Organizing and Presenting an Extended Argument

Here's a link to the handout on organizing and presenting an extended argument.

Presentations handout

This is a link to the evaluation form I'll be using for your project; you might use it to help you organize your project and make sure you're confidant that you're doing a great job in every category:

Evaluation Form - Group Project

Be sure that you're all in contact with one another regularly outside of class. You can use your Yahoo groups and your group thread on the course blog to exchange ideas as you work on your project, and you can reserve study rooms in the Library to get together.

You'll need at least one extended group meeting outside of class to run through the actual presentation and make sure that it fits into your time limit (22 minutes per group) and to give feedback to one another about presentation style (are you mumbling, speaking too quickly, talking to your notes). If you can enlist a friend or the members of another group to give you feedback about the clarity of the argument, that's extra helpful.

Image (c) Siamackz under Creative Commons attribution/share alike license

Term Paper Part 3: Final Essay

Here's a link to the assignment for Part 3 of your term paper - the final draft of the essay.

Term Paper Part 3

Part 3 is due on Tuesday, May 17. Late papers will not be accepted unless you contact me before the due date to arrange for an extension.

Get in touch with me if you need help! The argument map should be a very big help in terms of organizing your thoughts, but if you're unclear about something or need help working through a problem or sorting through your ideas, send me an email or drop by my office hours.

Good luck; have fun!

Photo (c) Tulane University Public Relations under Creative Commons generic attribution license

Preparing Your Group Presentation

Here's a link to the general outline on preparing your presentation.

Preparing Your Presentation

You'll need more time that what we have available in class, so be sure to make good use of the blog threads and your Yahoo groups. You can also reserve study rooms in the Library - they go fast at the end of the semester, so start your planning now.

Let me know if you have any questions while you're working on it. Good luck, have fun!

Argument Maps Part 1

We'll be using Cartargrapher, a web-based argument mapping program, to do part 2 of our term papers. You'll need a google account to sign in; if you don't have a google account, scroll down for a video about how to get one.

Here's a link to the mapping program.

Watch the videos below for a short introduction about how to use the program. It's quite easy and straightforward. Let me know if you have questions as you're working on your maps.

Argument Maps Part 2

Argument Maps Part 3

How to Get a Google Account

Your argument map, Cartargrapher, uses a Google sign-in to safely store your argument maps; that way you can access and work on your map from any computer with an internet connection. You can begin a map in the library at school, then go home and continue to work on the map.

If you already have a Google account, great - you can get started right away and skip this video. If you don't, watch the video below to learn how to get a free Google account. It's very easy, and has some other features that are helpful.

Homework for Thursday 3/31

Here are links to the reading and homework assignments for this Thursday.

Reading: Case 6

Homework assignment

Let me know if you have any questions. Good luck!

Term Paper Part 1: Research

Here's a link to your first term paper assignment: Term Paper Part 1

Contact me right away with any questions, and don't forget to spend at least one hour researching outside of class for every hour we work on the project in class (that means you'll spend at least 4.5 hours of homework time on initial research).

Ask the librarians for help! They can suggest databases or other sources where you're likely to find helpful information; alternative key words to try in your searches; specialized encyclopedias that will give you a beginning and introduce concepts to follow up with; or books that will give you a good foundation (the bibliography in a good book on your subject is a great way to find further sources).

If you're having trouble finding helpful information, don't give up! Get in touch with me for help right away.

Homework: Case 4

Assignment #1: Your sub-topic

Join the Yahoo group on your group topic. Discuss your sub-questions over the next few days, so that everyone is clear about what all the sub-topics are, and who will take which sub-topic for his/her term paper assignment.

Type up a short paragraph answering the following 3 questions:

1. What is your sub-topic?
2. What is the group topic?
3. How will your sub-topic help the group to answer it’s main question (topic)?

Assignment #2: Case 4

Read Case 4, linked below.

Case 4: BOZ Will be BOZ

Type your answers:

1. Identify all the major claims made in the case. Don’t confuse claims with sentences – just capture the major claims made about the argument that’s taking place.
2. For each claim, identify which kind of claim it is.

Term Paper Part 3

Philosophy 130 Fall 2010

Term Paper Part 3: Final Draft

*Note: the term paper due date has been extended to Tuesday, December 7.*

Your term paper will have three main sections: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

Introduction

The introduction will be fairly short, and will have 3 parts:

1. “Motivating the question”: give just a very brief background about what makes your question interesting and difficult (in other words, explain why it’s an important question to address).
2. Say what conclusion you’ll argue for in your paper. Philosophy papers are different from English papers this way – you’ll repeat your conclusion at the end, but you also start off by saying what you’ll be arguing for. (“In this paper, I’ll argue that we should do away with capital punishment.”)
3. Give a very brief outline of the main reasons you have for your conclusion. (“Because it fails to act as a deterrent to crime; research shows that its application is strongly biased against the poor and racial minorities; it devalues human life; and any method of application will constitute cruel and unusual punishment.”)

Body

The body of the paper will constitute most of the length of the paper. It should have 3 or 4 (possibly more, depending on how many main premises you have) main part. Each of the main reasons you have for your conclusion will be a main part of the body of the paper. Like this:

Premise 1

1. Explain your first premise (“Capital punishment does not act as a deterrent to murder”)
2. Give all the evidence and arguments you have to support your premise (show us why we should believe that your premise is true)
3. Say what someone might argue against you – give the best possible arguments against your premise
4. Show why those arguments against you are either wrong, or are outweighed by more important factors

Premise 2

1. Repeat steps a through d above for each subsequent premise.

Conclusion

The conclusion will be fairly short. Just remind the reader of what you argued for, and what your major premises were. The conclusion is just restating the shape of your general argument, because you’ll have gotten into so much detail in the body of the paper. You should not include any new arguments in the conclusion. If you have a point to make, make it in the body of the paper and defend it.

Citations

You should cite your sources in both of two ways in your paper. Use MLA style.

1. Parenthetical citations: whenever you’ve used someone else’s words or ideas in the body of your paper, those words, or that idea, should be immediately followed by a parenthesis with the author’s name and the page or paragraph number from where you got the information.
2. Works Cited page: include all the required bibliographical information for each source on a separate page at the end of your paper.

General Instructions

• Your paper should be typed, double-spaced, and around 8 pages long.
• Cite all of your sources properly, using both parenthetical citations and a Works Cited page
• Number every page after page 1
• Include your name, the name of the class and the section number, and the date
• Do not use a cover sheet
• Late papers will not be accepted unless you have contacted me prior to the due date to arrange for an extension

Here's a link to a PDF of the assignment: Term Paper Part 3

Presenting an Extended Argument

Organizing and Presenting an Extended Argument

In addition to the quality of the content of your argument, you have three main goals for your presentation:

• Clarity
• Depth
• Maintaining interest

Clarity

By the time you present your group project to the class, you’ll be very familiar with all of the issues and questions raised by your topic, and familiar with the arguments. Don’t forget that many people in the class will have only a glancing familiarity with the topic, though – you have to make sure that you present the material clearly so that they can follow your arguments.

1. Determine your main arguments – these will form the basic outline of your presentation. For example, a group that was arguing about capital punishment might decide, after an extended discussion, on the following basic outline:

a. Thesis: Capital punishment is ethically indefensible, for the following reasons

b. Premise 1: capital punishment devalues human life

c. Premise 2: evidence shows that capital punishment does not deter crime

d. Premise 3: evidence shows that the application of capital punishment is strongly biased against racial minorities and the poor, and

e. Premise 4: any available method of killing the convicted person would constitute cruel and unusual punishment, violating the 8^th amendment to the U.S. Constitution

2. Use this outline frequently in your presentation. At the beginning of your presentation to the class, after a brief introduction to the issue in general, tell the class clearly: what thesis you’ll be arguing for, and the three or four main arguments you’ll make to support that thesis (“Today, we’ll be arguing that capital punishment is ethically indefensible, for these four reasons etc.”). Then, in the same order you just presented those main arguments to the class, go through each of your three or four main arguments and support them with argument and evidence (“First, we’ll show you why the use of capital punishment devalues human life: argument argument argument” “Furthermore, contrary to the assertions of those who support capital punishment, capital punishment does not deter any crime: argument argument statistics argument.” Etc.).

3. Back this outline up with visual aids. You MAY NOT use a computer-based slide presentation program like PowerPoint or Keynote. Use one or more of the following: posters, the blackboard, or transparencies. Your goal is to lay out your thesis and three or four main arguments visually for the class so that they can continue to refer back to it briefly during your talk. You’ll be going into each of the main arguments in depth, and it will be all too easy for the audience to get lost in the details of the presentation, and forget how those details fit into the argument as a whole. By making posters or some other visual aid (they have to be large enough for the class to read) with a basic summary of the main arguments (see number 1 above) that the class can continue to refer to throughout your talk, you make it a lot easier for them to follow.

Depth

You want to present a really persuasive and sophisticated argument on this topic. That means you should include as much of your evidence as is feasible in your presentation. Show the class in detail why you think your conclusions are right by including the argument and evidence you have to support those conclusions.

Be sure to include considerations of the strongest possible opposing arguments. Be very clear when you’re considering an opponent’s argument and when you’re rebutting that argument (for example, be sure to introduce each opposing argument with something like “an opponent might argue…,” “someone might argue against us that…,” “you might object that…,” etc.). Then introduce your rebuttal by saying something like “this argument fails, however, because…,” “this is mistaken because…,” etc.

Don’t forget to give your rebuttal (show why your opponent is wrong and you’re right)!

Holding Audience Attention

You’ll be presenting a detailed, extended argument with lots of pieces that fit together. Going through three to four sub-arguments in detail, considering opposing arguments, and rebutting opposing arguments takes longer than you think – typically, these presentations actually last for about 40 minutes each.

In order to hold your audience’s attention, think about breaking up the style of your presentation a bit. You might intersperse straight lecture-style presentation with some back-and-forth argument between group members, take a couple of questions from the class at the end of every segment, or present each sub-argument in a slightly different style.

Preparing for the Presentation

You’ll only have 40 minutes total for your presentation, so be sure to be on time and ready to begin!

As part of your group’s preparations, prepare your ideal presentation in advance, and then get together to practice running through the presentation. Don’t forget that you’ll need time to set up visual aids, get the group together, arrange desks if necessary, and set up the room. See if your practice run-through fits into 40 minutes or less. If it goes over, think about what can be cut out while still retaining the strength of your argument.

Work as a group in developing and organizing the entire presentation – don’t parcel out sections of the presentation to individual group members! This should be a seamless whole, and you should all be aware of everything that’s going to be presented.

Presentation Style

Your group may choose any style in which to present your arguments. The only criteria are: (1) everyone must have participated in the development of the arguments and the development of the presentation; (2) your presentation must cover all of the necessary ground to substantiate the argument, in a fair amount of depth. Don’t choose a slick and entertaining style of presenting unless you can do so without any sacrifice of content.

Here's a link to the PDF of this document: Organizing and Presenting an Extended Argument

Example Posters

			Because: it devalues human life,		It does not deter crime (i.e., fails to accomplish its stated purpose)
	Capital Punishment is ethically indefensible:

	Its application is biased against minorities and the poor, and		It violates the 8th amendment (it constitutes cruel and unusual punishment).

Forum: Background Assumptions and Bias

Think about your sub-topic for your term paper. Then spend AT LEAST 10 full minutes brainstorming about what background assumptions, knowledge, principles, preferences, and ideas might influence the way you perceive arguments about your sub-topic.

Post your answers in comments. Don't forget to include an explanation of your sub-topic.

Photo of Rodin's Le Penseur (c) 2005 by Piero d under Creative Commons Attribution license
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Rodin_le_penseur.JPG

Example Argument Map

Arguments are an excellent tool for critical thinking. In arguments, we first research facts and reasons on all sides of an issue, then evaluate the information we've gathered to determine what is the best position on the issue. Finally, we organize our thinking systematically to persuade others.

Argument maps provide a way to organize and visualize all of the complex pieces of a good argument. Here is an example of an argument map I made about an issue that's often a popular essay topic for students.

This week, you'll begin to use argument maps to learn how to put together your arguments. Above is a brief example of an argument map I made (using a different program, so it looks slightly different from yours), to give you an example of what a good map would look like. Click on the map to get a full-sized version that you can examine.

Forum Assignment: Argument Maps

Work on your argument map for a few hours. After you've worked for some time, think about what major question or questions you're running into. It can be a question about your argument itself (you suddenly realized you didn't understand part of your argument until you tried to put it down systematically); how the program works; how to arrange claims (how the claims fit together to form an argument); whatever questions you've run into, and you can't figure out for yourself after puzzling over it for a while. Put your questions below in comments.

Term Paper 2: Argument Map

Here's a link to the argument map site: Cartargrapher

Once you've logged in to Google, just go to "my maps" in the upper left corner to see a list of the different maps you've worked on.

Play around with it, to give yourself a sense of which arguments are best supported!

Homework for Thursday

To review, here's your homework for Thursday:

Read Case 6 in Critical Thinking: A Campus Life Casebook

Write down all the reasoning that supports the conclusion "A reasonable person would understand that the cartoon was intended ironically, and was meant to question and mock stereotypes."

Write down all the reasoning that supports the conclusion "A reasonable person would understand the cartoon as supporting stereotypes."

Type your answers.

First Term Paper

Here's a link to your first term paper assignment: Term Paper One - Research

Get started right away so that I can help you if you run into difficulties while you're working on your paper. Remember that your group depends on you being prepared for discussions!

Your first term paper is due Thursday, October 7. Contact me right away if you're having trouble with anything.

Photo (c) DanTadd under Creative Commons attribution/generic license

Group Project

Group Project Questions under Consideration

Choose your top 3 questions, and number them from 1 to 3; 1 being the question you're most interested in working on. Bring in your list for Thursday.

1. How can we best address environmental sustainability?

2. Should families on government assistance be drug tested?

3. Should a woman be able to undergo multiple in vitro fertilization efforts after she's had a successful pregnancy?

4. Is globalization a positive or negative occurrence?

5. Were the bombings of Japan during WWII ethically justified?

6. Should marijuana be legalized?

7. Are the Obama Admin. economic policies the best response to the current economic situation?

8. Should college athletes be paid a salary?

9. What are the best approaches to reducing rates of child abuse?

10. Should Don't Ask Don't Tell be repealed?

11. What should the U.S. response be to Iran's nuclear ambitions?

12. Should euthanasia be allowed for the terminally ill?

13. Should the K-12 school day/school year be lengthened?

14. How does affirmative action affect university campuses?

15. Should the age limit for driving be changed?

16. Should a same sex couple be allowed to adopt children?

17. Should we pass a "sin tax" on alcohol?

18. Do children have rights to bodily integrity against their own parents?