The Argumentative Paper - Topics and Assignments

Choose one of the following topics for your argumentative paper, which will need to be at least 3 pages:
Both of these topics are presented more fully in the text; I have summarized the two topics from which you can choose.

1. How Can We Address the Shortage of Organ Donors?

Due to the persistent shortage of organs needed for transplant operations, a controversy has arisen: should America continue it's "opt-in" policy, which requires individuals to actively choose to become organ donors, or should America establish "presumed consent," which makes everyone a potential donor at the time of death unless the individual opts out of the program?
Note: the two sides of this issue are explained more fully on page 605

2.  Should the Government Tax Sugary Drinks?

Because of the rise of childhood obesity and the associated social costs of obesity to all Americans, some experts and policymakers argue that the government needs to take action in the form of a tax on on unhealthy foods and sugary drinks; not surprisingly, however, many people from civil libertarians to the makers of food products, oppose such measures. Construct an argument that answers the question of whether the government should tax sugary drinks and "unhealthy" food products.
Note: the two sides of this issue are explained more fully on page 630

EMAIL THE FOLLOWING TO ME BY MIDNIGHT SUNDAY (So I can read and get feedback to you on Tuesday):

The Introductory paragraph to your argumentative essay and a formal outline to your paper that resembles the sample outline on page 542:

Issue Introduced:

Thesis Statement:

Evidence:

Evidence:   

Evidence:

Opposing Arguements Refuted:

Conclusion:

After reading some of the assignments submitted, some people failed to write an introductory paragraph. Whether that was because they failed to read the assignment completely OR because they were unsure how to begin, one can't say. However, some students DID understand the assignment. Here is an excellent example of an introductory paragraph for an argumentative paper that DOES contain all the necessary elements: an opening that gets the reader's attention, presents BOTH sides of the issue in the writer's own words, AND states the claim. It is not perfect, but is one of the better submissions and for a daily writing, received a 9 out of 10:

Sugary Drinks: A Healthy way to be Unhealthy

            With the recent increase of overweight and obese Americans, a debate has surfaced over whether the government should tax sugary drinks. Obesity rates have risen from a steady 15 percent in the 1960s and 1970s to 34 percent in 2008. The finger is being pointed at sugary drinks for the cause of obesity, due to drinks being infused with high concentration of corn syrup and sugar. Now, the government has showed more interest on levying taxes on sugary drinks due to the high cost of treating obesity. Despite opposing arguments and being an avid soda consumer, I advocate that the government should tax sugary drinks to create a healthier nation and cut the cost of medical care.  

NOTES: I like your introduction. You get the reader's attention, state both sides of the issue and state your claim. It's direct and clear, coherent and well done. I would like you to reconsider your wording of your thesis. The word "advocate" sounds artificial, or forced. You might try the word "support" instead or another synonym. Also, save the fact that you're a soda drinker to the next to the last paragraph. I'm very pleased with your paragraph.

Here is the remainder of the assignment, as submitted:

Issue Introduced: Should the government tax sugary drinks?
Thesis Statement: Despite opposing arguments and being an avid soda consumer, I advocate that the government should tax sugary drinks to create a healthier nation and cut the cost of medical care.
Evidence: explain how the prices of healthy foods have risen and how the prices of bad foods have not Evidence: explain how the tax would actually help fight against the obesity
Evidence: explain how drinks cause obesity easily
NOTES: these are all statements of intent; I will assume you can follow through
Opposing Arguements Refuted: identify and refute the argument that business could be hurt due to the taxation.

NOTES: I'm not sure what "refuted identity" means; I understand the evidence you've presented and I'm satisfied that it can be supported; this is the only one that concerns me.Conclusion: restate the thesis, and state how the taxes would actually benefit the whole country.

NO! DO NOT restate thesis. You're writing is too good to fall back on that worn out strategy.  Draw a REAL conclusion that explains how imposed "fat taxes" would benefit the country.

Here is another excellent introduction for an argumentative paper:

                Americans are becoming increasingly overweight and unhealthy which is negatively affecting our productivity and ability to work. The number of Americans on health related disability has risen drastically over the last several years. More Americans are becoming plagued with health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease at younger ages. Our society’s deteriorating health is largely due to our poor dietary habits, which, in turn, leads to obesity and other related health conditions. To combat this issue, our government must become more proactive in addressing this alarming problem. A mandatory tax on unhealthy foods and drinks ought to be instituted to deter citizens from purchasing things that could negatively affect their health.

REALLY A STRONG OPENING PARAGRAPH!! WELL DONE!
 Common Errors to AVOID in the argumentative paper:

THERE MUST BE AN INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT THAT LEADS UP TO THE THESIS! THE OPENING PARAGRAPH SHOULD CONTAIN:

1. AN INTERESTING OPENING THAT GETS THE READER INVOLVED IN THE PAPER.

2. PRESENT THE ISSUE AND BRIEFLY STATE BOTH SIDES OF THE ISSUE

3. THE CLAIM IS THE THESIS STATEMENT, IN WHICH THE AUTHOR STATES HIS/HER POSITION ON THE ISSUE

 AVOID STATEMENTS OF INTENT--

BE SURE YOU CAN DEVELOP YOUR EVIDENCE BY GIVING EXAMPLES; THE GOAL OF THE WRITER IS TO MAKE A GENERAL STATEMENT CLEAR BY USING CONCRETE, REAL WORLD EXAMPLES

YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO MORE THAN SIMPLY RESTATE THE THESIS IN YOUR CLOSING PARAGRAPH; YOU CAN DO BETTER THAN RESTATE WHAT YOU’VE ALREADY SAID; MAKE YOUR CLOSING A REAL ARGUMENTATIVE CONCLUSION, NOT JUST AN ACADEMIC EXERCISE

 

 

 

Study Guide for Composition Quiz

If you can answer all of the following questions, you should be adequately prepared for tomorrow's quiz. We have gone over almost all of these questions:

1. List 3 things an introduction to an essay should do:

2. Explain the difference between formal and informal writing, and give examples of each type.

3.  What is an anecdote? How can an anecdote be used in an introduction?

4.  What is the purpose of a thesis statement?

5.  In what way does the purpose of an essay and an audience of an essay direct the content of the essay?

6.  State at least five different strategies for opening an essay.

7. What are the four things a writer should NOT do in the introduction?

8. Define the following words in terms of composition: coherence; transition; exemplification; deductive; relevant; representative; skeptical; refute; plagiarism; logical fallacy; non sequitur; red  herring; rhetorical question

9.  How is an exemplification essay developed?

10. Why is reading essential to good writing?

11.  How could exemplification be used in an argumentative paper?

12.  Explain the difference in purpose and composition between an argumentative paper and a persuasive paper.

13.  What types of evidence can be used for an argumentative paper?

14. What criteria must evidence in an argumentative paper adhere to?

15.  Why is a refutation necessary in an argumentative paper, and how can it serve to make your paper stronger?

16.  For our purposes, essays will be written using inductive or deductive reasoning?  Explain what that means in regard to organization of the paper.

Structure for the Argumentative Essay

Structure for the Argumentative Essay is outlined on pages 541-542 in the text.

Structure your introduction as follows:

Get the reader's attention
Introduce the topic/issue
Provide any necessary background
BRIEFLY and CAREFULLY present both sides of the issue
State your claim

An example of a good introductory paragraph is on page 525 --

Introductions are difficult; introductions for good argumentative essays are very difficult and take time. Note that this essay is much more formal than the previous exemplification essay







Daily Writing #5:

Write a good introductory paragraph for an argumentative paper on parenting styles. Get the readers' attention, introduce the two parentting styles. Briefly and clearly explain the western parent and the eastern, "tiger" parent. Then state your claim of which one is better and in very general terms, explain why.

Logical Fallacies and You Tube Examples

For Tuesday, study carefully the logical fallacies discusses on pages 537-540. Be ready to discuss these on Tuesday.

Look at the followng youtube examples to help recognize logical fallacies:

Red Herring Fallacy1

Red Herring Fallacy 2

Begging the Question1

Begging the Question2

Non Sequitur and Appeal to Authority Fallacy 1

Slippery Slope, Red Herring, Non Sequitur Fallacies

Test next Thursday will include these terms; you may also be asked to identify fallacies in video or reading selections

Frequent Abbreviations for Errors on Papers

Grammar/Punctuation/Usage are important to coherence. When a sentence is not written correctly, it cannot be understood. If the sentence cannot be understood, it is incoherent and this is a major flaw in an essay. Consequently, students can lose points for coherence and unity, as well as grammatical errors.

More serious errors are noted in red:

BW - better word or phrase is needed; examples include: "a lot," "good," "things," "bad"

WW - the wrong word may need to be corrected; examples: to/too/two; they're/their/there; customer/costumer

TR - there needs to be a transition (or better transition) between ideas, whether within a  paragraph or between paragraphs

TS - tense shift; if a story begins in past tense, stay in past tense; do not shift to present tense

CS - comma splice: a comma has been used instead of a semi-colon between two complete sentences

R-O/Fused - sentences are run together with no punctuation to separate them

Frag/Fragment - a phrase or clause has been used instead of a sentence and it is neither a complete thought, as a functional fragment, nor a complete sentence

VPR

Avoid absolute terms - examples: "all," "never," "every____"

Is a MOOC in Your Future?

The following news was released  by the USG public relations office

 USG Part of National Partnership to Explore MOOC-based Learning and Collaboration

 Atlanta — May 30, 2013

 The fast-developing world of massive open online courses (MOOC’s) has a new framework today with the announcement of a partnership among ten state university systems and public universities – including the University System of Georgia – and one of the leading platforms for MOOC’s, Coursera.

 Joining the USG in this partnership will be the State University of New York (SUNY), the Tennessee Board of Regents and University of Tennessee Systems, University of Colorado System, University of Houston System, University of Kentucky, University of Nebraska, University of New Mexico, and West Virginia University.

 The non-exclusive partnership will enable the participants to explore how to develop and use MOOC technology and content to improve college completion rates, academic quality and access to higher education, both for students enrolled in colleges and universities comprising the systems as well as Coursera’s global classroom of learners.

 “We are excited about this partnership because it provides us with the opportunity to better serve students and also contribute to our goal to increase student success and college completion,” said USG Chancellor Hank Huckaby.

 “If there are resources and services that can assist our institutions in developing and offering affordable, high quality academic courses, programs, and supports, we have an obligation to explore these opportunities on behalf of students,” Huckaby said. “This is about being student-centered and fostering system-wide innovative solutions to meet our goals of quality, access, affordability, and completion.”

 While today’s announcement is not about the launch of specific online courses or degrees, it is an important step in the fast-evolving world of MOOC’s, virtually unheard of a year or two ago. The initial concept behind MOOC’s was to use technology to allow individuals to take college courses online at no cost, but without earning college credits.

 Houston Davis, the USG’s chief academic officer, said, “One next step in the evolution of MOOC’s is to explore appropriate ways for this content to be merged with existing academic content, new academic supports, and rigorous assessments to provide affordable credit opportunities.”

 “There is a great deal of interest within our institutions in exploring flexible, new models of education delivery, ranging from independent learning opportunities through models that provide more intensive support and instruction,” Davis said.

 The agreement gives the University System of Georgia faculty and institutions the chance to be an active player in shaping the way that MOOC’s will be utilized and expanded.

 “However this evolves, we want this to be truly beneficial for Georgians and a path to meaningful credits and degree opportunities,” Davis said. “This and other open educational resources can be important tools in improving access and shortening the time to earn a degree while insisting on preservation and enhancement of academic quality.”

 The new Coursera partnership will allow participating systems and institutions to share knowledge and resources to shape curriculum, adapt existing MOOC content, and experiment with “blended learning” which combines online video lectures and content with active, in-person classroom engagement.

 In Georgia, the University System also will focus on policy flexibility and options for the USG campuses to experiment and be innovative with open educational resources and course offerings. Davis noted the USG’s efforts will be focused on Georgians and will not use resources for audiences outside the state.

 USG institutions will be invited to develop new learning models as well as initial implementation of these tools to improve access and degree completion for Georgia learners.

 “As our campuses work to increase the percentage of Georgians with some level of college completion, new and flexible academic offerings such as MOOC’s will play an important, but not the only, role in this effort,” said Davis. “This resource partnership complements on-going completion initiatives at many of our institutions that are being led by our world class faculty and staff.”

 It is expected that initial USG institutional efforts will begin by exploring limited course offerings and supplemental supports that can be evaluated for overall academic quality and student success. These initial activities may span the use of external MOOC platform providers’ content and services and the development of similar in-system capabilities in the areas of content, support, and assessment.

 In time, the Georgia efforts will serve as a clearinghouse of high quality, affordable, complementary credit pathways developed by USG institutions and utilizing MOOC and MOOC-like resources, including potentially:

 • Additional resources and support for faculty to focus on individualized instruction in the classroom;

 • Credit sequences for general education core completion;

 • High-demand associate degree completion options;

 • Selected certificate, bachelor’s and master’s degree options;

 • Additional supports for students in freshman gateway courses; and

 • Flexible options to match student preferences on a course-by-course basis.

 The partnership will provide USG campuses with increased flexibility and options for experimentation and because the partnership with Coursera is non-exclusive, the USG will retain the freedom to look at other technology options as the MOOC and open education resource world grows and evolves.

End of Article

So  . . . you may be yawning, shrugging your shoulders and not be too concerned about the impact on you. After all, you've lived through snail mail, email, text, tweets, and iphones. Still . . . . take a look at the following youtube video and reflect upon its implication:

Shift Happens

For Next Tuesday June 17

Read pages 525-535, on Argumentation; be able to answer/discuss the following questions:

1. How does argumentation differ from persuasion?
2. How does logic, rather than emotion, determine the strength of an argument?
3. Why does a thesis for an argument need to be debatable? (Note: the thesis statement of an argument may be referred to as a claim.
4. Why is it important to see the reading audience as skeptical?
5. Explain the various forms of valid evidence that may be used in arguments. (Key words: valid and evidence)
6. According to your text, what criteria should be used in selecting evidence?
7. Why is it important to know both sides of an argument?
8. How does the refutation make your argument stronger?
9. How does inductive and deductive argument differ?


Read the following essays, which serve as counterpoints to "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior." All you have to do is click on the link below to access the essay.  It would help if you printed out these essays, since we will use them next week, in class. Remember that you can print articles like this in the library--or at home.


Death Threats for Tiger Mom Amy Chua

Are Americans Incapable of Good Parenting?

Why Tiger Moms Are Great

Tiger Moms Don't Raise Superior Kids

For Thursday, June 13

Essay #1 DUE

Reading Assignments (we will discuss these; your daily writing will be based on one of these on Thursday). These are ALL in the text; I have not checked online for these:

p. 411: "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior"

p. 417: "I'm Your Teacher, Not Your Internet Service Provider"

p. 450: "College Pressures"

Daily Writing #4:

In his essay "College Pressures," author William Zinsser considers the negative aspects that economic pressure places on college students. Do you agree with Zinsser or do you see economic pressure as a positive influence on your efforts to attain a college degree. Explain.

You're Not the Only One With Spelling Pains

I don’t give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way.-Mark Twain

Mark Twain would not abide spellcheck.

Additional remarks from Mark Twain on the topic of spelling can be found here:
Mark Twain on Spelling

Nevertheless . . . College English demands correct spelling and the correct word.  Watch these common errors in usage:

then/than
affect/effect
their/they're/there
granite/granted
conscientious/conscious
know/now/no
were/we're
where/were

Tuesday - June 11

Critiques and Peer Reviews

 ** Every "you" will cost 3 pts. off final essay grade

·                     CORRECT MLA FORMAT - 10 pts.

~ Correct header

~ Correct heading

~ Title is in correct placement, font

~ Double spaced

~ Correct margins

·                     Introduction - 15 pts.

~ Interesting/adequate opening; uses a definite strategy, provides any needed background

~ Thesis statement is:

            clearly worded

            focus for paper

            forceful, deliberate, strategically placed

·                     Body Paragraphs - 25 pts.

~ support thesis statement

            ~ contain an implied or explicit topic sentence

~ fully developed with necessary details, examples, explanation, and development that is “real,” clear, concrete and specific [avoid hypothetical examples]

·                     Coherence & Unity - 25 pts.

~ information is in a logical, interesting order & sequence

            ~ no illogical OR unnecessary statements to distract

            ~ paper is fluent; flows with adequate transitions

            ~ ideas are easily followed

·                     Grammar & Mechanics - 15 pts.

~ At the LEAST, the essay has NO:

                                    misspelled OR misused words

                                    fragments OR comma splices OR run-on sentences

                                    faulty tense shifts

                                    pronoun/antecedent errors

                                    vague pronoun references

·                     Conclusion - 10 pts.

~ intelligent, relevant, compliments the paper

            ~ leaves reader with positive impression of composition as a whole

                       

In addition, an "A" paper contains exemplary language, correct usage, and keen insight. Though these traits are ideal, they are often the ones that separate a paper that is exceptional or outstanding from a paper that is merely very good.

Daily Writing #3 - Choose ONE:

Discuss your own background/experience with reading and writing and why you feel confident (or not) in your ability.

OR

Discuss the process of rubrics and peer reviews. What works, what doesn't. How could the process be improved?

For Thursday:

Essay #1 DUE

Reading Assignments (we will discuss these; your daily writing will be based on one of these on Thursday). These are ALL in the text; I have not checked online for these:

p. 411: "Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior"

p. 417: "I'm Your Teacher, Not Your Internet Service Provider"

p. 450: "College Pressures"

           

           

Thursday - June 06, 2013 Daily writing #2:

(Remember to put your response into MLA format and print when you’re finished)

Read Brent Staples’ introductory paragraph to his essay, “ Just Walk On By: A Black Man Ponders His Power to Alter Public Space,” on page 240. What makes this an effective introduction? What strategies does Staples use in his introduction?