Seminar One Ÿ 25th Jan, 2018

Goh Tong Jee

M.A (Communication and New Media)
National University of Singapore
COURSE AIMS
The integration of critical thinking processes into the
teaching of writing is essential at the foundational level as it
enables students to develop higher-order thinking which
they can apply to articulate their ideas in writing. The
critique and evaluation of discourse enables students to
view writing as dialogue and inquiry.

This course develops students’ abilities to ask good

questions and to explore them through reading and
research. It enables students to see the relationship
between critical reading and informed writing which, in
turn, develops students’ ability to view their writing from
their reader’s perspective.
Course material
1.  Customised Textbook
Extracts from:
a.  Asking the Right Questions (7th ed) by
M. Neil Browne & Stuart M. Keeley
b.  Reading Rhetorically (2nd ed) by John
C. Bean, Virginia A. Chappell & Alice
M. Gillam
c.  A Meeting of Minds (2nd ed) by Pasty
Callaghan & Ann Dobyns

2.  Study Units in Canvas

§  2 chapters in each unit
§  4 topics in each chapter
§  Self-test quizzes (Self-learning aid)
Course material
3.  Other Online Material (L Group)
a.  Course schedule
b.  Course guide
c.  TMA booklet
d.  E-textbook
e.  Past model TMA
f.  Script marker comments Jan’17
g.  Past year exam papers
Course OVERVIEW
Study Unit 1: Writers Purpose & Reader’s Reasoning

Asking Questions in Reading

§  Understanding the Inquiry Process
§  Asking Good Questions
§  Examining Writer’s Purpose
§  Understanding Reader’s Reasoning

Inquiring about Reading

§  Analysing & Interpreting Content
§  Exploring Comparison & Contrast
§  Exploring Causal Relationships
§  Establishing Writer’s Credibility
Course OVERVIEW
Study Unit 2: Writing Strategically

Writing Strategically
§  Writing with Purpose in Context
§  Personal, Public & Academic Writing
§  Interdependence
§  Recognising Writing Stance

Learning to Write the Academic Argument

§  Taking a Position
§  Claim, Reason, Evidence & Assumption
§  Developing & Testing Thesis
§  Supporting Thesis with Evidence
Course OVERVIEW
Study Unit 3: Developing & Presenting a Clear Position

Planning, Drafting & Revising Inquiry Paper

§  Synthesizing Other Perspectives
§  Summarizing, Effective Paraphrasing & Direct Quoting
§  Avoiding Plagiarism
§  Academic Citation Conventions

Evaluation as Inquiry
§  Examining Evaluative Inquiry
§  Identifying Criteria for Evaluation
§  Analysing Evaluations & Drawing Conclusions
§  Developing Your Position
EXPECTED READINGS: WEEKS 1-3
Canvas Course Material
§  Study Unit 1, Chapter 1, Topics 1-4
§  Study Unit 1, Chapter 2, Topic 1-4
§  Study Unit 2, Chapter 1, Topic 1-4

COM103e Textbook
§  Chapter 1-4

Self-Quiz
§  Study Unit 1, Chapter 1
§  Study Unit 2, Chapter 1
assessments
Assignment
Percentage Due
Type

7th Feb, 2355hrs

TMA01 20%
(in canvas)
Overall
Continuous 28th Feb, 2355hrs
TMA02 20%
Assessments (in canvas)
(OCAS)
PCQ1: 25th Jan, 1900hrs
PCQ1 & PCQ2 5% each
PCQ2: 15th Feb, 1900hrs

Overall Examinable Refer to examination

50%
Component (OEC) timetable

To pass the module, you must obtain at least 40% in both OEC (exam)
and OCAS (TMAs and quizzes combined).
TMA01
•  Submit TMA01 via Turnitin by
7th Feb, 2355hrs

•  MyUniSIM automatic mark

reduction will apply once
deadline is exceeded

•  View the originality report

and resubmit if necessary

•  Turnitin can only overwrite

the last submission up to the
cut-off time
TMA01
Organisation, language & clarity
Citation & referencing 10%
in apa 10%

content

80%
TMA01
TMA01
Write a critique (800-1000 words) on the given article
incorporating the following:

a)  An introductory paragraph that identifies the writer s thesis

(using your own words as far as possible). This can consist of a
few short sentences, or a single all-encompassing sentence
that encapsulates the focus of the writer s work. You need to
state whether you agree or disagree with the writer s
viewpoint on the issue, and provide brief reasons for your
stand. (5 marks)

Your introductory paragraph should also contain a summary

of the writer s arguments. You should state these briefly,
enumerating them using signals such as firstly, secondly, etc.
(20 marks)
TMA01
Write a critique (800-1000 words) on the given article
incorporating the following:

b)  Your own assertions about the ideas and issues in the article,
supported by your own arguments and evidence drawn from
at least three external resources, which agree or disagree
with specific points in the reading. This incorporates and
synthesizes the views of others into your writing. Naturally, your
critique will be more robust if you cite more resources. Please
include ONE agreement point and THREE disagreement
points. You should recognise the author’s claim, reasons,
evidence and assumptions. (40 marks)
TMA01
Write a critique (800-1000 words) on the given article
incorporating the following:

c) A paragraph recognising the overall strengths and

weaknesses of the writer’s arguments. Please provide ONE
area of strength and ONE area of weakness in the main
article. You should also suggest how the author could make
her arguments more convincing. (10 marks)

d) A concluding paragraph that sums up your main points and

gives a sense of unity to the whole essay. Develop your
position and assertions pertaining to the key issues using
concession and refutation process. You should reiterate and
state briefly the author’s flaws, if any. (5 marks)
LESSON OBJECTIVES
1.  Appreciate the reasons for writing
2.  Understand the processes involved in academic writing
3.  Explain the reasons for discourse, critique and evaluation in
academic writing
4.  Understand the meaning of rhetoric in relation to
academic writing
5.  State and explain Aristotle’s Rhetoric Appeals
6.  Apply the academic inquiry process in the construction of
arguments and thesis statements
academic writing

Engaging in a
discourse
WHY DO WE WRITE?
Why do we write?

Engaging in a
PERSUADEdiscourse RAISE QUESTIONS

PRESENT NEW IDEAS INFORM

Any others?
 What is academic writing?

Engaging in a Evaluating the

discourse arguments
ACADEMIC
WRITING
•  Focuses on a
subject The voices of other
•  Addresses a general credible writers are
audience within the researched and
writer’s discipline documented
•  Answers a specific
question at issue
Critiquing
•  Contains a thesis arguments
that is the writer’s Involves careful
answer to the reasoning and relevant
question evidence
What is discourse?
The French Salon & The Enlightenment

Early 18th century

What is discourse?

Process of
Debate Depth Formal Faculty of putting forth
conversation discussion reasoning an argument

People Graphics PowerPoint Shapes

What is critique?

“review or analyse a piece of work critically”

“a critical assessment of the writer’s

reasoning”

“a critical examination of the effectiveness of the

writer’s argument”
What is evaluation?

“recording of strengths and weakness”

“posing questions and gathering the information to

answer those questions”

“an examination of the writer’s arguments against the

accepted social norms and conventions of society”

Rule of COM103e: It’s NOT about looking for truths. It’s ALL
about evaluating the argument.
Essential Question: How do I conduct good critique and evaluation?
 What is rhetoric?

The art of inquiring about a question at issue and, in

addition, planning and presenting a good answer to another
person who also cares enough in dialogue about the issue.
The rhetorical triangle

Subject

Context Context

Purpose: To get
your reader to
see your subject
Writer or the way you do: Reader or
speaker to meet other listener
minds

Context
ARISTOTLE’S 3 RHETORICAL APPEALS
ARISTOTLE’S 3 RHETORICAL APPEALS
PERSUASIVE POWER OF AUTHOR’S…
 ethos
Persuasive power of author's credibility or character.
Texts that display strong ethos contain:
 logos
Persuasive power of author's reasons, evidence and logic.
Texts that display strong logos contain:
 pathos
Persuasive power of author's appeal to interests, emotions
and imagination of audiences.
Texts that display strong pathos contain:
THE ACADEMIC INQUIRY
THE ACADEMIC INQUIRY
THE ACADEMIC INQUIRY
THE ACADEMIC INQUIRY
THE ACADEMIC INQUIRY
THE ACADEMIC INQUIRY
 academic writing: THE HEART OF COM103E

Even though the given text might be have evidence of personal

(expressive, casual) or public writing (explicit, authoritative), your
critique and evaluation must show the traits of academic writing.
THE ARGUMENT STRUCTURE
THE ARGUMENT STRUCTURE

As people become more reliant the ability of humans to think for

on technology to solve problems, themselves will surely deteriorate.
THE ARGUMENT STRUCTURE

PRACTICE
SAMPLE TEXT
(1) Is the cost of hospital care outrageous? (2) A recent
survey by the American Association of Retired Persons
offers reliable evidence on this issue. (3) Independent
audits of the bills of 2,000 participants found that
hospitals overcharge their patients by an average of 15
percent. (4) In addition, exit interviews with 400 patients
revealed high amounts of dismay and anger when the
patients were informed about the size of their total
hospital bill. (5) In short, the costs of hospital care are
1 much too high. Identify the conclusion, then ask “Why”? 2
THE ARGUMENT STRUCTURE
PRACTICE
SAMPLE TEXT

(1) Euthanasia is detrimental to the welfare of

the society because it destroys your ideas of
sacrifice, loyalty, and courage in bearing
pain. (2) Some dying persons accept their
suffering as a way of paying for their sins.
(3) These people should be permitted to die
as they wish—without help from any other

1 2
person in speeding up the dying process.
THE ARGUMENT STRUCTURE
ASSERTION /
The accused are not guilty
CONCLUSION

because

they did not commit the crime. REASON

Assumption: Someone who did not commit the act is

not guilty.
THE ARGUMENT STRUCTURE
will judge me according ASSERTION /
You
to the grammar I use CONCLUSION

because

you are an English teacher. REASON

Assumption:
 THE ARGUMENT STRUCTURE
The ability of to think for themselves ASSERTION /
human beings will surely deteriorate CONCLUSION

because

people become more reliant on

REASON
technology to solve problems.
Assumption:
THE CONCESSION-REFUTATION STRUCTURE
Concede: Admit that the other person is
right about something.

Refute: Prove that you someone is wrong about

something, and that you are right.
•  Take account of opposing viewpoints.
Arguments always have more than one side.

•  Anticipate objections. Considering the opposing

viewpoints can defuse opposition from the start.
THE CONCESSION-REFUTATION STRUCTURE
Linking phrase to Using your best argument
Concession state refutation to refute immediately

Students feel that homework is an unnecessary strain

on their limited time. While it’s true that some teachers
assign too much homework, we must remember the
wisdom in the saying “practice makes perfect”. It is
essential that the information we learn is repeated to fully
become useful knowledge.

Strengthening refutation
THE CONCESSION-REFUTATION STRUCTURE

Although this is a valid approach, it involves many

uncertainties when using the data to estimate
effects on humans. Animals are exposed to high
doses and are observed for overt signs of toxicity,
which provides little information about biological
changes leading to such effects. Furthermore,
animal testing is expensive and time consuming.
THE CONCESSION-REFUTATION STRUCTURE

Although this is a valid approach, it involves many

uncertainties when using the data to estimate
effects on humans. Animals are exposed to high
doses and are observed for overt signs of toxicity,
which provides little information about biological
changes leading to such effects. Furthermore,
animal testing is expensive and time consuming.
THE CONCESSION-REFUTATION STRUCTURE
While it is true that many people simply can't
afford to pay more for food, either in money or
time or both, many more of us can. After all,
just in the last decade or two we've somehow
found the time in the day to spend several
hours on the internet and the money in the
budget not only to pay for broadband service,
but to cover a second phone bill and a new
monthly bill for television, formerly free. For the
majority of Americans, spending more for
better food is less a matter of ability than
priority.
HOW WOULD YOU refute?
WHAT IS FALLACY?

A fallacy
is an argument which
provides poor reasoning in
support of its conclusion.
Wherein lies the FALLACY?

Cutting people is a crime.

Surgeons cut people.
Therefore, surgeons are
criminals.
IDENTIFY THE FALLACY
THE THESIS STATEMENT

A thesis statement presents

your position to the question
of issue. It is also known as
the answer to the question
that you are exploring.
 THE THESIS STATEMENT

conclusion REASONS
High school graduates should be required to in order to increase their maturity and
take a year off to pursue community service
global awareness.
projects before entering college
HOW WOULD YOU REFUTE?
-g r o u p d i s c u s s i o n -

Construct a thesis statement to

refute the stance of the
author.

Adopt the structure of a thesis

statement that you have just
learnt.

Compile your answers on

Google slides, and send them
to tongjee.goh@gmail.com.
*Remember to allow access to your slides. .