Day 2
English 101, Section 1281
6:55 p.m. to 10:05 p.m.
(7:00 to 8:30 p.m. and 8:40 to 10:10 p.m.)
For Today:
2. W 9/9
READ: From website: Paul Fussell: Thank God for the Atom Bomb, and
Susan Southard: What U.S. Citizens Weren’t Told About the Atomic
Bombs and Jake Adelstein: New Evidence of Japan’s Effort to Build Atom
Bomb at the End of WWII. From Hacker: Composing and Revising. How
to Use this Book. Index. Revision Symbols.Revision Symbols.
TURN IN: Outside ESSAY ONE: DIAGNOSTIC (25).
FOCUS: Argument, evidence & inference. Argument: fallacies.
Attendance. Seating Chart. (See me after class for add numbers.)
Hand in syllabus quiz & contract.
Library workshop: Have you signed up yet?
Questions on: The syllabus? Class standards? Required texts?
Academic essay form:
Hacker: MLA paper form.
Thesis & support: making a case.
Summary v. analysis.
Types of evidence.
Typical organization.
How do you come up with a thesis and supporting ideas?
Review Types of Evidence, Latin terms, topic sentences as sign posts.
Discuss Fussell, Southard and Adelstein essays and the first essay prompt.
3. W 9/16
READ: From website: Jonathon Swift: A Modest Proposal. From Hacker:
Academic Writing.
TURN IN: ESSAY TWO: ATOM BOMB ESSAY. (25.)
FOCUS: Tone, intended audience & authorial persona in argument.
••••
Types of Evidence
Adapted from Carmen Seitan’s web site, Writing Simplified
http://www.writingsimplified.com/2009/10/4-types-of-evidence.html
Four types of evidence:
Statistical Evidence
Testimonial Evidence
Anecdotal Evidence
Analogical Evidence
.
1. Statistical Evidence
Statistical evidence is the kind of data people tend to look for first when trying to prove a
point. That’s not surprising when you consider how prevalent it is in today’s
society. Remember those McDonald’s signs that said “Over 1 billion served”? How
about those Trident chewing gum commercials that say “4 out of 5 dentists recommend
chewing sugarless gum”? Every time you use numbers to support a main point, you’re
relying on statistical evidence to carry your argument.
2. Testimonial Evidence
Testimonial evidence is another type of evidence that is commonly turned to by people
trying to prove a point. Commercials that use spokespersons to testify about the quality
of a company’s product, lawyers who rely on eye-witness accounts to win a case, and
students who quote an authority in their essays are all using testimonial evidence.
3. Anecdotal Evidence
Often dismissed as untrustworthy, anecdotal evidence is one of the more underutilized
types of evidence. Anecdotal evidence is evidence that is based on a person’s
observations of the world. It can very useful for disproving generalizations because
all you need is one example that contradicts a claim. Be careful when using this type
of evidence to try and support your claims. One example of a non-native English speaker
who has perfect grammar does NOT prove that ALL non-native English speakers have
perfect grammar. All the anecdote can do is disprove the claim that all immigrants who
are non-native English speakers have terrible grammar.
You CAN use this type of evidence to support claims, though, if you use it in conjunction
with other types of evidence. Personal observations can serve as wonderful examples to
introduce a topic and build it up – just make sure you include statistical evidence so the
reader of your paper doesn’t question whether your examples are just isolated incidents.
4. Analogical Evidence
The last type of evidence is called analogical evidence. It is also underutilized, but this
time for a reason. Analogies are useful when dealing with a topic that is underresearched. If you are on the cutting edge of an issue, you’re the person breaking new
ground. When you don’t have statistics to refer to or other authorities on the matter to
Name:
Date:
Day Two Quiz: Composing and Revising
1. What are some of the techniques Hacker suggests for exploring your subject
before you begin writing? (Name three.)
2. What are the journalist’s questions?
3. What is free-writing?
4. What, according to Hacker, is a hook?
5. What are global revisions?
6. Most readers feel comfortable reading paragraphs of about how many words?
7. Hacker lists several reasons for beginning a new paragraph. (Name three.)
8. What does MLA stand for?
9. True or false? In this class, all written assignments, including those written in
class, are double-spaced using only one side of the page.
10. True or false? In this class, the name of the student, the date, the name of the
class and the name of the instructor go on the top right of the first page?
Name:
Date:
Day Two Quiz: Fussell Essay Vocabulary
Give short definitions for each word as used in Paul Fussell’s essay.
1. Peleliu.
2. Pram.
3. Ambiguity
4. Inarticulate.
5. Beriberi.
6. Genteel.
7. Implacable.
8. Taciturnity.
9. Phlegm.
10. Parochialism.
11. Mendacious.
12. Tendentious.
Essay Prompt for Thank God for the Atom Bomb.
 Analyze the ways in which Fussell supports his position. Are they valid? (What
types of sources does he draw on in making his case? How do the types of
evidence he uses differ from one another.) Which parts, if any, of his argument
are more effective? Why?
 Write an essay in which you consider whether the issues surrounding the debate
over the bombing have changed since the 1980s, when Fussell wrote, “Thank God
for the Atom Bomb.”
Remember, it would be possible to write chapters on this topic so one of your tasks will
be to narrow your focus. Pick a part of the whole and concentrate on it. In your
conclusion, broaden your thesis based on the work you’ve done.