Improving Argumentative Stance Prewriting and Organizational Strategy

What is an argument?

What is an academic argument?  A means of discovering truth, negotiating differences, and solving problems  An intellectual effort that is intended to solve a problem by drawing people together

Do’s and do not’s of academic argument  Do look beyond surface and personal needs/ desires  Do NOT communicate personal associations or reactions to a controversy

Academic Argumentative Writing  Definition: writing that attempts to prove the validity of a point of view or an idea by presenting informed reasoned arguments.  Informed reasoned argument: what you KNOW and what you THINK  Academic argumentative writing engages others through language; it does not seek to “win.”

Constructing an argument  What do I know? What are the key points your research brings out? What are the answers to the five W’s + how? Do any cultural or historical influences pertain? Which points are most important? Which are least? Why do I think this? What do I know that will help my reader understand my topic in a new way (vs. merely repeating source material)?  What don’t I know that I need to include?

Moving from knowing to thinking  Summarize what you know from each source  Evaluate what you read What in my source material makes we evaluate it the way I do? What is not in my source material that makes me evaluate it the way I do? Is that clouding my reasoning?

Moving from knowing to thinking  Analyze the parts that make up your topic Break the whole into relative components How do they relate to one another? Allows you to see the topic differently and discover what you might say  Synthesize the ideas or parts Bring ideas together to make connections Consider whether disparate ideas actually do or can connect in some logical, reasonable way

Choose a stance  Reflect on what your source materials brought together will support  Choose a stance for which you have confidence in your defense  Choose a stance you can argue sincerely  Not taking a stance = Boring paper

Argumentative Strategy/Structure  Classical Introduction: warms up the audience, establishes goodwill and rapport with the readers, and communicates the thesis Narration: summarizes relevant background material, provides any information the audience needs to know about the environment and circumstances that produce the argument, and sets up the stakes–what’s at risk in this question

Classical Argument (Cont’d.)  Confirmation: lays out in a logical order (usually strongest to weakest or most obvious to most subtle) the claims that support the thesis, providing evidence for each claim (Provides a chain of reasoning)  Refutation and concession: looks at opposing viewpoints to the writer’s claims, anticipates objections from the audience, and allows as much of the opposing viewpoints as possible without weakening the thesis

Classical Argument (Cont’d.)  Summation: provides a strong conclusion, amplifying the force of the argument, and showing the readers that this solution or viewpoint is the best for meeting the circumstances  Reminds the reader what’s at stake and the importance of the situation  Provides sense of closure vs. breaking off

Variations on Classical Argument: Logical Order  Climactic order Introduce controversy ending with a thesis Build from least powerful to most powerful argument Rank subpoints in order from least to most powerful also Based on the principle of primacy/recency

Two sides of the controversy  Introduce controversy ending with thesis  Present opposing view  Present your point of view  Show and connect evidence to support why your view is better

Present and respond to counter arguments  Introduce controversy ending with a thesis  Present main counter argument  Show its flaws  Present your argument  Show its strengths  A variation of the above is to concede the merits of the counter argument then show the greater merits of your argument

Concession (Rogerian Argument)  Introduction that leads to thesis  Summarize opposing points acknowledging their merit  Transition paragraph that winds down to your position (On the other hand... ); never say the other side is wrong or that yours is better  Support your position  Conclude

Other logical strategies  Problem/solution Introduce Define problem Give some background Provide solution  Compare and contrast Consider similarities and differences among various sources Two organizational patterns

Compare and Contrast  By source or subject Introduce controversy Summarize each source or subject Discuss both the obvious and the more subtle similarities or differences Compare and contrast main features of each Be sure that all discussion supports the thesis Works best if summaries can be brief

Compare and Contrast  By criteria (more complex) Introduce controversy Compare or contrast several authors simultaneously Examine their views and discuss the comparisons or the contrasts at the same time Works best if multiple points are being discussed or if passages are long and complex