Offering provocative readings on issues such as body image, patriotism and nationalism, and DNA and the justice system, this writing guide and collection of essays shows readers how to apply classical argument techniques to their own persuasive writing so they create better arguments.

Table of Contents:
I. TOOLS FOR ARGUMENTATIVE WRITING 1. Recognizing Situation and Strategy Using Imitation to Recognize Situation and Strategy: What Stephen King Can Tell Us Studying the Structure, Getting a Sense Student Writing: Imitation             “Chief Seattle’s Letter to President Pierce, 1855”             Phyllis, “Hidden (An Imitation of Chief Seattle)” (student essay) Techniques for Writers I—1: Imitating the Classics Student Writing: Using the Nuts and Bolts of Close Imitation             Jehlen, “Silence” (student essay)             Matt, “Good Living” (student essay) Looking Closely: A Line-By-Line Conversion of “Silence” to “A Quiet Athlete” Techniques for Writers I—2: Close Imitation 2. Identifying the Elements of Argumentative Writing             Frazz, Jeff Mallett (cartoon) Harnessing the Power to Persuade Defining Rhetoric Why Rhetoric? Determining the Purposes of Persuasion The Communication Triangle: Analyzing the Elements of Communication Positioning the Writer in the Communication Triangle Examining the Ethos, Pathosand Logos of an Essay             Anna Quindlen: “Homes for Those in Need—and Drop the Warm Fuzzies” Using Rhetoric in Everyday Communication Techniques for Writers II—1: Audience Awareness Analyzing Essays for Ethos, Pathos and Logos             Stuart D. Bykofsky: “Solutions Homeless People Seek”             Steven Vanderstaay: “Ask a Homeless Person”             Techniques for Writers II—2: Writing About the Homeless Student Writing: Point/Counterpoint—Students Respond             Jamie Vollmer, “Schools Cannot Raise America’s Children”             Ben Minadeo, “The Hourglass is Emptying” (student essay)             Chris Arntson, “Schools Must Raise America’s Children” (student essay)             Chris, “A Student’s Farewell” (student essay)             Sylvie Hang, “Farewell to You, Student” (student essay)             Student Email             Shonte’ Terhune, “Who’s Better Than Whom?” (student essay)             Amy Lamb, “The Community College Difference” (student essay) Glossary: Chapter II 3. Examining Argument Through Dialectic and Induction Asking Different Kinds of Questions Identifying Argumentative Propositions Techniques for Writers III—1: Developing Argumentative Propositions Constructing Arguments: Using Pro/Con Grids to Support Positions Identifying the Themes of Argument: Searching for Underlying Ideas             Thomas Nagel: “A Defense of Affirmative Action”             Shelby Steele: “Affirmative Action Must Go”             Ernest van den Haag: “Affirmative Action: Is It Fair?”             Stephen L. Carter: “Racial Justice on the Cheap”             James Webb: “In Defense of Joe Six-Pack”             Stephen L. Carter: “Racial Preferences? So What?”             Patti Waldmeir: “Affirmative Action Backers Prepare Case”             Charles Krauthammer: “Lies, Damn Lies, and Racial Statistics” Techniques for Writers III—2: Pros and Cons Expanding the Pro/Con Grid: Finding Support in Readings Focusing the Issue: The Case Study             Lee C. Bollinger: “Diversity is Essential”             Armstrong Williams: “But Not at This Cost”             Clarence Page: “Race Not Only ‘Bias’ in College Admissions”             Ruben Navarrette, Jr.: “Affirmative Action Past Its Prime”             Dori J. Maynard: “Let’s Reframe the Affirmative Action Debate on College Admissions”             Melisa Gao: “What I Think: College Admissions and Affirmative Action”             George Will: “High Noon for ‘Diversity’”             Robert J. Bresler, “Affirmative Action: The Court Muddies the Waters”             Mac A. Stewart, “Validation of the University of Michigan’s Affirmative Action Program by the U.S. Supreme Court             Molly Riley, “’Diversity’ . . . D’oh!” Techniques for Writers III—3: Analyzing an Argument Student Writing: Argument Analysis             Mary Best, “Analysis of ‘Racial Justice on the Cheap’” (student essay)             Curtis Dale, “Analysis of ‘Racial Justice on the Cheap’” (student essay) Dialectic: Using Dialogue to Examine an Issue             Plato: Excerpt from “Crito”             Walter Goodman, “What Is a Civil Libertarian to Do When Pornography Becomes So Bold?” Writing a Dialogue: Creating Support Through Dialectic Techniques for Writers III—4: Writing a Dialogue             Charles Schultz. “Classic Peanuts featuring “Good ‘ol Charlie Brown” (cartoon) Peer Revision: Refining and Developing a Draft Peer Revision Sheet—Dialogue Student Writing: Dialogue             Sandra Smaltz, “Dialogue on Affirmative Action” (student essay)             Justin Bauer, “Dialogue on Gambling” (student essay) 4. Writing Inductive Essays and Mediated Arguments Generating Ideas Through Stasis Theory Techniques for Writers IV—1 Applying Stasis Theory to an Argument Techniques for Writers IV—2: Freewriting and Mapping Generating Ideas Through the Canons of Rhetoric Examining Cicero’s Model of Argument Arrangement             Martin Luther King, Jr.: “Letter from Birmingham Jail” excerpt Writing the Inductive Essay Techniques for Writers: Exercise IV—3: The Inductive Essay Peer Revision Sheet—Inductive Essay Student Writing: Inductive Essay             Sandra Smaltz, “Affirmative Action: The Great Leveler” (student essay)             T.J. Kinkle, “The Great Debate Over School Uniforms” (student essay) Mediating an Argument: Finding Resolution Analyzing a Mediated Argument             Roger Rosenblatt: “Ending the Abortion War” Examining “Ending the Abortion War” as a Mediated Argument Writing the Mediated Argument Techniques for Writers IV—4: The Mediated Argument Peer Revision Sheet—Mediated Argument Student Writing: Mediated Argument             Sandra Smaltz, “Affirmative Action, or Not?” (student essay) II. ENRICHING AND EXPANDING ARGUMENTS 5. Developing Arguments Through Rhetorical Strategies Aristotle’s Topoi: Identifying Classical Argument Strategies Techniques for Writers V—1: Writing Definitions Techniques for Writers V—2: More Definitions             Mike Royko: “Farewell to Fitness” Techniques for Writers V—3: Topoi at Work Techniques for Writers V—4: Finding the Topoi Techniques for Writers V—5: Using the Topoi Assumptions: Identifying the Ideas That Underlie Arguments Techniques for Writers V—6: Finding Assumptions Logical Fallacy: Learning How NOT to Argue Introductions: Creating Audience Interest Techniques for Writers V—7: Focusing on Introductions Techniques for Writers V—8: Writing Introductions 6. Reading Rhetorically: Case Studies on Popular Music Analyzing the “Sellout” Argument in Popular Music             Case #1: Osbourne, Seger, and “Corruption”             Case #2: Warner/Manson             Case #3: “The Milli Vanilli Affair”             Case #4: Extended Case Study: Rap Lyrics as a Real Instructional Device?                         Bill O’Reilly, interview from The O’Reilly Factor             Case #5: Extended Case Study” Metallica—The Ultimate Sellout?             Scott Adams, “Dilbert” (cartoon) Analyzing Arguments on Music Downloading             Brian Lew, “Metallica, How Could You?”             Lars Ulrich, “It’s Our Property”             Lorraine Ali, “The Artists: It’s the Music, Stupid”             Kate Zernike, “Students Shall Not Download. Yeah, Sure.” Techniques for Writers VI—1: In Depth Techniques for Writers VI—2: Online Search Techniques for Writers VI—3: Sellout or Real? Techniques for Writers VI—4: Rockin’ Rush Techniques for Writers VI—5: Bloom on Rock             Sam Munger: “Rockin’ Rush: Radio Pirate” 7. Thinking Critically About Research Defining the Purposes of Research Writing Developing a Research Plan Techniques for Writers VII—1: Developing a Research Plan Comparing the Qualities of Varieties of Sources Research-based Topoi: Strategies for Validating Sources             Gerald W. Bracey: “Tips for Readers of Research: Numbers Versus Percentages” Following General Research Guidelines Following Guidelines for Electronic Databases Evaluating Web Sites for Validity, Reliability, and Credibility: An Example Techniques for Writers VII—2: Real Research Evaluation Worksheet Incorporating Summary, Paraphrase, and Direct Quotation Techniques for Writers VII—3: Summary and Paraphrase Documenting Sources With Parenthetical Citation Format Documenting Direct Quotations Incorporating Tables, Graphs, and other Visuals MLA Documentation Format: Description and Examples Research Basics Review Quiz Techniques for Writers VII—5: Research Paper—Argument Peer Revision Sheet—Research Paper Student Writing: Research Paper/MLA Documentation             Sandra Smaltz, “Affirmative Action in College and University Admissions, Necessary or Not?” (student essay) APA Documentation Format: Description and Examples Student Writing: Research Paper/APA Documentation             Sandra Smaltz, “Affirmative Action in College and University Admissions, Necessary or Not?” (student essay) III. ALTERNATIVE STRATEGIES FOR ARGUMENTS 8. Recognizing and Creating Deductive Arguments Induction and Deduction: A Comparison Seeing the World Through Plato’s Eyes Formulating Syllogisms Finding Syllogisms in Text Techniques for Writers VIII—1: Developing Syllogisms Techniques for Writers VIII—2: Recognizing and Analyzing Syllogisms in Text Techniques for Writers VIII—3: Critical Analysis Revisualizing The Declaration of Independence as a Syllogism             Thomas Jefferson: The Declaration of Independence Revisualizing The Declaration of Independence as a Syllogism (continued) Jefferson and Plato: Two Viewpoints on the Individual and Society Imitating Jefferson: Stanton and Douglass             Elizabeth Cady Stanton: “Women’s Declaration of Citizenship”             Frederick Douglass: “Independence Day Speech at Rochester” Techniques for Writers VIII—4: Modeling a Deductive Argument 9. Recognizing and Creating Narrative Arguments             Aesop’s Fables:“The Wind and the Sun” Seeing the Story as Argument             Aesop’s Fables:“The Fox and the Grapes” Techniques for Writers IX—1: Writing A Fable Finding the Elements of Argument in Narrative             Langston Hughes: “Salvation” Analyzing “Salvation” as Narrative Argument Avoiding Common Narrative Pitfalls: Tense and Person Shifts Techniques for Writers IX—2: Past to Present Techniques for Writers IX—3: First and Third Narrative Arguments: Models             Ron Kovic: “On Patrol”             Virginia Woolf: from A Room of One’s Own             Ursula LeGuin: “The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas”             Sandy and Harry Chapin, “Cat’s in the Cradle” Techniques for Writers IX—4: The Rhetorical Narrative Peer Revision Sheet—Narrative Arguments Student Writing: Rhetorical Narratives             Brian Larson, “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” (student essay)             Ron Prush, “Them” (student essay)             Michael, “Purgastory” (student essay) 10. Recognizing and Creating Oral and Visual Arguments Finding the Roots of Classical Rhetoric in Oral Argument Situating Context in Oral Argument: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”             Martin Luther King, Jr., “I Have a Dream” Techniques for Writers X—1: Analyzing Oral Argument             George W. Bush, “Acceptance Speech to the Republican National Convention” excerpt             John Kerry, “Acceptance Speech at the Democratic National Convention” excerpt Discovering Contemporary Rhetoric in Visual Argument Using Experience in Reading Visual Arguments Determinging the Roles of Ideology and Values in Reading Visual Arguments Techniques for Writers X—2: 30-Second Ideology Primer: Diamonds Reading and Critiquing Visual Arguments Beyond “Deceptive Claims”             Jason Sharpe, “Reflecting Social Values in the Game of Monopoly” (student essay)             Megan Donahue, “Support Our Troops—Buy a Magnet” (student essay) Techniques for Writers X—3: Visual Arguments Techniques for Writers X—4: Extended Assignment on Visual Arguments IV. READINGS FOR ANALYZING AND CREATING CONTEMPORARY ARGUMENTS 11. Patriotism and Nationalism E. B. White: “Democracy (July 3, 1944) Henry David Thoreau: On Civil Disobedience excerpt Lee Greenwood: “God Bless the U.S.A. (song) Joanne Barkan: “My Mother, Drunk or Sober?”: George Orwell on Nationalism and Patriotism J.B. Priestley: “Wrong Ism” Oliver Goldsmith: “National Prejudices” Robert B. Reich: “The Nationalism We Need” Ralph F. Young: “Dissent Is as American as Apple Pie” Rose Furuya Hawkins: “Proud upon an Alien Shore” Ron Kovic: Born on the Fourth of July(excerpt) John Fetto: “Patriot Games” Brent Staples: “The Meaning of That Star-Spangled Hard Hat” 12. Gay and Lesbian Rights Jeffrey Nickel: “Everybody’s Threatened by Homophobia” Jonathan Rauch: “Beyond Oppression” Thomas B. Stoddard: “Gay Marriages: Make Them Legal” Alexander Cockburn: “Gay Marriage: Sidestep on Freedom’s Path” Douglas L. LeBlanc: “Walking in the Truth” Bruce Fein: “Reserve Marriage for Heterosexuals” Midge Decter: “An Amazing Pass” Alias Solomon: “The Wedding March” 13. Digital Information and the Ideology of “Copyright” Cristine Martins & Sophia Martins: “Electronic Copyright in a Shrinking World” “Stopping Music Piracy without Breaking the Internet” Simson Garfinkel: “The Rights Management Trap” Steven Levy: “Info with a Ball and Chain” Ariana Eunjung Cha: “Rewriting the Rules of Copyright” Phil Albert: “China’s Love of Linux Has Roots in Ancient Past” Steven Levy: “Pirates of the Internet” Charles C. Mann: “The Heavenly Jukebox” Appendix 1: 2500 Years of Rhetoric: A Quick Review Appendix II: Style Appendix III:  Grammatical Components of the First Sentence of “Silence”   Index