The Argumentative Research Project: A Step-by-Step Course

This resource is designed to walk students through the process of completing a research project in any field of study. It covers the earliest stages of brainstorming and discussing, continues through researching and compiling sources; writing, documenting, revising, and polishing a paper; and finally presenting the research topic to a wider audience in a professional manner. The focus is on MLA format, though the course could be modified for other formats. The first unit is an introduction to the project. It asks students to draw on knowledge of issues affecting their own community and world to help generate discussion that could eventually lead to a research topic.

Material Type: Assessment, Full Course, Homework/Assignment, Lecture, Lesson Plan, Reading

Author: Sara Layton

Beyond Argument: Essaying as a Practice of (Ex)Change

Beyond Argument offers an in-depth examination of how current ways of thinking about the writer-page relation in personal essays can be reconceived according to practices in the care of the self — an ethic by which writers such as Seneca, Montaigne, and Nietzsche lived. This approach promises to reinvigorate the form and address many of the concerns expressed by essay scholars and writers regarding the lack of rigorous exploration we see in our students' personal essays — and sometimes, even, in our own. In pursuing this approach, Sarah Allen presents a version of subjectivity that enables productive debate in the essay, among essays, and beyond.

Material Type: Textbook

Author: Sarah Allen

How to Write Argumentative Essay?

It may happen to be assigned to write an essay and do not know how to deal with it. The topic may be quite challenging, or a student may have lack of technical writing skills or enthusiasm. These are the main issues an average student experiences during his academic career.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Emilie Villa

Analyzing Famous Speeches as Arguments

Students are often asked to perform speeches, but rarely do we require students to analyze speeches as carefully as we study works of literature. In this unit, students are required to identify the rhetorical strategies in a famous speech and the specific purpose for each chosen device. They will write an essay about its effectiveness and why it is still famous after all these years.

Material Type: Activity/Lab, Lesson Plan

The Argumentative Research Project: Writing the thesis and introduction - Remix4

The learner-audience for this lesson are high school international students working on their English research paper. The lesson demonstrates how the successful writing of the “thesis-statement” is essential for writing an effective persuasive essay. The lesson will help prepare learners to write an effective thesis statement which their essay responds to. The lesson shows how a successful thesis statement guides the direction of the rest of the essay and that without an effective thesis statement most essays are difficult to write and to comprehend for the reader. The lesson encourages learners to practice writing thesis statements and to write thesis statements that draw from their own experiences. This can either be taught as a supplement to their English class or as stand alone class.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: AmyJo Murphy

Critical Reasoning for Beginners

Are you confident you can reason clearly? Are you able to convince others of your point of view? Are you able to give plausible reasons for believing what you believe? Do you sometimes read arguments in the newspapers, hear them on the television, or in the pub and wish you knew how to confidently evaluate them? In this six-part course, you will learn all about arguments, how to identify them, how to evaluate them, and how not to mistake bad arguments for good. Such skills are invaluable if you are concerned about the truth of your beliefs, and the cogency of your arguments.

Material Type: Lecture, Lecture Notes

Author: Marianne Talbot

Writing Strong Thesis Statements

9-10.W.3.1 Write arguments in a variety of forms that – ● Introduce precise claim(s), distinguish the claim(s) from alternate or opposing claims, and create an organization that establishes clear relationships among claim(s), counterclaims, reasons, and evidence. ● Develop claim(s) and counterclaims fairly, supplying evidence for each while pointing out the strengths and limitations of both in a manner that anticipates the audience’s knowledge level and concerns.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Lindsay Nunan

Writing in the Googleverse

Overview:  In this lessopn students will use Google Docs, Search and Drive to research, organize, write, and defend a point of view essay. Content/Context: The content area for this is writing for History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects. In addition several key digital literacy skills will be put into practice. Length of lesson:  Multiple lesson sessions up to a couple of weeksNorthstar Digital Literacy Standards: Locate potentially relevant information in media found online, including text, video, images, etc. Locate the source of the information.File/store information in a format that facilitates ease of access for future use (e.g., file naming, folder organization, bookmarking, etc.)Synthesize relevant information from one or more sources.Integrate new information into current knowledge and use it to support understanding, views, perspectives, or opinions.CCRS Standards addressed:W.9-10.1WHST. 9-10.1Lesson Objective(s): At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:Search For and bookmark relevant and reliable sources for a persuasive essay.Be able to navigate in Google Search and save links and information to a Google DocFormat and write an essay in Google DocSave to a Google Drive folderAssessing Mastery of the Objective(s):  By the end of this lesson, students will be able to access information, format and write an essay, with sources cited and make the essay available in a shared Google Drive folder  Materials/links:computersPen and PaperOutline:Introduction:Explain that students will be writing a persuasive essay of their choice of topic using sources cite from the internet..  Explanation/Modeling:Demonstrate on a computer (projected if needed) the workflowIdentify topicSearch for sources; assess reliability and relevanceSave citations and relevant quotes or notes in a Google DocFormat and write essay in Google DocSave essay to a Google folderGuided Practice:Start by asking for topic ideas. Have students pair up, with each taking an opposing view point. When students have a topic, have them each list 4 or 5 points in support of their idea and organize them in a logical order. Discuss how to identify and assess the reliability and relevance of information found on the WebAllow time for searching sources, aiding the students in refining their search terms to find information supporting their claim and refuting it. Use pen and paper to take notes and refine essay plan.Have students open their Google Doc and begin formatting and writing a 5 paragraph essay in support of their idea. Make sure they use the points against to acknowledge some potential weaknesses in their argument.Walk students through the process of creating and sharing a Folder with their partner and the teacher. Partners are then encouraged to read and comment on their opponents essay. Students should continue to refine their essay in response to comments.At end of lesson, have students share folders with all students and vote on which ones are most persuasive.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Author: Douglas Lowthian

Persuasion Across Time and Space

This unit shows instructional approaches that are likely to help ELLs meet new standards in English Language Arts. Built around a set of famous persuasive speeches, the unit supports students in reading a range of complex texts. It invites them to write and speak in a variety of ways and for different audiences and purposes. Students engage in close reading of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s I Have a Dream speech, Aristotleí˘ä‰ĺ䋢s Three Appeals, Robert Kennedyí˘ä‰ĺ䋢s On the Assassination of Martin Luther King, and George Wallaceí˘ä‰ĺ䋢s The Civil Rights Movement: Fraud, Sham, and Hoax, Barbara Jordaní˘ä‰ĺ䋢s All Together Now. The five lesson culminate with student's constructing their own persuasive texts.

Material Type: Unit of Study

Fundamental Methods of Logic

Fundamental Methods of Logic is suitable for a one-semester introduction to logic/critical reasoning course. It covers a variety of topics at an introductory level. Chapter One introduces basic notions, such as arguments and explanations, validity and soundness, deductive and inductive reasoning; it also covers basic analytical techniques, such as distinguishing premises from conclusions and diagramming arguments. Chapter Two discusses informal logical fallacies. Chapters Three and Four concern deductive logic, introducing the basics of Aristotelian and Sentential Logic, respectively. Chapter Five deals with analogical and causal reasoning, including a discussion of Mill's Methods. Chapter Six covers basic probability calculations, Bayesian inference, fundamental statistical concepts and techniques, and common statistical fallacies.

Material Type: Textbook

Author: Matthew Knachel

Justification Activity

It is not enough when writing or responding to a piece of literature to share an opinion. Writers and speakers need to justify why the opinion is a valid opinion. In the writings submitted in class, many students have not been providing justifications or reasons that support the statements made. A good way to find justifications is to look back through what was read for specific details to support the point to be made. Finding information from the text to support the points being made strengthens the argument and is what those that write well do. Strive to improve – use justifications in your writing responses!

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Tiffany McCreary

Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking

This is an introductory textbook in logic and critical thinking. The goal of the textbook is to provide the reader with a set of tools and skills that will enable them to identify and evaluate arguments. The book is intended for an introductory course that covers both formal and informal logic. As such, it is not a formal logic textbook, but is closer to what one would find marketed as a critical thinking textbook. Downloadable as a pdf file.

Material Type: Textbook

Author: Matthew J. Van Cleave

Fact, Opinion, or Just Fiction?

We learn about facts and opinions in elementary school. As we get older, however, sometimes the lines get blurred. For example, “I don’t like mayonnaise” is a fact. My opinion is that mayonnaise is gross. When developing an effective argument, it is important to know the difference between a fact, an opinion, and what’s just fiction (made up/fake). In this seminar, you will refresh your working knowledge of facts and opinions and, more importantly, understand their impact in written and spoken arguments.StandardsCC.1.2.9-10.H: Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing the validity of reasoning and relevance of evidence.CC.1.4.9-10.C: Develop and analyze the topic with relevant, well-chosen, and sufficient facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic; include graphics and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension.CC.1.4.9-10.G: Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics.

Material Type: Lesson Plan

Authors: Bonnie Waltz, Deanna Mayers, Tracy Rains

Intercultural Communication for the Community College

In the quest to explore the multiple facets of intercultural communication, this book is divided into three general areas: foundations, elements, and contexts. The foundations cover the basic principles associated with communication studies and culture. The elements move beyond the basics into self, identities, verbal, and nonverbal process associated with communication and culture. Contexts explore all the different environments such as media, business, and education, in which intercultural communication occurs.

Material Type: Textbook

Author: Karen Krumrey

Intercultural Communication OER

Excel spreadsheet of Intercultural Communication OER Resources created by Cheri Kendrick and Jennifer Colton-Jones. Readings are arranged by week in Canvas and changed each term depending on the speaker and field trip schedule for the term. Catalog course description: An introductory course that focuses on the impact of culture on the communication process. Emphasis is placed on both understanding cultural diversity and enhancing communication effectiveness in various intercultural contexts.

Material Type: Reading

Authors: Cheri Kendrick, Jennifer Colton-Jones

Small Group Communication (CMST 230)

This course is designed to familiarize you with the major theory and research surrounding the study of small group communication and provide an opportunity to analyze and develop solutions to a community problem while working in a small group.

Material Type: Assessment, Full Course, Reading, Syllabus

Storytelling: A Way to Introduce and Express Oneself

Storytelling: A Way to Introduce and Express Oneself “Storytelling is a tool to express who you are, an avenue to share a memory or experience, a medium to teach values and cultural differences….Storytelling is by far the best to communicate one’s thoughts and tell one’s story” (Keaise, 2014, p. 53). This OER shows how one professor incorporated storytelling into student introductions. Additionally, this exercise was used as part of the pedagogy to teach about human diversity, culture, understanding and acceptance. Storytelling provided an effective foundation for students to connect with classmates, build relationships and develop trust and respect, the foundation behaviors of good human relations. Materials which will be included in the OER are listed below: 1) A brief literature review on storytelling, supporting this exercise;2) A visual diagram and brief description of the storytelling process which includes a dyadic encounter, small group discussions and a large group presentation; 3) Step-by-step instructions on how to integrate storytelling into student introductions; 4) Examples of student introductions; 5) A summary of student perceptions about the storytelling exercise.

Material Type: Activity/Lab

Author: Montana State Univ-Northern Faculty

Contemporary Health Issues

Word Count: 169341 (Note: This resource's metadata has been created automatically by reformatting and/or combining the information that the author initially provided as part of a bulk import process.)

Material Type: Textbook

Author: Pepe Aragon

Contemporary Health Issues

Introduction to Personal Health covers four topics: Health and disease, influence of family and community Culture, beliefs, attitudes, and stigmatized illnesses Leading causes of death, risk factors, and prevention Three levels of health promotion/disease prevention

Material Type: Lesson

Author: Judy Baker

Journalism, 'Fake News' and Disinformation: A Handbook for Journalism Education and Training

This new publication by UNESCO is a timely resource and highly topical subject for all those who practice or teach journalism in this Digital Age. UNESCO's new handbook is an essential addition to teaching syllabi for all journalism educators, as well as practising journalists and editors who are interested in information, how we share it and how we use it. It is mission critical that those who practice journalism understand and report on the new threats to trusted information. Political parties, health professionals, business people, scientists, election monitors and others will also find the handbook useful in navigating the information disorder. Written by experts in the fight against disinformation, this handbook explores the very nature of journalism - with modules on why trust matters; thinking critically about how digital technology and social platforms are conduits of the information disorder; fighting back against disinformation and misinformation through media and information literacy; fact-checking 101; social media verification and combating online abuse. The seven individual modules are available online to download that enables readers to develop their own course relevant to their media environment. This handbook is also useful for the library and information science professionals, students, and LIS educators for understanding the different dimensions of fake news and disinformation. Table of Contents Module One | Truth, Trust and Journalism: Why it Matters | by Cherilyn Ireton Module Two | Thinking about "Information Disorder": Formats of Misinformation, Disinformation and Mal-Information | by Claire Wardle & Hossein Derakshan Module Three | News Industry Transformation: Digital Technology, Social Platforms and the Spread of Misinformation and Disinformation |by Julie Posetti Module Four | Combatting Disinformation and Misinformation Through Media and Information Literacy (MIL) | by Magda Abu-Fadil Module Five | Fact-Checking 101 | by Alexios Mantzarlis Module Six | Social Media Verification: Assessing Sources and Visual Content | by Tom Trewinnard and Fergus Bell Module Seven | Combatting Online Abuse: When Journalists and Their Sources are Targeted | by Julie Posetti Additional Resources: https://en.unesco.org/fightfakenews

Material Type: Full Course, Module, Textbook, Unit of Study

Authors: Alexios Mantzarlis, Cherilyn Ireton, Claire Wardle, Fergus Bell, Hossein Derakshan, Julie Posetti, Magda Abu-Fadil, Tom Trewinnard