Writing to argue Essay Example for Free

Writing to argue Essay Writing to argue is a very popular choice of writing for both exams and coursework. By carefully following the advice below you should be able to improve your grade ARGUMENT OR PERSUASION? Argument and persuasion are very similar styles of writing; indeed many treat them both as writing that seeks to influence. There are some differences, however. An argument is an issue about which reasonable people disagree. An effective argument, therefore, will put forward a well-reasoned point of view, one that recognises but aims to counter other equally valid views; persuasion tends to be far more single-minded in its aim to change minds. A good argument is based, therefore, mainly on reason (even if this is passionately even emotionally conveyed); persuasion tends to be a more one-sided, personal and emotional conviction that only one way is the right way. ARGUMENT AND THE ANCIENT ART OF RHETORIC The art of argument and persuasion has been studied for thousands of years. The ancient Greeks called it rhetoric and its two most famous teachers were the two Greek philosophers, Aristotle and Cicero. CLASSICAL RHETORIC The Greeks believed that the ideal way to persuade someone was through the use of reason alone (which they called logos); however, they recognised that human weakness meant that two further techniques were also useful: the appeal to character (called ethos) and the appeal to emotion (called pathos). LOGOS THE APPEAL TO REASON Most people believe themselves to be reasonable so appealing to a persons sense of reason is the most effective means of convincing them to change their way of thinking. ETHOS THE APPEAL TO CHARACTER We all share common ideas of what is right and wrong; demonstrating your own or appealing your opponents sense of what is right and fair is highly persuasive. PATHOS THE APPEAL TO EMOTION It is said that when emotion comes in through the door, reason departs via the window so use emotional pleas with care; but, persuasion does often succeed by the careful and considered use of emotion especially showing how passionate you feel for your point of v iew. What makes an effective argument? * Arguments should seek to answer the question Why? in full for one side of the argument (some exam questions might ask for both sides to be made clear). * The tone of voice with which you choose to address your reader (e.g. friendly, serious, assertive, etc.) and the register of language you adopt (the complexity of vocabulary and degree of formality or informality, for example) should be appropriate to the task and the audience. 1. Consider your audience * Immediately capture their attention with a lively and interesting opening sentence. * Be tactful and show you respect their point of view (but never agree that it is better than your own!) * Sound authentic, knowledgeable, trustworthy and convincing. * Acknowledge that other views exist but find ways to counter these with your own more reasonable points. * Logic and reason win arguments but be passionate about your views * Interest your audience by using a suitable anecdote to illustrate one of your major points. * Never sound superior, condescending or impolite. Any suggestion that other viewpoints are silly or foolish is the equivalent of calling your reader silly and foolish. The result? Lost argument. Lost marks. Try switching roles how could you be convinced? 2. Know the conventions of the form of your writing * You may be asked to write in the form of an essay, a formal or informal letter, an newspaper or magazine article, a school newsletter, a speech, and so on. Make sure you know the conventions that apply to each of these. 3. Know the most effective argument methods * Remember that because the other sides view is reasonably held, you will only win them over through impassioned reason and logic. * The key to a successful argument is to plan well, making sure you release your various points in a progressively convincing order. Try to show that you have planned or, as the examiners put it: consciously shaped your response. This gains many extra marks. * You need to show that your opponent can trust you so make up a solid and believable reason why you are in a good position to argue over this issue. * An effective way of convincing someone that you are reasonable is to argue from a position of what is called common ground. This is an outcome that is common to both of you an end-point you both desire. Having acknowledged this, you then proceed by showing how your way to this goal is the best way. * A strong way to show how reasonable you are is to acknowledge that other views are well thought out just not quite as well thought out as your own. This is a skilful and subtle approach. * Using a humorous or vivid but entirely reasonable and realistic anecdote to illustrate a point can be an excellent way of countering the opposite point of view, e.g. Let me tell you about a friend of mine. He . * Use rhetorical devices such as rhetorical questions, list of three, repetition, etc. to increase the persuasive power of your argument. The most successful arguments are INTERESTING, ORIGINAL AND APPEALING ORGANISED, PROGRESSIVE AND CONVINCING EASY TO FOLLOW THOUGHTFUL AND CONSIDERATE SUBTLE and SOPHISTICATED IN MORE DETAIL 1. Plan 2. Write 3. Check 1. PLAN * Planning: Put simply, you will probably lose marks if you fail to plan before you write. Each year the examining boards report that this is the case. The mark schedules state that the students argument needs to be consciously shaped and this means well-structured; a plan is essential for this. You have one hour for this question so time is on your side for once. * Decide on what would be a suitable style for your kind of reader. * Brainstorm to create a list of points in favour of your idea. Choose five of the most convincing. Check that each point is truly separate and not a part of a larger, more general point; if it is, use the larger point. Make sure each point is truly convincing switch roles: would these persuade you? * Organise these five points into a progressive and persuasive order. * Create an equivalent list of opposing points that you may need to counter. * Work out a few ways to add interest and authority to your writing: rhetorical questions, an effective anecdote a piece of research, an expert opinion. * Aim to use REASON rather than EMOTION but do show your beliefs are passionately held, also you could use humour or emotion in one of the anecdotes you use. And always remember that if you call the oppositions view silly or foolish, you are effectively calling your reader silly and foolish too. Result: lost argument; lost marks. 2. WRITE OPENING PARAGRAPH * Open strongly and in an original way to capture your readers attention. * State your own point of view but dont be too strident in your tone. * If relevant and useful, give the history and background of the argument. * Find some common ground between you and your reader to generate trust and goodwill in you as a person and as a thinker. Selling yourself will help your reader decide to buy your ideas. BODY (CENTRAL) PARAGRAPHS * Open each paragraph with a topic sentence that introduces the points created from your planning above. * Explain, develop and explore fully each point you make in a logical, sensitive and clear way. * Try to link each paragraph to the next by using a subtle transition or hook sentence at the end of every body paragraph. * Acknowledge opposing views but sensitively refute them and show how your view is best. * Add power to your argument by using rhetorical devices. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF RHETORICAL DEVICES Rhetorical questions, similes, metaphors, emotive language (use with care!), irony (but never sarcasm!), lists of three, repetition, hyperbole (exaggeration for effect), humour, anecdotes, and so on. * Add fluency to your argument by using discursive markers. HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF DISCURSIVE MARKERS However; although, if so, and so, but, clearly, on the other hand, therefore, supposing that, furthermore, looked at another way, in contrast, on the contrary, etc. * Add authenticity to your argument by sounding sincere, using anecdotes (true accounts) and so on. * Add authority to your argument by writing confidently and using effective support, e.g. expert opinion, statistics, and so on make this up in the exam, but keep it reasonable. CONCLUDING PARAGRAPH * Round up your argument by restating your case and summarising your main points. End as you began in a powerful, interesting and memorable way. 3. CHECK In this part of the exam, you gain marks for writing in an accurate, clear and fluent way. Each year the examiners report mentions that many students failed to achieve a higher grade because they failed to check and correct their work. Always give yourself time to check your writing thoroughly before handing in the exam paper. Read each sentence after you have written it Write using a variety of sentence types and styles but remember especially that shorter sentences are often more interesting because they are crisper and clearer. An occasional ultra-short sentence can add real impact to writing. Never fail to re-read your sentences after writing them to check that they are complete in their sense, accurate in their grammar and spelling and follow on logically and smoothly from the last. Check every paragraph. A paragraph is a written discussion that covers a single topic one topic among the many that are needed to cover the subject matter of the whole piece of writing. One of the sentences in the paragraph, and quite often the first one, is called the topic sentence. This is the sentence that introduces, or tells in a nut shell, what the paragraph is going to be about. The remaining sentences do no more than expand and explore the ideas raised by the topic sentence in more depth. No points that are unrelated to the main topic should be covered in the same paragraph. Each paragraph should flow smoothly from its predecessor. This is achieved by the use of a subtle hook sentence at the end of the paragraph; this is a sentence that hooks into the new topic of the next paragraph. To correct a missed paragraph simply put this mark where you want in to be: // then, in your margin write: // = new paragraph. The examiner will not mark you down for this so long as you have not forgotten all of your paragraphs. Examine each comma Over, or misuse, of commas is a common and important error that can lose many marks. Many of you will occasionally use a comma instead of a full stop to end some of your sentences. You are failing to recognise where the end of the sentence should have been. Too much of this leads to a dreary and difficult-to-read style because it destroys the clarity and crispness that is a necessary part of all good writing. A sentence is a group of words that is about one main idea or thought. It should seem complete to its reader. Sentences that drift into several ideas, or which seem incomplete, are less clear and interesting to read. Ending a sentence with a comma (or even nothing but a space) instead of a full stop will allow it to run on or drift in this way. Try to use commas only to mark off parts of a sentence so that the sentence reads more smoothly or makes clearer sense. Look at every apostrophe. Look at the words you have used that end in s. Are they plurals? If so the chances are they do not need an apostrophe. Apostrophes are used to show when a letter has been missed out (as in: shouldnt) and when two nouns belong to each other (as in: the schools entrance). Also make sure that when you write its you do mean it is (as in its cold) not belonging to it (i.e. as in: its surface).

Sophies Heart/By Lori Wick :: essays research papers

Sophie's Heart, by Lori Wick, is the story of Sophie, an educated young woman who moves from her homeland, Czechoslovakia, to America where she becomes a housekeeper for a loneyly young widower and his three children. This book takes place mainly in Wisconsin in the 1990's. Sophie moved from Czechoslovakia to American and became employed as a housekeeper for Alec Riley. She grew to love his three children and gradually her love extended to Alec himself, who returned her love with his own. Near the end of this novel, Sophie and Alec get married. Sophie Velikonja, a twenty-year old young woman, moved to America when her name was called on the request list to leave Czechoslovakia. She had not wanted to leaver her beloved grandmother, but her grandmother insisted upon staying behind. Sophie moved to Chicago where she acquired a job as a waitress in a city restaurannt. A devout Christian, Sophie began attending church as soon as she could and met a friendly woman named Janet Ring. Janet's brother, Alec Riley had recently become a widower when his young wife, Venessa, died in a tragic car accident. She suggested to him that he employ a housekeeper. After having met Sophie, Janet recommended the quiet, hard-working young woman to Alec. Alec, after some hesitation and tought, interviewed Sophie and hired her. Sophie lived in a small apartment over Riley's garage and cooked and cleaned for Alec and his three children, Rita (age 17), Craig (age 13), and Tory ( age10). Sophie and the children ended up becoming very close. At first, the children looked down on her with her accent, but when they eventurally learned that Sophie had mastered five other languages and had worked as a translator in her native land, they changed their opinion. Life was not without hardship for Sophie. She desperately missed her beloved grandmother and she also faced problems with Vanessa's mother, who seemed to resent the fact that someone had come to do the same duties her daughter had done. As she and the Riley children grew closer, Sophie began to notice their handsome father, Alec. At first, she didn't admit to herself that she was interested in him, but when Alec began to show an interest in her, Sophie began to seriously look at him. At first, she was concerned that she would be merely a replacement for Vanessa, but as she and Alec grew closer, he made it very clear to her that he loved her for who she was.

‘Of Mice and Men’ by John Steinbeck Essay

‘Of Mice and Men’ is written by John Steinbeck. The novel is set in the 1930s during the great depression in California. The two protagonist characters, George and Lennie are farm workers who have a dream of one-day owning their own ranch. They find work in a ranch near Soledad, after escaping from Weed because of George’s incident. They are met by different characters on the farm that all have a dream. To be lonely means to lack friends or companionship and to feel isolated. Most of the characters are lonely and the only thing that keeps them alive is their dreams. Some of the loneliest characters they meet are Candy, an old man with only one hand, Crooks, a black cripple and Curley’s Wife, a woman who has no identity, she is lonely even though she is married. Although they are all on the ranch together, they are lonely because of who they are and their history. ‘Of Mice and Men’ is an emotional story with many different themes and characters. Steinbeck presents Curley’s wife as the only women in the ranch and because she doesn’t have a name it shows that she is not important and she is someone’s belonging. The first time you hear about Curley’s wife is when candy describes her to George. Candy uses expression such as â€Å"she got the eye† and goes on to describe her as looking at other man because of this they call her a â€Å"tart†. Through Candy’s words, we could develop an initial perception of Curley’s wife as Flirty and even promiscuous. This manipulates us by leading us into having a negative view of her. Her first appearance in the Novel focuses on her appearance. The way she acts, the way she looks and the way she speaks with others. The first sentence about her was â€Å"the rectangle of sunshine in the doorway cut off† this shows how she stands there to get attention and get noticed by the ranchers. This make us think as a reader in other way she stood in that certain place because she knows that they will look at her. Her physical appearance of â€Å"full†, â€Å"rough lips† and â€Å"wide-spaced eyes†,† Heavily made up† and â€Å"her fingernails were red† this shows how see got the natural shape on an actor. The â€Å"heavily made up† this shows that she want to make herself look attractive so the ranchers will look at her and feel love in her. The colour â€Å"red† shows that it’s a symbol of danger and on the other side the thick bright colours stands out from other things so this can make herself get noticed by others that is all she wanted. George seems to believe Candy he says to Lennie â€Å"don’t you even take a look at that bitch† this shows the feelings that George got towards Curley’s wife. She is lonely â€Å"stands there looking in† which shows she nothing to do and because of her loneliness she wanted to be loved by others so she acts like she is flirting. They say she is a â€Å"flirty† but it is the only way she knows how to get attention.

Anglo-Saxon Values Essay - 488 Words

Throughout the Anglo-Saxon and Middle Age periods the main characters always had a similar established value; honor. This value is prominent in Beowulf, â€Å"The Seafarer†, and The Canterbury Tales. Each of the main characters portray honor either to himself, his followers, his king, and/or his God. These poems are the different aspects of honor intertwined together to form the most prevailing value during this time frame. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Beowulf is a story of a brave warrior who fights Grendel in the timeless battle of good versus evil. This era was an age of fierce battles coupled with equally fierce honor and loyalty to rulers. â€Å"†¦He and all his glorious band of Geats thanked God that their leader had come back unharmed.† The†¦show more content†¦When Beowulf decided to journey to â€Å"†¦Hrothgar, Now when help was needed. None of the wise ones regretted his going, much as he was loved by the Geats.† Beowulf was so honored and respected he was called upon to help fight Hrothgar’s battle. None of Beowulf’s followers questioned him because they were loyal to him and honored him. Beowulf strived to be honored and to hold this value very high. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The Seafarer is one Man’s struggle to be true to his conscience and honor his God. The Seafarer believes that to bring his God and himself honor he must stay on the sea and fight through the suffering he encounters. â€Å"He who lives humbly has angels from Heaven to carry him courage and strength and belief...Praise the Holy Grace of Him who honored us†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In the Seafarer’s mind, in order to receive honor on earth, he must live on the sea. So, the Seafarer spends his entire life on the sea to obtain his goal of honor. Knights were guarded with utmost respect and honor, as Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales mentions, â€Å"There was a Knight, a most distinguished man, who from the day on which he first began to ride abroad had followed chivalry, truth, honor, generosity, and courtesy.† Knights were very distinguished and honored during the period of time covered by The Canterbury Tales. Chaucer goes on to say that Knights â€Å"often sat at table in the chair of honor, above all nations†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Chaucer continues to tell about how respected andShow MoreRelatedAnglo Saxon Values Essay998 Words   |  4 PagesSeptember 2017 Cultural Values of the Anglo-Saxons Anglo-Saxon literature passes down their ideas, beliefs, and values which shows us their ways of life. They express their values in three major works which are the epic Beowulf and the elegies â€Å"The Wanderer† and â€Å"The Seafarer†. The Anglo-Saxons valued their cultural values of loyalty, justness and bravery. Other major values are respected and shown throughout their works. The Anglo-Saxons have their own distinct values they admire that differ themRead MoreValues Of Anglo Saxon Values834 Words   |  4 PagesThesis: In Beowulf the poem they value their leaders just like most nations do today. The Anglo Saxons look up to their leaders, so they want their leaders to have respectable values. Leaders are strong, loyal, and brave. Citizen look up to their leaders, presidents, parents, friends. Everyone has values as well, thats what makes them who they are. The Anglo Saxons wrote Beowulf to let it be known that, thats what they want to see in a leader. Topic sentence: Leaders are ones that are most likelyRead MoreThe Values of the Anglo-saxons Essay741 Words   |  3 Pagesdepict him as a man who would go to extreme lengths to accumulate fame. While creating a legend for himself, Beowulf and other characters within the poem reveal several values of the Anglo-Saxons. These values include their belief in boasting, revenge, and loyalty. Who wants to be forgotten after death? Clearly not the Anglo-Saxons who believed that all that remained of a person was his fame. This belief explains the outrageous boasting the characters within Beowulf do. When Beowulf arrives inRead MoreBeowulf And The Anglo Saxon Values Heroism1154 Words   |  5 Pagessolidifying the values of a particular culture , the ever-changing, dynamic nature of heroism identifies itself as religious or a natural trait. Heroism is considered putting yourself at risk when in danger, helping those in need, and being the first one to step up and help, In the read Beowulf, he does just that. â€Å"A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles† This quote is perfect in relation to Beowulf and the Anglo-Saxon beliefs. HeroismRead More Reflections of a Culture Past Essay654 Words   |  3 Pagesviews and ideals of the Anglo-Saxon people who would have composed and told this tale. This includes their political, social and moral views. Beyond this, Beowulf gives us an even greater insight into this society of constant fight and war. Interwoven throughout almost every aspect of their culture and the poem are very strict moral codes and values. Those morals and values affect the ideals, beliefs and changes taking place in period. In the time of the Anglo-Saxons, men shared a common ideaRead MoreTrace the Development of English Lit During Any One Period...as Part of Your Discussion Highlight How Significant Events in the Influence the Writing...Additionally Show How Characteristics of the Genre the Writer Uses3085 Words   |  13 Pagesno limitations to where you can go. This quotation may apply to the span of the Anglo-Saxon period because of the coherent linkage to the origination of the English dialect and the modernization of English Literature. Over the years English literature has evolved greatly. There have been diverse changes to the structure and development of English language since the advent of Old English dialect during the Anglo-Saxon period to what we now speak and consider to be English language. â€Å"Old English isRead MoreThe King of Kings2050 Words   |  8 Pagesconstitute a ruler of the universe. Anglo-Saxon society perceived the Christian God in the mold of the pre-Christian Germanic tradition of kingship. The Anglo-Saxon perception of God as a king in the Germanic tradition has tremendous significance on late Anglo-Saxon politics. The inclusion of the Christian deity in the leadership hierarchy of Anglo-Saxon society contributed to changes in how earthly kings themselves were perceived. Tacitus’s Germania offers insight into value system of the continental paganRead MoreVirtues Of The Anglo Saxons1054 Words   |  5 PagesLilian Lieu Ms. Hohls Period 2 CP English 4 Virtues in the Anglo Saxons In the 8th century, an epic poem of Beowulf written by an anonymous author embodies the ideal characteristics of Anglo Saxons. During the time of Anglo Saxons, Beowulf is used to convey similar qualities such as virtues, belief and traits in which the character of B Beowulf possess. For example, Beowulf exhibits Bravery, Loyalty, and strengthRead MoreBeowulf and Anglo-Saxon Symbolism Essays847 Words   |  4 PagesAnglo Saxon’s history is well known for their loyalty, courage and bravery. Beowulf our protagonist is symbolized as a hero, who represents the Anglo Saxons at the time. Beowulf earns his fame and respect through battling creatures nobody else would want to face. These creatures symbolize the evil that lurks beyond the dark. Beowulf’s intense battle with these creatures’ symbolizes the epic battle of good versus evil. In the end good triumphs over evil but one cannot avoid death. Beowulf’s deathRead MoreMasculinity In Beowulf1977 Words   |  8 Pagesof masculinity than what one might accept at face-value. Back before 700 AD, the Jutes, Angles, and Saxons ruled small, individual kingdoms across a portion of what we call Europe. Their only uniting factor was a collective fear of invasion from foreign enemies which would usually result in massive bloodshed and slaughter. This ingrained fear for survival gave way to a shared interest in the gritty darkness beneath every sound reality. In Anglo-Saxon literature, for example, nature is illustrated as