I couldn't help but be struck by the fact that Barak Obama called his speech on Monday his "closing argument." We'll look at some excerpts of the speech during this week's class to see what methods Obama uses to try to craft an effective argument for his audience and how they might (or might not) apply to your own arguments in your research papers. If you want to read the speech beforehand, one place it's posted at is:
http://thepage.time.com/full-remarks-from-obama-in-closing-argument-speech/
It can also be viewed on YouTube at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1X3eE18dfmE
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
Research Paper Assignment Schedule
Below is a copy of the schedule handed out last week in class.
For your research paper, you’ll choose an issue of national scope that interests you and research it through a variety of sources, including researching what each major presidential candidate’s stand on the issue is. You’ll then come to a final stand on the issue yourself and argue the merits of your own position. Your opinions on the issue will (of course) have no bearing on your grade: how well you argue your position will.
Audience and tone: Your audience should be assumed to be open-minded on your issue and likely to respond best to well-reasoned and well-supported arguments based on logic. So even if you feel strongly about your issue, your tone should be even-handed in dealing with all sides of the argument. Avoid too much use of the word “I” (once or twice for emphasis in your introduction or conclusion would be appropriate) as well as informal language, contractions (spell them out) and exclamation points.
Paper Assignment Schedule
Keep in mind that there will be a quiz toward the end of class based on skills learned during the instruction session.
October 17 Your tentative thesis for your paper should be in place
October 24 A draft full sentence outline for your paper will be due. Your outline points should be written in full sentences. Failure to turn in a draft outline will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
October 31 A revised full sentence outline for your paper will be due. Your outline points should be written in full sentences. Failure to turn in a revised outline will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
November 7 A rough draft of your paper will be due. Failure to bring a complete rough draft to class for peer reviewing will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
November 14 A revised “Works Cited” list will be due. Failure to turn in a revised “Works Cited” list (it should have at least six sources, at least three of which should be periodical articles or books) will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
November 21 Your final draft will be due
For your research paper, you’ll choose an issue of national scope that interests you and research it through a variety of sources, including researching what each major presidential candidate’s stand on the issue is. You’ll then come to a final stand on the issue yourself and argue the merits of your own position. Your opinions on the issue will (of course) have no bearing on your grade: how well you argue your position will.
Audience and tone: Your audience should be assumed to be open-minded on your issue and likely to respond best to well-reasoned and well-supported arguments based on logic. So even if you feel strongly about your issue, your tone should be even-handed in dealing with all sides of the argument. Avoid too much use of the word “I” (once or twice for emphasis in your introduction or conclusion would be appropriate) as well as informal language, contractions (spell them out) and exclamation points.
Paper Assignment Schedule
Keep in mind that there will be a quiz toward the end of class based on skills learned during the instruction session.
October 17 Your tentative thesis for your paper should be in place
October 24 A draft full sentence outline for your paper will be due. Your outline points should be written in full sentences. Failure to turn in a draft outline will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
October 31 A revised full sentence outline for your paper will be due. Your outline points should be written in full sentences. Failure to turn in a revised outline will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
November 7 A rough draft of your paper will be due. Failure to bring a complete rough draft to class for peer reviewing will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
November 14 A revised “Works Cited” list will be due. Failure to turn in a revised “Works Cited” list (it should have at least six sources, at least three of which should be periodical articles or books) will result in a half grade deduction from your research paper grade.
November 21 Your final draft will be due
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Reminder: Class Tomorrow Will be in Carman 124
Class tomorrow will be in Carman 124 at 9 am. They'll be an editing quiz and then we'll do some research and outlining for your research paper.
Sue
Sue
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sample Tentative Thesis Statements
Class,
Below are a couple of appropriately focused tentative thesis statement for the research paper. Given the length of your papers you won't want to take on too broad of a topic. Choosing one particular aspect of one major area (eduation, the economy, the Iraq War, women's issues etc.) is what will work best. The statements below both follow the form of having two supporting points and one counterargument expressed in them. Your tentative thesis statement does not have to be exactly in this form, but you should be thinking in terms of finding multiple supporting points and counterarguments as you research and prepare to start writing your paper:
1) The government bailout of the mortgage crisis should include payments to individual homeowners since this would help families stay in their homes and help stabilize the economy, even though some feel that this would benefit people who borrowed irresponsibly.
or
2) Although money would have to be taken from other programs, the government should increase the funding of college education through grants to students in order to equalize educational achievement and allow students to have a wider choice of colleges to attend.
Below are a couple of appropriately focused tentative thesis statement for the research paper. Given the length of your papers you won't want to take on too broad of a topic. Choosing one particular aspect of one major area (eduation, the economy, the Iraq War, women's issues etc.) is what will work best. The statements below both follow the form of having two supporting points and one counterargument expressed in them. Your tentative thesis statement does not have to be exactly in this form, but you should be thinking in terms of finding multiple supporting points and counterarguments as you research and prepare to start writing your paper:
1) The government bailout of the mortgage crisis should include payments to individual homeowners since this would help families stay in their homes and help stabilize the economy, even though some feel that this would benefit people who borrowed irresponsibly.
or
2) Although money would have to be taken from other programs, the government should increase the funding of college education through grants to students in order to equalize educational achievement and allow students to have a wider choice of colleges to attend.
Reminder: Tentative Thesis for Research Paper Due Wednesday October 15
Since part of class this Friday will be spent doing research for your paper, you’re being asked to let me know in advance what your tentative thesis will be, as you did for your second paper. As you’re formulating your tentative thesis be sure to keep in mind the information from the previous class handout (pasted below) and from A Writer's Reference (pages 10-11) on constructing effective thesis statements.
Your tentative thesis should be emailed to me at sbarker711@gmail.com by midnight on Wednesday October 15th.
For your research paper, your tentative thesis will reflect your argument on a topic of national scope. Keep in mind the length of this paper and make sure that your focus is not too broad. Since you’re being asked to address what the two major presidential candidates’ views are on your topic, you may want to check for information on their views before constructing your thesis. One way to do this is to check under the “Issues” tabs at their respective web sites:
http://www.johnmccain.com/palin.htm
or
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
Your tentative thesis however does not need to address these other views right away. It can simply be a clear statement of what position you think (at this point) you will be arguing about your issue.
A thesis statement:
--tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.--is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.--is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be the Iraqi War or racial profiling, a thesis must then offer a particular point of view you will argue on the War or profiling--makes a claim that others might dispute.--is often a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
How do I get a thesis?
A thesis is the result of a thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a "working thesis," a basic or main idea, an argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the way.How do I know if my thesis is strong?A strong thesis takes a position that others might challenge or oppose. If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it's possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument. A strong thesis is specific rather than general. Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like "good" or "successful," see if you could be more specific: why is something "good"; what specifically makes something "successful"? A strong thesis will provide structure for your paper. A good thesis not only signals to the reader what your main point is, but how you are going to develop that main point. This can be signaled directly: "American fearfulness expresses itself in three curious ways: A, B, and C." This tells your reader you have three main points, and that they are going to be discussed in your paper in this order. However, this kind of thesis statement may be too formulaic or too constricting for all papers. You could instead say, "Americans are fearful, and this fearfulness manifests itself in the form of violence." The reader knows that you will then show examples of American fearfulness, and will tell how that fearfulness turns into violence.A strong thesis passes the "So what?" test?If a reader's first response is, "So what?" then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
Example
Too general: The nuclear family is a thing of the past.
Better: (1) The increasing divorce rate is doubtless the most important catalyst of the demise of the nuclear family or (2) The dissolution of the nuclear family means that we must rethink our conventional ideas and expectations concerning how children should be brought up.
You might want to try the thesis generators at
http://www.ozline.com/electraguide/thesis.html
or
http://corptrain.phoenix.edu/thesis_generator/thesis_generator.html
to help you develop your thesis. You will probably still have to edit and rewrite your thesis after using the generator, but it can be a help in getting a start in the right direction. See also the information on pages 10-11 in A Writer's Reference
Your tentative thesis should be emailed to me at sbarker711@gmail.com by midnight on Wednesday October 15th.
For your research paper, your tentative thesis will reflect your argument on a topic of national scope. Keep in mind the length of this paper and make sure that your focus is not too broad. Since you’re being asked to address what the two major presidential candidates’ views are on your topic, you may want to check for information on their views before constructing your thesis. One way to do this is to check under the “Issues” tabs at their respective web sites:
http://www.johnmccain.com/palin.htm
or
http://www.barackobama.com/index.php
Your tentative thesis however does not need to address these other views right away. It can simply be a clear statement of what position you think (at this point) you will be arguing about your issue.
A thesis statement:
--tells the reader how you will interpret the significance of the subject matter under discussion.--is a road map for the paper; in other words, it tells the reader what to expect from the rest of the paper.--is an interpretation of a question or subject, not the subject itself. The subject, or topic, of an essay might be the Iraqi War or racial profiling, a thesis must then offer a particular point of view you will argue on the War or profiling--makes a claim that others might dispute.--is often a single sentence somewhere in your first paragraph that presents your argument to the reader. The rest of the paper, the body of the essay, gathers and organizes evidence that will persuade the reader of the logic of your interpretation.
How do I get a thesis?
A thesis is the result of a thinking process. Formulating a thesis is not the first thing you do after reading an essay assignment. Before you develop an argument on any topic, you have to collect and organize evidence, look for possible relationships between facts (such as surprising contrasts or similarities), and think about the significance of these relationships. Once you do this thinking, you will probably have a "working thesis," a basic or main idea, an argument that you think you can support with evidence but that may need adjustment along the way.How do I know if my thesis is strong?A strong thesis takes a position that others might challenge or oppose. If your thesis simply states facts that no one would, or even could, disagree with, it's possible that you are simply providing a summary, rather than making an argument. A strong thesis is specific rather than general. Thesis statements that are too vague often do not have a strong argument. If your thesis contains words like "good" or "successful," see if you could be more specific: why is something "good"; what specifically makes something "successful"? A strong thesis will provide structure for your paper. A good thesis not only signals to the reader what your main point is, but how you are going to develop that main point. This can be signaled directly: "American fearfulness expresses itself in three curious ways: A, B, and C." This tells your reader you have three main points, and that they are going to be discussed in your paper in this order. However, this kind of thesis statement may be too formulaic or too constricting for all papers. You could instead say, "Americans are fearful, and this fearfulness manifests itself in the form of violence." The reader knows that you will then show examples of American fearfulness, and will tell how that fearfulness turns into violence.A strong thesis passes the "So what?" test?If a reader's first response is, "So what?" then you need to clarify, to forge a relationship, or to connect to a larger issue.
Example
Too general: The nuclear family is a thing of the past.
Better: (1) The increasing divorce rate is doubtless the most important catalyst of the demise of the nuclear family or (2) The dissolution of the nuclear family means that we must rethink our conventional ideas and expectations concerning how children should be brought up.
You might want to try the thesis generators at
http://www.ozline.com/electraguide/thesis.html
or
http://corptrain.phoenix.edu/thesis_generator/thesis_generator.html
to help you develop your thesis. You will probably still have to edit and rewrite your thesis after using the generator, but it can be a help in getting a start in the right direction. See also the information on pages 10-11 in A Writer's Reference
Friday, October 10, 2008
Research Paper Assignment Description
Class,
Below is pasted the Research Paper Assignment for easy reference and to provide you with a place to get an additional copy if that is necessary. Keep in mind that with this paper you'll be focusing mainly on your own argument about the issue you choose. In other words, it will not be primarily about what position either Barak Obama or John McCain takes but rather about your own position. The Obama and McCain information will be part of your greater research project (along with articles, books and other sources) that supplements your own thinking.
Sue
Research Paper: Arguing Your Position on a National Issue
As you all know, 2008 is a presidential election year. For your research paper, you’ll choose an issue of national scope that interests you and research it through a variety of sources, including researching what each major presidential candidate’s stand on the issue is. You’ll then come to a final stand on the issue yourself and argue the merits of your own position. Your opinions on the issue will (of course) have no bearing on your grade: how well you argue your position will.
Audience: Your audience should be assumed to be open-minded on your issue and likely to respond best to well-reasoned and well-supported arguments based on logic. So even if you feel strongly about your issue, your tone should be even-handed in dealing with all sides of the argument.
Paper Assignment Schedule
October 10 Come to class with a topical area and if possible a tentative thesis picked out to explore. We’ll be meeting in the library computer classroom at 9 am for instruction in doing library research for this paper. Look over the Lehman Library website during the next week (before this instruction session) and gain some familiarity with the library catalog. Also pick out a couple general databases such as Academic Search Premier, Lexis-Nexis or Readers’ Guide Full Text to become at least somewhat familiar with. Some familiarity with these resources will help you get the most possible out of the session. Also be sure to review the readings assigned on researching arguments and evaluating sources:
From Dialogues: Pages 264-280
From A Writer’s Reference: Pages 318-341
Keep in mind that there will be a quiz toward the end of class based on skills learned during the instruction session.
October 17 Your tentative thesis for your paper will be due
October 24 A draft outline for your paper will be due
November 7 A rough draft of your paper will be due
November 21 Your final draft will be due
There will be more explanation of these assignments as they come up. There will also be various other paper-related assignments the class will be doing.
Formal Paper Requirements
--Six to eight pages long (not including your Works Cited page)
--At least six sources, at least three of which should be periodical articles or books
--MLA format used throughout
The preparation for and writing of your Research Paper will be a major part
of this course and is worth 30% of your grade.
Below is pasted the Research Paper Assignment for easy reference and to provide you with a place to get an additional copy if that is necessary. Keep in mind that with this paper you'll be focusing mainly on your own argument about the issue you choose. In other words, it will not be primarily about what position either Barak Obama or John McCain takes but rather about your own position. The Obama and McCain information will be part of your greater research project (along with articles, books and other sources) that supplements your own thinking.
Sue
Research Paper: Arguing Your Position on a National Issue
As you all know, 2008 is a presidential election year. For your research paper, you’ll choose an issue of national scope that interests you and research it through a variety of sources, including researching what each major presidential candidate’s stand on the issue is. You’ll then come to a final stand on the issue yourself and argue the merits of your own position. Your opinions on the issue will (of course) have no bearing on your grade: how well you argue your position will.
Audience: Your audience should be assumed to be open-minded on your issue and likely to respond best to well-reasoned and well-supported arguments based on logic. So even if you feel strongly about your issue, your tone should be even-handed in dealing with all sides of the argument.
Paper Assignment Schedule
October 10 Come to class with a topical area and if possible a tentative thesis picked out to explore. We’ll be meeting in the library computer classroom at 9 am for instruction in doing library research for this paper. Look over the Lehman Library website during the next week (before this instruction session) and gain some familiarity with the library catalog. Also pick out a couple general databases such as Academic Search Premier, Lexis-Nexis or Readers’ Guide Full Text to become at least somewhat familiar with. Some familiarity with these resources will help you get the most possible out of the session. Also be sure to review the readings assigned on researching arguments and evaluating sources:
From Dialogues: Pages 264-280
From A Writer’s Reference: Pages 318-341
Keep in mind that there will be a quiz toward the end of class based on skills learned during the instruction session.
October 17 Your tentative thesis for your paper will be due
October 24 A draft outline for your paper will be due
November 7 A rough draft of your paper will be due
November 21 Your final draft will be due
There will be more explanation of these assignments as they come up. There will also be various other paper-related assignments the class will be doing.
Formal Paper Requirements
--Six to eight pages long (not including your Works Cited page)
--At least six sources, at least three of which should be periodical articles or books
--MLA format used throughout
The preparation for and writing of your Research Paper will be a major part
of this course and is worth 30% of your grade.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Reminder: Class on Friday Oct. 10 will Meet in Library Computer Classroom
The subject line above says it all. This is a reminder that class on Friday Oct. 10 will Meet in the library Computer Classroom at 9 am instead of in Carman 310. The Computer Classroom is located in the basement of the library near the computer lab.
See you there,
Sue
See you there,
Sue
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Self Editing for Second Paper
Class,
Below are some methods to use and things to look for as you edit your final draft of your second paper. We’ll also do some self-editing in class on Friday morning.
Self Editing for Second Paper
Read your paper line for line backwards looking for typos and errors in spelling, punctuation and other areas.
Read your paper out loud looking for clarity, word form and other issues.
Have a friend, relative or significant other read your paper and alert you to any clarity, argument or other issues.
Look over your MLA format including:
--Doublespacing throughout
--All 12 point New Times Roman font used
--No boldface font used in title or other places
--No words in all capitals used in title or other places (unless
you’re using an acronym)
--Name, class, date etc. information listed correctly (use paper due date for
date)
--Works Cited page included
--Hanging indentations used for entries on Works Cited page
--Works Cited page entries alphabetized
Check that your title is an interesting one and revise it if necessary
Look for common misspellings with homophones such as to/too/two and
their/there/they’re. See pages 299-300 of A Writer’s Reference for additional examples.
Look up any words in your paper that you’re unsure that you’re using correctly.
Revise for parallelism (pages 93-94 in A Writer’s Reference) and for sentence
fragments (page 204-209 in A Writer’s Reference) as we did in class for Paper One.
Below are some methods to use and things to look for as you edit your final draft of your second paper. We’ll also do some self-editing in class on Friday morning.
Self Editing for Second Paper
Read your paper line for line backwards looking for typos and errors in spelling, punctuation and other areas.
Read your paper out loud looking for clarity, word form and other issues.
Have a friend, relative or significant other read your paper and alert you to any clarity, argument or other issues.
Look over your MLA format including:
--Doublespacing throughout
--All 12 point New Times Roman font used
--No boldface font used in title or other places
--No words in all capitals used in title or other places (unless
you’re using an acronym)
--Name, class, date etc. information listed correctly (use paper due date for
date)
--Works Cited page included
--Hanging indentations used for entries on Works Cited page
--Works Cited page entries alphabetized
Check that your title is an interesting one and revise it if necessary
Look for common misspellings with homophones such as to/too/two and
their/there/they’re. See pages 299-300 of A Writer’s Reference for additional examples.
Look up any words in your paper that you’re unsure that you’re using correctly.
Revise for parallelism (pages 93-94 in A Writer’s Reference) and for sentence
fragments (page 204-209 in A Writer’s Reference) as we did in class for Paper One.
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