EAPP LESSONS

• Manifesto


  A written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or views of its issuer
• Manifesto


  • Advances a set of ideas, opinions, or views, but it can also lay out a plan of action
  • Generally written in the name of a group sharing a common perspective, ideology, or purpose rather than in the name of a single individual
  • Often marks the adoption of a new vision, approach, program, or genre
  • Criticizes a present state of affairs but also announces its passing, proclaiming the advent of a new movement or even of a new era
  • Combines a sometimes violent societal critique with an inaugural and inspirational declaration of change
  • A powerful catalyst by publicly stating your views and intentions, you create a pact for taking action
• Position paper


  A document which contains statements about a one-sided arguable opinion on a certain subject or issue
• Argument


  A set of ideas put together to prove a point
• Argument


  • Different from the "real world' meaning where an argument denotes "fight" or "conflict"
• Analyzing an argument


  Breaking it down into its components in order to determine whether or not it is strong or weak, effective or not
• Writer's argument


  • A group of statements or reasons used to persuade the readers that what he/she believes is true
• Parts of an argument


  • Claim/Conclusion
  • Reasons/Premises
• Claim/Conclusion


  What the writer wants the reader to believe, summarizing the main idea
• Reasons/Premises


  Why the reader should accept the claim, including the evidences that come in various forms
• Ways authors present an argument


  • Reasoning
  • Evidence
  • Appeal
• Deductive arguments


  Proceed from general ideas/facts to specific inferences
• Inductive arguments


  Derive from specific observations lead to a general conclusion
• Analyzing arguments


  Looking at the evidence presented and asking questions based on that evidence
• There are often two authors who make different claims on the same topic
• Supported facts


  Facts that are backed up by evidence from credible sources
• Unsupported facts


  Facts that are not backed up by evidence
• Ways to support claims


  • Quotations
  • Examples
  • Statistics
• Position paper


  A kind of academic writing in which the student researches a controversial issue and writes a paper that explains his/her stand or viewpoint on it
• Position paper


  • Presents one side of an arguable opinion about an issue
  • Based on facts that provides a solid foundation for your arguments
  • A critical analysis of current facts, data, and research literature
• Purpose of a position paper


  To convince the audience that your opinion is valid and defensible
• Characteristics of a good position paper

  • In the author's own words
  • Clear purpose
  • Well-organized
  • Flows
  • Clear
  • Complete
  • Focused
  • Substantively correct
  • Mechanically correct
  • Creative
• Steps to write a position paper


  1. Understand the topic given

  2. Ensure your topic can easily be arguable
• Position paper


  A formal written document that presents an argument about an issue
• Writing a position paper


  1. Understanding the topic

  2. Ensuring the topic is arguable

  3. Listing advantages and disadvantages of both sides

  4. Picking a position and formulating points

  5. Understanding the audience's position
• Characteristics of a good position paper


  • Designed to look official
  • Simple and direct language
  • Organized presentation of points
  • Includes references for points
  • Proofread after completion
• Essential parts of a position paper


  • Issue
  • Stand
  • Claims
  • Argumentative Thesis
  • Evidence
• Structure of a position paper

  1. Introduction

  2. Body

  3. Conclusion
• Introduction


  • Clearly identifies the issue and states the author's position
  • Written to catch the reader's attention
• Body


  • Presents an idea or main concept in each paragraph
  • Supports ideas with evidence (quotes, data, interviews, facts)
  • Evidence leads to the main idea through inductive reasoning
• Conclusion


  • Summarizes main concepts and ideas
  • Reinforces but does not repeat introduction or body
  • Includes suggested courses of action and possible solutions
• Strategies for structuring a position paper


  1. Define the issue and provide background

  2. Discuss and analyze various positions researched

  3. Discuss your position, analyze its strengths and weaknesses, provide counters to potential criticisms

  4. Explain why your position/suggested action is the optimum one
• Reports are a major form of technical/business/professional communication
• Report


  A piece of factual writing, based on evidence, containing organized information on a particular topic and/or analysis of that topic
• Types of reports


  • Informal reports
  • Formal reports
• Informal reports


  • Function to inform, analyze, and recommend
  • Take the form of memos, letters, or short internal documents
  • Less formal than formal reports
  • More controversial in tone, deal with everyday problems
• Formal reports


  • Collection and interpretation of data and information
  • Complex and used at an official level
  • Often a written account of a major project
• Types of formal reports


  • Informational reports
  • Analytical reports
  • Recommendation reports
• Informational reports


  • Present results so readers can understand a problem or situation
  • Examples: status of research, update on operations, explain how something is done, present results of a study
• Analytical reports


  • Go beyond just presenting results, also analyze the results and draw conclusions
  • Attempt to describe why or how something happened and what it means
  • Can be formal or informal