This is an argumentative/persuasive paper
If any newspaper or magazine is used as reference for this paper it should not have been published before 1997 and be presented in accordance with the Modern Language Association(MLA) standard.
Acknowledge other people”s perceptions then refute it. Don”t offend anybody, simply educate them at the same trying to persuade them to be on your side.
TYPES OF EVIDENCE
Evidence such as facts, statistics, observations, testimony of experts/opinion should be carefully chosen to best support the thesis according the purpose, and audience. In other words, how will the essay appeal to the reader?
I. Logical Appeal
A. Appeal to the intellect
B. Relies on factual, objective, clear and relevant evidence
C. Example: Stop smoking because it causes cancer
II Emotional Appeal
A. Appeal to heart and emotions
B. Choose language, facts, quotes examples, images that evoke emotional responses
C. Example: A vivid description of a beaten child.
D. Emotional appeal must be honest and substantiated
II Ethical Appeal
A. Appeal to the sense of fairness and trust.
B. Present evidence in a manner that makes the reader trust you, respect your judgement, and believe what you have to say.
C. Establish your credentials in the field or any experience on the subject.
D. Example: Issues in grammar from an English professor
LOGICAL FALLACIES
There should be no common mistakes in thinking that could lead to wrong conclusions: weak arguments for example;
? Error of stating a claim that does not follow from your first premise (the statement you began with) eg “Marge should marry Jergus. Why, in high school he got all A”s” This is irrelevant!
? Offer neat and easy solutions for large and complicated problems(no oversimplification). Eg, “If we want to do away with drug abuse, let”s get rough. Let”s sentence every drug user to lifeimprisonment.” All drug?.
? Post hoc ergo Procter hoc (“after this therefore because of this”): assumes a cause and effect relationship where there is none. Just because one event precedes another in time doesn”t mean the one cause the other. “All superstitions”
? Allness: Stating or implying something is true of an entire class of things. “All students enjoy studying.” Avoid words such as, everyone, no one, always, never etc
? Begging the question: setting out to prove a statement already taken for granted; repeating in different words what you”ve already said. He is a liar because he isn”t telling the truth” Happiness is the state of being happy.”
? Proof by example: (or too few examples): overgeneralizing. “Bolivians are great violists. My mother-in-law is Bolivian, and she can play!” Basis of prejudiced.
? Either/or reasoning: a special brand of simplified thinking by assuming there are only two sides to a question (yes/no, true/false). Only two possible solutions to a problem, only one of which is acceptable. “Either we impose more guns regulations or deal with the destruction.”
? Arguments from dubious authorities: unidentified authority is used unairly. “According to some of the most knowing scientist in America, smoking two packs a day is as harmless as eating a couple of oatmeal cookies. So let”s all smoke” Also doubt an authority whose expertise lies outside the subject being considered.
? Argument ad hominem (from the Latin, “against the man”): Attacking an individual”s opinion by attacking his or her character. Politics; elections! Eg, President Clinton.
? Argument from ignorance: maintain that because a claim has not been disproved, it has to be accepted, eg, the existence of ghosts. Also, just because a claim has not being disproved does not mean you reject it.
? Argument by analogy: using a metaphor as though it were evidence. “People were born free as the birds. It”s cruel to expect them to work”. There are more differences than similarities between birds and people. Because they are alike in one way doesn”t mean they are alike in every way.
? Bandwagon argument: tries to persuade the reader to jump on the bandwagon, appealing to the human desire to belong. “Everyone”s doing it!” This argument is frequently used in arguments referring to happiness, success, or reward. “If you think other wise, you are misinformed and need to change your mind.”
MISUSED OF LANGUAGE
Misused of language should be recognized and corrected. Here are some examples of misused of language;
? Lifting words or statements out of contexts. Purposefully distorting evidence such as movie critics and advertisers. “A tremendous flop with the only real suspense being whether the audience would stay until the end.”
? Equivocating: Using a word more than one sense in the same context (fair/fair).
? Weasel words: Words to evade or retreat from a direct or forthright statement or opinion. Words can “make you hear things aren”t being said, accept as truths things that have only been implied, and things that have been suggested.”
? Doublespeak or obfuscating: Using language to hide the truth, either by using a series of meaning generalities or by using terms and phases unfamiliar to readers. For example, the Pentagon refers to bombs and artillery shells that fall on civilian targets as “incontinent ordinance” and the neutron bomb as a “radiation enhancement device”
