Notes Erickson
Table of Contents
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Class Notes
January 27th:
- Claim: A statement, usually debatable.
- Support: Why? Data.
- Linkage: What connects the claim and the support.
Annotated Bibliography/Argument Notes
So What? by Kurt Schick and Laura Schubert
Chapter 1 - Why do we Argue?
- Point of writing is to communicate and create knowledge.
- Will help with life after college.
- Scholarly habits: make decisions carefully, carefully explain conclusions for others, people have limited perspectives
- Developed writing requires knowledge, practice, feedback, and motivation.
- Discover, drafting, revision, editing.
- Write multiple drafts to expand your thinking.
- Scholarly arguments are relevant and interest the participants, they address a certain sophisticated audience, they address larger ideas as well, and they pursue ideal purposes.
- Read deeper to figure out audience and purpose of content.
- Who, what, where, when, why, how.
- Demonstrate learning through writing.
- We argue to find our voice and share it with others.
Chapter 2 - How do we Argue?
- Things that define arguments are their content and their structure.
- Start with a question and use a method of investigation to arrive at a conclusion.
- Scholarly arguments matter to them and the audience.
- Inquiry based arguments.
- Scholars discover their thesis through investigation and research.
- Inquiry and argumentation have effects in our everyday lives.
- Best arguments have implications (so what?).
- Catalyst, thesis, support, linking, claim.
- Evidence: anything we can observe
- Verification:things we can research.
- Illustrations:things we imagine.
- primary, secondary, original sources.
- Effective arguments need a basis of acceptance.
- Assumptions make up most of argument.
- Arguments that have unshared opinions are best for swaying audience's mind.
- More controversy=more explaining.
- Avoid: arguing the obvious, arguing without support, supporting without arguing.
- How to avoid those things: read more on the topic, ask experts, highlight your argument, consult a teacher, use topic sentences, support.
Chapter 3 - How do we Read Arguments?
- Reading provides models for writing.
- Same issues brought up as the Google article.
- Reading needs concentration, engagement, and a quiet mind.
- Reading can train you brain to slow down and focus and analyze.
- Have a purpose every time you read.
- Why am I reading this and what do I want to get out of it?
- Don't read everything the same way.
- Repetition enhances memory.
- Before reading, scan keywords.
- Before reading, skim the text.
- While reading, if it is a confusing paragraph, stop and try to figure it out.
- Take notes while reading.
- Write down reactions to the text.
- Stop reading frequently to recall what you read.
- Use repetition quickly after learning to remember.
- Limit distractions.
- Design of argument, author choices, why?
- Think of yourself as the audience.
- To identify argument, concentrate, categorize, and interpret.
- Catalyst, central claim, support, linkages, implications.
- Pictures are worth a thousand words.
- Visual argument.
- Extend argument rather than agreeing or disagreeing.
Chapter 4 - What's a Good Source?
- Start with sources before writing.
- Begin with a specific problem/question.
- Review with scholarly publications to make sure your idea is worth writing about.
- Investigate to solve problem or answer internal questions.
- Report results in the form of an argument.
- Research before writing.
- "library research" - using info that has already been analyzed.
- Stability - use text that does not change often or ever.
- Credibility - Look at credentials. Anyone can write.
- Reliability - use sources that undergo harsh scrutiny.
- Credibility is determined by the audience and the situation of the argument.
- To find credibly research, talk with other scholars, explore research databases, search online.
- Broad topic - narrowed topic - research subject.
- To summarize, read the text, create a schematic of the text's layout, select the most relevant information, write a summary, revise.
- To paraphrase, read carefully, think about it, rewrite the gist, double check the original, cite the author.
- Take good notes throughout the research process.
- Keep records of your research.
- To generate ideas: Believing and Doubting game, read a source you don't agree with, compare and contrast table, scrutinize.
Chapter 5 - Where Can We Find a Compelling Thesis?
- Read, apply, challenge yourself, talk with others, freewrite to make new arguments.
- Controversies: existence, fact,definition, interpretation, cause, consequence, circumstance, evaluation, jurisdiction, procedure, policy, actions.
- Good questions are challenging, compelling, and controversial.
- Dig deep into a narrow subject to find a focus.
- Evolution of your thesis is normal.
- Settle on a thesis after writing so as to keep your learning opportunities open.
- Do not use cliche arguments, interesting arguments.
- Thesis statements should be provocative and clear.
Chapter 6 - How Do We Support Arguments?
- Verification, Reputation, Presentation.
- Evidence is better at making audiences respond than emotional/credible appeals.
- Linkages connect claim with evidence.
- Claim is only as strong as evidence.
Chapter 7 - What about Faults and Gaps in Arguments?
- Arguments fail with weak evidence.
- Fallacies
- Insufficiency, Unqualified Claims, Irrelevance,
- Fallacies are sometimes useful.
- Are not necessarily fake.
Chapter 8 - How Do We Develop and Organize Arguments?
- Everything has a place for a reason.
- Organize with maps, graphics, software.
- Use definitions.
- Structure of argument impacts audience.
- Intro, background, support, alternate arguments, conclude.
- Acknowledge other arguments before asserting your own.
- Organize and revise.
- Break into reasonable chunks.
- Feedback.
Chapter 9 - How Do We Use Sources Responsibly?
- Every paper is a research paper for scholars.
- Dont cheat authors in your papers.
- Don't copy.
- Ask professor about collaboration allowed.
- You have to do the work to learn new things.
- Pay attention to sources.
- Maintain good notes.
- Cite while you work.
- Dont procrastinate.
- Citations create a credible argument.
Chapter 10 - What About Style?
- Scholars write prose that can not be misunderstood.
- Dash is used to set apart a portion of a sentence.
- Colon used to introduce lists and combine two sentences.
- Semicolon used to connect loosely related ideas.
- Active voice is clearer to read.
- Strong verb choices are effective.
- Sentence variations on page 226.
- Figures of speech on page 227.
- Online writing is always public.
- Read writing out loud to proofread.