Constructing a Reasoned Argument Heres the Secret How

Here’s the Secret… How do I make a good argument? l How do I

Where do you start? l The Requirements l Type of Presentation: speech or paper?

Finding a topic l Ask Yourself l What are my Passions? l What is

Assume NOTHING l Test your tentative topic l Is this topic appropriate? l Does

Start to Explore l Write your topic at the top of the paper l

Basic Information l Grasp the CONTEXT of the debate. What are the basic facts?

Thinking is hard work l The more you think through the ideas to begin

Now what? l Figure out what you’re going to say BEFORE you start to

Draft a Tentative Thesis l Start trying to write out your entire argument in

Writing a Good Thesis l BE objective. Don’t make it about yourself. l Not

Structure your Argument l Write an outline based on thesis. What are the reasons

ASK QUESTIONS Have I included ALL the ideas from thesis? l Did I include

Provable? l How does this work? Support every idea with research l Make sure

Logical? l Evidence alone is not enough! l Logic is about seeing and making

Test your Argument Does your paper match your thesis? l Is your argument logical?

Keep Questioning l Is my tone authoritative, but not rude? l Did I avoid

Final tips… l GET SOME OBJECTIVE HELP l Try to think about your ideas

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Constructing a Reasoned Argument

Here’s the Secret… How do I make a good argument? l How do I analyze an argument? l How can I get a good grade? l LEARN TO ASK (GOOD) QUESTIONS

Where do you start? l The Requirements l Type of Presentation: speech or paper? l What is the purpose of my presentation? l To present a side (informative) l To argue a side (persuasive) l Make sure you know what is being asked of you and DO THAT!

Finding a topic l Ask Yourself l What are my Passions? l What is going on around me? l Relevance – Would a reader care? l Controversial – Would anyone disagree? l Can I find information about it?

For me…

Assume NOTHING l Test your tentative topic l Is this topic appropriate? l Does l it fit the requirements? Is this topic workable? l Is it too narrow or too broad? l Will it fit within the time/page contraints? l Is this topic really interesting? l Do you really care enough to live with it? l Will others be interested enough to read it?

Start to Explore l Write your topic at the top of the paper l Draw a vertical line down the paper On one side, write down what you already know about the topic. l On the other side, write down what you don’t know about it l Turn the second column into research questions to pursue. l

Basic Information l Grasp the CONTEXT of the debate. What are the basic facts? l What is the history of the dialogue? l l Find out ALL sides of the debate l l What are the arguments for AND against? Find AUTHORITATIVE sources. Who are the experts? l Where is the best information? l

Thinking is hard work l The more you think through the ideas to begin with, the less work you leave for yourself in the long run. l Avoid the easy route, if possible Do more than internet research l Talk to the professor l Brainstorm on paper (WRITE IT OUT) l

Now what? l Figure out what you’re going to say BEFORE you start to draft. l More work up front means less work later: Thesis sentences l Outlines (full sentence) l

Draft a Tentative Thesis l Start trying to write out your entire argument in a single sentence Make a clear CLAIM about your topic. l State every point you’ll discuss l Be sure someone can argue with you l l This is TENTATIVE! l It CAN and WILL change.

Writing a Good Thesis l BE objective. Don’t make it about yourself. l Not “I believe that abortion is wrong” but “Abortion is wrong. ” l l BE declarative. The thesis is NEVER a question. l It is the ANSWER to a question. l It is NOT the introduction. It’s your POINT. l

Structure your Argument l Write an outline based on thesis. What are the reasons for the claim in your thesis? (main points) l What evidence do you have? (subpoints) l

ASK QUESTIONS Have I included ALL the ideas from thesis? l Did I include any ideas NOT in thesis? l Are my points in the same order as they’re listed in thesis? l Is this a provable, logical argument? l

Provable? l How does this work? Support every idea with research l Make sure you CITE every outside source. l l Evidence Expert, unbiased sources. l Statistics, Examples, Illustrations l

Logical? l Evidence alone is not enough! l Logic is about seeing and making good connections between ideas. It connects your evidence to your reasons. l It helps you organize your ideas into a valid order. l It helps you avoid the logical fallacies. l

Test your Argument Does your paper match your thesis? l Is your argument logical? l Did you avoid the logical fallacies? l Are your points in an effective order? l l Is everything actually relevant? Do your quotes actually match your ideas? l Do your ideas jump around, or are your paragraphs clearly focused? l

Keep Questioning l Is my tone authoritative, but not rude? l Did I avoid plagiarizing others’ work? l Is my documentation (bibliography & citations) correctly formatted? l Can I word my ideas more effectively?

Final tips… l GET SOME OBJECTIVE HELP l Try to think about your ideas as if you were someone on the other side of the issue. l Go to the Writing Center. l Get a friend or classmate to read your paper. Read the paper out loud.