ARGUING IS GOOD

A LESSON IN ARGUING WELL

 FIRST RULE OF GOOD ARGUMENTS
According to the book They Say, I Say by Gerald
Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, To argue well, you
need to do more than assert your own position. You
need to enter into a conversation, using what others
say as a launching pad or sounding board for your
own views.

Discuss with your table what this quote means.

Focus on words like "assert" and "conversation"
IN OTHER WORDS, THE AUTHORS OF
THEY SAY, I SAYMEAN...
the best academic writing is deeply engaged with other
people's views

"To make an impact as a writer, you need to do more

than make statements that are logical, well supported,
and consistent. You must also find a way of entering a
conversation with others views with something they
say."
FOR EXAMPLE...

You can use the technique, summarize then respond

Deborah King argues that celebrities have both
positive and negativeimpacts on us. I agree because
celebrities can both use their fame to help people
and use their influence to demoralize people.
 YOUR TURN
Watch this video
Summarize the MAIN IDEA inferred in this video
Respond in your notes with this summarize-respond template:
The Youtube video "Politically-Challenged: Texas Tech Edition" by
PoliTech argues_______.I agree/disagree because________.
Or use:I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I
agree that_______. On the other hand, I still insist
that_______________.
RULE 1: THE BEST ARGUMENTATIVE
WRITING IS ENGAGED WITH PEOPLE'S
VIEWS
RULE 2: The best argumentative writing starts with
good research
Researching good articles, books, and videos come
with practice.
1. Look for the main ideas
2. Look for DETAILSsupporting the main ideas
FINDING MAIN IDEAS

Look for DETAILS that support a claim

Claim=main idea (point, opinion)
Details=examples, statistics, explanations
 RULE 2: RESEARCH EXAMPLE
King states in paragraph 2,
"I use celebrities as examples because they act as good reflections for
us.(1)When Larry King has a heart attack and tells his audience
how it prompted him to stop smoking, he inspires. (2)Same for
Michael J. Fox for Parkinsons and Montel Williams for MS.
(3)When Teri Hatcher reveals that her uncle abused her, it
makes it easier for us to admit that it happened to us as well.
(4)When Britney Spears is brought to the hospital and
evaluated for bipolar disorder, we feel differently about our own
depression. (5)When another politician is caught having an
affair with someone and tries to squirm out of it, we see our
own reluctance to reveal our own secrets. So the impact of
celebrities can be positive as well as negative."
 RESEARCH EXAMPLE 2
(Paragraph 6)Why are we obsessed with celebrities? Some
believe we are obsessed with celebrities because we need
to have an escape from the humdrum of everyday life. This
makes sense in a bizarre sort of way. For instance, if you
are not centered and balanced energetically, and you dont
feel so good about who you are, you are much more likely
to follow your favorite celebrity and wish that you could be
them. Others theorize that we mentally stalk celebrities
because we are waiting for them to fail. Much like the
Roman spectators waited for the gladiator to lose his
battle and die, we too are waiting for celebrities to flame
out and reach some sort of a bottom that makes them
seem a little more human and more like us.
YOUR TURN

Find the main idea under the subheading "Fast Reporting, or

Bad Celebrities?"
Describe with your partner how you got the main idea by
finding the details in the section
OUR RULES SO FAR

RULE 1: THE BEST ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING IS ENGAGED

WITH PEOPLE'S VIEWS
RULE 2: THE BEST ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING STARTS WITH
GOOD RESEARCH
RULE 3: KNOW HOW TO FORMAT YOUR ARGUMENT USING
RULES 1 & 2
RULE 3: IT'S OK TO START WITH A
TEMPLATE
In recent discussions of ____________, a controversial issue has
been ________. On one hand, some argue that ___________. From
this perspective, ____________. On the other hand, others argue
that__________. In other words of __________, ___________.
According to this view, ____. In conclusion, the issue is whether
___________ or __________.

My own view is that _____. Though some would say that_____, I

still disagree that______. For example, _______. Although some
might object that____, I would reply that______. The issue is
important because______.
In recent discussions of how celebrities impact us, a controversial issue has
been whether or not they impact us positively. On one hand, some argue that
celebrities impact us negatively. From this perspective, celebrities promote
unhealthy beauty standards and risky behavior. On the other hand, others
argue thatcelebrities impact us positively. In other words of Deborah King,
"...there are some celebrities who use their fame to bring about change and
are good celebrity role models." In other words, celebrities use their fame to
raise awareness of important causes. In conclusion, the issue is whether
celebrities are negative or positive forces in our lives.

My own view is that celebrities are negative influencers. Though some would
say that celebrities are good role models, I still disagree that they are. For
example, Brittney Spears has been jailed and arrested for substance abuse.
Although some might object that she suffers from mental illness like Bipolar
disorder, I would reply that mental illnesses are not excuses for bad behavior.
The issue is important becausepeople need to find role models somewhere
else like in a teacher or parent.
YOUR TURN

Use the template in the previous slides to create your own

stance on the issue: in your opinion, how do celebrities
impact us?
You may copy the summarize section, but you must fill in the
response section with your own words.
RULE 4: REVISE AND EDIT YOUR
ARGUMENT
Switch the activity from Rule 3 with your partner and evaluate each other's arguments using this criteria:

1. Do they clearly express their main point (opinion) about the

issue?Circle their main idea.
2. Do their details clearly support their main idea? Highlight their details.
3. Do the sentences and ideas make sense? Underline sentences/ideas
that are confusing.
4. Do you see any problems with grammar, punctuation, or spelling? If
so, put an asterisk(*) near any mistakes.
RULE 5: PUBLISH

Review your work, then publish it. This means making your
final draft.
Once you finish writing your final draft, turn it into the tray.
 RULE 1: ENTER INTO A CONVERSATION
RULE 2: RESEARCH
RULE 3: FORMAT YOUR ARGUMENT
RULE 4: REVISE AND EDIT
RULE 5: PUBLISH