The Writer's Practice by John Warner

Author:John Warner
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Published: 2019-02-04T16:00:00+00:00

REMIX

Write a narrative set in your scenario that reflects your argument. You have a setting and situation. Add character and plot, and you have everything you need.

SECTION IV

RESEARCH AND ARGUMENT

We often think of an argument as something we’re trying to win, even if that means bending or breaking the rules. If it’s an interpersonal argument, sometimes we resort to making up stuff in order to claim a (usually temporary) victory. It seems more important to win than it is to be right. If an argument has a winner and loser, who wants to be the loser?

But arguments in writing or public discourse of any kind are conducted for the benefit of the audience. The goal is not to win but to make sure everyone leaves the argument knowing more about the subject than before being exposed to the argument.

Making this kind of argument a more common feature of everyday life would probably result in greatly improved public spaces where people are less angry on social media. If we were less concerned about being viewed as the winner, and more concerned about being truthful and accurate, a lot of the free-floating BS that makes its way through the culture would be a little less foul smelling.

When we think of arguments this way, even the “loser” of the argument gains, because they possess information and insight they lacked before. It can be difficult when you’ve been shown to be wrong, but that temporary difficulty makes it more likely you’ll win the argument next time.

For example, we could ask a question like, “Is going to college a good thing?”

On average, definitely. People with college degrees tend to have better outcomes, and not just economically. They report a greater sense of overall well-being also.

But different people go to college for different reasons, and the costs of going to college can vary greatly. Over the last twenty-plus years, the cost of college tuition has increased significantly. More students than ever graduate with great amounts of debt. Those who attend some college but don’t graduate often have difficulty paying back loans or other related debt. Even as more and more people choose to go to college, we’ve made the path to success far more costly. Because of this, college may not be a universal best choice.

Good argument can seek to illuminate this issue in a lot of different ways. Economists may look at the cost-benefit in monetary terms of different paths in postsecondary education. Sociologists can look at how and why students from different backgrounds may make different choices when it comes to going to college.

The experiences in this section are designed to develop the writer’s practice in the context of having these kinds of arguments.

The first four experiences, “What Do They Mean?” (summary and response), “Huh? Say What?” (translation), “Why Should I Trust This?” (understanding sources), and “Hey, Whaddaya Know?” (trivia questions and annotated bibliography) are focused on some of the fundamental skills and attitudes that make it easier to write effective arguments.

Essentially, in order

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