Language and

Language and

ThoughtThought

Essay Selections

Essay Selections

Sci

enti

fic

Sci

enti

fic

Language

Language

language that evokes the

language that evokes the

authority of science

authority of science presents a view as

presents a view as detached, researched, and

detached, researched, and

factualfactual

NoteNote: two opposing sides

: two opposing sides

often have conflicting

often have conflicting

scientific support because

scientific support because

scientific results are also

scientific results are also

subject to interpretation

subject to interpretation

Clic

hés

of

Clic

hés

of

Thought

Thought

like a formula; it

like a formula; it disregards the true

disregards the true complexity of issues

complexity of issues stereotyped solutions &

stereotyped solutions &

““knee-jerk” reactions

knee-jerk” reactions Ex. What causes juvenile

Ex. What causes juvenile delinquency?

delinquency?A liberal may say poverty. A

A liberal may say poverty. A

conservative may say a

conservative may say a

decline in religion.

decline in religion.

Meta

phor

Meta

phor

an implied comparison

an implied comparison

achieved through a

achieved through a

figurative use of words

figurative use of words Think critically. When does

Think critically. When does

the metaphor break

the metaphor break

down? How are the two

down? How are the two

elements elements dissimilar

dissimilar? ? Ex: Life's but a walking

Ex: Life's but a walking

shadow; a poor player,

shadow; a poor player,

That struts and frets his

That struts and frets his

hour upon the stage.

hour upon the stage. --Shakespeare,

--Shakespeare, MacbethMacbeth

Eff

ect

of

Eff

ect

of

Pronouns

Pronouns

Consider the rhetorical effect of

Consider the rhetorical effect of

different pronouns within a text.

different pronouns within a text.

How does a writer refer to people?

How does a writer refer to people?

Ex: 1Ex: 1 stst Person “I” may present

Person “I” may present

information as first hand or

information as first hand or

attempt to create personal

attempt to create personal

credibility.credibility.

33 rdrd Person “You” could be used to

Person “You” could be used to

point a finger at the audience or

point a finger at the audience or

to draw them into the argument.

to draw them into the argument.Plural pronouns like “we” and “us”

Plural pronouns like “we” and “us”

may include the reader in the

may include the reader in the

same category as the writer or

same category as the writer or

attempt to gain the reader’s

attempt to gain the reader’s

agreement.

agreement.

Pers

onifi

cati

on

Pers

onifi

cati

on

attribution of personality

attribution of personality

to an impersonal thing

to an impersonal thing What is the effect of

What is the effect of

humanizing a thing?

humanizing a thing? Ex: “That exam just

Ex: “That exam just

chewed me up and spit

chewed me up and spit

me out.”me out.”

Euphem

ism

s

Euphem

ism

s

polite terms for unpleasant

polite terms for unpleasant

or unmentionable topics

or unmentionable topics can have a concealing

can have a concealing

effecteffect

Think critically. What is

Think critically. What is

being concealed and why?

being concealed and why? Ex. Ex. dieddied passed away

passed away

firingfiring downsizingdownsizing

sexsex slept together

slept together

Sara

h H

ask

ins

in

Sara

h H

ask

ins

in

Targ

et

Wom

en

Targ

et

Wom

en :

: Yo

ur

Gard

en

Your

Gard

en From Current TV

Punct

uati

on

Punct

uati

on

even punctuation can be used

even punctuation can be used

rhetorically, that is, to produce

rhetorically, that is, to produce

a certain effect

a certain effect consider the numerous things

consider the numerous things

marks can signal to the reader:

marks can signal to the reader:

. . . . . . pause; thoughts trailing off

pause; thoughts trailing off

( ) ( ) side information;

side information; research documentation

research documentation

“ ” “ ” mockery; direct quote

mockery; direct quote

? ? asks audience to consider a

asks audience to consider a

question; sarcastically

question; sarcastically

questions

questions

another’s opinion

another’s opinion

Quota

tions

Quota

tions

Always consider

Always consider critically who is being

critically who is being

quoted.quoted.

-What criteria makes

-What criteria makes

him/her an expert?

him/her an expert?-What are his/her political

-What are his/her political

leanings?leanings?-Why would the writer

-Why would the writer

want to quote this

want to quote this individual?individual?-What is the context

-What is the context

surrounding the quotation

surrounding the quotation

—date, event, publication?

—date, event, publication?

Bill M

cKib

ben, “Te

levisio

n a

nd

Bill M

cKib

ben, “Te

levisio

n a

nd

the Tw

ilight o

f the S

ense

s”

the Tw

ilight o

f the S

ense

s”TV restricts the use of our

TV restricts the use of our

senses—that’s one of the

senses—that’s one of the

ways it robs us of

ways it robs us of

information. It asks us to use

information. It asks us to use

our eyes and ears. If it is

our eyes and ears. If it is

doing its job “correctly,” you

doing its job “correctly,” you

lose consciousness of your

lose consciousness of your

body . . . Even the senses

body . . . Even the senses

that TV caters to, sight and

that TV caters to, sight and

hearing, it limits . . . W

hen

hearing, it limits . . . W

hen

you watch TV your peripheral

you watch TV your peripheral

vision ceases to function—

vision ceases to function—

you stare at the screen like a

you stare at the screen like a

pitcher staring at the

pitcher staring at the

catcher’s mitt . . . It’s

a time-

catcher’s mitt . . . It’s

a time-

out from life. Which is okay if

out from life. Which is okay if

you’re really winded—TV as

you’re really winded—TV as

white-noise therapy has its

white-noise therapy has its

occasional value. But the

occasional value. But the

time-outs soon last longer

time-outs soon last longer

than the game, which at

than the game, which at

some level you realize is

some level you realize is

passing you by.

passing you by.

How is television

How is television

personified?

personified?

What is the What is the

effect of using

effect of using

this device?this device?

How do the How do the

quotation quotation

marks around

marks around

“correctly” “correctly”

alter its alter its

meaning?meaning?

How do the choice

How do the choice

of pronouns

of pronouns

affect the affect the

audience’s audience’s

involvement in

involvement in

the essay?the essay?

What is the What is the

purpose of the

purpose of the

main metaphor

main metaphor

in the in the

passage? passage?

Mark C

layto

n, “A

Whole

Mark C

layto

n, “A

Whole

Lot o

f Cheatin

’ Goin

g O

n”

Lot o

f Cheatin

’ Goin

g O

n”The Center for Academic Integrity

The Center for Academic Integrity

in Nashville studied 7,000 students

in Nashville studied 7,000 students

on 26 small-to-medium-size college

on 26 small-to-medium-size college

campuses in 1990, 1992, and 1995.

campuses in 1990, 1992, and 1995.

Those studies have found that

Those studies have found that

nearly 80 percent admitted to

nearly 80 percent admitted to

cheating at least once. “We’ve seen

cheating at least once. “We’ve seen

a dramatic increase in the more-

a dramatic increase in the more-

explicit forms of cheating” and

explicit forms of cheating” and

illegitimate “collaborating,” says

illegitimate “collaborating,” says

Donald McCabe, associate provost

Donald McCabe, associate provost

at Rutgers University in Newark . . .

at Rutgers University in Newark . . .

He and others blame poor role

He and others blame poor role

models and lack of parental

models and lack of parental

guidance for the growing

guidance for the growing

acceptance of cheating in colleges .

acceptance of cheating in colleges .

. . Add to that a pervasive change

. . Add to that a pervasive change

in societal values, and students can

in societal values, and students can

easily be snared if they lack a

easily be snared if they lack a

strong moral compass.

strong moral compass.

What is the effect

What is the effect

of the of the

scientific study

scientific study

and the and the

carefully carefully

explained explained

statistic?statistic?

What euphemism

What euphemism

is used for is used for

cheating? cheating?

How is it How is it

different from

different from

cheating?cheating?

What clichés of

What clichés of

thought are

thought are

offered?offered?

What is the What is the

purpose of purpose of

quoting quoting

McCabe?McCabe?