ARGUMENT ESSAY It’s not a debate

A Little Argument Fun

Argument Is… ■ …a collective series of statements to establish a proposition ■ …an intellectual PROCESS ■ …opens a subject; it doesn’t close it ■ …broadens a subject; it doesn’t narrow it ■ …seeks to add depth and understanding ■ …not defeating an opposing point of view

Types of Arguments & Their Appeals ■ Arguments of Facts - Appeal to logos (logic) - Think, “math logic problem;” ■ Arguments of Values - Appeal to pathos (emotions) - Use personal anecdotes you’ve observed or experienced ■ Arguments of Policy - Appeal to ethos (credibility) - Source people & organizations “in the know”

Argument Premises ( Basis for Argument ) ■ Political ■ Legal ■ Historical ■ Psychological ■ Values ■ Economic ■ Pragmatic ■ Sociological Examples using capital punishment ■ The American public voted for it ■ It’s the law/It shouldn’t be the law ■ It has/has not worked in the past ■ Most prisoners on death row were abused children ■ It is right (eye for an eye)/It is not right (two wrongs don’t make a right) ■ It’s too expensive to kill prisoners/to keep prisoners in jail ■ It doesn’t work/It’s a pragmatic deterrent ■ A large number of people on death row are poor and people of color

Put It All Together… ■ Use an argument of facts, appealing to the logos of your reader, when your argument has an economic premise. ■ Use an argument of values, appealing to the pathos of your reader, when your argument has a psychological premise ■ Use an argument of policy, appealing to the ethos of your reader, when your argument has a political premise

Let ’ s Play ■ “Today’s youth are worse behaved than ever before.” ■ What’s the type of argument? ■ What appeal(s) should you use? ■ What’s the premise(s) of your argument?

Exam Prompt Format ■ Usually question #3 on the exam ■ Spend the least amount of time on this ■ Save for last, here’s why… ■ Given a situation or text passage ■ Given a statement to respond to based on the situation or passage ■ That’s it. Doesn’t take long to write.

Key Prompt Phrases, Last 25 Years ■ “…defend, challenge, or qualify…” ■ “…argue for or against…” ■ “…explore the validity…” ■ “…consider the opposing positions…” ■ “…consider the extent to which…” ■ “…evaluate the pros and cons…” ■ “…take a position on…” ■ “…explain your position…” ■ Yes, you have to take a position but in so doing, you provide more information about the topic ■ Note: Only one prompt in the past 25 years asks for response to be directed to someone specific (e.g. school board) ■ Note: Only two prompts in the past 25 years refer to response as a persuasive essay

Response Essentials ■ Take a position…have to. No room on the fence here. ■ Define terms ■ Deal with the opposition ■ Have applicable evidence ■ Explain why evidence is relevant

Defining Terms ■ “Today’s youth are worse behaved than ever before.” ■ When is “today”? ■ What ages are “youth”? ■ “Worse” than what or who? ■ What is “behavior”?

Dealing With the Opposition ■ Anticipate opposing viewpoints ■ Acknowledge its merits ■ Make a “harmless” concession ■ See “They Say/I Say” Handout

Evidence ■ R.O.E. or L.O.E. ■ Read, Observed, Experienced or Learned, Observed, Experienced ■ Read/Learned: magazines, newspapers, novels, teachers, parents, news, friends ■ Observed: seen with your own two eyes, fly on the wall ■ Experienced: happened directly to you ■ Type of evidence used depends on the appeal needed: Logos: use R or L Pathos: use O or E Ethos: use R or L or O or E depends on who would be an expert; don’t dismiss yourself!

Response Steps ( prewriting ) ■ Step 1: Determine the argument type ■ Step 2: Determine your position ■ Step 3: Determine which appeal(s) you should use ■ Step 4: Determine the your argument premise(s) ■ Step 5: Define ALL key words ■ Step 6: Jot down your evidence (R/L O E categories) and its relevance ■ Step 7: Jot down opposition points and your retorts ■ Step 8: Organize info into a quick outline ■ Step 9: Write response!