Assignment 1

In this first assignment, you will explore yourself in writing. The final goal is to write a cohesive story that conveys a significant aspect of who you are. To get to that goal, we will work in phases. They are as follows.

Assignment 1.1 Prompt: Think of a fictional character (this can be from movies, including super heroes) that you most resemble. Write one page that clearly discusses why you most resemble this character. HINT: Think of the qualities this character possesses that you also possess.

SADS

By now you know I like acronyms (to an extent). Here is another, to delineate basic types of writing that we will do:

Summary

--Summarize the argument or text in front of you. What is the author saying? How is the author saying it? Summary is often overlooked as a "soft" rhetorical skill. Anyone can summarize something, right? But how to do so skillfully and artfully within constraints - that is the real game.

Analysis

--What is the most important aspect of the argument or text in front of you? How do you know?

Debate

--Might someone disagree with your analysis? How so? Can you summarize that person's argument? What are the merits and flaws of that person's argument? How do you respond?

Synthesis

--Given the main points in play here, what major conclusions can we draw? How can we synthesize the divergent perspectives and arguments into a new framework going forward?

Remember, throughout the SADS formula, you are still quoting from the text and using your strategies from the Index.

How to Write About a Poem

SOAPSTone. This is a very good entree into poetry. The key is - when you address any of the steps of the formula, you must do two things: (1) Sed Contra. On the one hand, it could be this, on the other hand... (2) Why is it important that we know the answer to this step? What are the stakes for how we understand the poem? When you discuss your answers to each phase, you must always refer to the language of the poem. No ideas can happen without the language of the poem as your reference point. Quote from the text. Talk about those lines. When you create a SOAPSTone document, you can format it in the following way, following the two steps for each stage in the process:

Speaker:

Occasion:

Audience:

Purpose:

Subject:

Tone:

Here is a link to AP Central, which offers tips on how to read for SOAPSTone.

Strategy

At each stage of the following process, refer to the Index of Templates for help with strategies.

Before you write anything, answer the following questions:

• 1. What is the main point that I want to make? What is my stance? Why? Is my stance original and argumentative? Do I bring up a point that must be debated in order to be understood? Or is my point bland and predictable?
• 2. How exactly am I going to make this point?
  • What is one example from the text that supports my point? What kind of language will I use to discuss that example?
  • What is another example, etc...
• 3. How might someone respond to my argument? What might that person say? Why?
• 4. What quotes, examples, or strategies might that person use to respond to my argument?
• 5. How might I respond to that person's response?
• 6. What quotes, examples, or strategies might I use to respond to my opponent's argument?
• 7. What conclusions can I draw from all this? Why exactly is my point stronger?

Thesis Statements

The thesis statement is the guiding force of an argument. It is where you deliver (1) your main point and (2) your reason for that point. Because of this two-part structure, all thesis statements must take the form of a complex sentence. A complex sentence contains one independent clause and one subordinate clause. Here are some examples:

• Kneeling during the national anthem is disrespectful because...
• Kneeling during the national anthem is a brilliant strategic move because...
• Even though many were offended by the protest, it is effective for three reasons...
• Even though they have legitimate points to make, the protest is ineffective for three reasons...
• While some might argue that kneeling during the national anthem is a good idea, I disagree because...
• Kneeling during the anthem, though it has major symbolic value, is ultimately disrespectful because...

Global and Local Revision

Writing is not a one-time process, where you sit down and "bang it out." Rather, you must be attentive to every single decision you make. As Joseph Conrad says, “Any work that aspires, however humbly, to the condition of art must carry its justification in every line.” Every line! This kind of attention we call revision. But revision is not the same as "editing." There are two types: global and local.

Global revision is concerned about your ideas. Is my thesis clear and argumentative? Do I use effective strategies in persuading my audience of my thesis? Do I engage with what "They Say," via Sed Contra? What changes should I make, at the level of ideas?

Local revision is concerned with language. Are my sentences clear? Do I have stylistic diversity? Do I make grammar and other word-level mistakes?

Both of these types of revision are crucial. But one necessarily follows the other. That is to say, Global Revision is by far the more important of the two. If your ideas are not good, nothing else matters. So, worry about ideas first, then, once you've drafted and re-drafted your ideas, you can worry about grammar and sentences.

SED CONTRA

Sed Contra is the key to complex argumentation. Literally, it means "But, on the other hand." If you can incorporate this vision into your writing process, your arguments will become exponentially stronger.

How to use Sed Contra? First, you use your imagination:

• How might someone disagree with me?
• How might someone want to add to this point?
• How might someone be confused or misled by my point?
• What might this person say?
• How might I respond to this person?
• What kind of person would disagree with me? How might that person be different from me, in terms of general worldview, background, story, etc.?

You can make these moves within a paragraph. In doing so, you anticipate your opponent's point of view. You humanize your opponent, and bring the argument to another level of discourse.

Stances and Strategies

As I have been saying, the Index of Templates is the key to improving your argumentation. I want to break down that index into categories that you can work with. The categories I call "Stances" and "Strategies." A "Stance" is the general position you take on a question or issue. The "Strategies" are the ways that you make that case, from your "Stance." Here is the breakdown:

• Stances:
  • Disagreeing, with Reasons
  • Agreeing - with a Difference
  • Agreeing and Disagreeing Simultaneously
  • Completely Agree (my addition)
  • Completely Disagree (my addition)

Strategies:

• Introducing What They Say
• Making What They Say Something You Say
• Introducing Something Implied or Assumed
• Capturing Authorial Action
• Introducing Quotations
• Explaining Quotations
• Signaling Who is Saying What
• Embedding Voice Markers
• Entertaining Objections
• Naming Your Naysayers
• Introducing Questions Informally
• Making Concessions While Still Standing Your Ground
• Indicating Who Cares
• Establishing Why Your Claims Matter