Making your argument flow. Learning Skills Group

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Chloe Logan
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1 Making your argument flow Learning Skills Group

2 Overview of this workshop This module will focus on: 1. Setting up and maintaining arguments 2. Making your text coherent 3. Using cohesive devices to link ideas 2

3 1] Setting up and maintaining arguments Task 1: Read the two texts given and identify: main arguments evidence for supporting the arguments In what ways are the arguments presented differently in these two texts? 3

4 Multinational corporations are companies that have branches in many countries. They are becoming more and more important in the world economy. This essay will examine the role of multinationals in the oil and automobile industries, and in forestry and fishing. It will show that these companies have a generally negative effect on the environment. Transnational corporations are responsible for roughly 50 percent of all greenhouse gases (Robinson, 2001), mostly as a result of their role in the extraction and use of fossil fuels. The automobile industry is a major cause of environmental damage. The rapid increase in the number of fossil-fuel burning automobiles increases the carbon dioxide load in atmosphere, thus increasing the severity of global warming. Fishing had become big business and over-fishing is causing a rapid decline in the world s fish stocks. Multinational companies such as Pescanova were involved in the destruction of the North Atlantic cod fishery. According to the FAO, Nearly 70 percent of the world s conventional fish stock are either fully exploited, severely overtaxed, declining or recovering (cited in Robinson, 2001). Furthermore, high-tech fishing boats are wiping out traditional fishing communities. Another example of the negative impact of multinational companies on the environment is forestry. Robinson (2001) points out that in many countries, corporations rapidly deplete resources in one area and then move on to another, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. It is therefore clear that multinational corporations have a negative impact on the environment, both because of their role in oil And automobile production and because of their involvement in fishing and forestry. Text A 4

5 Multinational corporations are companies that have branches in many countries. They are becoming more and more important in the world economy. Oil is produced by multinational corporations, and most cars are produced by international companies such as Honda and General Motors. Corporations also play an important role in forestry and fishing. Nowadays, fishing has become big business and over-fishing is causing a rapid decline in the world s fish stocks. According to the FAO, Nearly 70 percent of the world s conventional fish stock are either fully exploited, severely overtaxed, declining or recovering (cited in Robinson, 2001). Furthermore, high-tech fishing boats are wiping out traditional fishing communities. Transnational corporations are responsible for roughly 50 percent of all greenhouse gases (Robinson, 2001). The automobile industry is a major cause of environmental damage. The rapid increase in the number of fossil-fuel burning automobiles increases the carbon dioxide load in atmosphere, thus increasing the severity of global warming. Another example of the negative impact of multinational companies on the environment is forestry. Robinson (2001) points out that in many countries, corporations rapidly deplete resources in one area and then move on to another, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. It is therefore clear that multinational corporations have a negative impact on the environment. Global businesses need to work hard to improve their environmental performance so that natural resources are saved to hand on to our grandchildren. Automobile manufacturers, fisheries and forestry are the main multinational industries that cause pollution. Regarding this matter, the FAO, WTO and UN should try to solve these problems and protect the world from globalization and pollution. Text B 5

6 Multinational corporations are companies that have branches in many countries. They are becoming more and more important in the world economy. (Background) This essay will examine the role of multinationals in the oil and automobile industries, and in forestry and fishing. (Outline). It will show that these companies have a generally negative effect on the environment. (Thesis statement) Transnational corporations are responsible for roughly 50 percent of all greenhouse gases (Robinson, 2001), mostly as a result of their role in the extraction and use of fossil fuels. The automobile industry is a major cause of environmental damage. (Argument1) The rapid increase in the number of fossil-fuel burning automobiles increases the carbon dioxide load in atmosphere, thus increasing the severity of global warming. Fishing had become big business and over-fishing is causing a rapid decline in the world s fish stocks. (Argument2) Multinational companies such as Pescanova were involved in the destruction of the North Atlantic cod fishery. According to the FAO, Nearly 70 percent of the world s conventional fish stock are either fully exploited, severely overtaxed, declining or recovering (cited in Robinson, 2001). Furthermore, high-tech fishing boats are wiping out traditional fishing communities. Another example of the negative impact of multinational companies on the environment is forestry. (Argument3) Robinson (2001) points out that in many countries, corporations rapidly deplete resources in one area and then move on to another, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. It is therefore clear that multinational corporations have a negative impact on the environment (Restate thesis statement) both because of their role in oil and automobile production and because of their involvement in fishing and forestry. (Summary of arguments) Text A 6

7 Multinational corporations are companies that have branches in many countries. They are becoming more and more important in the world economy. Oil is produced by multinational corporations, and most cars are produced by international companies such as Honda and General Motors. Corporations also play an important role in forestry and fishing. Nowadays, fishing has become big business and over-fishing is causing a rapid decline in the world s fish stocks. According to the FAO, Nearly 70 percent of the world s conventional fish stock are either fully exploited, severely overtaxed, declining or recovering (cited in Robinson, 2001). Furthermore, high-tech fishing boats are wiping out traditional fishing communities. Transnational corporations are responsible for roughly 50 percent of all greenhouse gases (Robinson, 2001). The automobile industry is a major cause of environmental damage. The rapid increase in the number of fossil-fuel burning automobiles increases the carbon dioxide load in atmosphere, thus increasing the severity of global warming. Another example of the negative impact of multinational companies on the environment is forestry. Robinson (2001) points out that in many countries, corporations rapidly deplete resources in one area and then move on to another, leaving a trail of devastation in their wake. It is therefore clear that multinational corporations have a negative impact on the environment. Global businesses need to work hard to improve their environmental performance so that natural resources are saved to hand on to our grandchildren. Automobile manufacturers, fisheries and forestry are the main multinational industries that cause pollution. Regarding this matter, the FAO, WTO and UN should try to solve these problems and protect the world from globalization and pollution. Text B 7

8 Deductive argument (Text A) present position provide evidence come to a conclusion Inductive argument (Text B) present a number of reasons come to a conclusion 8

9 How do readers follow a deductive argument? Statement of position evidence 1 evidence 2 evidence 3 Re-statement or modification of position 9

10 Which method of presenting an argument is better? 10

11 Both methods are useful but Deductive: -explicit argument (clear position put at the beginning) -reader not familiar with this method may find it repetitive Inductive: -implicit argument (position not state until conclusion, readers have to infer and may have different interpretations) -reader not familiar with this method may feel disoriented and confused *lecturers in English- speaking universities are more familiar with deductive argument structure (Brick, 2012) 11

12 2] Making your text coherent What is coherence? Effective writing should make sense and logical (i.e., coherent). A coherent text is a piece of writing that is logically consistent and shows a unit of thought. It develops a logical structure from the introduction through the content sections to the conclusion. 12

13 Coherence Look at this text. Does it make any sense to you? I like ea(ng pineapple. There is a ball in this box. Why don t you go out and have some fresh air. 13

14 Coherence (macro level) Text structure: Some ways to organise your ideas coherently: 1. General à specific 2. Problem à solution 3. Compare à contrast 4. Cause à effects 5. More important à less important 14

15 Coherence (micro level) Paragraph structure Topic sentence Supporting sentences summarises main idea (usually the first sentence in a paragraph) develops the idea in the topic sentence with evidence and/or examples Concluding sentence summarises main points comments on evidence links to next paragraph (optional) 15

16 Task 2: Read paragraph 3 in Text A again. 1. Can you identify the topic sentence and supporting sentences in this paragraph? How did the writer develop the main idea in the topic sentence? 2. Is there any concluding sentence? If not, can you write one for this paragraph? 3. Do you think Text A is coherent? Why/why not? 16

17 3] Using cohesive devices to link ideas What is cohesion? Cohesion is the grammatical and lexical links within a text that hold a piece of writing together and give its meaning. It refers to the linkage of ideas between sentences and between paragraphs. Two possible ways to show connections in a text: A. grammar and B. vocabulary 17

18 A. Grammar 1. use of linking words (e.g., in addition, and, however, as a result) See Table 1 in handout. 2. use of reference words: demonstrative pronouns (e.g., this, these, that, those) definite article the pronouns (e.g., he, his, they, their, we, our) 18

19 Task 3: Can you identify the use of grammatical cohesive devices in the following sentences? Circle all the devices. The number of tellers was reduced in ABC bank last month. As a result, customers had to wait much longer for banking services. This situation is not ideal and the bank needs to consider various ways to solve the problem. Otherwise, it may lose its customers. 19

20 The number of tellers was reduced in ABC bank last month. As a result, customers had to wait much longer for banking services. This situation is not ideal and the bank needs to consider various ways to solve the problem. Otherwise, it may lose its customers. 20

21 B. Vocabulary 1. repetition of words (may be in different forms such as verb, noun, adjective or adverb e.g., act, action, active, actively) 2. use of synonyms (resources materials, salary wages) 3. word chains a sequence of different words related to the same topic 21

22 Task 4: Read the text given (Brick, 2012, p.196). 1. Can you identify two sets of vocabulary chains, one refers to research and the other to children and teens? 2. Identify the grammatical cohesive devices used by the writer. 22

23 a. One of the 100 or so empirical studies is a longitudinal study of TV s effects on children and teens in the real world that took more than ten years to complete. b. Some 3200 young people a sample of elementary school children and a sample of teenage boys were surveyed over a three-year period from May 1970 through December c. All of these children lived in two mid-western cities. d. One of the reasons that the study took so long to complete was that the results were weak and inconsistent and therefore difficult to interpret. e. No matter what was examined, the data for elementary school children and also for teens showed little effect-size numbers. f. Based on this result, our conclusion was that any effect of watching television violence on children s aggression either did not really exist or was very small. 23

24 Using order of information to link sentences Which of the texts below do you like the best? Why? Mary went home. Dinner was eaten by her. Her partner prepared it. Mary went home. She ate dinner. It was prepared by her partner. COPYRIGHT LEARNING & TEACHING CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP

Her partner prepared it. It was prepared by her partner.

25 Order of information GIVEN (KNOWN) NEW Mary went home. Mary went home. Dinner was eaten by her. She ate dinner. Her partner prepared it. It was prepared by her partner. Writing that does not follow this pattern can seem choppy. COPYRIGHT LEARNING & TEACHING CENTRE I LEARNING SKILLS GROUP

26 References Brick, J. (2011). LING316 Second language teaching and learning Brick, J. (2012). Academic culture: A student s guide to studying at university. Sydney: Na7onal Centre for English Language Teaching and Research, Macquarie University. 26

Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs Peer Editing Sheets

Great Writing 2: Great Paragraphs Peer Editing Sheets Peer Editing Sheet 1 Unit 1, Activity 17, page 31 1. What is the general topic of the paragraph? Does the title relate to this general topic? yes no