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Academic Literacies 2
Lecture Week 7
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Portfolio Stage 2 (Week 7) Bring a copy of the draft of your chosen assignment
to lab in Week 7. E-mail a copy of the draft to yoututor for feedback. (You will repeat this process inWeek 9 for the second assignment.)
Engage in a peer-review session and compete thepeer-review form.
Grades will be rewarded for participating in the peer-review session as both a writer and a peer-reviewer;therefore, you must attend the class and review your
peers paper while s/he reviews your paper.
Following the class, you will be expected to take onboard the feedback from your peer and the feedbackfrom your tutor when redrafting the assignment. Thisredraft will comprise Stage 3 of the portfolio.
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Lecture outline
Portfolio: Stage 2
Developing an effective thesis statement
Methods of development and organisation Logic in argumentation
Structure of the argument
Paragraphs and paragraphing
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Readings
The Owl at Purdue, Establishing Arguments:http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/1/
The OWL at Purdue, Developing Strong ThesisStatements:http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/01/
Writing from A-Z, Method of Development
Writing from A-Z, pp. 8-11 (Development Strategies)
Writing from A-Z, pp. 371-376 (Logic and
Argumentation). The OWL at Purdue, Logic in Argumentative Writing:
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/659/1/
The Owl at Purdue, Organising your Argument:ttp://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/588/03/
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Sample student introduction
The aim of this project is to give a critical andanalytical insight into the world of anorexia usinga youtube video clip and the thread that follows
it. The study will examine how this site functionsas a virtual community, employing the computermediated discourse analysis theories of Herring(2005) and the virtual ethnography approach ofBacon (2009). The project shall discuss the
ethnography of the site, and then the C.M.D.A.respectively, in an effort to prove that a virtualcommunity exists and is supported by the technoand mediascapes proposed by Appadurai (1996).
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Organising principles
Thesis statement
Analytical thesis statements
Expository/explanatory thesisstatements
Argumentative thesis statements
Research question
Hypothesis
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Examples (from Purdue OWL)
High school graduates should be required totake a year off to pursue community serviceprojects before entering college in order to
increase their maturity and global awareness. The life of the typical college student is
characterized by time spent studying, attendingclass, and socializing with peers.
An analysis of the college admission processreveals one challenge facing counselors:accepting students with high test scores orstudents with strong extracurricularbackgrounds.
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The thesis and the persuasive
principle
Your thesis is the basic stand you take,the opinion you express, the point youmake about your limited subject. Its your
controlling idea, tying together and givingdirection to all other separate elements inyour paper. Your primary purpose is topersuade the reader that your thesis is a
valid one(Skwire, 1976: 3).
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The thesis and the persuasive
principle
The instruction word will indicate that athesis is either called for, or not called for.For instance, instructions that ask you to
summarise or outline something are notnormally interpreted as calling for a thesisstatement.
The method of development andorganisation will suggest where the thesiswill appear in your essay.
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The thesis statement
Where should the thesis statementappear?
What factors dictate where your thesis
might appear?
Why might you decide not to put yourthesis in the introduction?
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Organising your argument
Title
Introduction
Thesis statement Body
Paragraphs carry arguments
Topic sentences
Counterarguments Conclusion
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The introduction and the thesis
statement
The introduction has two parts:
General statements.
General statements attract a readers
attention, and give backgroundinformation on the topic.
A thesis statement
States the main topic.
Sometimes indicates sub-topics.Will sometimes indicate how the essayis to be organised.
Is usually the last sentence in the
introduction.
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The thesis statement
Important sentence in the introduction
It states the topic/subtopics of the essayso that the reader knows the main idea of
the paper be specific It often indicates the pattern of
organisation of the paper:
Comparison/contrast
Logical division of ideas Chronological order
The thesis statement guides your readerthrough your argument
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Example thesis statement
The status of women in Xanadu hasimproved remarkably in recent years inthe areas of economic independence,
political rights, educationalopportunities, and social status; yet,when compared to the status of womenin developed countries, it is still prettylow (Oshima and Hogue, 1999:105).
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The thesis statement
Make sure your thesis statement is not
too general
too broad
making a simple announcement
stating an obvious fact
not debatable/argumentative
(Oshima and Hogue, 2006:67/68) The thesis statement may need to be
revised to reflect what you have discussedin your paper.
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Developing Strong Thesis
Statements
Pollution is bad for the environment.
At least twenty-five percent of the federalbudget should be spent on limiting pollution.
At least twenty-five percent of the federalbudget should be spent on helping upgradebusiness to clean technologies, researchingrenewable energy sources, and planting more
trees in order to control or eliminatepollution.
Drug use is detrimental to society.
Illegal drug use is detrimental because it
encourages gang violence.Regional Writing Centre 17
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Student samples: Howcan these
be improved
The different styles of cinematic techniqueshave greatly developed and improved from itsbirth in 1895 to modern-day productions.
Did aspects of Ancient Greek culture, such asthe arts, religion and myths, influence othercivilizations and eras?
The impact of joining the European Union on
Ireland and the effect of globalisation onIreland.
Irish Traditional music and the Irish languagein the media.
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Types of claims (from Purdue OWL)
What some people refer to as global warming isactually nothing more than normal, long-termcycles of climate change.
The popularity of SUV's in America has causedpollution to increase.
Global warming is the most pressing challengefacing the world today.
Instead of drilling for oil in Alaska we should befocusing on ways to reduce oil consumption, suchas researching renewable energy sources.
NB: Which type of claim is right for yourargument?
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The thesis statement:
Patterns oforganisation
Beginning in World War II and continuingthrough the period of economic boom, thestatus of women in Xanadu has changedremarkably.
Pattern of organisation
Although the status of women in Xanaduhas improved remarkably in recent years,it is still very low when compared to the
status of women in developed countries, itis still pretty low.
Pattern of organisation
(Oshima and Hogue, 2006:64)
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The thesis statement:
Body paragraphs
The status of women in Xanadu haschanged remarkably in recent years dueto increased educational opportunities andchanges in the countrys laws.
Body paragraphs The status of women in Xanadu has
improved remarkably in recent years inthe areas of economic independence,
political rights, educational opportunities,and social status
Body paragraphs
(Oshima and Hogue, 2006:64)
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Writing a draft
Moving from pre-writing to drafting
Moving from structuring the argument to writingthe argument
Planning/writing tools Invention strategies
Development strategies
Freewriting/blind writing
Writing to prompts Talk about the paper
Tape the paper
Remember: it is a draft
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Development strategies
Burkes Pentad/Journalists questions
Act: What?
Scene: Where and when?
Agent: Who?
Agency: How?
Purpose: Why?
Methods of development: Aristotlesquestions
Toulmins model of argumentation
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Methods of development:
Aristotles questions
Analysis
Cause and effect
Classification
Comparison and contrast
Definition
Description
Examples Narration
Process
(Ebest et al. 2005:11)
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ConstructingArguments
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The RhetoricalTriangle
MessageLOGOS
AudiencePATHOS
Writer/speakerETHOS
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The RhetoricalTriangle
LOGOS
How can I make the argument internally consistent andlogical?
How can I find the best reasons and support them with
the best evidence?ETHOS
How can I present myself effectively?
How can I enhance my credibility and trustworthiness?
PATHOS
How can I make the reader open to my message? Howcan I best appeal to my readers values and interests?
How can I engage my reader emotionally andimaginatively?
(Rammage, Bean and Johnson 2007:76)
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Logic in argumentation
Using logic to build an argument:
lay out each premise clearly
provide evidence for each premise
draw a clear connection to the conclusion.
Example:
Premise 1: Projects funded by taxpayer dollars
should benefit a majority of the public.
Premise 2: The proposed stadium constructionbenefits very few members of the public.
Conclusion: Therefore, the stadium construction
should not be funded by taxpayer dollars.
Purdue OWL
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Logic in argumentation
Premise 1: Projects funded by taxpayer dollars should
benefit a majority of the public.
Premise 2: The proposed stadium construction benefits
very few members of the public.
Conclusion: Therefore, the stadium construction shouldnot be funded by taxpayer dollars.
Toulmins model of argumentation Claim? Stated reason? Warrant?What else is needed? Grounds Backing Rebuttal
Qualifier
Use the Toulminmodel to generateideas and developyour own arguments.
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The structure of classical argument
(Rammage et al. 2007:65)
Exordium
Earratio
Propositio
Partitio
Confirmatio
Refutatio
Peroratio
Introduction
Presentation of writers position
Summary of opposing views
Response to opposing views
Conclusion
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Organising paragraphs
Build upon the claims made in theintroduction, develop your topic and proveyour points
The purpose of your argument will dictatehow you organise your paragraphs
General specific information
Weakest claims strongest claims
Address/offer counterarguments as youdevelop main points or after you havemade your main claims
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Organising paragraphs
Paragraphs signal the logically organisedprogression of ideas.
When organising paragraphs, the mainidea in one paragraph should flow logically
into the next. The flow of information should be
organised around themes and comments.
Organise paragraphs around the use of
topic sentences. Shifts in the argument or changes in
direction should be accurately signalledusing appropriate adverbials,conjunctions, and prepositions.
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Paragraph structure
Just as an essay is guided by a thesisstatement, a paragraph is organised aroundits topic sentence.
A topic sentence informs the reader of thetopic to be discussed.
A topic sentence contains controlling ideaswhich limit the scope of the discussion to
ideas that are manageable in a paragraph.
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Paragraph structure:
Supporting sentences
The sentences that follow expand upon thetopic, using controlling ideas to limit thediscussion. The main idea is supported by
Evidence in the form of facts, statistics,theoretical probabilities, reputable,educated opinions,
Illustrations in the form of examples andextended examples, and
Argumentation based on the evidencepresented.
Qualifying statements indicate thelimitations of the support or argument.
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Paragraph structure:
Concluding sentences
Not every paragraph needs a concludingsentence.
Concluding sentences can either
comment on the information in the text,or
They can paraphrase the topic sentence.
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Paragraph structure: Unity
Paragraphs should be unified.
Unity means that only one main idea is
discussed in a paragraph. The main idea isstated in the topic sentence, and then eachand every supporting sentence developsthat idea.
(Oshima and Hogue 1999:18)
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Paragraph structure: Coherence
Coherence means that your paragraph is easyto read and understand because
your supporting sentences are in some kind
oflogical order your ideas are connected by the use of
appropriate transition signals
your pronoun references clearly point to
the intended antecedent and is consistent you have repeated or substituted key
nouns.
(Oshima and Hogue 2006:22)
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Example:
(Meei-Fang et al. 2007, p.471)
People with dementia are particularly vulnerable tomalnutrition: they have a decreased ability to understanddirections and to express their needs verbally, are easilydistracted from eating, prone to become agitated, and may
use utensils incorrectly. Inability to feed oneself (eatingdependency) is a major risk factor for malnutrition amongolder people living in long-term care settings (Abbasi &Rudman 1994, Durnbaugh et al. 1996). When people withdementia can no longer take food voluntarily, assistance isrequired although, as the disease progresses, even takingfood with assistance can become difficult and, in someinstances, tube-feeding may be required to supply nutrition.This form of feeding can, however, cause distress andanxiety, not only for the person being fed, but also forcaregivers (Akerlund & Norberg 1985, Burgener & Shimer1993).