English 100, Essay 2: T. Capps
cancer and try to recover from it you “battle cancer”, but why don’t we
battle AIDS or battle heart disease?
ESSAY 2: “WORD CONTROVERSY”
PERSUASIVE ESSAY
2.
Once you’ve found your semantic (semantic (sə’mantic): adjective: relating to
meaning in language or logic) controversy, you will fashion an argument (i.e.,
a thesis and supporting arguments) and prove it to us using the persuasive
techniques we learned in class. Just as Barbara Holland surprises us with
her many different ways of talking about naps (her example of nap rooms
in Japan, her mention of scientific research about sleep cycles, her cat
analogy, the expertise in napping exemplified by Winston Churchill, the
anecdote about France) —just as Barbara Holland approaches her subject
from a multitude of angles, you will find a variety of ways to persuade us of
your argument.
3.
Research the semantic controversy. Research about the word maybe, for
instance, might include (a) an article in which a political figure used the
word maybe with disastrous results, (b) a history of the word from the
Oxford English Dictionary, and (c) an article from a linguist about the
tendencies of male and female speakers to cast doubt. Be creative here!
Don’t just type your word in a search box. Maybe the article doesn’t even
mention your topic, but it discusses something clearly related to your
topic. Use Lexis-Nexis and Extended Academic ASAP on the Orange
Coast website (see the links posted on our class website). A librarian at
the OCC library can help if you need additional resources.
4.
Using all of the persuasive techniques below (in any order), write a thirdperson (no “I” statements) persuasive essay that persuades us to believe
your perspective on a small controversy. See below.
5.
Label where you have used the techniques. Use numbered footnotes
like this1 one, to show me where each technique has been employed. (In
MS Word, click the “Insert” pull-down menu and select “Footnote…”
Write in the footer — the bottom of the page — the name of the
technique you’re using.)
October 31: Ideas for Essay 2 due on paper in class.
November 7: Draft of the first 2 full pages due in class PRINTED (peer review
copy) AND via DROPBOX (my copy).
November 13: Final draft due via Dropbox.
WORD COUNT: 1,200+ WORDS
Assignment:
1.
For Essay 2, the persuasive essay, you will craft an argument about a single
word or phrase: one that stirs controversy in your mind. It might be a
word of political significance; it might be a word of personal significance; it
might be a word that has killed off another, better word; it might be a word
that you wish would return to usage; it might be a phrase that you know
from another language and wish we had in English. The controversy that
the word or phrase stirs needn’t be huge (e.g., advertising’s misuse of the
word green), but it should be something about which you can argue
passionately (as we saw in the essay we read about very). Is the word or
phrase (once you’ve explained its significance) worthy of the sort of
debates we had in class? If so, you’ve found a subject!
Here are some ideas: a word that we use in daily conversation; one that has
come into use in the last few years; one that your grandmother used but
you haven’t heard since she died; one that you invented with your friend
Jake after mishearing a song lyric; one we should never never use—ever;
one that might end war and suffering on Planet Earth; one from your
native tongue; one that we misuse so often its charm and power might soon
be trampled; one that has music in it which most people can’t hear; one
that contains hidden wells of hatred of which most people are unaware;
one that means something other than what we pretend it means.
Why does corporate America have a word like regift? What ever happened
to saying good evening and sir? Why do cops get to be called sir? Fox
News calls itself “fair and balanced”—what, basically, does this mean?
What do we really mean when we drop a word like basically or actually?
After decades of peace, we can still say a conflict is “another Vietnam” and
be clearly understood to mean “another Vietnam War”—is it a good thing
or a bad thing for a country to be semantically leashed to the war that
ravaged it? What do you think of the word cremains (cremated remains)?
What does it mean for our culture that we have a word like sexting to mean
sending nude photos via mobile phone? Should adult women called
cougars feel flattered or insulted? What about the word adult — has it
been tainted in recent decades? What do we think of when we hear the
phrase nuclear meltdown and what does it really mean? If you have
1
This is a footnote! If I were writing the essay, I might write here: “Define a word: persuasive
technique #9”
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English 100, Essay 2: T. Capps
PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES :
Use all of these in your essay. Be sure to label them. These agreements may appear in any order,
wherever you like. Refer to the “HANDOUT - Persuasive Essay Tools” PowerPoint for more
information about the techniques. You’ll also want to look at “HANDOUT - Logical fallacies.”
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
A researched or observed anecdote. That is, tell a story from life (from something
you’ve researched or observed in real life) that introduces the reader to your small
problem. (See Malcolm Gladwell’s essay on pit-bulls for an example.)
Present a thesis statement: a clear articulation of your larger argument in one or
two sentences. This often—but not always—placed at the end of your introduction.
A presentation of the other side’s argument. Show us how it has validity (i.e.,
truth). Then show us how it’s wrong. (#2 may be combined with #3 below.)
An appeal to reason, showing how the other side’s argument is guilty of one of
the logical fallacies that we discussed in class. Name the fallacy.
Present an analogy. Compare the controversy to another controversy. This can be
a place for humor, so long as it makes sense.
Present a researched fact that helps your argument. Find a piece of information on
Lexis-Nexis or Extended Academic ASAP. It may be an historical instance, a
statistic, a scientific finding, the ingredients on a hair-care product—a specific fact
that your reader may not have known before you present it to her. I’m going to
shout: YOU MUST INTRODUCE RESEARCHED INFORMATION SO THAT IT’S
CLEAR WHERE IT’S COMING FROM. Examples: “According to a survey by the
California Department of Motor Vehicles….”; “The scientist Jane Goodall, writing in
a 1996 issue of Nature, claimed that….”; “Element Research, the Chicago think tank,
polled students at University of Chicago and found that….”. Find your facts on
Extended Academic ASAP or Lexis-Nexis. One more shout: DO NOT MERELY
GOOGLE FOR FACTS. You’re looking for legitimate sources. Individuals’,
organizations’ and private companies’ websites are often sources of incorrect or
biased information.
Somewhere in your essay, present a second researched fact.
Quote an authority on the subject. A doctor, an academic, a scientist, a dietician, a
reporter at a respectable newspaper or magazine, a person well-known or
accomplished in the field, a poet, a philosopher, a cartoon character whose insights
are somehow appropriate to the situation.
Quote an authority or present a researched fact that would seem to disprove or
challenge your argument—then tell us why the fact or authority is misleading,
why this idea fails to prove that your side of the controversy is wrong.
Explain (and argue from) the etymology of your word: that is, look for the history
of the word and the word or words from which it is derived. A good dictionary will
tell you the etymology of almost any older word. For instance, if I look up “time”, I
find at the bottom of the entry: “ORIGIN Old English tīma, of Germanic origin;
related to tide, which it superseded in temporal senses.” From this I could argue
that time should be a natural concern—one related to the ocean’s cycles and the
movements of the moon—not one that we find flashing at us from cell phones and
digital alarm clocks. Newer words are often listed in the Oxford English Dictionary
but you can also find articles that trace the beginnings of slang.
Point out an absurdity (i.e., something that seems obviously backwards) in the
opposing side’s argument.
Use at least one fresh metaphor. (And avoid clichés! If I count three or more
clichés, I’ll shake my fist at your essay and your grade may suffer!)
PERSUASIVE ESSAY OUTLINE:
You do not need to follow this, but it may help you
as you begin structuring your essay
Note: Each Roman numeral represents a paragraph of your essay. This outline is only advisory; you may engineer the
outline however you choose!
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
Introduction: This is often a good place for an anecdote (persuasive technique
#1). It’s also a good place to present the opposing side’s argument (persuasive
technique #3). For instance, if you were writing about the positive side of
naps, you might start by telling us about the usual American reasons for not
napping. You could also make an analogy (#5) in this paragraph. Because it’s
an introduction, I would only stay away from presenting too many of your
researched facts here—those you want to save for your supporting paragraphs.
By the end of your introduction, which may be as long as two paragraphs, you
should present your thesis (#2).
Supporting paragraph #1: Any of the techniques above could be used in any of
your supporting paragraphs. You might find yourself using three techniques
in one supporting paragraph and only one in the next.
Supporting paragraph #2: A new line of argument.
Supporting paragraph #3: A new line of argument.
Supporting paragraph #4: A new line of argument.
Conclusion: Another good place for an anecdote. Some writers will start their
essay with an anecdote and finish the anecdote at the end of the essay.
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