Writing to Argue - II

Summary

This advanced writing module focuses on the art of argumentative writing, emphasizing the importance of structure and syntax in crafting persuasive arguments. The instructor discusses the placement of key points and the use of complex sentences to convey nuanced viewpoints. Examples from video clips and written documents illustrate the effectiveness of various argumentative techniques, including the strategic use of statistics and anecdotes. The session encourages students to practice writing their own essays, exploring different topics, and refining their drafts to improve their argumentative skills.

Takeaways

• 📝 The importance of argument structure and language in persuasive writing is emphasized, highlighting how to present points effectively.
• 🗣️ The choice of where to place the strongest argument point can be at the beginning, middle, or end, depending on the strategy chosen by the writer or speaker.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 The example of parents staying at home to raise children is used to illustrate different argument structures and the impact of evidence on the argument's strength.
• 📉 The use of statistics and anecdotes in arguments can vary, with a balanced mix being key to a compelling case, much like the right amount of salt in a dish.
• 🔄 The script discusses the use of complex sentences and syntax in arguments, such as 'while', 'whereas', 'if', and 'then', to present a concise and precise case.
• 🌠 An example from Jawaharlal Nehru's letter to his daughter demonstrates the power of simple but contrasting sentences in making an argument.
• 📚 The script encourages practice in writing arguments, suggesting that learning comes from both listening and doing.
• 📝 The need for keeping the audience's interest in mind while presenting an argument is stressed, to avoid losing their attention or appearing biased.
• 🔑 The script suggests that the best way to learn argument writing is through multiple drafts and revisions, refining until no further improvement is possible.
• 🤔 It encourages examining issues from multiple perspectives and presenting arguments and ideas for both sides before concluding with a personal stance.
• 📈 The transcript ends with an invitation to compare one's own work with provided samples, emphasizing the growth in worldview, language, and intellectual development through the writing process.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the advanced writing module discussed in the script?

The advanced writing module focuses on the structure of arguments and the syntax used in writing for argumentation, with examples from video clips and written documents.

What are the two main aspects of argument writing that the session aims to cover?

The two main aspects are the structure of arguments and the type of syntax or sentences used in writing to argue.

How does the script suggest structuring an argument effectively?

The script suggests deciding the order of points, considering whether to start with the best point, and keeping the listeners' interest in mind by making the argument interesting, short, and sweet.

What is an example of a topic discussed in the script for structuring an argument?

One example is whether one parent, specifically the mother, should stay at home to raise a child, with arguments for and against this proposition.

How does the script use the example of parental stay-at-home scenarios to illustrate argument structure?

The script uses statistics and anecdotes about fathers and mothers staying at home, showing how evidence can be presented at the beginning, middle, or end of an argument to support a viewpoint.

What does the script suggest about the importance of keeping the audience engaged while arguing?

The script emphasizes that presenters should keep the audience interested by avoiding boredom and fatigue, and by structuring the argument to maintain engagement throughout.

What role do examples and statistical evidence play in an argument according to the script?

Examples and statistical evidence are used to illustrate and support points within an argument, making it more compelling and convincing.

How does the script discuss the use of complex sentences in argumentative writing?

The script mentions that complex sentences with multiple clauses, such as those using 'while', 'whereas', 'if', and 'then', are often used to present arguments concisely and effectively.

What is the significance of contrasting simple sentences in argumentative writing as mentioned in the script?

Contrasting simple sentences can effectively highlight differences or opposing viewpoints within an argument, as demonstrated by the example from Jawaharlal Nehru's writing to his daughter.

How does the script advise on practicing argumentative writing?

The script advises to practice by writing multiple drafts on given topics, revising until no further improvement is possible, and then seeking feedback from peers, teachers, or other reviewers.

What are some of the topics suggested by the script for practicing argumentative writing?

The script suggests topics such as the role of big chain stores in retail marketing of domestic items, the necessity of teaching children English from birth, and the extent of state power in private life.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Introduction to Argument Writing

The session begins with an introduction to the advanced writing module, focusing on argumentative writing. The instructor discusses the importance of language and structure in argumentative writing, emphasizing the need for a clear and logical flow of ideas. Examples from video clips and written documents are promised to illustrate points. The session aims to explore how arguments are structured and the types of syntax used in persuasive writing, whether in speech or on paper.

05:04

🔍 The Importance of Argument Structure

This paragraph delves into the significance of structuring an argument effectively. It discusses the placement of key points—whether at the beginning, middle, or end of an argument—and uses the example of advocating for a parent staying at home to raise a child. The paragraph highlights the importance of keeping the audience engaged and not letting them become bored or fatigued, suggesting that the structure should be decided before writing or speaking.

10:13

🌐 Syntax in Argumentative Writing

The paragraph discusses the role of syntax in argumentative writing, illustrating how complex sentences with multiple clauses can be used to present arguments. It provides examples of how sentences can be constructed using conjunctions like 'while', 'whereas', 'if', and 'then' to create a coherent and persuasive argument. The paragraph also touches on the use of simple sentences in contrast for emphasis, using an example from Jawaharlal Nehru's writing to his daughter.

15:24

📚 Practice and Personal Document Creation

The instructor encourages students to practice writing their own documents presenting arguments, using real-life examples. The paragraph provides topics for argumentative essays and advises students to write drafts, revise, and seek feedback to improve their writing and worldview. It emphasizes the importance of not just listening to lectures but actively engaging in the writing process to truly learn and grow as a writer.

📝 Argumentative Writing Exercise

The final paragraph presents an exercise for students to write argumentative essays on provided topics, such as the role of big chain stores in retail markets or the necessity of teaching English from birth. The paragraph instructs students to examine issues, present arguments and examples, and conclude with their opinion. It encourages multiple drafts and a critical review process to refine their arguments and writing skills.

Keywords

💡Argument

Argument refers to a set of reasons given with the aim of persuading others to accept a particular idea or point of view. In the context of the video, argument is central to the theme of constructing persuasive writing. The script discusses how arguments are structured and the language used to present them effectively, such as 'I am for mothers staying at home' and 'mothers are naturally gifted to the better caregivers'.

💡Structure

Structure in the context of argument refers to the organization of ideas and information in a logical and coherent manner. The video emphasizes the importance of structure in presenting an argument, whether it's leading with the strongest point, using evidence, or saving the most persuasive statement for last, as seen in the examples provided, such as placing the viewpoint 'one parent must stay home and this must be the mother' at the end for emphasis.

💡Syntax

Syntax is the arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in the context of grammar. The video script discusses the use of complex syntax in argumentative writing, including the use of conjunctions like 'while' and 'whereas' to connect clauses and present a nuanced argument, as illustrated by the sentence 'Either of the two parents can stay home, but the best care has been given by mothers.'

💡Persuasion

Persuasion is the art of influencing people's opinions or actions through reasoning and argument. The video's main theme involves the art of persuasion in writing, where the speaker advises on how to keep the audience engaged and avoid losing their interest, which is crucial for effective persuasion, as noted in the advice 'keep it interesting, short and sweet.'

💡Evidence

Evidence in argumentation is the use of facts, statistics, or examples to support a claim. The script mentions the importance of evidence in strengthening an argument, whether it's statistical data about fathers staying at home or anecdotal evidence from personal observations, such as '17 percent of fathers... spent time on their cell phones' versus 'mothers paid the best attention to the child.'

💡Anecdotal

Anecdotal refers to evidence based on personal accounts or stories rather than on systematic research or statistics. The video script contrasts anecdotal support with statistical evidence, suggesting that while both can be used in arguments, anecdotal evidence is more personal and relatable, as seen in the example of the speaker's personal views on parenting.

💡Language

Language in the script refers to the specific choice of words and phrases used to convey an argument. The video discusses the language of argument, highlighting the use of complex sentences and specific conjunctions to create a persuasive tone, such as 'If this seems contradictory,' which implies a 'then' clause that follows.

💡Drafting

Drafting is the process of creating multiple versions of a written work to refine and improve it. The video encourages the practice of drafting as a way to enhance writing skills, with the speaker advising to 'do as many drafts as you can' and to revise until no further improvement is possible.

💡Revision

Revision is the act of reviewing and making changes to a piece of writing to improve its clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. The script stresses the importance of revision in the writing process, suggesting that it is through revising drafts that one's worldview, language, and intellectual capacity grow, as indicated by the encouragement to 'rewrite it, do it again.'

💡Contrast

Contrast is the juxtaposition of differing elements to highlight their differences. The video script uses contrast as a literary device in argumentative writing, as demonstrated by the example from Jawaharlal Nehru's letter to his daughter, 'Star twinkle, planets do not,' which uses simple sentences to create a complex idea.

💡Engagement

Engagement refers to the level of interest and involvement of the audience with the content being presented. The video emphasizes the importance of keeping the audience engaged to avoid losing the argument, with the speaker warning against causing the audience to become 'bored' or 'fatigued' and to instead make the presentation interesting.

Highlights

Introduction to advanced writing module focusing on argumentative writing.

Importance of argument structure and language choice in persuasive writing.

Strategic placement of main points in argumentative writing.

Use of statistics and anecdotal evidence to support arguments.

The role of syntax in making arguments concise and effective.

Contrasting simple sentences for impact in argumentative writing.

Balancing statistical and anecdotal evidence in essays.

Complex sentence structures using conjunctions to build arguments.

Examples of argumentative writing from real documents.

Understanding implicit conditional statements in arguments.

The significance of keeping the audience engaged in persuasive presentations.

Practical advice on writing drafts and revising for improvement.

Encouragement to write on given topics to practice argumentative writing skills.

Discussion on the impact of writing on worldview and intellectual growth.

The value of comparing personal work with samples for self-assessment.

Emphasis on the iterative process of writing and revising for intellectual development.

Conclusion highlighting the importance of practice in mastering argumentative writing.

Transcripts

 Hello and welcome again  

to this, the next session of the advanced  writing module as part of this course in English.  

We began talking about writing to argue, and we  saw that when we write in support of or against  

some topic or the other, one  part of the issue or the other,  

then we use a certain kind of language. We continue this presentation here in this session  

today, and we will see two things today. Number  one, how are usually arguments is structured  

and number two, what kind of syntax, what  kind of sentences are used in writing  

for argument or even while speaking  to argue. And we are going to take,  

as we did last time, some extracts from  some video and some, sorry, some video clip  

and examples from some written document to make  our point. Please pay attention. Next.  

The structure of an argument is important, just  as language is; so is the structure of argument.  

How you bring in, what you have to say. Do  you do bring your best point in the beginning?  

Say, for example, are you in favour  of parents staying, one of the parents  

staying at home? and you say that out loud  in the very beginning, that is one choice.  

A lot of people say that, well, I am for this. I  am for mothers staying at home. It may be boring,  

it may be uneconomical, but this  is the best way, time tested way  

to raise a kid. Some people can say the  same thing maybe at the end. So finally,  

I am sure no one has any doubts that one parent  must stay home and this must be the mother.  

Some bring it somewhere in the middle. Now that we  have looked at some evidence, some facts, we have  

found that a number of fathers at least 17 percent  of fathers has stayed home; but these fathers has  

stayed even while they were at home, they spend  time on their cell phones, on computer games  

and doing other things and the child hurt itself  and it was almost like not having a parent home.  

Whereas we studied the mothers and we found that  regardless of their personal hobbies, mothers paid  

the best attention to the child, spent time with  the child, did also other work at the household;  

so, it seems mothers are naturally gifted to  the better caregivers, better care providers,  

for children and they should be home. Sorry,  these are not my personal views, please.  

But arguments are often structured in  this manner with or without statistics,  

with or without anecdotal support; it is a choice  every author, it is a choice every speaker has,  

how you make your case; but a structure has to  be there. Before you start writing, before you  

start speaking, you have to decide what you are  going to say first, what you are going to say next  

and what you are going to say last. Are you going to paraphrase? Are you going to  

recapitulate? Are you going to rewind and listen  and represent? All these choices are yours. The  

only constraint is all good presenters, all good  lawyers, all good advocates, all good activists  

keep the listeners' interest in mind. Are  the listeners bored? Are the listeners tired,  

fatigued? Have they already begun  praying that our presentation ended?  

So do not do that; that will be the best  way to lose your argument. The best way  

is to keep it interesting, short and  sweet. Illustrate it with examples.  

Occasionally bring some statistical  evidence and structure your argument  

such that you will make the point, you  make the valid point and not be biased,  

either this side or that side; that is the  best way to write the best essay. Next.  

Language of argument, we began talking about it  in the earlier session, we will look at some more  

examples. See, very often, documents of this kind  use complex sentences two clause, three clause  

sentences. I mean, you know, any parent,  either of the two parents can stay home;  

that is one clause, not a sentence as intended.  Either of the two parents, either of the parents,  

either parent can stay home comma, but  the best care has been given by mothers.  

One can also say while there have been lots of  studies saying that fathers are not the best  

caregivers comma there however, are nearly  13 percent fathers who gave better care  

to the child than perhaps any mother could.  Their studies, some 373 fathers were observed,  

and it was found that almost 280 of them  played with the child, took the child out,  

had sports, had a conversation, so  the child's language developed.  

The point I am making is not that  you should speak this way or that;  

the point is, arguments can be structured this  way. Look at the syntax, while, whereas, if, then.  

This is, there are lots of complex sentences.  You should have a very good grip on syntax,  

so that you present arguments  concisely, precisely, and effectively.  

Sometimes, even simple sentences,  but they are used in contrast.  

What I have before me is a well-known example  from a well-known writer. Jawaharlal Nehru,  

writing to his daughter while she was very young.  So, he said, he is introducing the cosmos to his  

daughter, and he writes two simple sentences,  but contrasting against each other. Star twinkle,  

planets do not. Each sentence,  each clause is simple, but together  

they make a complex sentence. So, quite often, the documents, so basically,  

this is how an essay making arguments  or presenting arguments is structured.  

Examples once again can be statistical at  larger policy levels, when you are talking for  

a state when you are talking for a big corporate  organization, but at a personal, informal level.  

Some statistics may be all right, but it is  anecdotal. Just as at the corporate level,  

some anecdotal argument evidence can also come in  but build your structure accordingly. A mix of,  

a judicious mix of how much of what; like  salt in sambar, do not have too much of  

X or Y. But similar occasions in  social circles among friends and family  

have anecdotal rather than statistical evidence.  What kinds of language? let us see.  

You can have an abundance of clauses with: if  

x y happens, then a b c would  hold. While m and y were going  

this t and y was sleeping or whereas,  there; as you reap; as you sow,  

so you reap goes a famous adage. Next. Look at this extract from a real document.  

What do you find? You find things like, "if this  seems contradictory", that why would a parent in  

two-income household believe their life  choices were damaging to their children.  

Then is not written there, but every sentence that  begins with an if implies the presence of then.  

It is like you in the imperative sentence.  You do not say you open the window,  

but it is implied when you say "open  the window, please", that means,  

you are saying you open the window  please. Similarly, then is implied here.  

So, keep in mind that the past few  decades have seen or see change in working  

parenthood, etc., etc. And once again, like  happens in arguments, you can have lots of words  

referring to numbers without giving numbers.  Like see change, change what percentage  

that is idiomatic, it means big change,  but the numbers are not given.  

So quite often 31 percent; 31 percent of how  many? Only about a third of households. A third  

of how many? At that time, the contrast  comes by far while, so, as or so, that,  

this is the structure of a document  presenting argument, and we should  

have enough practice. How do you learn these  things? As I have been saying, you learn these  

things, partly by hearing, partly by listening. We are grateful that you have found us worthy of  

your attention and you are doing this course, but  I must also tell you, that only by listening to  

us the best learning will not happen. The best  learning will happen when you will go to write,  

create some documents of your own after listening  to us using real-life examples. Go next.  

Look at this extract, find examples. These  are those words, which are there only because  

this document presents an argument.  If this document were telling a story:  

"there was a king who had three daughters",  then these expressions will not be there.  

Go next. It is time you wrote, your produce your own  

document presenting an argument. So, we have given  you some topics. Take one, so for example, write  

an essay on one of the following topics and you  can think of many more topics of this kind. So,  

for example one, a lot of people are saying that  big chain stores should not be allowed into retail  

marketing of domestic items, every consumption  item like vegetables, fruits, milk, meat,  

fresh, bread that sort of thing. Do you agree? That there should be big global giants,  

multinationals should be banned in  this area. Why? Why not? Find argument  

or you can take another topic. Must a child be  taught in English from the time of its birth?  

Many people say yes. And they say that  since children are good at learning anything  

and since English is nearly inevitable,  no matter what you do in today's world,  

you got to know English, otherwise,  you cannot look at a global audience  

and a good job or even good marriage people  say. So, they say all children should have  

English from the very first day. There are however others, who would differ,  

who say no. We will be depriving children  of their chance to learn a mother tongue,  

an entire culture, another language,  a foreign language, a second language  

can also be learned a little later. Maybe  as well or maybe a little less, but why  

deprive them of an entire culture, which they  can inherit for no special and no extra effort?  

So, there are arguments on both sides.  What is your opinion on the subject?  

Examine the issues, present arguments and  ideas and examples in support of both and then  

present your conclusion, what you think will  be the best to do? So, examine-related issues,  

this is how you will learn. And as I said  before, not one draft, not two drafts,  

do as many drafts as you can, and until you  feel and now this can improve no further,  

and then you can share it with your friends,  with your reviewers, with your teachers, with us,  

for comments and opinions or go to another topic. A lot of people say that the state should have  

absolute power on public roads, on streets in  public life, but why should the state bother  

about what we do at home? What we talk about who  we talk to what language unless I hurt others?  

There are opinions. There are people  in one kind of culture who say, no,  

what you do at home also influences public life. Therefore, the state should have that power  

to, just as it has an obligation to protect  you at home, it should also have the power  

to see how you live at your home. On  the other hand, there are those who say  

no state's responsibility and a state's power  ends in public domain. What do you feel?  

Take any of these topics and argue  on both sides in about 200 words,  

check your drafts and you will find that you  are writing better, your worldview has grown,  

and you are able to not only write better, you  are also able to talk better. Next.  

We are going to give you; but do not look at it  just now. First, do your own work then compare  

your work with the synopsis or with the samples  that we going to give. If you feel you have not  

done as well, rewrite it, do it again. And you  will find that in this kind of write and rewrite,  

one draft and then doing another  revising; not only your worldview,  

not only your language, but your total makeup  as an intellectual grows. Thank you very much.