Today in class students sat in groups and reviewed the homework assigned from Chapter 3. It took up most of the class session. Homework was to finish reading the chapter and to reflect on what you know now that you've completed this section on argument. What are you thoughts on putting arguments in standard form? What about Occam's Razor and the idea of simplicity re: rational thought processes?
There are two articles in the latter part of Chapter 3; make certain you read them well, as the freewrite might be a response to the Writing Assignment associated with the reading.
Post your response to the query about how Chapter 3 expands your grasp of critical thinking and argumentation. In the Lit Circles tomorrow, students will look at the arguments Wise makes that you submitted this week for homework.
We're trying to get to the chapter on definition, as this is the type of essay I want students to write for the first essay due in a few weeks. Some of the assignments I returned were not proofread.
Please make sure the writing is your best work, that is, no sentence fragments, SV Agreement errors, pronoun agreement or pronoun case errors, comma splices, run on sentences, parallel structure errors, misspelled words, wrong words, be-verb overuse, esp. passive voice. If student essays are full of errors, the wayward writer will have to write a correction essay and correct the essay too. Use the academic labs for help and your electronic assistant present in MS Word--spell check and grammar check (for suggestions). Do not let the computer have its way with your writing unsupervised. It is not that smart.
We are almost finished with Wise. We will also look at signal phrases and block quotes and how Wise supports his claims with evidence. I will show students a video on Argumentation next week, Monday. It has good information. There will be a cyber- assignment attached to it.
For extra credit students can bring in arguments: multimedia, visual and also written. If you have any of your arguments electronically (from chapter 2 or that you share), I can post them.
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Andrea Giang
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
23 February 2011
I thought that Chapter 3 in Writing Logically, Thinking Critically allowed me to learn more about arguments. I thought that the different exercises pertaining to identifying inferences, judgments, assumptions, and standard forms for arguments were very helpful practices. While reading White Like Me, I sometimes had trouble identifying assumptions and I thought that this chapter helped clarify that a little. I felt that learning to break down an argument into standard form allowed me to see the premises that led up to the conclusion. It made it easier for me to see how the conclusion was reached by following the premises step by step.
I understood that an essay cannot consist of just one type of premise. For instance, an article with only facts would make the reader wonder what the author’s point is. An article with only inferences makes readers wonder where the author is getting his information from. There needs to be a balance of inferences, judgments, and facts. All these things together give the readers premises that help lead them to the conclusion, which would make the argument interesting and worth reading.
Critical thinking has to do with analyzing what you are reading and making your own conclusion based on the information that you are given. By identifying inferences, judgments, assumptions, and arguments, I felt that I was looking at the book I’m reading in a different way. I can see where the evidence Wise provides for what he says. I can see how he leads up to his conclusion and figure out for myself what I think about that.
Occam’s Razor is the principle that states that the simplest explanation is the best answer. However, I believe that that is not always the case. I feel that sometimes the simplest answer might just be what you see on the surface, that there might be some other underlying reason for what was done. Occam’s Razor might be a good principle at times, but I do think that it might just be the superficial surface sometimes, that there is more to the story than what is there. Another principle that is closely related to this one is benefit of the doubt. This is where the most reasonable is the best answer. In this case, I think that it makes sense to believe what is reasonable.
In general, I felt that this chapter in the book helped me understand how to break down an argument into its basic parts and figure out what the facts are, what the author’s own conclusions are, and how the author managed to reach his conclusions. By learning how to put an argument into its standard form, I can see how the ideas lead up to the conclusion.
Sandahl von Sydow
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
February 24, 2011
Arguments are a wonderful tool in communication. It allows people to have dynamic discussions about the world around them without coming to physical blows. The skill is in how well one can convey their reasoning.
Writing arguments into standard form is an excellent way of learning how to understand the argument. Breaking down the arguments into its basic components allows one to clearly see the argument for what it is. It is very handy when there may be hidden premises or conclusions among the sentences in the argument.
Occam's Razor is a term used in regarding arguments. It means that the simplest explanation is often the best. I find this to be over simplifying in a lot of cases. Some arguments have a simple reason. However, some do not, as was in an argument discussed during class with my group.
“The Western industrialized nations will resolve the energy crisis if they mobilize all the technological resources at their disposal. If financial incentives are sufficiently high, then the mobilization of resources will occur. The skyrocketing cost of energy-as a result of increased oil prices-has produced just such sufficiently high financial incentives. The conclusion is clear.” (Writing Logically Thinking Critically page 66)
The argument above would like you to think that there is a simple conclusion, but there are many variables to consider in this argument. One may find that a conclusion is not so simple. I feel in this argument, Occam's Razor would be effective.
Both Andrea and Sandahl give excellent critiques and comments on WLTC Chapter 3. The two agree on Occam's Razor, that the simplist conclusion is not always the the most valid or complete. When I read about Occam's Razor, what I took it to mean is that one shouldn't make one's argument complex when it need not be. This does not mean that one looks for simple answers to complex issues, although that certainly is a valid reading of the claim.
ReplyDeleteDarin Lago
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
February 24, 2011
Homework: Chapter 3 Questions
Putting arguments in standard form helps me better understand the argument. As stated in the book, it’s like a simple outline to find out the conclusion and the premises that support the conclusion. It also makes it easier to write a summary on the argument. I was able to identify and define arguments more easily while reading “White Like Me” by Tim Wise.
Occams razor is a way of finding the solution in the simplest form or “…the simplest line of reasoning is usually the best.” I do and do not agree with this statement as it can be good and not good for certain arguments or solutions. For a math problem, a news headline, a diagnosis in medicine, etc, it’s perfect because it’s the simplest form or answer needed. However, arguments cannot always be put into simple form as it requires more influence or reasoning for backing up a conclusion.
This whole chapter has helped increase my ability to layout an argument and given me a better understanding of how to write an argumentative essay. I know how to find the conclusion, the reason for the conclusion, find hidden assumptions, and properly put articles into summary form.
Frena Zamudio
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
27 February 2011
Chapter 3 in this book, Writing Logically, Thinking Critically taught me how to identify inferences, judgments, assumptions and facts. Also, I learned that breaking down an argument into standard form is very helpful, because I get to see the premises that led up to the conclusion. Premises backed up my conclusion step by step. The book White Like Me has multiple arguments, facts etc. It is actually fun breaking an argument down, it makes more sense why the conclusion is the conclusion and not one of the premises. Now I can see where Wise got his conclusions from, based from his evidence/premises which include facts and judgments.
Occam Razor’s principle is that the simplest explanation is the best answer. I think it depends on the situation, sometimes it is the best way to go, when the argument is not that big of a thing, but if its something serious, long and important, then a lot, complete explanation is needed, also a lot of studying about the certain case/problem in order to make a good, liable conclusion. I think it is better for us to see what the story behind an argument rather than just knowing what is written, It will most likely make us better writers in the future.
This chapter helped me understand what consists of an argumentative essay, now I know how to write a conclusion based on premises, and how to find them in an argument. By knowing how to put a sentence into its standard form, I now know how conclusions are based on the premises/facts given.
Paris Middleton
ReplyDeleteProfessor Sabir
English 5
27 February 2011
Chapter 3 in Writing Logically helps me to fully understand the writing. Thinking critically allowed me to learn more about arguments. The different exercises pertaining to identifying inferences, judgments, assumptions, and standard forms for arguments were very helpful practices. “White Like Me” can sometimes be hard to read but these exercises help me identify assumptions on top of arguments etc.
Critical thinking is an important part in writing an essay and cannot just consist of just one type of premise. You will have to explain the argument you can’t just think that the person reading your argument is just going to get your point. That’s where you should enter your judgments, assumptions so that the essays balance their self out. These practices give writers a strong essay.
Critical thinking has to do with analyzing what you are reading and making your own conclusion based on the information that you are given. This made me think of the book different I started to skim through information looking for judgments and assumptions. It helped me understand what he is trying to conclude.