Essay Writing Workshop 2

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Essay Writing Workshop 2

• Lawrence Cleary, Íde OSullivan
• Regional Writing Centre

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Plan of workshops

• Workshops Weeks 6, 7, 8 and 9 (D1054b)
• Wednesday 1400 1500
• Thursday 1500 1600
• Drop-in/One-to-one sessions
•    Mon                    24 pm
•    Tues       1012    24 pm
•    Wed       1012     24 pm 6-8 pm
•    Thurs     1012     24 pm 6-8 pm
•    Fri          1012     
• Writing Centre www.ul.ie/rwc

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Workshops

• Session 1 Getting started Understanding the
  essay question. Planning and organising your
  essay.
• Session 2 Developing an effective argument.
  Structuring your essay.
• Session 3 Citing and writing a reference page.
  Strategies to develop writing.
• Session 4 Academic writing style. Editing and
  proofreading your essay.

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The thesis and the persuasive principle

• The instruction word will indicate that a thesis
  is either called for, or not called for. For
  instance, instructions that ask you to summarise
  or outline something are not normally interpreted
  as calling for a thesis statement.
• The method of development and organisation will
  suggest where the thesis will appear in your
  essay.

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The thesis and the persuasive principle

• Your thesis is the basic stand you take, the
  opinion you express, the point you make about
  your limited subject. Its your controlling idea,
  tying together and giving direction to all other
  separate elements in your paper. Your primary
  purpose is to persuade the reader that your
  thesis is a valid one (Skwire, 1976 3).

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The thesis and persuasion Academic argument

• In college, course assignments often ask you to
  make a persuasive case in writing. You are asked
  to convince your reader of your point of view.
  This form of persuasion, often called academic
  argument, follows a predictable pattern in
  writing. After a brief introduction of your
  topic, you state your point of view on the topic
  directly and often in one sentence. This sentence
  is the thesis statement and it serves as a
  summary of the argument you'll make in the rest
  of your paper (UNC-CH Writing Center, 2004
  Online).

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What is an argument?

• An argument is the case that someone makes, in a
  theory or in their writing you give reasons for
  saying what you do, and present evidence to
  support what you say (Ebert et al., 1997).
• Arguments can be explicit or implicit.
• Academic arguments require justifications for
  their claims.

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Advancing the argument

• Advance your argument by giving evidence which is
  valid and reliable.
• Evidence can consist of facts or reliable
  statistics, examples, educated opinions in the
  form of quotations, or summaries and paraphrases
  of ideas, from knowledgeable sources.
• When referring to the opinions of those you have
  read, be clear that you defer to the opinion, or
  that you object to it (be critical but polite).

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Advancing the argument

• Anticipate and address counterarguments or
  objections in order to strengthen your argument.
• Present each argument fairly and objectively.
• Show the reader that you have considered other
  sides of the argument.
• Leave your reader with a sense that your argument
  is stronger than opposing arguments.

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Advancing the argument

• Present counterarguments and explain both the
  strengths and weaknesses of these arguments (they
  should be balanced).
• Concede points, even when you know that such a
  concession weakens your argument. The goal is not
  to be right, but to honestly explore the
  question.
• Qualify your statements.
• Expose questions that your opinion begs
• Your concluding argument should be strong and
  positive.

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Persuasion and truth in academic writing

• Because they are argumentative, academic writing
  tends to be persuasive.
• An argument should be persuasive, but dont
  sacrifice truth in favour of persuasion.
• Academic inquiry is a truth-seeking pursuit.
• facts are distinguished from opinions.
• subjective truths are distinguished from
  objective truths.
• relative truths are distinguished from absolute
  truths.

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Persuasion and truth in academic writing

• The integrity of the conclusions reached in an
  academic essay or report is based on its honest
  pursuit of truth.
• Its persuasive quality is based on the quality of
  its appeals.
• Although largely dependent on logic, proof, and
  method, academic texts do appeal to the readers
  emotions and regard for authority as well as to
  reason.

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Tips

• Leedy (2001 183) cites Marius (1989) in
  highlighting 4 rules for an argument
• state your arguments early in the game
  present and interpret data
• provide examples to support any assertion you
  make
• give the fairest possible treatment of any
  perspectives different from your own may
  support or disagree with them
• point out the weaknesses of your own argument
  by doing this you show objectivity as a
  researcher.

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Tips

• Pursue your argument logically.
• Do not only describe, but evaluate and interpret
  also.
• Establish your argument in the introduction in
  a thesis statement.
• Advance your argument by giving evidence.
• Do not reiterate evidence already provided, but
  refer back to something you have already stated.
• Lines of argument should flow linearly.
• Paragraphs carry arguments.

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Essay structure

• Organise the essay so that the argument unfolds
  in a clearly stated, detailed, logical, linear
  progression and arrangement of ideas.
• Introduction present the thesis, hypothesis, or
  question that you will try to defend, prove or
  disprove, or answer.
• Sections to support the thesis
• Conclusions

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The introduction

• In academic writing, an introduction, or opening,
  has four purposes
• To introduce the topic of the essay
• To indicate the context of the conversation
  through background information
• To give some indication of the overall plan of
  the essay
• To catch the readers attention, usually by
  convincing the reader of its relevance.

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The introduction

• The introduction has two parts
• General statements.
• General statements attract a readers attention,
  and give background information on the topic.
• A thesis statement
• States the main topic.
• Sometimes indicates sub-topics.
• Will sometimes indicate how the essay is to be
  organised.
• Is usually the last sentence in the introduction.

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The introduction

• Example thesis statement
• The status of women in Xanadu has improved
  remarkably in recent years in the areas of
  economic independence, political rights,
  educational opportunities, and social status
  yet, when compared to the status of women in
  developed countries, it is still pretty low
  (Oshima and Hogue, 1999 105).

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What should I put into the introduction?

• Identify the domain and the topic
• State the problem - claim, hypothesis, or
  question - to be investigated
• Gives the problem context and significance within
  the research community
• State the objectives and outline the plan
• Give a detailed description of what will follow
  in subsequent chapters

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In brief.

• The introduction should be funnel shaped
• Begin with broad statements.
• Make these statements more and more specific as
  the writer narrows the scope of the topic and
  comes to the problem.
• Be sure that the question, hypothesis or claim is
  one that can be handled in a report of the length
  specified.
• This question, hypothesis or claim is your thesis
  statement.

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Paragraph structure

• Essays are divided into paragraphs in a
  meaningful way.
• What is a paragraph?
• Series of sentences
• Coherent (introduction, middle, end)
• Common theme
• Every sentence in a paragraph develops one topic
  or idea, and each paragraph in an argumentative
  essay, likewise, develops the line of argument
  that supports the thesis statement.

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Paragraph structure

• Paragraphs signal the logically organised
  progression of ideas.
• When organising paragraphs, the main idea in one
  paragraph should flow logically into the next.
• The flow of information should be organised
  around themes and comments.
• Shifts in the argument or changes in direction
  should be accurately signalled using appropriate
  adverbials, conjunctions, and prepositions.

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Paragraph structure

• Just as an essay is guided by a thesis statement,
  a paragraph is organised around its topic
  sentence.
• A topic sentence informs the reader of the topic
  to be discussed.
• A topic sentence contains controlling ideas which
  limit the scope of the discussion to ideas that
  are manageable in a paragraph.

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Paragraph structure Supporting sentences

• The sentences that follow expand upon the topic,
  using controlling ideas to limit the discussion.
  The main idea is supported by
• Evidence in the form of facts, statistics,
  theoretical probabilities, reputable, educated
  opinions,
• Illustrations in the form of examples and
  extended examples, and
• Argumentation based on the evidence presented.
• Qualifying statements indicate the limitations of
  the support or argument.

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Paragraph structure Concluding sentences

• Not every paragraph needs a concluding sentence.
• Concluding sentences can either comment on the
  information in the text, or
• They can paraphrase the topic sentence.

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Paragraph structure Unity

• Paragraphs should be unified.
• Unity means that only one main idea is discussed
  in a paragraph. The main idea is stated in the
  topic sentence, and then each and every
  supporting sentence develops that idea (Oshima
  and Hogue, 1999 18).

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Paragraph structure Coherence

• Coherence means that your paragraph is easy to
  read and understand because
• your supporting sentences are in some kind of
  logical order
• your ideas are connected by the use of
  appropriate transition signals
• your pronoun references clearly point to the
  intended antecedent and is consistent
• you have repeated or substituted key nouns.
• (Oshima and Hogue, 2006 22)

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Example (Meei-Fang et al. 2007, p.471)

• People with dementia are particularly vulnerable
  to malnutrition they have a decreased ability to
  understand directions and to express their needs
  verbally, are easily distracted from eating,
  prone to become agitated, and may use utensils
  incorrectly. Inability to feed oneself (eating
  dependency) is a major risk factor for
  malnutrition among older people living in
  long-term care settings (Abbasi Rudman 1994,
  Durnbaugh et al. 1996). When people with dementia
  can no longer take food voluntarily, assistance
  is required although, as the disease progresses,
  even taking food with assistance can become
  difficult and, in some instances, tube-feeding
  may be required to supply nutrition. This form of
  feeding can, however, cause distress and anxiety,
  not only for the person being fed, but also for
  caregivers (Akerlund Norberg 1985, Burgener
  Shimer 1993).

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Cohesive devices

• References
• Backwards (pronouns, demonstratives , definite
  article)
• Forwards (the following, as follows,
  subsequently)
• Substitution (so, one, ones)
• Ellipsis (the remainder, another part)
• Conjunction (however, for example, furthermore,
  firstly)
• Lexical cohesion (Repetition, Synonyms)
• Anaphoric nouns (this problem, this situation,
  this view, this process)

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Examples Gillett (2005)

• Some of the water which falls as rain flows on
  the surface as streams. Another part is
  evaporated. The remainder sinks into the ground
  and is known as ground water.
• Ellipsis
• Genetics deals with how genes are passed on from
  parents to their offspring. A great deal is known
  about the mechanisms governing this process.
• Anaphoric nouns

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Examples Gillett (2005)

• This first example illustrates an impulsive
  overdose taken by a woman who had experienced a
  recent loss and had been unable to discuss her
  problems with her family. During the relatively
  short treatment, the therapist helped the patient
  to begin discussing her feelings with her
  family.
• Lexical cohesion

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Paragraph structure Transition signals

• Transition signals do exactly what it says on the
  tin they signal. They can signal relationships
  between sentences, just as they can signal
  relationships between paragraphs.
• Example Finally, there have been numerous women
  altogether outside the profession, who were
  reformers dedicated to creating alternatives
  (Gillet, 2005 Online).
• The signal indicates the final point in a series
  of points.

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Paragraph structure

• Dos and Donts
• Do not use pronouns to refer to an antecedent in
  the previous paragraph.
• Lengthy paragraphs indicate a lack of structure.
• Short paragraphs indicate a lack of detail or
  evidence to support the argument.
• Do not end a paragraph with a quotation.
• Use a variety of sentence patterns and lengths to
  give your paragraph a lively rhythm.
• Signpost your paragraph organisation.

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What is a conclusion?

• A conclusion is a final result, a judgment
  reached by reasoning, or the summing up of an
  essay, book, or other piece of writing (ABC of
  Academic Writing).

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The conclusion

• How you conclude your paper, like everything else
  in writing, largely depends on your purpose.
  Generally, though, a conclusion ends by reminding
  the reader of the main points of the argument in
  support of your thesis.
• Otherwise, you may end with a reflection, a call
  to action, an impact question (indicating,
  perhaps, that you see scope for future research),
  a quote, or advice.

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Elements of a good conclusion

• A conclusion should
• Remind the reader of the main points of your
  argument
• Bring closure to the interpretation of the data
  (Leedy, 2001 291)
• Be clear
• Be logical
• Be credible

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Elements of a good conclusion

• Demonstrate an awareness of the limitations
• Discuss the implications of the findings
• Offer suggestions for future developments
  Remember A summary alone of what you have done
  is a weak conclusion
• End on a positive note final sentence should be
  strong and positive

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In brief

• Whatever kind of conclusion you decide on, it
  should not introduce new topics, apologize for
  any real or perceived failings in the paper, or
  merely stop or trail off. Make sure your paper
  has a clear sense of closure (Ebert et al.,
  1997 129)

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Sentence structure

• Vary your rhythm by using a variety of sentence
  types and patterns. Use a combination of
• Simple sentences
• Compound sentences
• Complex sentences
• Compound-Complex sentences
• Do not limit yourself to simple sentences or
  linking sentences using and/but.

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Sentence structure

• Simple sentences are single independent clauses.
  They have a subject, a verb, and express a
  complete thought
• Jesus wept.
• My aunt set her alarm and went to bed.
• Trevor and Máiréad are too young to be out
  this late.
• Im leaving at six and coming back at ten.

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Sentence structure

• Compound sentences consist of two independent
  clauses.
• I told him not to buy that car, but he just
  couldnt resist.
• I told him not to buy that car he bought it
  nonetheless.
• I told him not to buy that car however, he was
  unable to resist.

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Sentence structure

• Complex sentences combine an independent clause
  with one or more dependent (subordinate) clauses.
• Subordinate clauses contain a subject, a verb,
  but do not express a complete thought.
• The relationship between the subordinate clause
  and the independent clause is expressed by a
  subordinating conjunction.

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Sentence structure

• There are three types of subordinate clauses
• Noun clauses That I had stayed up all night
  working on it didnt seem to be important.
• Adjective clauses The woman who is waving is my
  mother.
• Adverb clauses After adding up all the sales,
  Mary discovered that the lemonade stand was 32
  cents short.

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Sentence structure

• Compound-Complex Clauses consist of two
  independent clauses combined with one or more
  subordinating clause.
• While driving to the shop, I was thinking that we
  should reconsider our decision, and I told myself
  that I would talk to you about it when I got home.