The Science Of Scientific Writing    Set 4     Set 4-Locating arguments in prose • Example • Exercise 1 • Exercise 2 • Exercise 3 • Exercise 4 • Exercise 5 • Final page Set 4.

Course Home

OVERVIEW: The way to well-written science

How to do the Course

 

PART I: Paragraphs and Sentences

SET A: Paragraphs: The Maps Behind Them

SET B: Paragraphs: Using Maps to Meet Readers' Expectations

SET C: Paragraphs with Something Extra: Points and Tails

SET D: The Generic Section: Expectations and Maps as Blueprints

SET E: Scientific Sections: The Methods and Results

SET F: Scientific Sections: The Discussion

SET G : Scientific Sections: The Introduction

SET H : Sentences

SET I : The Paper as a Whole

 

 

PART II: The Paper and its Sections

Introduction

SET 1: Argument Parts

SET 2: Indicator Words

SET 3: Refining Claims

SET 4: Locating Arguments in Prose

SET 5: Rationale's Essay Planner

SET 6: Evidence in Arguments: Basis Boxes

SET 7: Assessing

SET 8: More on Assessing

SET 9: Analysis Maps

SET 10: Assessing Again

Synthesis 1: Position-Early Paragraphs

Synthesis 2: Position-Final Paragraphs

Synthesis 3: Writing a Discussion I

Synthesis 4: Writing a Discussion II

 

Exercise 4

 

1. Make a Rationale Reasoning map representing the argument in the following text:

Everyone should eat breakfast. It is the most important meal of the day, since it provides you with the energy that the body needs to start the day well. But sometimes you're not hungry at breakfast, however it's nonetheless good for you even when you're not hungry.

Drag and drop sections of the above text onto the workspace to proceed.  This works with any version of Rationale.

 

Hints

  • Refine all your claims by making them fully fleshed out, unambiguous declarative sentences
  • Look for indicator words that reveal whether claims are positions, reasons, or objections
  • When you don't have indicators to give you clues, you'll need to work out the argument's logical structure by thinking about which claims give support to, or undermine, other claims, and which claim expresses the argumentative position (the main point at stake)
  • If you have trouble working out where to locate a reason, ask yourself: does this reason offer direct support for the position, or does it support some other claim?

2. Check your work against the model.

 

 

 

Content of this page drawn in whole or part from the Austhink Rationale Exercises with permission from Austhink.