This document discusses parallel structure and parallelism in writing. It provides examples of parallel and non-parallel phrasing. It also discusses practicing parallel structure exercises involving revising sentences from a passage about the Rio Grande Valley. The document concludes with an introduction to argumentation, including defining argument, the nature of academic argument, and tips for overcoming "arguer's block".

1. October 5, 2011

2. Turn in rough draft

3. Annotations check on page 195! Make sure you write your name!

4. Parallelism

5. Parallel Structure You use parallel structure, or parallelism, when you create a series of words, phrases, clauses, or sentences with the same grammatical form. My favorite foods are roast beef, apple pie, and linguine with clam sauce. Louise is charming, witty, intelligent, and talented. Jeff likes to swim, ride, and run.

6. 1. In a series linked by a coordinating conjunction, keep all elements in the same grammatical form. Awkward: The puppies are tiny, clumsily bumping into each other, and cute. Two elements in this series are parallel one-word adjectives (tiny, cute), but the third, the verb phrase clumsily bumping, is inconsistent. Parallel: The puppies are tiny, clumsy, and cute.

7. 1. In a series linked by a coordinating conjunction, keep all elements in the same grammatical form. Awkward: Plan a winter vacation if you like skiing and to skate. Parallel: Plan a winter vacation if you like skiing and skating. Parallel: Plan a winter vacation if you like to ski and to skate.

8. 2. Make the elements in a comparison parallel in form. Awkward: Philip likes fishing better than to sail. Parallel: Philip likes fishing better than sailing. Parallel: Philip likes to fish better than to sail.

9. Practice: 1. In the Rio Grande Valley, both local residents and the people who happen to be tourists enjoy visiting the national wildlife refuges. 2. The tall grasses of this valley are the home of many insects, birds, and there are abundant small mammals. 3. Two endangered wildcats, the ocelot and another called the jaguarundi, also make the Rio Grande Valley their home. 4. In the Rio Grande Valley, the interests of conservationists, government officials, and those trying to immigrate collide.

10. Practice: 1. In the Rio Grande Valley, both local residents and tourists enjoy visiting the national wildlife refuges. 2. The tall grasses of this valley are the home of many insects, birds, and there are abundant small mammals. 3. Two endangered wildcats, the ocelot and another called the jaguarundi, also make the Rio Grande Valley their home. 4. In the Rio Grande Valley, the interests of conservationists, government officials, and those trying to immigrate collide.

11. Practice: 1. In the Rio Grande Valley, both local residents and tourists enjoy visiting the national wildlife refuges. 2. The tall grasses of this valley are the home of many insects, birds, and small mammals. 3. Two endangered wildcats, the ocelot and another called the jaguarundi, also make the Rio Grande Valley their home. 4. In the Rio Grande Valley, the interests of conservationists, government officials, and those trying to immigrate collide.

12. Practice: 1. In the Rio Grande Valley, both local residents and tourists enjoy visiting the national wildlife refuges. 2. The tall grasses of this valley are the home of many insects, birds, and small mammals. 3. Two endangered wildcats, the ocelot and the jaguarundi, also make the Rio Grande Valley their home. 4. In the Rio Grande Valley, the interests of conservationists, government officials, and those trying to immigrate collide.

13. Practice: 1. In the Rio Grande Valley, both local residents and tourists enjoy visiting the national wildlife refuges. 2. The tall grasses of this valley are the home of many insects, birds, and small mammals. 3. Two endangered wildcats, the ocelot and the jaguarundi, also make the Rio Grande Valley their home. 4. In the Rio Grande Valley, the interests of conservationists, government officials, and immigrants collide.

14. Introduction to Argumentation

15. Argument What do you think of when you hear the word “argument”?

20. Nature of Academic Argument

21. Argument Argumentative skill is acquired; it is not innate.

22. Argument in the Broad Sense Your thesis states your position but it is not necessarily arguable and debatable. You don’t acknowledge and weigh alternative views. Your purpose is to present your position. You are not intent on persuading your readers that your position is superior to other positions.

23. Argument in the Specialized Sense Your thesis is arguable and debatable. You anticipate alternative views, acknowledge them, and address them. You are intent on persuading your readers that your position is superior to other positions.

24. Importance of Audience Who is your audience? What values do they likely hold? How are their views going to differ or be similar to your own?

25. Argument in the Specialized Sense An argument in the specialized sense is usually not An absolute truth. A revelation or brand new insight. The last word. Bad-tempered complaining. An exercise in pure logic. A chance to prove that you’re smarter than everyone else. And, most emphatically, it is not necessarily about some grand issue of concern to humankind in general.

28. Before you turn in a final paper, you should… Read what experts have already written about the issue. Examine the various dimensions of the issue by analyzing and evaluating the experts’ arguments to determine which are the most convincing, which are reasonable but not terribly persuasive, and which are flawed. Articulate a thesis expressing your own position. Make sure you are adding to the conversation (not just saying, “I agree”). Discover solid reasons to support your thesis. Return to the sources to extract evidence you will use to back up each of your reasons. Summarize alternative views and reasonable objections to your argument. Respond tactfully to these alternative views. Decide how you will structure your essay.

29. Overcoming Arguer’s Block You must convince yourself that writing an argument is something you can do without becoming someone you’re not. Do that in four steps: Notice that you make arguments all the time. Shake the fallacy of the absolute and exclusive truth. Shake the fallacy of the final word. Begin with arguments that are easy to make.

30. Avoid three logical fallacies. Post hoc ergo propter hoc (“after it, therefore because of it”): The fallacy of assuming that just because y follows x, x causes y. Either/Or thinking, also called the fallacy of the false dilemma: This reduces complex situations to two alternatives, one black and one white. False Analogy: fallacy in which x and y are alike, but not in the features that matter to the argument.

31. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: Herbert Hoover single-handedly created the depression.

32. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: Surveys showed that married men are happier than unmarried men.

33. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: Many people who go to the dentist have a lot of cavities.

34. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: Marijuana use should remain illegal because it’s a first step toward the more serious drugs; most heroin addicts started with marijuana.

35. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: It’s incredible to me that in a culture that bans cockfights and bear baiting, we permit the same sort of thing with human beings.

36. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: FDR caused World War II.

37. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: People trapped in the ghetto have two choices in life: be a menial laborer and starve or take to crime.

38. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: Gun control is wrong because the Constitution guarantees our right to keep and bear arms.

39. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: If you’re not for recycling laws, you don’t care about your environment.

40. Spot the flawed logic in the following statements: In the coming election, you have a choice between voting for me or voting for fiscal irresponsibility.

41. Peer Review Read your essay aloud. You are allowed to stop and write all over your paper. The rest of the group is not allowed to comment whatsoever (even after you are finished). Everyone reads aloud first. Decide which color highlighter will represent you in the group. Decide as a group how much time you have for each essay. Remember, you will need time at the end to discuss. Pass your essay and peer review sheet to the left. Peer review the essay in front of you concentrating on content, not surface errors. Highlight your comments in your color. Pretend the author of the essay is nowhere near you. All comments/questions/critiques should be written. Fill in the “Editor #1” section of the peer review sheet. Highlight your name in your color. Pass left again and repeat steps four and five using the appropriate editor section. Repeat step six. Review the comments on your essay and your peer review sheet. Make a note of any questions you have. Take turns being in the mush pot of your groups for a couple of minutes and discuss each essay.

42. Homework Final draft of Essay #2 (typed according to the format in the syllabus) with rough draft, peer review, and rubric behind it