SJCS Writing Handbook

Has a beginning, middle, and an ending (though not necessary in that order) and is focused around the thesis.

Progression of experience or events is logical; may use a variety of techniques such as flashbacks, foreshadowing, suspense, etc. to create a coherent captivating whole.

Coherence

Key words or concepts presented in the exposition are returned to in the thesis statement.

Paragraph divisions control the pacing of the material appropriately, add emphasis where needed, and help guide the reader through the material.

Ends the essay, providing a reflection on the events of the essay, resolution to the conflict, or final observation.

Thesis is indicative of deep reflection, going beyond cliché and generalities.

Thesis

One thesis statement: does not compete with other general statements.

Is directly or indirectly stated (for example, an indirect thesis can be part of the dialogue, not necessary the words of the narrator)

Clarity

MLA

Formatting

Essay must be proofread for spelling errors, run-on sentences, fragments, ambiguous pronoun references, title punctuation, etc.

Double spaced; proper header and heading; 12 pt. Font; 1 inch margins; typed; intext citations.

Grammar Accurate, clear, and correct. TBD by instructor

Glossary of Terms

The following terms and definitions are taken from Practical Argument: A Text and Anthology 2nd Edition by Laurie Kirszner and Stephen Mandell.

Argument A logical and persuasive presentation of evidence that attempts to convince people to accept (or at least consider) the writer’s position.

Claim

The main argument one is attempting to make.

Current Source A source containing up-to-date information.

Debatable Claim A thesis statement that presents a position with which people might disagree.

Editing and Proofreading [Checking] that an essay is well organized, convincing, and clearly written and has no distracting grammatical, spelling and mechanical errors

Ethos An appeal to the trustworthiness or credibility of a speaker or writer

Evidence The facts, observations, expert opinion, examples, and statistics that support a thesis statement.

Fact A statement which can be verified (proven to be true).

Fallacy An error in reasoning that undermines the logic of an argument.

Formal Outline A presentation of an essay’s main and subordinate points that uses a number letter system to designate the order in which the points will be discussed

Inference A statement that uses what is known to draw conclusions about what is unknown

Logos An appeal to logic.

Means of Persuasion

The appeals–logos, pathos, and ethos–that writers use to persuade their audience.

Paraphrase A passage that presents a source’s ideas in detail, including its main idea and key supporting points and perhaps key examples.

Pathos An appeal to emotions

Peer Review The process of having colleagues examine and critique written work

Persuasion The act of influencing an audience to adopt a particular belief or to follow a specific course of action.

Plagiarism The use of words or ideas of another person without attributing them to their rightful author.

Premises Statements or assumptions on which an argument is based or from which a conclusion is drawn

Proposal An argument that attempts to convince people that a problem exists and that a particular solution is both practical and desirable.

Quotation Words or sentences taken directly from a source.

Rebuttal Refutations of opposing arguments.

Revision The careful and critical review of a draft.

Rhetoric The eect of various elements working together to form a convincing and persuasive argument.

Rhetorical Situation

The combination of the writer, the writer’s purpose, the writer’s audience, the topic and the context.

Scholarly Journal A periodical that is usually written by experts, documented and peer-reviewed.

Summary A concise restatement of the main idea of a passage without the examples, explanations, and stylistic devices of the source.

Thesis The position that an argument supports.

Synthesis A combination of summary, paraphrase, quotation, and a writer’s own ideas that supports an original conclusion.