Lesson Details

Argumentation 101

2014-2015

Principles of English 1, fall 2014

Date

Sept. 12, 2014

Additional Info
Learning Target: Students will write a practice argument essay.

Since you were gone yesterday, please do your Thursday grammar exercise today. This is just the capitalization and punctuation stuff.

After grammar, we will finish taking and grading the quiz on pathos, ethos, and logos.

Once we've finished that, you will begin learning about how to actually put together a structured argument. You have learned about the rhetoric involved in appealing to your audience; now you're going to see how those techniques fit into an actual argument essay.

Get out some paper for notes! Presentation found here.

P.S.- The stack of paper is soon going to disappear. That paper is for those occasional times when you run out or forget your notebook. You are responsible for bringing to school (and class) with you something to write with and something to write on.


Monday: We will be in the library on Monday. Your job on Monday is three-fold: First, you need to decide on a topic on which to write your official argument essay. Second, you need to start doing some research into things you can use for your evidence. Keep in mind that this is not a research-based essay, and any information you find should be used only to bolster your ethos or logos. Third, in order to refute the other side, you will need to know what the other side is saying. You will want to try to find articles or essays that have the opposite point of view than the one you are taking.


I recommend starting a Google document in which you can keep track of names, quotations, and sources. Having your notes all in one place will make your writing much easier. You will also be submitting this essay on turnitin.com so be sure to properly cite any evidence you're taking from another source; otherwise, your paper will be marked for plagiarism. (Using easybib.com will be useful for this, especially since it links right up with your Google account!)


If we have time, we will watch this ten-minute video from Vsauce about why "bad" words are bad. (This is what I would write about if I were writing an argument essay.)