UNIT 1: Reflection

Essential Question:

v  What makes an effective Argument?

Throughout the course of Unit 1, we have touched upon some topics and delved into others; and the elements of a good and effective Argument is definitely a topic we dug deep within to understand. I understand that an effect Argument (big A argument) Analysis (little a argument) included within it. I also know that to Analyze something is to only gain the evidence part of the Argument, whereas the actual Argument is the claim and whether you support-refute-qualify said claim. So, I learned that we need to develop good Analysis in order to develop an effective Argument. I also understand that an effective Argument cannot just be a thesis with some random explanation; it has to be a definitive claim with definitive analysis and support that shows your standpoint clearly to your audience. However, you cannot just make an Argument with basic background knowledge on rhetoric. Even though the argument and analysis might sound clear, I realized – after going through this Unit – that I can’t just subconsciously use rhetoric elements within my analysis; I have to use ones that I clearly understand and not just add them in solely for the purpose of needing to. Based on that, I learned that for an effective Argument, you need to use the parts of the rhetorical triangle. First off, we must use the at least 2 - 3 of the 3 basic pillars of rhetoric: ethos, pathos, and logos. If we4 thoughtfully include at least 2 of these things, then we can continue on to develop the context (or exigence/situation) of our rhetorical analysis as well as our main intention. Once we develop those two pieces, our genre comes together perfectly because, as we learned from the book, “context plus intention equals genre” (Everyday Use). All in all, you need well developed Analysis as well as a strong background on rhetoric in order to make your Argument effective and clear to the audience.

What single assignment, reading, activity, etc was most helpful so far?

Overall, every worksheet and reading that we received has helped me immensely in some way. However, the one that has been the most helpful so far would be the picture of the Rhetorical Triangle (+ Aristotle’s Triad). In other classes, we learned the 3 basic pillars of rhetoric (ethos, pathos, logos), but we never learned how they all come together as one piece of rhetoric writing. Even though I have subconsciously used the pillars in my previous writings, I never truly knew how to pick them out or use them as a skilled rhetorician. However with this paper, I can now see the three pillars as well as how they all fit together. This helps me immensely – not only just for understanding how they fit together, but also for understanding the other parts that make it all fit together. I was able to put all of my past knowledge together and understand what context, intention and genre truly are and how they make my writing whole.