Working Methods: Developing an Argument

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Working MethodsDeveloping an Argument

• Academic WritingDr. Jürgen MeyerFriday, June 08

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Definitions I

• Academic Genres
• I Term Papers Limited (Specific) Complexity
• Assumptions
• Knowledge Covering a Range of Texts (Beyond the
  Ones Discussed in Your Presentation)
• Knowledge of Contexts (Biographical,
  Socio-Historical, Philosophical, Aesthetic)
• Basic Knowledge of Critical Idiom (Terminology,
  Academic Register)

• Requirements
• Methodical Insights into a Specific Topic
  (Author, Period, Genre)
• Retrieval Usage of Research Material
  (CitableText-Editions, Critical Books Articles,
  Auxiliaries)
• Develop and present your own thesis, based on
  critical dialogue with research, expressed in
  adequate terminology

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Definitions I

• Academic Genres
• II Final Thesis Higher Methodical Thematic
  Complexity
• Assumptions
• Good Knowledge of a Variety of Contexts
  (Biographical, Socio-Historical, Philosophical,
  Aesthetic)
• Advanced Knowledge of Critical Idiom
• Advanced Presentation (Writing) Skills

• Requirements
• Methodical Insight into a Complex Topic (Author,
  Period, Genre)
• Retrieval Usage of Research Material
  (CitableText-Editions, Critical Books Articles,
  Auxiliaries)
• Develop and present your own thesis, based on
  critical dialogue with research, expressed in
  adequate terminology

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Definitions II

• Argument
• Logical Structure
• Top-Down
• General Contexts (e.g., Literary Age) to Specific
  Examples (e.g., Authors and Motives)
• Bottom-Up
• Specific Examples (e.g., layout of printed page)
  to General Contexts (e.g., a history/theory of
  writing)

• Coherence
• Control your argument (Structure!)
• Filter out superfluous aspects (No guess-work!)
• Combine assess a variety of previous critical
  approaches

• Recognition Value
• What is your target, what is your position?
• Point to a specific interpretation problem
• Display various sides, but do not end in
  arbitrary conclusions

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Structuring the Argument I

• (Textual) Description
• BRIEF Summary / Contextualisation

• Language
• e.g., sound patterns (esp. in poetry, but also in
  other genres, scansion)
• e.g., syntax
• Complex Hypotaxis
• Simple Parataxis
• Grammatical Oddities, e.g. Register
  Colloquialisms, Inversions, etc.)
• e.g., imagery
• Symbols, Metaphors, Allegories
• Iconographic Traditions, etc.

• Do NOT quote any passages without describing it.
• (Do not count on its self-evidential quality!)

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Structuring the Argument II

• Discussion
• Discuss the text beyond its description
• Comment on function within immediate context
  (e.g., present character situation)
• Comment on function in larger context (e.g.,
  character development, also in contrast with
  other passages)

• Use reliable research or reference material to
  support your evidence, or to argue against views
  which you do not share
• Do not use seminar-handouts, Wikipedia entries,
  or the like

• Find a solid basis for your arguments, but do not
  write in a suggestive way (e.g., as if a
  different view were non-existent)

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Structuring the Argument III

• Judgement
• Balance your argument, before drawing any
  conclusions
• i.e., be aware of different viewpoints and their
  respective argumentative backgrounds

• Position yourself clearly and reasonably
• Argue against research material on primary
  textual evidence many research articles
  overemphasise certain aspects and therefore
  become blind to others
• Be open to new perspectives, integrate them into
  your own argument

• Respect different views, but do not end up in
  arbitrariness and shilly-shally anything goes

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Structuring the Argument IV

• Opinions / Stereotypes
• Avoid purely emotional qualifications
• Do not write in a polemical style

• Do not attribute any firsts, onlys or similar
  highlights to any writer (instead, use one of
  the first, one of the most important, one of
  very few)
• Avoid truisms (commonplaces)

• Remember Supervisors expect an argumentative
  paper they do NOT expect (or want) an expository
  or ideological treatise

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Structuring the Argument V

• The Conclusion
• Function Final Polish to the Argument

• Includes (optionally)
• CAUTIOUS generalisations / relativisations of
  your argument (ideally combined with brief
  counter-arguments)
• Comparisons with other texts (same author, same
  age)
• Outlook to different age/s (in historical
  approaches)

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Structuring the Argument III

• The Introduction
• The last item in composition Just WHY?
• You know exactly what you have dealt with
  (material selection)
• Your abstraction level has raised, you can
  abbreviate things

• What does the Introduction NOT include?
• subjective problems Text-comprehension,
  bibliographical research, etc.
• references to institutional context It does not
  matter whether or not the text was discussed in
  class

• What DOES the Introduction include?
• your thesis
• Pin-pointed research positions
• Reflection of your approach When, and why, do
  you comment on what phenomenon (extended, and
  commented structure)