Weeks 11-12: Authority and Integrity

Aims:

ü  develop a clear point of view

ü  state your opinion

ü  use 'I', 'we' and other personal pronouns appropriately

ü  evaluate the strength of your own arguments

Review of the previous chapters. 

Chapter 8 Authority

Part One: Self-evaluation 

Let Ss read the list of statements and circle the answer according to their condition.

ü  When writing an essay, I put all the information I have found together first, and then draw a conclusion from it. 

ü  I know how to use cautious language to state my opinion. 

ü  I know how to use personal pronoun appropriately to show my position on a subject. 

ü  I can evaluate my own arguments to see if evidence needs to be provided and if it is strong enough.

Part Two：On Writing and Discussing in Group

On Question Discussion

What is your understanding of the principle of authority? 

On Writing 

1.       The principle of authority

ü  No two essays are ever the same. 

ü  What makes each essay unique: the exact sources that have been used; the way the sources have been presented, etc. 

ü  The language that the writer uses to organize and present views. 

ü  The essay writer’s opinions and reasoning. 

2.       Developing a clear point of view

ü  How to get authority: form an opinion, based on preliminary reading if need be, and then use sources to justify it. 

3.       Stating your opinion: cautious language

ü  Use the language of possibility. 

ü  Noting down a statement does not make it weaker, but more persuasive, and therefore academically stronger. 

ü  How to use cautious language to comment on data. 

4.       The use of ‘I’ and ‘we’

ü  The use of these personal pronouns is also linked to identity, to show user’s stance. 

ü  Bring the writer and their identity into the text.

ü  Be used to organize the essay, state its intent, and distinguish between the opinions of the writer and those of others. 

5.       Evaluating your own arguments

ü  Show your point of view in the ways that we have discussed above. 

ü  You should evaluate your arguments in the same way as you look at those of others by considering whether evidence needs to be provided and if it is strong enough. 

Part Three: Peer-review and Feedback

Work in group of 3 or 4 students, review each other’s writing task, and give feedback accordingly.

ü  Not only refer to different sources, but also comment on them and make connections between them. 

ü  Make your writing more authoritative by selecting sources to develop your own argument. 

ü  Using ideas from published authors to support your own arguments makes your writing stronger, not weaker. 

ü  Express your ideas cautiously by talking about what is possible rather than what is certain. 

ü  Personal pronouns can be used to indicate a personal point of view.

ü  Certain ways of arguing are not acceptable (e.g. showing bias, using personalization) and you will need to provide solid evidence.

Part Four: Assignment

1. Glossary: balanced, preliminary, authoritative, anti-discrimination, stance (stances), intent (intents), scandal

2. Review the key points of the two chapters and finish all the exercises. 

3. Preview the next chapter, focusing on the key points (compulsory).