college writing tips

7/27/2019 College Writing Tips

1/21

College Writing Tips:

Constructing GoodArguments

ByJoseph Flynn

Michigan State University


2/21

What kinds of essays wil l I write in college?

Argumentative essays: These essays ask youto state and support a posit ion about an issue or

selected reading(s). For example: Which branch of

government can be considered the most powerful? What

role did stem-cell research play in the 2004 presidential

election? Or, explore the construction of race through

Toni Morrisons The Bluest Eye. Each of these require

you to build an argument to show the instructor that youknow the information and can logically think through it to

clearly express a point or position.


3/21

Types of essays, cont.

Analytical essays: These essaysask for a close reading of a

book, essay, or research paper and typically asks you to seekoutside sources to support your reading. With these essays

you can assume the reader is familiar with the text, but a short

synopsis is always useful. You select details and passages

from the text not to inform the reader but to support your

interpretation. Again, although this is not an argumentative

essayyou are still providing an argument (your interpretation

of a work or aspect of a work). You may want to ask the person

giving the assignment for clarity about sources; one may want

you to consult outside sources while others may not requirethis, especially for shorter papers.


4/21


Synthesis essay: This type of essay requirestaking a numberof readings (2 or more) and using them to explore or drawout a shared perspective.In most classes you will have weeklyreading that centers on a particular theme for the course, or acollection of readings that deal generally with a subject. Often

instructors will ask what a collection of readings have to dowith each other. This is a synthesis: For example, let us sayyou are taking an English class on the work of Toni Morrison.You could be asked to explore four of Morrisons novels anddraw out main themes or devices she employs across the texts.

Again, although this is not an argumentative essayyou arebeing asked to make an argument.


5/21


Important Note!!! Students tend toget in trouble because they are not

really sure of what an assignment is

asking them student to do. Talk toyour instructor for clarity before

writing and leave yourself enough time

to proofread and revise!


6/21

What is an argument?

An argument is a set of reasons orevidence (premises) in support of a

conclusion. An argument is not merely a

statement of views, nor is an argumentsimply a dispute. Arguments are attempts

tosupport certain views with reasons

(Weston, x).


7/21

Arguments cont.

In other words, students make a common mistake in theirwriting. They only provide their opinion about a text ortopic. Instructors are less concerned with your opinionand more concerned with your argument. Opinions tend to

not have any relevant support or the supporting evidenceis not strong. Instructors want to know what you arethinking, how you produced your ideas (where do theycome from), and how you apply those ideas (can you use

ideas from legitimate sources to support an argument youare trying to make).


8/21

Arguments cont.

To write a top-notch paper you must explore thearguments on the opposing sides (and sometimes

there are more than two sides); then you must

write the essay itself as an argument, defendingyour conclusion with arguments and critically

assessing some of the arguments on the opposing

sides (Weston, xii).


9/21

7 Guidelines for Composing

Arguments


10/21

These guidelines are specifically for short arguments, aparagraph or two. However, longer arguments follow the

same basic ideas. Mastering the short argument provides a

solid foundation for longer arguments. In fact there are

many types of arguments: arguments by example,arguments by analogy, arguments by authority, causal

arguments, inductive arguments, and deductive arguments.

Unfortunately we do not have enough time to address

those today but you should be aware of them and learn

more about them.


11/21

Guidelines

Distinguish premises from conclusion. Theconclusion is what you are arguing for.

Another way of looking at it is your thesis

statement is your conclusion. The reasonsthat support your conclusion are your

premises.


12/21

Guidelines

Present your ideas in a natural order. Youcan put your conclusion first and then your

premises or the other way around.

Regardless, make sure the paragraph followslogically and the reader has a straight line

of thought to follow rather than going all

over the place.


13/21

Guidelines

Start from reliable premises. This is especially important.The easiest way to tear apart an argument is through faulty

premises. Consider the following:

Nobody in the world today is really happy. Therefore, it seemsthat human beings are just not made for happiness. Why shouldwe expect what we can never have?

Is this plausible? It is easy to point out people that are happy.Reliable premises typically come from well known examples(The Holocaust and the African Slave Trade are two examplesof human atrocity) or informed authorities (Dr. Martin

Luther King idea that if we live by an eye for an eye then wewill all go blind is useful in thinking about the virtue of non-violent revolution).


14/21

Guidelines

Use definite, specific, concrete language. Do notuse vague language. Be clear! State what you

mean. The worst thing you can do is have your

reader unclear on what you are discussing because

the language is vague. And yes, it is possible to useyour own voice while being direct. Big words are

great but mean nothing if used improperly or

unnecessarily. Long sentences are only effective if

that is what the sentence needs.


15/21

Guidelines

Avoid loaded language. A handy way of thinking

about this is listening to people talk aboutcontroversial issues, like abortion. You tend to hear

comments like, If you are pro-choice you are a

baby killer. This is loaded because the language is

meant to shock the reader and not illuminate an

argument. Not that you cannot argue against a

perspective. In fact you should. But it is more

effective to understand the other perspective, treat itrespectfully, represent it accurately, and then

express your reasons against.


16/21

Guidelines

Use consistent terms. This is really important. Here is anexample, often people fuse liberal, left-leaning, and

progressive. In an essay you need to show why you are using

multiple terms for an idea. For instance I was writing an essay

in which I used African American, Black, and Negro. I told

my reader that I was using these terms based on the popularityof their use at a particular time in history. When discussing

events in the 1950s I used Negro. In the 1970s I used Black.

And in the 1990s I used African American. Shifting your

terms can confuse readers. So be clear and let the reader knowwhy and how you are using terms.


17/21

Guidelines

Stick to one meaning for each term. Similar to thelast point, you do not want to confuse the reader.For example, if you are writing a paper about race itis not wise to oscillate between race and ethnicity(especially since both mean different things). Toescape this trap define your terms early and stick tothe definitions. Usually different writers mayemploy different definitions. If that is the case youwill need to either pick one and justify why you areemploying that particular definition or you will haveto synthesize a definition based on yourinterpretation of the reading.


18/21

Special Guideline

The best way to become a good writeris to be a good reader. If you do not

know what good writing sounds like or

how a good essay is structured it ismuch more difficult to craft one yourself.

Writing is a skill and you only get better

at it by reading and doing it!


19/21

Analytical Reading

Use the following simple questions to read forclass. In a nutshell these are the points instructorswant to know, not whether or not the book wasbad because it was boring. In fact the instructor

probably already knows the book or article isboring. Rather they are interested in the ideasrepresented in the book. Hence, the questions are

designed to get inside the text. Use these. Iguarantee they will help your reading and yourown argument construction.


20/21

Analytical Reading Questions

What is it? (In other words, what is the text

about? What point(s) is the author(s) trying to expressthrough the text)?

Who says? (Whose and what ideas or theories is thewriter using to make and back up the argument)?

Whats new? (This is the relational question. How isthis text similar/different from other texts read in class orin the field)?

So what? (What is important or interesting about the

text? A more crude way of asking this question is whocares? Explain why someone needs to pay attention to thethemes and/or ideas of the text, or not pay attention for that

matter).


21/21

Further reading/Resources

Booth, William., Williams, J., and Colomb, G. (2003)The Craft of Research, 2nd edition. University of

Chicago Press.

Kehrwald Cook, Claire. (1986) Line by Line: How to

Edit Your Own Writing. Houghton Mifflin.

Weston, Anthony. (1992)A Rulebook for Arguments,

3rd edition. Hackett Publishing Company

Williams, Joseph. (1995) Style: Toward Clarity andGrace. University of Chicago Press.

college writing tips

Documents