidelines, Workshops, English Language Learner,
and Fundamental writing help. Notice, you can access the Kaplan Guide to
Successful Writing on the right hand side in both print and audio form. Come
visit us.
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Writing Center
Writing Tutor
Paper Review and Q&A Services
Writing Reference Library
Citation Guidelines (APA & more)
Writing Workshops
Graduate Student Resources
English Language Learners
Writing Fundamentals Program
Effective Writing Podcasts Series
First-Term Student Resources
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References
Hacker, D. and Sommers, N. (2011). A Writer’s
Reference (7th ed.). Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Graff, G. and Birkenstein, C. (2009). They Say/I Say.
New York: Norton.
White, F. and Billings, S. (2007) The Well-Crafted
Argument. New York: Houghton Mifflin.
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Further resources
Effective Writing Podcasts
Understanding Argumentative Writing and Transcript
The Three Appeals of Argumentative Writing and Transcript
Audience and Purpose and Transcript
Kaplan Guide to Writing
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Contact Information
Melody Pickle [email protected]
Molly Starkweather [email protected]
[email protected]
Workshops are recorded and recording links, with an accompanying
PowerPoint, are posted on the Writing Center Workshop page 2 business days
after the workshop.
Additional Kaplan University Writing Center Resources
Introductory Video
Writing Center
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