The Well-Crafted Argument

The Well-Crafted Argument guides students through the process of writing effective argumentative essays across the disciplines. The two-part structure of this rhetoric/reader includes a complete pedagogical apparatus--with coverage of reading, writing, and researching a topic--and an anthology of readings grouped into eight thematic clusters. In-depth instruction, combined with real student writings, engages students and helps them discover their own voices. The Third Edition features a greater emphasis on visual argument, while maintaining the authors' practical, skill-building approach. Each chapter ends with a summary, checklist, and writing projects that allow students to apply what they learn. In addition to guidance on drafting and revising arguments, the authors provide a variety of composition strategies, from free-writing to outlining. Active reading tools, such as note-taking, summary writing, and shared reading, are also encouraged. Students receive the most up-to-date information on MLA documentation with the enclosed tri-fold card providing NEW 2009 MLA Handbook formats.

Table of Contents:
Note: Each chapter in Part I concludes with a Chapter Summary, a Checklist, and Writing Projects. Each cluster in Part II begins with an introduction and concludes with Connections Among the Clusters, Writing Projects, and For Further Reading. Part I. The Rhetoric of Argument. 1. The Nature and Process of Argument. Why Argue? What Is an Argument? Using Evidence in Argument. Communicating with a Purpose. The Process of Composing an Argument. Using Appeals in Argument. Organizing the Argument. Drafting the Argument. James Paul Gee, High Score Education. Revising the Argument: A Form of Reevaluation. Reading to Revise. Visual Aids as Tools for Argumentative Writing. Steven Waldman and John C. Green, Tribal Relations. Herb Block, The Cartoon. 2. Methods of Critical Reading. Reading as a Construction of Meaning. Active versus Passive Reading. Reading as a Writer of Arguments. Writing a Summary. Reading with a Pencil. Samuel Lipman, Say No to Trash. Reading Visuals in Arguments. Becoming a Highly Motivated Reader. Reading Responsibly. High Noon (editorial). Active Reading as Shared Reading. Using the Modes of Argument as a Schema for Analysis. The Importance of Open-Mindedness when Reading. Galileo Galilei, Letter to the Grand Duchess Christina. 3. Using the Classical Model in Your Arguments. Argument in the Ancient World. The Classical Model of Argument. Student Essay: Justine Hearn, Ecology vs. Land Development in Trinidad and Tobago. Reinforcing Aristotelian Appeals with Visuals. Anti-Defamation League, School Vouchers: The Wrong Choice for Public Education. Kurt L. Schmoke, Why School Vouchers Can Help Inner-City Children. 4. Using the Toulmin Model in Your Arguments. The Toulmin Model of Argument. Virginia Woolf, Professions for Women. Student Essay: Daniel Neal, Tobacco: Ignorance Is No Longer an Excuse. Organizing Your Argument Using the Toulmin Model. Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence. 5. Using the Rogerian Model in Your Arguments. The Rogerian Model of Argument. Kimberly Shearer Palmer, Let's Talk About Sexual Harassment in Middle School. Martin Luther King, Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail. Student Essay: Daniela Gibson, Who Owns Our Children? 6. Reasoning: Methods and Fallacies. Argumentative Reasoning. The Nature of Fallacies. Strategies of Reasoning. Errors in reasoning; A Taxonomy. Max Shulman, Love Is a Fallacy. 7. Researching Your Argument. The Three Faces of Resaerch. Searching Before You Research: Taking a Mental Inventory. Focusing Your Research for Argumentative Essays. Formulating a Strong Thesis. Researching Using the Internet. Searching on the Web. Useful Websites for Writers of Arguments. Researching Using Print Resources. Gathering Information from Email, Telephone Conversations, Interviews, and Surveys. Taking Effective Research Notes. The Role of Serendipity in Research. Evaluating Your Sources. Understanding and Avoiding Plagiarism. Incorporating Outside Sources into Your Argument. 8. Documenting Your Sources: MLA and APA Styles. Citation of Source Material: A Rationale. Which Documentation Style to Use? A Guide to MLA Documentation Style. Presenting Quoted Material. Index for Citing Sources: MLA Style. Using Author/Page In-Text Citations. Preparing the MLA List of Works Cited. Sample Student Paper: MLA Documentation Format: Daniela Gibson, Why We Should Punish. A Guide to APA Documentation Style. Presenting Quoted Material. Index for Citing Sources: APA Style. Using Author/Year In-Text Citations. Preparing the APA List of References. Sample Student Paper: APA Documentation Format: Jarrett Green, Child Molestation: Anything but Your Typical Crime. Part II. Reading Custers. 1. Athletics and Academics: How Do They Benefit Each Other? Are Student Athletes Really Students? Edward Koren, Game Score, Test Scores (editorial cartoon). Dave Newhouse, Brawn & Brains: Student Athletes Get a Bum Rap. John R. Gerdy, Is Athletics Meeting Its Purpose? John R. Gerdy, For True Reform, Athletic Scholarships Must Go. Student Essay: Scott Klausner, Academic Performance of Student Athletes. Issues for Further Research: The Intrinsic Value of College Athletics. Student Visual Essay: Kelly Ryan, The Faces of Sports. Student Essay: Kelly Ryan, Play for Pride, Not for Pay. 2. Intellectual Property: How Should IP Rights be Protected? How Might the Downloading of Music Files Best Be Regulated? Lloyd Dangle, Troubletown (editorial cartoon). U.S. Newswire, Jim Rogan Speaks on Intellectual Property Rights: "We Have to Treat Theft as Theft". Lawrence Lessig, Protecting Music. Janis Ian, The Internet Debacle: An Alternate View. Bill Thompson, Thread My Music's Yours. Benny Evangelista, Penalties Frighten Music Traders: Survey Reports Copyright Laws Are Not Daunting. Student Essay: Powell Fraser, Why I've Stopped Sharing Music. Student Essay: Nathan Salha, A Language All Their Own. Issues for Further Research: Copyright Term Limits. Jeffrey Rosen, Mouse Trap: Disney's Copyright Conquest. Jason Brooks, Needed: Sane IP Laws. Issues for Further Research: Copyright Complexities. Negativland, Changing Copyright. Issues for Further Research: Plagiarism. Deborah R. Gerhardt The Rules of Attribution. Lisa Takeuchi Cullen, Rule No. 1: Don't Copy. 3. Media Regulation: What Are the Issues? How Should the First Amendment's Freedom of Speech Guarantee Be Applied? Patrick Chappatte, Internet and Censorship (editorial cartoon). Rodney Smolla, Speech Overview. Martin P. Golding, Campus Speech Issues. Matthew Quirk, The Web Police. Student Essay: Quentin Clark, Speech Codes: An Insult to Education and a Threat to Our Future. Issues for Futher Research: Book Banning. Kurt Vonnegut Jr., A Letter to the Chairman of the Drake School Board. Student Essay: Kiley Strong, The Myth of Book Censoring Within the American Educational System. Student Essay: Gaby Caceres, Censorship of Books for Public High Schools: When Necessary, When Not Issues for Further Research: Effects of Media Violence. Cheryl Arvidson, Statement Linking Media Violence to Violence in Kids Draws Criticism. Mike Oppenheim, TV Isn't Violent Enough. Issues for Further Research: Textbook Sanitizing. CNN Student News, Language Police Bar "Old," "Blind". 4. Multicultural Learning: What Are the Priorities? Who, If Anyone, Benefits from Multicultural Education? Jim Huber, Politically Correct (editorial cartoon). Breea C. Willingham, Perspectives: Improving Race Relations One Journalism Class at a Time. Leslie Marmon Silko, Language and Literature from a Pueblo Indian Perspective. Issues for Further Research: The Canon Debate. Dinesh D'Souza, Equality and the Classics. Lawrence W. Levine, A Historian in Wonderland: Through the Looking Glass. Student Essay: Chris Garber, The Importance of Multicultural Education in Global Society. Issues for Further Research: Bilingual Education. John Darkow, English: The National Language (editorial cartoon). Monte Wolverton, Linguistic Police (editorial cartoon). Kendra Hamilton, Bilingual or Immersion? Wayne P. Thomas and Virginia Collier, Two Languages Are Better Than One. Richard Rodriguez, Speaking a Public Language. Student Essay: Regina Patzelt, Education in English: The Proven Benefits of a Bilingual Academic Program. Student Essay: Yung Le English First. Ann Russell, Literacy Development for Students with No Voice: Scheme and Schema. Rebecca Zwick, Eliminating Standardized Tests in College Admissions: The New Affirmative Action? Nathan Glazer and Abigail Thernstrom, Should the SAT Account for Race? 5. National Security: How Can the United Stated Best Protect Itself? What Effects Could the Patriot Act Have on Individual Liberties? Chris Slane, So, It's Agreed (editorial cartoon). Kevin V. Ryan, Patriot Act a Vital Tool Against Terrorism. Kevin Danaher and Scott Lynch, Faking Out the Constitution. George H. Pike, USA Patriot Act: What's Next? Darrin Bell, Condorville (comic strip). Mary Minow, The USA PATRIOT Act and Patron Privacy on Library Internet Terminals. James Bamford, Big Brother Is Listening. Student Essay: Mohammed Surve, New British Measure Will Harm Civil Liberties. Issues for Further Research: Budgeting for Security. Michael Scardaville, The Cost of Securing the Homeland. Issues for Further Research: Border Security. Charlie Norwood, 6000 Guardsmen Are Not Enough. Monica Campbell, Mexicans See Insult, Danger in Border Plan. 6. Science and Religion: If Common Ground Exists, Where Does It Lie? What Is the Basis of the Conflict Between Science and Religion? Johnny Hart, B.C. (comic strip). Steven Weinberg, A Designer Universe? Gregg Easterbrook, The New Convergence. Chet Raymo, Miracles and Explanations. J.T. Barbarese, Fossils. Cynthia Bass, Great Minds Needn't Think Alike to Be Right: Advocates of Science and Religion Can Co-Exist. Student Essay: Kareem Raad, Can One Compare Science and Religion? Issues for Further Research: Teaching Human Origins in the Public Schools. Stephen Jay Gould, Dorothy, It's Really Oz. David Ludden, Teaching Evolution at a Christian College. Issues for Further Research: Religion in Public Schools. Charles Krauthammer, The Real Message of Creationism. Student Essay: Patrick Green, The Battle over Creationism. 7. Biomedical Research: What Role Should Ethics Play? Can Biomedical Issues Be Separated from Politics? Dave Coverly, Political Science/Politicized Science (cartoon). Francine Russo, Who Should Read Your Mind? Arthur Caplan, Bioengineering and Self-Improvement. Robert P. George, Ethics, Politics, and Genetic Knowledge. Samuel Hensley, Designer Babies: One Step Closer. Issues for Further Research: The Stem Cell Debate. John W. Donohue, The Stem Cell Debate. Bonnie Steinbock, The Morality of Killing Human Embryos. Yuval Levin, A Middle Ground for Stem Cells. Editors of The New Atlantis, Stem Cell Spin. Issues for Further Research: Transgenic Animals. Michael W. Fox, Genetically Engineered Animals and the New "Pharm" Animal Factories. Michael Crichton, Patenting Life. Clare Kittredge, A Question of Chimeras. Student Essay: Nikolay Balbyshev, Priorities of Gene Therapy. 8. Masterpieces of Argument: What Do They Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion? Nick Ut, Tragedy of Vietnam (photograph). Plato, Allegory of the Cave. Andrew Marvell, To His Coy Mistress. Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal. Jonathan Edwards, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Keynote Adderss at the First Woman's Rights Convention. Frederick Douglass, I Hear the Mournful Wail of Millions. Rachel Carson, The Obligation to Endure. Stanley Milgram, The Perils of Obedience. Carolyn G. Heilbrun, The Character of Hamlet's Mother.