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: G1112, Scientific Writing I
: 2006
: v 1.0 rev 1
Module 5
Argumentative Research
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What’s inside
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Creating Outline
Creating Argumentative Statements
Creating Argumentative Draft paper
Argumentative vs. Analytical paper
Argumentative vs. Persuasive
statements
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Introduction
Before you start to make a research paper, you
need an outline. An outline is the organizational
plan for your paper. You know your starting
point: your introduction and thesis/research
question. You know your destination: some sort
of summative and thoughtful conclusion. But
how are you going to get from one to the other?
What's your vehicle?
An outline doesn't just help you articulate what
you plan to say, but also how you're going to
move from supporting paragraph to supporting
paragraph, how you're going to get where you
want to go.
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Outlines
It will help you if you experience these situations:
• if you can't articulate your paper even in point form, you won't be
able to do it effectively in prose and it will take you much longer to
write an inferior draft
• if you do find structural problems or gaps as you outline, it's easier
to fix them now than to try and totally revamp a 3rd draft.
Outlining is important because:
• It is all about the crux and direction of substance
• should things click into place, an outline gives you confidence. It
helps you to realize that you do know what you're talking about!
• outlines make drafting less stressful not only by describing the
relationship of your ideas to each other and to the thesis or question,
but because you now have small manageable chunks to tackle
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Outlines
Developing an Outline
An outline is:
• A logical, general description
• A schematic summary
• An organizational pattern
• A visual and conceptual design of your writing
• An outline reflects logical thinking and clear classification.
Purpose
General:
• Aids in the process of writing
Specific:
• Helps you organize your ideas
• Presents your material in a logical form
• Shows the relationships among ideas in your writing
• Constructs an ordered overview of your writing
• Defines boundaries and groups
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Outlines
How to construct your own:
• The first step to constructing an outline is to take a deep breath.
• Carefully read the notes you took from the last step. Try to find
classifications for your findings that relate to your thesis or research
question. Look for common trends. They're going to be separated
from each other but gather them together. It doesn't really matter
how you classify.
• With several piles of related concepts before you, think of other
ways of grouping that might make equal sense.
• Do some more research where needed or see if two "weak" sections
just couldn't fit under one stronger heading.
• Don't be afraid to re-evaluate your thesis; it may just need a
qualification. Your evidence may be great but if it supports a different
thesis, your readers won't see how great it is because they'll be
expecting something else.
• Now that you have thesis and support (or research question and
answers) fitting together.
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Argumentative Outlines
Working Title (*optional
Introductory Paragraph (what do I need to say to set up my thesis?)
Thesis Statement (usually including a mention of the main points to come) =
_________________________
_________________________
_________________________
Transition (you don't have to write these out now but you should know what they'd roughly be)
Reason #4 = _________________________
example + explication of how it supports topic sentence
Concluding sentence on how (all) the example(s) support thesis
Transition
Reason #3 = _________________________
example + explication of how it supports topic sentence
Concluding sentence on how (all) the example(s) support thesis
Transition
Reason #2 = _________________________
example + explication of how it supports topic sentence
Concluding sentence on how (all) the example(s) support thesis
Transition
Reason #1 = _________________________
example + explication of how it supports topic sentence
Concluding sentence on how (all) the example(s) support thesis
Transition
Concluding Paragraph
sum up what X number of reasons have illustrated re: thesis
some thoughts on the implications of what you've just said or shown
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Analytical Outlines
Working Title (*optional)
Introductory Paragraph
What do I need to say to set up my research question? Background?
Research Question (stated within a sentence, not as a question.
_________________________
(You may want to outline what's to come below briefly)
Transition (you don't have to write these out now but you should know what they'd roughly be)
· Answer #3 = _________________________
one possible answer to the question + explication/summary
strengths and weaknesses of the position
Transition
Reason #2 = _________________________
another possible answer + explication/summary (especially how it addresses weaknesses of the previous paragraph or
completely counters it).
Transition
Reason #1 = _________________________
best answer so far ˆ what does it say?
why is it a better consideration of the research question? Or is it really?
Transition
Concluding Paragraph
sum up what different angles have shown re: research question critically evaluate what is still needed in the field, or if
you looked at three equally strong cases, analyze why one is still more convincing. look at the implications
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Testing of Hypotheses
General Meaning:
• The determination of whether to accept or reject
a proposed hypothesis based on the likelihood
of the experimental results.
• A hypothesis requires more work by the
researcher in order to either confirm or disprove
it. A hypothesis should be falsifiable, meaning
that it is possible that it be shown false, usually
by observation. Note that, if confirmed, the
hypothesis is not necessarily proven, but
remains provisional.
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Argumentative statements
Argumentative Thesis Statements
• In an argumentative paper, you are making a claim about a topic
and justifying this claim with reasons and evidence. This claim could
be an opinion, a policy proposal, an evaluation, a cause-and-effect
statement, or an interpretation. However, this claim must be a
statement that people could possibly disagree with, because the
goal of your paper is to convince your audience that your claim is
true based on your presentation of your reasons and evidence. An
argumentative thesis statement will tell your audience:
• your claim or assertion
• the reasons/evidence that support this claim
• the order in which you will be presenting your reasons and evidence
Example: Barn owls' nests should not be eliminated from barns
because barn owls help farmers by eliminating insect and rodent
pests.
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Argumentative statements
• A reader who encountered this thesis would
expect to be presented with an argument and
evidence that farmers should not get rid of barn
owls when they find them nesting in their barns.
• Questions to ask yourself when writing an
argumentative thesis statement:
• What is my claim or assertion?
• What are the reasons I have to support my claim
or assertion?
• In what order should I present my reasons?
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Argumentative Statements
What are they and Why do we write them?
• When most people think of arguments, they picture two people
fighting over different viewpoints. Therefore, many of us feel as if
the argumentation process is meant to cause conflict rather than
resolve it. But, originally, arguments were invented to persuade
others to alter or compromise their position on a certain topic.
• To persuade your audience to reconsider their beliefs, you must, as
the writer of your argumentative paper, move them from one position
to a different one. So you should assess how resistant your
audience will be to your position: Are they a neutral audience that is
undecided about your topic? Or are they openly hostile to your
stance and refuse to see your side of the argument? Below you will
find strategies to write for these audiences so you can convince
them that your viewpoint is important.
http://www.stark.kent.edu/writing/argument.htm
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Persuasive Statements
Utilize the Three Argumentative Appeals, Aristotle's methods of
convincing: Reason (logos), Ethics (ethos) or Emotion (pathos)
•
Reason (logos) - support your general claims with concrete, specific data.
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Reason which begins with specifics and moves toward a generalization is inductive. Example: Several
clubs have reported difficulty completing their business during lunch period. This proves that lunch periods
should be longer.
Reason which starts with a general observation and moves to specifics is deductive. Example: When
people hurry, inefficiency and poor communication are the results. Under current conditions clubs must
hurry at lunch time meetings. Therefore, lunch period should be lengthened to allow for better club
meetings.
Use two or three different strong reasons to support your argument.
Support your reasons with evidence.
Facts - can be proven.
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Ethics (ethos) - convince your readers that you are fair, honest, and well informed. They will then
trust your values and intentions.
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Expert opinions or quotations
Definitions - statement of meaning of word or phrase
Statistics - offer scientific support
Examples - powerful illustrations
Anecdote - incident, often based on writer's personal experiences
Emotional appeals - to provide support for reasons, carefully chosen loaded words, carrying positive or negative
connotations, sway readers' emotions
Present opposition - and give reasons and evidence to prove the opposition wrong
Conclude with call to action - urge the reader to do something
Avoid over-use of negatively charged loaded words.
Emotion (pathos) - a carefully reasoned argument will be strengthened by an emotional appeal.
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Use description or narrate an example, often from your own experience.
Your point of view is demonstrated in an emotional appeal, and is important to the reader.
Careful word choice presents your position accurately.
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Persuasive statements
Examples
Wrong:
• Our computers have 14-gigabyte snufflewhupters.
Right:
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With 14-gigabyte snufflewhupters, you'll finish your work in time to eat dinner with
your family.
Wrong:
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Processing your claim is a detailed process that takes several weeks, so we need for
you to send us your claim form as soon as possible.
Right:
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We know that you're eager to get your claim check, so we've tried to make the
process as fast and easy as possible. To help speed your claim along, all you have to
do is fill out this simple form and send it back to us in the stamped envelope we've
provided. You can expect to receive your claim check in four weeks.
Wrong:
• Our carrots are loaded with vitamins.
Right:
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You'll be able to see in the dark with Better Bunny carrots.
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Persuasive statements
All good Persuasion includes the following elements:
• Position Statement, Argumentative Proposition, or
Thesis Statement
• State your opinion clearly, in a sentence or two, within
the first paragraph.
• Define the scope of your argument. (The scope is the
situation specific to your argument.) Then make an
assertion that's open to debate.
Example: The school lunch period should be lengthened
to allow ample time for clubs to meet.
• The assertion includes an element of uncertainty, to be
proven to the reader/listener.
http://www.hhs.helena.k12.mt.us/Teacherlinks/Oconnorj/persuasion.html
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