Argument…Debunked

As your professor hands back your argumentative research paper, you notice “Excellent Thesis” scribbled next to the last line of your introductory paragraph. You quickly turn the pages in anticipation of that A++ you were hoping for…when you are taken aback with the grade that lay before you. Comments such as, “remember the rhetorical triangle?” and “will your audience find this believable?” litter your final page.

Writing an argumentative research paper for the first time can be a daunting task. Although the thesis and supporting evidence (body paragraphs) entail the main framework of an argumentative paper, there are other aspects that cannot go ignored. By focusing entirely on the thesis, many students ignore certain elements of rhetoric that are absolutely essential to effective argumentation. Referring back to the mini story at the beginning of the post, how do you improve a paper that already contains a strong thesis PLUS ample supporting evidence? This is where the elements of the Rhetorical Triangle come into play. So, what do words like ethos, pathos, logos, and kairos mean anyway?

Interestingly enough, each and every one of us utilize these terms on a day-to day-basis. Do not allow the seemingly bizarre nature of the words themselves to overshadow their underlying simplicity. Let’s take pathos as an example. As you approach the MPA employee ticketing your car in the Mountainlair, what is the first thing that you do? You tell a sob story about your life to get out of it, that’s what! Not only are you making a claim, but you are strengthening that claim with a pathetic appeal (sob story). Remember, persuasion is an essential element of everyday life. The following presents a more detailed analysis of each of the elements of the Rhetorical Triangle:

Ethos: The author’s (of a particular source) credibility is just as important as his or her argument. Imagine that your thesis effectively argues for the implementation of a simplified tax code. Utilizing a publication (as supporting evidence) from the top researcher of the American Tax Association would provide more convincing support to your thesis than simply paraphrasing an anonymous author from Wikipedia.

Logos: The main framework of your paper consists of your claim (thesis) and the supporting evidence (main body paragraphs). How will you utilize evidence to support your thesis? Will you employ extrinsic evidence that is mainly pulled from outside sources (Data/Other author’s arguments)? What about intrinsic evidence? Can you form your own reasoning as to why your argument should be deemed superior?

Pathos: Empathy is an important concept to consider when writing to your audience. In other words, how can you tailor your writing style to appeal to the emotions of your audience? Let’s refer back to the example of an argumentative research paper that argues for a simplified tax code. Imagine that you include a paragraph on family hardship and discuss the fact that the complexity of the tax code forces families to pay burdensome fees for the services of a professional tax preparer. Rather than simply stating that these taxes “create hardships” for families, utilize charged language in order to keep your reader more engaged and more empathetic to the lives of these families (“extremely burdensome” instead of “creates hardships”).

And last, but certainly not least, is kairos. Rather than jumping right into the core of your argument, take a step back and analyze the entire issue with which you are arguing. How will you position yourself (and your argument) within this issue? Is the issue current? If so, can you use a sense of urgency to your advantage? For example, imagine sending a letter to Congress to prevent controversial legislation from passing. An opportune time to present this letter may be the day before the legislation is to be voted upon. At this point in time, the stress level within Congress has probably reached its maximum…raising the possibility that politicians are more easily swayed when they are weak-willed (aka highly stressed). You may still be asking, is kairos even that important to consider? Imagine presenting this same letter the day after the legislation is passed. That would assuredly be an inopportune time to present an argument when the issue has already been decided upon. Thus, it is vitally important to analyze the entirety of the issue before picking a side and defending it.

Tutoring Across the Disciplines

Nearly every time that I tell someone on campus about my job as a tutor at the Writing Center, their immediate response is, "so you're an English major." The truth is that I'm not, and neither are at least half of the tutors working at the WVU Writing Center. The value in having student tutors from diverse academic backgrounds is that the Writing Center can then better cater to a wide range of students across the disciplines. If any student has been wary of coming in with a paper outside of an English class, tutors are still there to help and alleviate any reservations.

Since the writing style in each major is different, any student coming in to work with a tutor outside of their discipline cannot expect the same level of expertise on the content that is possessed by professors in their classes. However, this doesn't mean that the Writing Center is powerless to help students. Luckily, language and ideas can traverse the academic divisions. The organization of paragraphs into single ideas remains the same; awkward wording and other grammatical mistakes also remain the same. The student coming in for help must realize this limitation and cooperate to overcome the divide.

Furthermore, the Writing Center tutors are aware of the differences in academic writing, and the differences can translate into a benefit. In a paper, the writer must convey their ideas to the reader, and the tutor who may not be knowledgeable on a topic is then left to the student's explanations. The discussion between student and tutor in a session is useful to ensure that the student's ideas translate into the text. Then, if an issue comes up that is outside of the tutor's understanding, the student can be steered in the right direction for the help they need.

As long as both tutors and students are aware of these limitations on the writing style, then any problem becomes minimal. When coming in for an appointment, the academic background of an assignment can be addressed so that the best help can be offered. Tutoring outside of the major can then be beneficial to both. Students should never feel isolated from the Writing Center because of their academic area or class level.

10 Tips on How to Write Badly

Just kidding, all. It's April Fools Day! I was browsing the Chronicle of Higher Education’s website today and found an older article (dated from last fall) that I thought would be handy to pass along. “10 Tips on How to Write Less Badly: Do Your Job Better” is written by Duke University’s Michael C. Munger, who outlines 10 key points for more successful writing. The title is a bit curt, but the information is valuable for anyone looking for ways to improve both the writing process and product.

Below are the first five tips, and you can find the original article—with all 10 tips—here.

1. Writing is an exercise. The fact that this tip is listed first is an indication of its extreme importance. If we want to write better, we have to write, write, write. The old cliché “practice makes perfect” didn’t become a cliché for nothing. If we want to become good at anything, particularly something as complicated as writing, we have to practice. It is also helpful to practice reading—books, magazines, the newspaper—to absorb different types of writing that can also influence how we write.

2. Set goals based on output, not input. This piece of advice speaks to one of our earlier blog posts. We should set writing goals based on how much writing will be done, not based on how much time we will spend writing. If you set a one-hour goal versus a one-page goal, the one-page goal will ultimately be easier to reach; technically, you can accomplish nothing more than Facebook-stalking in an hour. Once you finish that one page, though, you can take a productive break and feel good about having written something.

3. Find a voice; don’t just “get published.” This tip is intended for writers who are trying to publish, but it is also applicable for students who are interested in getting a good grade. It is always important to express our ideas in ways that are genuine and true to our own voices; we can write in “Engfish” all day long, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we’re making any good academic points. Writing that is clear and natural is much more likely to make an impact on readers—if nothing else, they will understand what you’re saying!

4. Give yourself time. This piece of advice is something that we have also covered in detail on this blog. We never write our best work at the very last minute or on the first go. We have to have time to think about ideas, to work through multiple drafts, and to take the time to say exactly what we want to say.

5. Everyone’s unwritten work is brilliant. There are always people who want to talk about how their recent project is going to be brilliant. The problem? They haven’t written it yet. However, they’re still super confident that it will be the most awesome writing the world will encounter. This particular tip is interesting because Munger stresses the importance of not stressing. He warns that the people who flaunt their writing as “brilliant” probably aren’t working hard enough. It is important to recognize that writing is an often-frustrating, time-consuming process; however, working through those frustrations and producing a quality product is very rewarding—maybe even brilliant.

Spring 2011 NewsPrezi Available

The WVU Writing Center Spring 2011 NewsPrezi is available online. Check it out at: http://prezi.com/qsjijfh-k7aj/spring-2011-newsprezi/

How to Handle Instructor Feedback

Receiving feedback on our writing is often incredibly intimidating, especially when it comes from our instructors and professors. How can we make the most out of their feedback? And the more pressing concern, what do we do if we do not receive a grade we expected?

First, look over your instructor's comments, even if you received a great grade. Think about what improvements you can make for the next paper. Your instructors are experts, especially in your major, and the comments they make will likely apply to other coursework and will improve your writing in the long-term.

But it is tempting when we receive negative feedback to be angry, and to believe that the instructor "hates us." Take a day to calm down, and then speak to your instructor. You'll see that they're not hoping you'll fail but are actually invested in your success as a writer. Most instructors are willing to clarify their comments and help you integrate them into your writing. It is very important to speak to your instructor with respect and professionalism and to be sure to never accuse them of anything other than trying to help you.

If you feel uncomfortable speaking to your instructor, the tutors here at the Writing Center can do their best to work through your instructor's feedback with you. However, none of us can know exactly what your instructor was thinking, and we can't tell you what kind of grade your paper will get. Our goal is the same as your instructor's: to help you improve as a writer, but if you really feel confused by the feedback you received, we can't take the place of speaking to your instructor one-on-one.

Remember, instructors and tutors care about your writing and want to help you become a stronger writer. Never take negative feedback as a personal slight; instead, see it as our way of building you up toward success.

Mid-course Corrections: Visiting the Writing Center at Midterms

It’s that time again—midterms. Maybe you had a few last week, or maybe this week is your “cram” time, but however you slice it, this is a stressful point in the semester.

One way to start alleviating that stress is to plan ahead and get your writing assignments done so you can focus on other important school items, like the tests and presentations at hand.

The WVU Writing Center can help you get a head start on any writing assignment you have, for any class. The tutors at the center range in major, class rank and expertise, so there is a good fit for everyone. You can bring in your papers at any point in the writing process—from simply brainstorming about a topic to putting the final touches on a 10-page piece.

Time management is an essential part of success in college and, really, in life. When you start to see that the next several weeks are crammed full of assignments and papers, take that time to structure your writing time. You probably aren’t going to sit down and write a 5-page paper all in one marathon typing session. Instead, you can make a few weekly checkpoints to stay on track, and on top, of your busy schedule. If you want to make sure you’re on track and staying focused, incorporate the center into those checkpoints to help ensure success.

Midterms and dead week are two of the busiest times for the center, so your best bet is to make an appointment to ensure you get to work with a tutor. You can make an appointment by stopping by G02 Colson Hall or by calling 304-293-5788. Good luck during this crazy time!

Group Work: Surviving and Thriving

"Plays well with other children.”

Did that show up on your first grade report card? If not, would it show up now? The ability to work well with peers isn’t just a crucial skill in elementary school, or even in college. Almost every profession requires that one have the ability to work successfully with a team. One way that college professors try to prepare students for the world of work is by assigning group projects. I am currently in the process of working on two group projects at once. Because I have little experience in this department, I decided to ask my learned friend, roommate, and classmate (oddly enough, we’re in a group together, too) for advice on how to successfully navigate The Group Project. Here are her tips, together with a few of mine.

• Understand the purpose of group work - learning to work with others.
• Meet early with the group to discuss expectations.
• Exchange contact information with all group members.
• Clearly and evenly divide the workload according to each person’s strengths, weaknesses, and preferences.
• Know that it is difficult to perfectly divide group project responsibilities and that someone will most likely end up doing a little more work than the others. Do not, however, use this as justification for not fairly sharing the workload.
• Be prepared to calmly resolve conflicts within the group if necessary.
• Consider organizing information electronically so that each member has access to project data at all times.
• Make sure that someone is responsible for taking attendance at all group meetings.
• Establish group progress dates.
• Be prepared to compromise.
• Set a group goal for what grade you want to get.
• Find out if you will be receiving an individual grade along with a group grade.
• Consider writing a group contract.

Upcoming Writing Center Workshops!

Join us for our Spring 2011 workshops.

February 15, Proposals and Conference Presentations. 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in Colson 130

March 29, Writing a Research Proposal for Psych 202. 5:30 - 6:30 pm in G02 Colson

April 11, Where my Blog's at: Designing and Maintaining a Relevant Blog. 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm in G02 Colson

Call (304) 293-5788 to register or for more information.

Not Your Grandma's Outlining: One Tutor's Writing Process

We all have moments when we start to write an academic essay and simply don’t know what to say. Or maybe we know what we want to say, but after hours of writing, the essay takes a turn in a completely different direction.

After freewriting, researching, and drafting, sometimes we realize that there are more important topics to address than our original topic idea. If this happens, we need to re-work other parts of the essay to compliment new ideas, but that's not the end of the world. However, it can be frustrating, especially when working on an academic essay that is required to be on a particular topic.

As simple as it may seem, I almost always use outlining to sketch out my ideas and to stay on track.

Traditional outlines--you know, the ones with the roman numerals and the precise indentations--are often too confining for writers who are still in the preliminary stages of drafting. There are a couple strategies that I find much more effective: one that works similarly to clustering* or webbing and one that I will term “quotation outlining.”

When you cluster, you start with an idea and list multiple points that connect to that idea. Let’s say you start with “social networking” as a potential topic. Clustered ideas may include “online privacy,” “Facebook,” or “cyberbullying.” Then, you take these new threads and think of other related ideas. Take “cyberbullying” as an example. You may jot down factual information newspaper articles you have read, specific language from recent legislation that has passed, or ideas for how to more globally address the issue.

Once you hash out these ideas, clustering allows you to visually see the knowledge you already had. Because it relies mainly on what is already known, it is most effective in the beginning stages of topic brainstorming.

Quotation outlining is more helpful once you have a clearer idea for a topic, have done a bit of research, but are still unsure what angle to take. (And actually, quotation outlining can be helpful even if you do have a clear plan; it allows your evidence to all be in the same place!) Working with the texts that you plan to use for your essay, compile all relevant quotations. If you’re not sure yet what will be relevant, type out the quotations that seem most interesting. Then, organize those quotations by theme. What themes surface? Do some of the quotations overlap? Do you have more quotations about, say, digital copyright laws than you do about digital design?

Once you have organized evidence, you can make a clearer choice about what argument to make. Then, the themes of the quotation can help guide your essay.

While there are multiple types of outlining, and brainstorming more generally, these are two that I have found helpful. For the last few years, I have always done some form of quotation outlining for any major essay that I have to write. It allows me to see all my research in one space, and it allows me to discover different themes that I may have missed before.


*The University of Richmond’s Writing Center website has a helpful article that gives more information on clustering/webbing.

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