October 21/13 - The Art of Writing a Paragraph

What is a Sentence?- Expresses a complete thought- Must have a subject and a verb (predicate)What is a paragraph?- A group of sentences that explains ONE topic or idea---visual cues, reader friendly, linked but separate sectionsThree Parts of a Paragraph- Topic Sentence- Development- Conclusion1. Topic Sentence---introduces the topic (main idea)---makes a clear point---reveals your attitude2. Development---explains and/or supports the topic---consider knowledge of your reader---consider attitude of the readerSeven Methods to Develop a Topic- Tell a Story (as a brief example)- Define Topic (ie: literary or scientific description)- Examples- Quotation/Comparison (with proper reference/citation)- Comparison- Explain Steps (Process Analysis)- Specific Details (descriptive, precise, interesting,...statistics or facts)3. Concluding Statement- Summary for ending - transition for middle paragraphs- Snap everything into place like a puzzleSeven Deadly Sins of Writing1. Wordiness2. Slang & Jargon3. Pretentious Language4. Cliches5. Sexist Language6. Offensive Language7. Misused words/phrases "abusages"

CRITICAL THINKINGHow to determine critique of thoughts/statements- Is it an ALL statement? A SOME statement? or a NONE statement?ie: "Reason is the greatest enemy that faith has" (All Statement)-Some: "Some people believe that reason is the greatest enemy of faith"-None: "Nobody believes that reason is the greatest enemy of faith""Some people say that Faith is the foundation for  Reason, while others think that Reason is the basis for Faith"Adult Sunday School Yesterday- "I heard that a man was swallowed by a whale off the coast of Brazil. It really happened"Truthy, Truthiness by Stephen Colbert-truthy is a word describing something that is completely true (and thus void of fact)-it is not relative-it resides in the truthy center in your gut-it is absolute-it describes whatever the majority believes at any point., etc., etc, etc.WHAT IS CRITICAL THINKING (Paul and Elder 2006, 4)Critical thinking is, in short , self directed, self disciplined, self monitored, and self corrective thinking. It requires rigorous standards of excellence and mindful command of their use. it entails effective communication and problem solving abilities and commitment to overcome our native egocentrism and sociocentrism.Thinking Higher LevelsHighest to Lowest:-Creating-Evaluating-Analyzing-Applying-Understanding-RememberingMetacognition: Thinking about Thinking"additional research indicates that student can learn to engage in such "meta-cognition" if they are regularly asked self-assessment questions, which require reflection on their own thought processes. When students learn to routinely ask themselves these question, the depth and quality of their thinking are enhanced. (Resnick 1986 in Joe Cuseo, Questions that promote deeper thinking, Oncoursenewsetter)Analytical Thinking- Purpose: goal, objective, function- Question: problem, issue-Information: data ,facts, evidence, observations, reasons-Interpretation/inference: conclusions, solutions-Concepts: theories, definitions, laws, principles-Assumptions:presumptions, axioms, taking for granted-Implications and Consequences: what follows logically, effects-Point of View: frame of reference, orientation, worldview1. Think about Purpose-know what you are after---What am i trying to accomplish, what are my motives?---What is the goal of this assignment?---What is my central aim or line of thought?(Keep the main thing the main thing)2. The key question that emerges from the problem is....---what is the 1 question that i am trying to answer?---is there a better way to ask the question?---is the question clear in my mind?--what kind of question? biblical, theological, ethical, scientific, historical?3. Gather Information-Actively seek the information most relevant to the question.---what information do i need to answer the question?(Wikipedia v. GAMEO-Global Annabaptist Mennonite Encyclopedia Online)Levels of Reliability: -Good (refereed, or peer reviewed)-Gray (Reliable Organization-Government, Religious, Educational, Second Party)-Popular (Expert writing for Popular Audience, Generalist writer about the subject)-Folk (Personal experience, common sense)-Junk (biased agenda, conspiracy theorists)4. Watch Your Inferences-If we solve this problem, some important implications are...... If we fail to solve this problem, some important implications are.....-(Evaluate options, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages)Basis of Fallacies:Non sequitor: It does not follow "a conclusion that does not follow from the premises"Psychological Fallacies-"Are those that mislead the audience by taking advantage of psychological factors. One could also call them fallacies of the audience." (Fearnside 8)Material Fallacies-"Have in common the urging of a conclusion on the basis of faulty or inadequete material"Fallacies1. Argument against the person (directs the argument against the person rather than at the issue)2. Appeal to the People (stirring people up, exciting them, or stimulating the public because everyone is doing it)3. Appeal to Authority (appealing to authorities who are outside their fields of expertise)4. Hasty Generalization (general statements are made based on a few cases or from exceptions to all cases.5. False Cause "Post Hoc" (two unrelated events occur and the first event is considered the cause of the second event.6. Begging the Question (assumes the conclusion in the statements of the argument)7. Irrelevant Conclusion (arguments for one conclusion are used to support a different conclusion)8. False Alternatives (relies on either or thinking and suggest that only two alternatives are possible.9. Equivocation (when people purposely use ambiguous terms so that two different meaning of a single word are used in the same context10. Division (that is true of the parts must be true of the whole and what is true of the whole must be true of the parts

New Page

New Page