MWA#2 was our argumentative news paper editorial, and the rhetorical situation was that we were hired by The Daily Lobo to write a piece about an important issue and discuss both sides ultimately contending for one side. We also need to have research on the topic and have cited our sources properly. Our audience for this assignment was to be the readers of The Daily Lobo. I very much enjoyed this assignment as I love to argue and it was very fun choosing any topic I wanted, besides the ones deemed off-limits in class. In an argument there is a process you have to follow and it roughly starts with choosing a topic of debate and then researching it on both sides to compose a more sophisticated piece. Something I learned is that your topic has …show more content…
to have an argument on both sides, and valid credible research to really be a good topic to write about. There are logical fallacies that we discussed in class before really diving into the assignment and this was to strengthen our arguing skills by avoiding these in our own papers. For example, arguing for a topic that no one is arguing against is a straw-man argument, and therefore considered weak. Now to address the fact that my audience is the ordinary readers of The Daily Lobo, and not people well versed on the topic of the usefulness of art I opened up my argument with background on where the topic can be traced to, as early as 1890 from novelist Oscar Wilde, and leading up to modern day stances such as those from Dr. Reiss, an advocate for the arts, and former President of Washington College. This opening paragraph gave only a brief introduction to what they had to say as I later analyzed their arguments in detail in the paragraphs to come. Within my paper I used a source from a website that had a very good point to make about how art is useful because it fulfills needs under Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs. However, after editing I realized this source wasn’t very credible as it was just a random website, but what I did do was back up the website with another source, an interview from the Huffington Post website.
This allowed me to edit my original argument that was based solely on help from the non-credible source into a much stronger one because I incorporated logic and ethos from the Huffing Post. As I mentioned before I mentioned starting with choosing a topic, I knew right away that as an artist I would argue about art. I feel strongly about the topic of the usefulness of art, so I needed gather my thoughts about my stance and form them into a thesis that clearly describes my position. Once I had my thesis that art is useful I needed to gather research for and against my side, in order to back up what I’m saying and point out weaknesses in the opposing side. On my side I gathered sources such as an art piece of course, an interview of a professional who advocates for arts usefulness, and a website that had very thorough logic. The art piece gave a specific example in what I meant that art has a purpose, people can they look up the art piece for themselves and see how it communicates a message, and serves to more than just
beautiful. The websites were useful as I could adapt their own reasoning into my own. While the source I chose for the opposing side was a letter from Oscar Wilde where he explains why art is useless. I chose this letter because it comes from a credible and well known source, and is probably the root of the argument. This helped me to provide counterarguments as I explained the logic behind it and therefore understood also where it fell weak. All-in-all, this processed helped me as a writer as I have written many argument essays, but never really been required to conduct my own proper research for them. I now feel confident in my abilities to construct a proper argument paper.
In the introduction, the author has done a good job engaging the audience with emotions, and painting a vivid scene of the seals being slaughtered. This essay does a good job of acknowledging the other point of views. This essay also has a good, clear sense of structure. The author has a strong thesis statement, that gave a clear indication of what the following paragraphs are about.
First being able to master the subject of the matter we are speaking about. Next having an understanding of the audience we are addressing, and lastly having voice and character throughout our writings. The steps in which he states is necessary to create a valid argument makes sense once broken down, as to why it would be much more persuasive. Looking back on the essays this semester that persuaded me to agree with their stance all had one thing in common; they all had a combination of the three factors Booth speaks of. Booth agrees, feeling the same way when he writes, “The common ingredient that I find in all of the writing I admire-excluding for now novels, plays and poems are something that I shall reluctantly call the rhetorical stance, a stance which depends on discovering and maintaining in any writing situation a proper balance among the three elements”
While reading “ Into the Wild” by Jon Krakauer, many opinions can be formed of Chris McCandless. One, in particular, was the author's opinion which he blatantly stated on page 85. He didn't think that Chris was some reckless foolish insane idiot. He believed that competent otherwise he wouldn't have lasted so long. I agree with Krakauer, things Chris did on this journey did not show signs of some careless person. Chris was just an adventurer looking to get away from the expectations society had of him to see the world for what it really was.
Throughout “Argument as Conversation,” Stuart Greene demonstrates the concept of supporting an argument through the use of varying conversations to encourage writers to research and support their own personal opinions. Greene begins by expressing that to take a stand on one argument it is necessary to extensive research on all aspects having to do with a topic. Greene also communicates that reading acts as one of the most important things a writer can do. While stating this Greene explains that the research conducted must contain counterarguments, context, and objections to the idea at hand. This research could be done in the form of a conversation. For example, listening to an argument and adding personal input, while receiving criticism
An explanation is a set of statements constructed to describe a set of facts which clarifies the causes, contexts, and consequences of those facts. This description may establish rules or laws, and may clarify the existing ones in relation to any objects, or phenomena examined. The first piece Bush Remarks Roil Debate over Teaching of Evolution written by Elizabeth Bumiller, is an explanation. Bumiller addresses her points using facts rather than opinions, she also says, “Recalling his days as Texas governor, Mr. Bush said in the interview, according to a transcript, “I felt like both sides ought to be properly taught.”(2), this signifies that this is an explanation and not an argument since he sees both sides instead of choosing one. For
Ramage, John D., John C. Bean, and June Johnson. Writing Arguments: A Rhetoric with Readings. 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education, 2012. Print.
Do you know how to use the Toulmin model when writing an argumentative paper? After reading this essay you will not only know how to use the Toulmin model, but also how to use it effectively. The model is relatively easy to use and it can help one to organize his or her paper. James Q. Wilson is one of many writers that utilizes the Toulmin model. In Wilson’s piece, “Just Take Away Their Guns,” it is clear that he chose to use the Toulmin model as a guideline for the organization of the work. I will be walking you through the steps of the Toulmin model in the following paragraphs.
On December 2,2015 I went to to the Lynnhaven building to receive some feedback on my agreement paper for English 111. It was a very rainy day after running through the rain when I reached the writing center room. There was a yellow note saying that the writing center was in the student center until December 4,2015. After reading the note I ran back in the rain to my car.It was to cold to walk it was raining. As I approached the student center I was told by a security guard that the tutoring lab was located on the third floor. I had walked up three flights of stairs. When I had finally reached the third floor,I walk into the tutoring lab. There were about eight tables, but only four staff members and one student. Amen had approached me asking what did I need help with today. I replied saying that I would like some feedback on my paper for English. He then pointed to the writing table and said “she can assist you with your paper”.
When I first encountered the word argument in this chapter I thought that I would be informed on what an argument is and how to construct an argument in an essay. After reading the chapter I think arguments much more than creating diversity over a topic. Also, it is much more than making a claim. There are many different styles and ways to present an argument.
People can have many different opinions depending on a topic, but what is truly difficult is getting a complete level of understanding from every opinion, or understanding the point of view of each opinion. Even accepting the points of view can be difficult for some people, who believe that their opinions are right. Luckily, people can learn about the other person’s frame of reference, and at the very least understand the topic or the person a little better. This particular topic is art, which is known for its multiple possible perceptions or its many different messages that it can send a person or group of people. In this way, people can learn more about the thought processes and feelings of others. Unfortunately, with differing opinions,
Have you ever felt stuck? Wherever you are, it’s the absolute last place you want to be. In the book Into the Wild, Chris McCandless feels stuck just like the average everyday person may feel. Chris finds his escape plan to the situation and feels he will free himself by going off to the wild. I agree with the author that Chris McCandless wasn’t a crazy person, a sociopath, or an outcast because he got along with many people very well, but he did seem somewhat incompetent, even though he survived for quite some time.
The Turn of the Screw by Henry James has been the cause of many debates about whether or not the ghosts are real, or if this is a case of a woman with psychological disturbances causing her to fabricate the ghosts. The story is told in the first person narrative by the governess and is told only through her thoughts and perceptions, which makes it difficult to be certain that anything she says or sees is reliable. It starts out to be a simple ghost story, but as the story unfolds it becomes obvious that the governess has jumps to conclusions and makes wild assumptions without proof and that the supposed ghosts are products of her mental instability which was brought on by her love of her employer
“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe”( Douglass). This famous quote epitomizes the philosophies of Frederick Douglass, in which he wanted everyone to be treated with dignity; if everyone was not treated with equality, no one person or property would be safe harm. His experience as a house slave, field slave and ship builder gave him the knowledge to develop into a persuasive speaker and abolitionist. In his narrative, he makes key arguments to white abolitionist and Christians on why slavery should be abolished. The key arguments that Frederick Douglass tries to vindicate are that slavery denies slaves of their identity, slavery is also detrimental for the slave owner, and slavery is ungodly.
right to research, look at both sides of the argument, choose a claim, and develop my paper
* The Aims of Argument. 4th ed Ed.Timothy W. Crusius and Carolyn E. Channell. New York:McGraw Hill,2003, 352-355.