Campus Closed: No Class 10/29

No Class. I will update the schedule and post what I want you to do for tues. here.

Styles of Argument--Presentations

On Thurs. your group will give a presentation on a specific type of (or aspect of) argument.

For this, your presentation needs to be broken down into three distinct parts, which MUST be related in an Power Point presentation.

1) Define and describe your type of argument. What is it? When is it used?
2) Draft a flow chart that breaks this type of argument into its parts. Describe what each part does, how it works, what goes into it, etc.
3) Provide a good example, in flow chart style, that applies a certain topic (ex death penalty, or food safety, etc) to this style of argument.

In class today, you will be developing your presentation. If you don't finish, it is homework.

Use:

This to find good info about arguments and examples of various flow charts
Use your book pages, too.
Use google, by entering your style of argument and looking for results that come from .edu sites.

Please turn in your logic assignment today, as well as your focused topic handouts (if you didn't hand them in already). EMAIL ME YOUR PRESENTATIONS BY TOMORROW.

Research Summary: Due 11/3

The Research Summary should be a list of all of your sources (including citation) with a Rhetorical Precis of each source. Minimum sources: 10. Typed. Double spaced.

INCLUDE the sources you have used for your Analysis paper, and any other sources you have turned to when building your expertise in this topic. In addition, add all the new sources you found for your new focused topic. If the source doesn't fit the Precis format, summarize it using the guidelines we discussed when you summarized the Frontline episode.



For Example,

1. In "Our Decrepit Food Factories," Michael Pollan argues that the industrial food production system is dangerous and unhealthy. He gives examples of the nation's slaughter houses, he offers testimonials of farmers that can't survive economically in a "corn-mad" world, and finally he assesses the cost, in dollars, of transporting our food from farms (often in other countries) to our tables. His purpose is to highlight the unsusstainable food production system in order to call for a local producers to replace it. His audience in the New York Times Magazine is a general, liberal audeince and he appeals to them by highlighting how much of the food we buy in supermarkets is unsafe.

Pollan, Michael. "Our Decrepit Food Factories." New York Times Magazine (16 Dec.
2007): 25. Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State
abbreviation]. 1 Apr. 2009
search.ebscohost.com.skyline.cudenver.edu/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=28004760
&site=ehost-live>.

2. Wendell Barry, In "Being Kind to the Land" argues that local farmers, or farmers that produce food and distribute it within a 150 mile radius, are the future of farming. He cites the persistent problems with industrial food production, giving examples of how this system treats food as a commodity, but fails to recognize quality, and offers the example of Jon Doe as how local, sustainable farming can and should work. His purpose is to debunk the myth that local farming is "pie in the sky" dreaming in order to call for a change in our food production infrastructure. His audience is liberal leaning and he appeals to them primarily with his use of pathos, in the story of Doe, but many of his claims rely on logos to be persuasive as he points to the inherent flaws that affect everyone.

Berry, Wendell. "Being Kind to the Land." Progressive 73.2 (Feb. 2009): 21-23.
Academic Search Premier. EBSCO. [Library name], [City], [State abbreviation]. 1
Apr. 2009
direct=true&db=aph&AN=36318145&site=ehost-live>.

Continue your list like this until you have summarized all of your source material. Note the Precis and the citation of each source.

Focussing Your Topic

The Research Process Part 2
(General Guidelines For Building a Good Paper)

Focusing Your Topic

By this point you know a lot about what you will be writing about. You’ve done background research—reading about the history of the topics, discovering who some key players are in this debate and mapping out the various positions held in the controversy. You have developed your understanding of debate. Now it is time to figure out what aspect of that debate you will examine in greater detail in order to form your argument. First, you must focus your topic.

But why?

Failing to focus a topic is a common mistake students make. When the topic is too broad, there is too much to cover, which results in a paper that feels superficial or shallow. If you topics is too narrow—i.e. “what are the psychological effects of 7 am classes on CCD students with brown, well kept hair…” you won’t be able to find enough evidence to support your points.

What does this mean?

Focusing a research topic (or occasionally broadening it) is narrowing your topic (and choosing to focus on specific parts of it) so that you can demonstrate your expertise on a subject and effectively argue a position in that debate.

Let’s say you like animals. Developing a focus for your paper (and your research) means you start here:
Animals have feelings
And go here:
The use of dogs in the United States Military is useful, but at what cost?

This isn’t necessarily your thesis, but it has narrowed your interests into something you can work with. The point is with the later you have specific research needs; you are working with a specific type of animal in a specific situation—something you can tackle in 10-15 pages.


Note: You will not immediately know what your focus should be. It will come to you, most likely, through trial and error, through reading a lot articles and other literature that you will not ultimately use. Realize, you are shaping your thinking on this topic and as you learn more, your thoughts will change.



Start by defining your terms. How can your terms be broken down?
Example:
War is wrong

Defining the terms:
"War": What type (self-defense, aggressive preemptive strikes, rooted in ideology…)? By whom? What commonalities do you see in the wars you think are wrong?
"Wrong": How so? Results in unnecessary bloodshed? Has a drastic effect on the economy? Fail to foresee and plan for the complexities on the ground?
Focused:
In American history, wars that are rooted in ideology often have dire consequences for the economy.
You can always define again, and again, if need be. Do you see how this is putting the proper restraint on the topic? How you can now find specific examples and evidence to support this idea?


Try focusing on:

A specific location: Colorado’s community colleges have the best students.
Age group: Violence on television begets violence among pre-Kinder kids.
Species: While testing cosmetic products must be done, Chimpanzees should be spared because…
Ethnicity: What are the effects of our current immigration laws on Mexican-American families in the US?

Do Not Merely Restate Terms. War is bad because it’s war. No. Don’t do it.


Most of all, this is the moment to consider your approach to the subject. Are you writing about a specific element of smoking (marketing to children in Third World Countries) or about its more general elements (Smoking is still a big problem among today’s youth). You have to figure out where to go and how to get there.

Test your topic early. The night before a draft is due is a poor time to discover your topic is still too broad. The research process is a recursive one. You will need to come back to your topic time and time again if it isn’t working out. A lot of this is Goldilocks and porridge. You have to try a lot to find what is just right. Remember—Writing takes time.

In addition, try this, from (http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~wricntr/documents/Topic.html):

“Narrowing the Topic

The topic of an academic essay must be sufficiently focused and specific in order for a coherent argument to be made about it. For instance, "The Role of Such-and-Such in the Case of So-and-So v. So-and-So" is a topic that is somewhat narrowed. But if "Such-and-Such" is extremely general, it too will require further narrowing. "The Role of Societal Pressures in the Case of Jones v. Smith" is an example—it's too general. "Alleged Jury Tampering in the Case of Jones v. Smith" narrows those societal pressures, and begins to suggest a persuasive argument. (Of course, even this topic could be further narrowed.)

Going through the following steps will help you focus your subject, find a topic, and narrow it.

* Carefully read your primary source(s) and then, with the assignment in mind, go through them again, searching for passages that relate directly to the assignment and to your own curiosities and interests. When you find a passage that interests you, write down the reason for its significance. If you don't, you might forget its importance later.
* Annotate some of the most intriguing passages—write down your ideas, opinions and notes about particular words, phrases, sentences. Don't censor your thoughts! Just write, even if you think that what you're writing doesn't add up to much. For now, get your impressions on paper; later, you'll begin to order and unify them.
* Group passages and ideas into categories. Try to eliminate ideas that don't fit anywhere. Ask yourself if any of the emerging categories relate to any others. Do any of the categories connect, contradict, echo, prove, disprove, any others? The category with the most connections to others is probably your topic.
* Look at some relevant secondary sources—at what other scholars have said—in order to get a sense of potential counter-arguments to your developing topic. Remember: While taking notes, make sure to cite all information fully. This is a lot easier than having to go back later and figure out where you got a particular quote, or, worse, being unable to find it.” (Maxine Rodburg and The Tutors of the Writing Center at Harvard University, 1999).

Analysis Workshop

Workshop: The Analysis Paper

First: Read the paper through to get a feel for what it is about.
Second: Read it again. This time, comment in the text.

To do so:
First: Block out a section of the paper (from a paragraph to a page) and edit it heavily. In the margin the paper, identify any repeating grammatical or syntactical errors (ie run-ons, prepositions, etc).

Second: Examine the following.

Evaluate the way the issue is presented. Does the writer include information about the history of this debate, current relevance or its importance, the various positions in the debate and who the main players are. On the back--List any questions you have that were unanswered. List any information that the essay doesn’t include.

Are the opposing position clearly and accurately identified? Do you know enough about the various sides to this debate? Is the essay too biased (it is clear what the author thinks)? If so, on the back, tell the writer to take a more neutral tone and explore the “other” side in more depth to more fully understand it.

Here are some common problems:
The essay does not focus on the topics developed in the debate.
What topics need further explanation?
Is the issue clear?
The essay seems to be taking a position in the debate or evaluating one or both of the position essays.

Look at the Sources. Here are some issues with them:
The sources are not clearly identified, in part because of vague pronoun reference errors.
Quotes are used too much or not enough from the two position essays.
Citations are not smoothly incorporated into the writer’s text.
Sources are not paraphrased or quoted accurately
Omissions are evident on the works-cited page.
The writer needs to do more research.

Lastly, list the items in bold that the writer needs to focus on for his revision of this essay before he hands it in on Weds.:

Organization. Look at the beginning. Is it engaging? Does it forecast the direction of the essay to come? Does it have a thesis? Are there transitions that guide you through the paper—ie intro’s to each section that link it back to the main idea? Does the conclusion close the paper well, or should it do further.

Look at the transitions from section to section. Do you logically understand how the paper moves from point to point
Requirements: Paper is 2-5 pages, typed and double-spaced. Source material is cited.

Background: The paper presents adequate background information. Key events are identified, and the history of this controversy including how it became a controversy is evident. It is apparent the author has done ample research and uses that expertise to put this topic in context for the reader.

Mapping the Controversy: The paper adequately explores the various positions held in this debate. It presents the arguments from both sides (and in between) to give the reader an idea of what and how this topic is disagreed upon.

Consequences: This paper weighs what’s at stake in this controversy (ie why one side believes what they do, how they benefit from those beliefs, etc.).

Insight : The paper shows insight into the topic. The author explores this subject in all its complexity and reveals and examines the nature of that complexity in his/her essay. Such insights should not be implied but revealed and developed through good examples from the texts.

Grammar/Syntax: Your essay's prose is written in grammatically correct English; it has no spelling or grammatical errors; it shows a sound understanding of the structure of a good sentence and paragraph.

Now: rejoin your group and discuss what you:
A. Liked most about the draft
And B. Discuss how and where the draft needs to improve. Offer suggestions.

Sample Analysis Paper (#2)

ENG 122-002
October 20, 2008
Jeff Becker
Analysis Paper

Analysis of the Male Body Image Controversy


Introduction:
No one argues that male body image has become prevalent in American society today. All one has to do is observe a magazine rack in a local grocery store and see the titles that pertain to how men should look and feel, like “Men’s Health,” and “Men’s Fitness.” Society demands that men focus on their appearance more than ever today. Harrison G. Pope, Jr., Katherine A. Phillips, and Robert Olivardia are doctors who have studied male body issues for years and are authors of the book, The Adonis Complex. These and other experts agree that body image issues have become as much of a concern for men in the last thirty years as women (Pope, Phillips, Olivardia 17). However, because of the recalcitrant nature of men in general and their fear of being labeled as feminine for talking about their feelings, these issues have remained on the back-burner for years. Experts agree that male body issues exist and are becoming more apparent every day. The controversy, therefore, comes from the causes of these issues. Some experts believe that feminism is to blame, others steroids, others the post-industrial nation and the death of the self-made man, and still others believe that the media should ultimately be held responsible for the negative feelings men have toward their bodies.

Male Body Image and Feminism:
The book, The Adonis Complex, and the study, “Competition and Male Body Image: Increased Drive for Muscularity Following Failure to a Female,” both postulate that male body issues stem from the hypothesis that women can now compete with men in the workforce. Women can now work in pretty much any field that in the past was almost exclusively male. Women can join the military, become police chiefs, or interview football players in the locker room. According to Pope et al, “women have increasingly approached parity with men in many aspects of life, leaving men with primarily their bodies as a defining source of masculinity” (48). Since men can no longer justify their masculinity through the work they do to earn a living, they use their bodies instead. Women can work and run companies; however, women cannot build muscle like men can. Men’s muscles are their way to ensure that they remain noticeably masculine. According Pope, Phillips, and Olivardia, this can become an emotional problem which they call “threatened masculinity,” in which men try to establish their maleness within a societal group yet feel like they cannot do so (23). Jennifer Mills and Sante D’Alfonso ran a study that concluded that after perceiving losing to a female, men felt worse about themselves and wanted to increase their musculature (514). This becomes an issue because men are not only in competition with women, men are in competition with other males. This leads to a drive to increase muscle beyond natural means, which leads us to the next argument.

Male Body Image and Steroids:
According to Pope et al, the drive for muscularity and negative male body image come mainly from the availability of steroids. Steroids allow men to bulk up to levels unattainable by natural means alone, and “it’s impossible to extremely lean and muscular with chemical assistance” (Pope et al 35). Steroids are easy to obtain through the black market and have very little short-term side effects, yet provide immediate and profound results (Pope et al 105). Society seems to be under the impression that steroid use is maybe reserved for professional wrestlers and not those regular guys working out in the gym. However, regular men do use steroids on a regular basis. It is estimated that 2 to 3 million men have used anabolic steroids (Pope et al 104). Steroid use, according to Pope, Phillips, and Olivardia, contributes to a condition called “muscle dysmorphia” (Pope et al 87). Muscle dysmorphia is a condition in which men become preoccupied with how their muscles look and feel that they are always too “small” regardless of their actual size.


Male Body Image and the Post-Industrial Nation:
Some experts argue that male body image issues have stemmed back farther than the feminist movement in the 1960’s. Lynne Luciano, author of Looking Good, argues that since America turned industrial, the nature of how men looked and perceived their looks changed. In the 19th century, for example, most men were self-employed and worked from their hands. A man’s work became the focal point of his masculinity, not his looks. To be concerned about one’s looks would be the hallmark of femininity, and anathema to men. However, when the nature of work moved from individual production to factory production, and then from factory production to corporations and the global marketplace, men and male body image shifted. Identity became based on others’ perceptions and not handiwork any longer. According to Luciano, “the fate of the white-collar employee depended on his ability to please others, forcing him to develop a whole new social character in which his personality and appearance mattered most”(40). Grooming became essential, and bald, fat, or old men, once considered desirable because of their expertise and character, were deemed undesirable because of their looks. Outward pleasantness replaced inward character and loyalty—traits no longer desired by mega-corporations all too willing to replace old men with fresh-faced young ones.

Male Body Image and the Media:
Blaming male body image issues on the media is a touchy subject, since no one can be sure what came first. Did people demand what they see on television, which obligingly supplies, or did the media dictate to men and women what they want? No one can be sure, but some experts do believe that the media at least perpetuates the ideas of male body image. Studies have been done that show the relationship between viewing media images and feelings of dissatisfaction. For example, Daniel Agliata and Stacey Tantleff-Dunn, in “The Impact of Media Exposure on Males’ Body Image,” conclude that men feel dissatisfied with their bodies after viewing media images of the ideal male body (16). Not only do media images play a role in how men feel about their bodies, but action toys as well. Like Barbie for girls, G.I. Joe for boys has increasingly grown more muscular over the years, to the point where if he were life-sized he would have a 36.5” waist, a 54.8” chest, and a 26.8” bicep(Pope, Olivardia, Gruber, Borowiecki 69). After they play with toys in elementary school, children graduate to more grown-up ventures like World Wrestling Entertainment, or the WWE, where wrestlers bulk up to girths unattainable by natural means alone(Pope et. al 45). Even if men do not play with toys or watch WWE, many magazines and movies exist that perpetuate male body image ideals that are simply unnatural without steroids (Pope et al 46).


Implications of Male Body Image: Winners and Losers
Many benefactors exist from men being insecure about their body image and wanting to enhance their muscularity. For examples, the dozens of magazines that line grocery store shelves, the hundreds of gyms with expensive memberships, the countless pricey supplements that promise to enhance musculature all promote insecurity to men and signal that the natural male form is just not good enough. One of the priciest benefactors of men’s insecurities is cosmetic surgeons. In 1996, men spent several million dollars and had 690,361 cosmetic procedures performed (Pope et al 31). Besides the countless millions spent on legal means to attain body satisfaction, men also spend thousands of dollars on anabolic steroids and other medications in order to improve their bodies.

Conclusion:
So what if men seem to overly care about their bodies? Health and fitness are important and necessary, but some men become so overwrought about the state of their bodies that their thoughts become obsessions, and they end up hurting themselves. No one can deny that men have become more focused on their bodies and they image they project on society. However, experts disagree on the causes of why this occurs. Some think the cause stems as far back as the industrial revolution; while others seem to think the problem comes from feminism or the abundance of steroids. No one can agree whether the media begets male body image concerns or simply perpetuates them. However, no expert can deny that male body image issues exist and cause problems for the men who fall prey to their insecurities.