SO WHAT? The Writer's Argument

by Schick, Kurt; Schubert, Laura

• ISBN13: 9780199949076
• ISBN10: 0199949077
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2013-12-02
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

HOW to write compelling arguments
WHY the practice of argumentation is essential to academic work


So What? The Writer's Argument teaches students how to write compelling arguments and explains why practicing argumentation is essential to learning and communicating with others. Practical exercises throughout each chapter reinforce this broader academic aim by focusing on the key issue of significance-helping writers answer the "So What?" question for themselves and their audiences. By showing students how their writing fits within the broader context of academic inquiry, So What? encourages them to emulate and adapt the authentic academic styles, foundational organizing structures, and helpful rhetorical moves to their college classes and beyond.

Author Biography

Kurt Schick is Associate Professor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication at James Madison University. He also serves as Director of James Madison University's Learning Centers.

Laura Schubert is Instructor of Writing, Rhetoric, and Technical Communication at James Madison University. She also serves as Professional Consultant and Peer Education Coordinator at James Madison University's Writing Center.

Table of Contents

Preface
Chapter 1: Why Do We Argue?
Chapter 2: How Do We Argue?
Chapter 3: How Do We Read Arguments?
Chapter 4: What's a Good Source?
Chapter 5: Where Can We Find a Compelling Thesis?
Chapter 6: How Do We Support Arguments?
Chapter 7: What about Faults and Gaps in Arguments?
Chapter 8: How Do We Develop and Organize Arguments?
Chapter 9: How Do We Use Sources Responsibly?
Chapter 10: What about Style?
Appendix A: How to Benefit from Peer Review and Collaboration
Appendix B: Templates for Organizing Arguments
Readings
--"A Wandering Mind Is an Unhappy Mind" by Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert
--"Is Google Making Us Stupid" by Nicholas Carr
--"With Liberty and Justice for Some" by Emanuel Grant
Index