Dr. Overman
Fall 2015
ProgressionIII:Argumentative Essay
Arguingthrough Texts
In Progression I, weexplored the ways in which ourliteracyis influenced byfamily, culture, and education. We also discussed how varying visions anddefinitions ofliteracycan involve both harmony and conflict.In Progression II, westudied theconnections between language andidentity aswe examined howsocialand culturalfactorsinfluencecommunicative acts.In Progression III,we’llbuilduponthese topicsas we analyzeGBTran’sVIETNAMERICA inits largercontext.
This progression’sessay requirementasks you tomakecontributions toon-goingconversationsabout topics,ideas, and questionsthat remain mattersfor investigation ordebate. In theessayitselfyou will evaluate the themes inTran’s text and putforth an argument in lightofthesequestions:
- Whydoesthisconversationmatter?Whocaresaboutit? Doesitaddressa topicworth considering?
- Whatare some ofthe differentpositionsthataddress this conversation?
- Whatis yourown responseto these viewpoints?
- Whatis yourcontributionto theconversation? Is yourcontributionanidea worthconsidering?
For Essay III(Argumentative Essay), you shouldexplorethese questionsto helpdeepen yourown– and
your reader’s– understandingof thelarger implicationsofGBTran’s graphic memoir.
EXERCISE3.1: CollaborativeArgumentative Proposal
Thepurposeofthis exercise isto enable you to planthe argumentyou willmake in Essay III. Since your audiencewillbean academic one, you should createanacademic structureforpresenting yourclaims and yourevidence.
Task: In groups offour,readourwritingtaskforEssay III. Next, collaborativelychooseanoverall topic/conceptforyourpaperandstate yourgroup’sposition onitsofar.Afteryou’ve brainstormed a generaldirection,completethefollowing:
1. Whatquestion do you planto investigate inthis paper?
2. Whatmakes this questionworth pursuing?
3. Howcan you make your readers concerned aboutyour topic?
4. Whoseminds are you tryingto change aboutwhatandwhy?
5. Whatkind ofsupportand evidence willbepersuasive to them?
6. Whatvaluesorinterests do you share withreaders?
7. Whatdifferencesin opinion orvalues mightyou needto tryto overcome?
8. Whatkind ofexpertwouldbe able to provide strong, researched answersorthecurrent, most effective thinkingabout finding answers?
9. Where do you expect tofind particularlystronginformation aboutthe matter?
10.Whatindividuals orinterestgroups have amajorstakein answering yourquestionin a particular way?
11.Whatkinds ofbiasdo you needto beespeciallyalertforonthis particularquestion?
12.Finally,jotdown some wordsorphrasesthatyou mightuseto begin searching.
Requirements:Yourgroup’sargumentativeproposalshouldincludecompletedanswers tothe above questions(two double-spaced orhandwrittenpages). Each group membershould submitan individual copyof the group’sproposal.
Due:see weekly schedule
EXERCISE 3.2:
The “AnnotatedBibliography” Article Analysis
In oursecond exercise, you’lldevelop researchstrategiesbyfocusingon the claimsofotherscholarsin theformofanannotated bibliography. Thepurposeofthe genre ofan annotated bibliographyis to inform thereaderofthe relevance,accuracy, and qualityofthesourcescited.
Task: Composeanannotated bibliography withatleastone(1)sourceyou mightconsidercitingin the
contextofyourgroup’s collaborative argumentative proposal. Yourannotation shouldinclude:
CITATION: a complete MLAcitationforeach workincluded.
DESCRIPTION: a few sentencessummarizingthe author’s main point.
EVALUATION: a statementaboutthetype ofsource(e.g., a scholarlyresearch article, an editorialfroma professionalmagazine, afeature newspaperarticle,a chapterfroma popular book, a U.S. governmentwebsite)anda short evaluation oftheauthorityofthe authorto write aboutthetopic,qualityofthe source,objectivity, etc.
ANALYSIS: a briefanalysis of the text’s primarythesis, argument, or focus.
YOUR NOTES: yourownthoughts on whythisisrelevant foryouin the contextofyour research paper,and how you willuse thissource.
Requirements: Yourannotated bibliographyshouldbe inMLA format. (Pleasebringtoclassonthe duedatein additionto submittingtoMoodle prior toclass).
Due:see weekly schedule
EXERCISE3.3:
The “WorksCited”Dialogue
Thepurposeofthis exercise istoremind you thatyou areformingan argumentwithinthecontextofan ongoingconversation abouta given topic.Within thisconversation, participantswillinevitablytouch upon certaincommon ideas, and verypossiblytheywilldevelopclaimsthatdirectlycontrastwiththose ofotherparticipants.
Task: Create a“Works Cited”listwhich includeseach group member’ssource fromExercise3.2. Next, putyoursourcesin conversation with one anothersoitis clearhoweacharticleintersects.Completethe following:
Whatare the importantclaimsin thisongoingconversation?
Howdo theycompare?Howdo theycontrast?
Whydoesthisconversationmatter?Whocaresaboutit? Doesitaddressa topicworth considering?
Whatis your group’sresponseto these viewpoints?
Whatis your claimin this conversation?
Whatmightotherscholarssayaboutyourclaim?
Requirements:Yourgroup’sdialogue should includecompletedanswersto the above questions as well
asa “Works Cited” listoftexts. Each groupmembershouldsubmitanindividualcopyof the dialogue.
Due:see weekly schedule
ESSAYIII: Argumentative Essay
Forour thirdessay,we’llconsiderthe ways in whichGBTran’s VIETNAMERICAmightbe partoflarger, ongoingconversations regardingcultural identity.To analyze a text's roleinitslargercontext, you may needto doadditionalresearch to determine wherethetextwas originallypublished, whatelse was happeningorbeingdiscussed atthetime the textwaspublished orcreated, and whetherornot the text mightbe aresponseto other ideas orarguments.Yourprimaryobjective forEssay III willbe to
investigate thelargerthemes in Tran’s graphic memoirand put forthan argumentusingsecondary research.
Task: Composeanargumentativeessay in which youengage withoneofthefollowingquestions: A. WhatdoesGB Trancome to understandabout the experience ofimmigration? Howmight
VIETNAMERICAchallenge the ways immigration is popularlyperceived orthoughtabout?
B. In which ways does Tran challenge assumptionsaboutprocessesofAmericanization? Howdoes he go aboutsuggestingtheways in whichrefugees,immigrants,andtheirU.S.-born offspring mightshapetheirsenseofselfin placesfarfromtheirpresumed geographichome?
Requirements:Yourargumentativeessayshouldbefive double-spaced pages (@1,500 words)and includeMLAcitationsfromat leasttwo(2)secondarysources. Include anMLA“Works Cited” listof texts.
Due:see weekly schedule (rough draft & teacher draft)