Module 5 - English Semester 1

How is a writer's expertise linked to his or her perspective? A writer's perspective is based on his or her knowledge of the topic. A writer's perspective is not influenced by how much he or she knows. A writer's perspective is much narrower than his or her level of expertise. A writer's perspective is broader than his or her knowledge of the topic.

A writer's perspective is based on his or her knowledge of the topic.

Which of these is an example of an appropriately narrowed research topic? Do zoos save animals or do they destroy their lives? Do extreme sports build character or inflate egos? Are therapy animals helpful for people with anxiety issues? Does reading online make you a better reader or a more distracted reader?

Are therapy animals helpful for people with anxiety issues? notes: A narrow research topic requires you to make a value judgment about the issue.

Read the excerpt below from the article "Security Cameras: Tools for Safer Cities or Weapons of Evil Empires?" by Simon Donnelly. Some people do not appreciate these high-tech efforts to keep us safe. Instead, they focus on exaggerated fears of a surveillance state in which the government watches everyone all the time. What is the best explanation of the logical fallacy in this excerpt? Donnelly is drawing conclusions about surveillance cameras that aren't based on logical causes. He is using an ad hominem fallacy to attack his opponents rather than presenting reasons for his claim. Donnelly is using general statements about surveillance that cannot be verified or supported by facts. He is not addressing the real issue of how to protect people's privacy because he is bringing up other unrelated issues.

Donnelly is drawing conclusions about surveillance cameras that aren't based on logical causes.

How might several errors in the conventions of standard written English negatively affect a writer's credibility?

Several errors can negatively effect the writers credibility because it doesn't show the author's writing as formal or detailed. If I was reading a argument with a lot of errors they would be distracting from the argument. Notes: If a writer cannot accurately convey his or her message in written form, he or she is seen as being unprofessional and not authoritative.

What does it mean to synthesize information?

Synthesizing information means to make it more organized. If you make a pros and cons list it will help you organize the information.

How is the audience related to a writer or speaker's purpose in an argument?

The audience is related to the writer's purpose because the audience is who the writer is trying to convience. The writer has also probably tried to write the argument with the audience in mind. The writer knows the audience will be engaged if they present a convincing argument so knowing who is in the audience is important.

How do counterarguments make persuasive pieces stronger? They deal with all viewpoints equally. They agree that all viewpoints are valid and important. They deal with the opposing viewpoint up front. They dismiss opposing viewpoints without giving them any credibility.

They deal with the opposing viewpoint up front. Counterarguments acknowledge and dispute the opposing view.

In one part of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stow, Mrs. Shelby has just discovered that her husband has agreed to sell two of their slaves, including the adult Tom and a young boy. Mrs. Shelby pleads with him to reconsider. The following excerpt is Mr. Shelby's explanation of their predicament. I'm sorry you feel so about it,—indeed I am, said Mr. Shelby; and I respect your feelings, too, though I don't pretend to share them to their full extent; but I tell you now, solemnly, it's of no use—I can't help myself. I didn't mean to tell you this Emily; but, in plain words, there is no choice between selling these two and selling everything. Either they must go, or all must. Haley has come into possession of a mortgage, which, if I don't clear off with him directly, will take everything before it. I've raked, and scraped, and borrowed, and all but begged,—and the price of these two was needed to make up the balance, and I had to give them up. Haley fancied the child; he agreed to settle the matter that way, and no other. I was in his power, and had to do it. If you feel so to have them sold, would it be any better to have all sold? You might remember that the author of this passage was bitterly opposed to slavery. What response was she hoping her readers would have to Mr. Shelby's logic? They would find Mr. Shelby's decision cruel in spite of the reason he gives for the decision. They would agree that selling the slaves was necessary but extremely unfortunate. They would agree with Mr. Shelby that he had no other choice than to sell the slaves. They would believe that Mr. Shelby could easily find a way to make everyone happy.

They would find Mr. Shelby's decision cruel in spite of the reason he gives for the decision.

What information should be included in a summary? all the examples and supporting details the most important details or main ideas all of the author's thoughts and opinions the least important details and main ideas

the most important details or main ideas

What should be included in the body paragraphs of a persuasive essay? the introduction to the paper and the conclusion the thesis statement the three main reasons that support the thesis the conclusion of the paper

the three main reasons that support the thesis

What is one way that writers try to establish credibility about a topic? by describing what they know about the topic by adjusting their tone through word choices and sentence structure by using informal language that connects with the audience by explaining the topic so thoroughly that the audience is convinced

by adjusting their tone through word choices and sentence structure

How can emotional appeals be used in ways that harm an argument? by supporting the reasons and claim of the author by persuading the audience to look at the evidence by distracting the audience from the real issue by convincing the audience to agree with the author

by distracting the audience from the real issue notesL Emotional appeals can also hurt an argument by being manipulating and by belitting the audience.

What is one thing you should do to analyze emotional appeals? Identify how emotions used by the author make you feel about the issue. Ask yourself whether the author's purpose is fully supported by emotional appeals. Determine whether the author's reasoning, evidence, and/or claim are valid. Decide whether the emotional appeals are logical in light of the author's reasoning, evidence, and/or claim.

Ask yourself whether the author's purpose is fully supported by emotional appeals.

Why is it important to be able to identify emotional appeals?

Emotional Appeals are important because it helps the author relate the topic to the feelings of the audience. When the audience relates to an emotional appeal, it allows them to think with their heart and not just what makes sense or what the evidence says. If the audience has an emotional connection they are more likely to agree with the author. notes: Emotional appeals are used in many different places, such as ads, newscasts, articles, blogs, and everyday conversations, to persuade people to act. Knowing how to identify such appeals can help you make sound decisions based on facts and not just emotions.

What four things should you evaluate in an argument? How relevant and sufficient the evidence, how logical the reasoning is, and whether there is a counterargument How detailed and specific the reasoning is, how factual the evidence is, and what the author's claim is How clear and realistic the evidence is, how logical the reasoning is, and whether there is a counterargument How relevant and specific the reasoning is, how important the counterargument is, and what the author's purpose is

How relevant and sufficient the evidence, how logical the reasoning is, and whether there is a counterargument

Why is it always a bad idea to use ad hominem in an argument?

It is always a bad Idea to use ad hominem in an argument because it can manipulate the reader, it can attack the person vs. the issue. Ad hominems are sometimes flawed or false. notes: Attacking your opponent does not convince the audience to support your view--even though it might convince them to disagree with the opponents of your argument.

What must you do to analyze an argument? Look at each part of the argument, as well as the author's purpose and audience. Examine the author's purpose and audience and figure out how they are related. Examine the author's purpose and audience and compare them to the author's claim. Look at each part of the argument separately and then as a group.

Look at each part of the argument, as well as the author's purpose and audience.

What effect have persuasive words had on American history? Include two people you have studied as examples in your answer.

Persuasive words have had an impact on American History. They have shown the importance of events in history. Such as information presented about slavery. The word Free would be persuasive in certain writings. In Uncle Tom's Cabin, the words strong- hearted and generous were used to persuade the audience to not continue slavery. Notes: Persuasive words have helped change people's minds and/or inspired them to make sweeping changes in American laws, culture, and society. Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel Uncle Tom's Cabin helped cause enough outrages to end slavery; Sojourner Truth's speech "Ain't I a Woman" inspired women to stand up for their rights; John Muir's inspiring writing lead to the national parks system; Susan B. Anthony's speech "On Women's Right to Vote" eventually lead to the 19th Amendment of the Constitution, which granted women the right to vote.

What are two things that might cause you to have a different opinion about an issue than someone else?

The two things that would make me have a different opinion on an issue are: 1. By having my own personal opinion or evidence on the subject. This could be from my own research or personal experience. 2. My credentials or education on the subject.

If you do not have any experience in an area, what is one other way to establish credibility in a persuasive essay?

Ways to establish credibility in a persuasive essay are: using good grammar with no punctuation errors, the tone of my essay (formal is better),

What is a logical appeal? an appeal that is based on common sense and facts an appeal that is based on facts and emotions an appeal that is based on moral responsibility an appeal that is based on feelings and ideas

an appeal that is based on common sense and facts notes: Logical appeals are not based on emotions or ethics.

What is the best definition of an author's perspective? how an author sees a topic, based on his or her experiences the way an author organizes his or her thoughts about a topic an author's opinion about a topic, based on personal beliefs the knowledge that an author gains from research about at topic

how an author sees a topic, based on his or her experiences

How does fallacious reasoning ruin the validity of an argument? It persuades people to accept the author's claim without proof. It convinces people to accept evidence in support of a claim. it tries to persuade by using reasoning that is not sound or logical. It uses emotions rather than logic to convince people of a claim.

it tries to persuade by using reasoning that is not sound or logical.

If you do not have professional experience in an area, what else can you rely on to show your credibility when you are writing a persuasive essay? your feelings and opinions personal experience advice of strangers what everyone thinks of you

personal experience

How is evaluating an argument different from analyzing it?

valuating an argument is more subjective and analyzing an argument is more objective. When you analyze an argument you look deeply at all the evidence, the authors credential and all the data. When you evaluate an argument, you are just looking at the argument being presenting and asking if it is true or not. notes: When you analyze, you look at each individual part to understand what it does; when you evaluate, you determine whether the parts of the argument have value or are sound and logical.

What information should you look for when you are trying to determine the author's perspective of an issue? what the author seems to know, feel, and believe about the issue the reasoning the author provides to support an opinion on the issue the author's final conclusions about an issue, base on the evidence the details that the author provides as support for his or her claim

what the author seems to know, feel, and believe about the issue notes: An author's perspective is the way the author sees or thinks about an issue, based on his or her personal experiences and level of knowledge about the issue.