Chapter 17, 17.4

An important part of any written work is the tittle.  A tittle should be intriguing, but relevant to the topic.  A good tip for the tittle is to place an old idea next to a new one.  Tittles can be questions or in two parts separated by a semi colon.  You will know your turtles good if it attracts your readers.  Following the tittle is the introduction.  The introduction is what frames your price and should include a thesis.  The Allyn Bacon Guide to Writing gives us four things an introduction should have. The intro paragraph needs an engaging lead, anexplanation of what the question is about, some background information, and a thesis. The thesis is the most important part, because it out lines what we are talking about. On the opposite end of thing we have the conclusion. The conclusion summarizes what what said, emphasises the points made in the thesis and wraps it up. I particularly want to improve on my introduction and conclusion, because they are what people read first and last.  I find that the hardest part of an essay is where to start, and how to end. With a better sense of what should be in both the introduction and conclusion, I believe in the future they will be less daunting.

A&B Chapter 12 Analyzing and Synthesizing

What is analyzing and synthesizing?  According to The Allyn & Bacon Guide to Writing, to "analyze something, you break it down into its parts to see the relationships among them.  When you synthesize you take one more step, putting the parts together in some new fashion." Both analysing and synthesizing are important writing skills, especially in an argument.  Analysing is like problemizing a topic in that you look at both sides of an argument.  You evaluate all the parts of a text tell you find.  Then when you've thought through all the parts you synthesize them into what you find is the heart of the matter. In an argumentative essay the synthesizing of all the ideas usually equals you thesis or your stance, because through all your analysing you can now synthesize a strong opinion.  Often in an essay where you synthesize, you will summarize text that you heartburn analyze it.  This shows the logic behind  your synthesis conclusion.  In my writing plan to use this tactic of analysing then synthesizing, because it will make my arguments stronger, and help me to formulate my ideas at college level thinking.

A&B 82-88, A&B 93, A&B 95, A&B 102-104

In college it is important to understand how to read rhetorically.  Many college students find her level reading difficult.  The Allyn Bacon Guide to Writing gives several reasons of why the reading can be so difficult.  The first major reason is "the complexity of the subject matter."  The concept in the reading is hard and with that  the text, can be just as confusing.  Somethings that can make  the reading hard is the "vocabulary, unfamiliar rhetorical context, unfamiliar genre or lack of background knowledge."  They use things like big vocabulary to almost give false ethos, thinking that it is a sign of education, but often they can lead to more confusion. In order to rhetorically analyze the different types of writing you have to look at it in two different ways, "Reading with the grain and against the grain."  To read "with the grain" is just like believing and doubting, which we talked about where you read it thinking like the author and then  think the opposite.

A&B Chapter 13, 13.1

What is an argument? The Allyn Bacon Guide to writing explains it in two components, truth seeking, and persuasion. This is an accurate way to explain an argument, because there are a lot of misconception about arguments that someone has to be right or wrong, but true arguments aren't necessarily that way.  A true argument asks a question, and then research it's done to develop a claim, or opinion, and in an argument, you "persuade" people see what your truth seeking has lead you to believe is right.  Some components of an argument are the claim and reasons. A true truth seeking evaluates the claims of both sides and a gives a clam based on the best reasons.  The Allyn & Bacon guide also tells us that having a good "issue, which we can define as a question that invites more than one reasonable answer." The better the issue the easier it will be to have a good argument.  Knowing about an argument, will help me with future argumentative papers, because will be helpful to make a better argument. I plan on using the truth seeking skill to better develop my thoughts and ideas.

A&B Chapter 3, 3.2 "Appeals to Ethos & Pathos"

When writing it is important to use the rhetorical devices, ethos, pathos and logos.  Logos is the logic or facts.  Logos is important, but if you really want to make a good argument you need ethos and pathos as well.  Ethos is credibility or trustworthiness.  If you want to have a strong argument then you and your sources need to be  valid sources of information.  Pathos on the other hand is passion or an appeal to peoples emotions.  If you channel your writing to your audiences emotions you "can also arouse audiences interest and deepen understanding. " as the Allyn Bacon Guide to Writing says.  Pathos can be a really useful tool if you are trying to call people to action.  Overall though you need all three to make your argument complete.  In any persuasive argument I write I plan on using ethos, pathos, and logos.  I know that appealing to pathos will help motivate my audience to action, while logos will back up my claim and ethos will create credit ability overall creating a strong argument.