English 10 Honors

Units 6, 8, and 12

Research Debate

Choose a topicThis may be the most difficult part of the

entire process.

Consider the following:

What are my interests? (Think of at least 5) Are my potential topics researchable? Are my potential topics debatable? How long must my paper be? Will this topic bore me?

Getting Started

Is your topic too narrow?

It is too narrow if you can answer your research question with a simple answer.

It is too narrow if you can not find enough research to develop valid arguments.

Is your topic too broad?

It is too broad if the sources you find are overwhelming.

It is too broad if you and your partner can focus on completely different aspects of the topic.

Narrow or Broaden Your Topic

Once you have a workable topic, make a list of key words or concepts that will help you with your research.

Begin by writing a simple research question.

Look at the key words in that question.

What other words might you be able to use?

Identify Key Words or Concepts

Think about what you already know.

Find an overview article or encyclopedia that provides general information on your topic.

Get a general idea of the topic.

Learn more key terms or concepts.

Get ideas of other research that has been done by looking at the bibliography and notes.

Explore Background Information

Do not limit your research to the Internet. There are many good articles and books out that can be just as useful.

Helpful tips to find sources:

Prepare a research strategy

Use the key words/concepts as searchable terms

Make a list of types of sources you could use

Use a database to find articles on your topic

Ask your librarian for help

Find Sources

Not all information is valid.

Just because something is in print does not make it valid or credible.

The Internet is not regulated, so be wary of information found through a Google search.

Evaluate Each Source

Before using a source, make sure it is relevant to your research question.

Does the source provide information on the subject I intend to research?

Does the source provide an adequate amount of information about my topic?

Is the source written in a way that I can understand?\

If you do take notes from a source, and later find that the source is not relevant, keep your notes. You never know!

Relevance of Sources

You need to critically evaluate the information in the sources.

To evaluate the source, consider the following:

Authority

Currency

Purpose

Coverage

Quality and Credibility of Sources

Academic or scholarly sources

Tend to be written by experts

Contain up-to-date research and findings

Provide substantial information

Peer-Reviewed Sources

Articles have been reviewed by scholars in the field

Articles have been carefully scrutinized by experts

Types of Sources

Before taking notes, make sure you have a researchable question.

Take notes from one source at a time.

Identify title, author, copyright year, publisher and city, and specific pages/chapters if not entire book.

Identify pages where notes can be found.

DO NOT plagiarize.

Keep all notes from one source together.

Take Relevant Notes

Identify similar ideas in your notes

Organize your notes by categories

Should be able to create 3 or more categories

You may find that you need more notes for a category, so go back and get more research.

You may find you do not need some notes, so put them aside but do not throw them out.

Create Categories or Piles

Turn your research question into a thesis statement.

Thesis statement should be specific

Thesis statement should help your reader know what he/she will read in the essay.

Know the purpose of your essay to determine the best thesis statement.

Analytical essay evaluates an idea or issue.

Expository essay explains something to the audience.

Argumentative essay makes a claim about a topic and justifies the claim with evidence.

Thesis Statement

Parallelism Use parallel structure for each heading and subheading If you start one heading with a verb, start all headings with a verb

Coordination All headings should be of equal importance or significance All subheadings should be of equal importance or significance

Subordination Information in headings should be general Information in subheadings should get more specific with each type of

subheading

Division Each heading or subheading should be divided into two or more parts

Outline Basics

Claim: Your overall thesis statement

Evidence or Data: The evidence you will use to support your thesis and arguments.

Warrant: Explanation of why or how the evidence supports the claim.

Backing: Logic or reasoning necessary to support the warrant.

Counterclaim: Argument that negates or disagrees with your claim.

Rebuttal: Evidence that negates or disagrees with the counterclaim.

Organizing your Arguments

Premise: Proposition used as evidence in an argument.

Conclusion: Logical result of the relationship between the premises. Conclusions serve as the thesis of the argument. 

Argument: The assertion of a conclusion based on logical premises.

Syllogism: The simplest sequence of logical premises and conclusions, devised by Aristotle.

Logic Vocabulary

Enthymeme: A shortened syllogism which omits the first premise, allowing the audience to fill it in. For example, "Socrates is mortal because he is a human" is an enthymeme which leaves out the premise "All humans are mortal.“

Induction: A process through which the premises provide some basis for the conclusion.

Deduction: A process through which the premises provide conclusive proof for the conclusion.

Logic Vocabulary

Common errors in reasoning that will undermine the logic of your argument.

Fallacies can be either illegitimate arguments or irrelevant points, and are often identified because they lack evidence that supports their claim.

Avoid these common fallacies in your own arguments and watch for them in the arguments of others.

Logical Fallacies

Slippery Slope: 

This is a conclusion based on the premise that if A happens, then eventually through a series of small steps, through B, C,..., X, Y, Z will happen, too, basically equating A and Z. So, if we don't want Z to occur, A must not be allowed to occur either.

Hasty Generalization:

This is a conclusion based on insufficient or biased evidence. In other words, you are rushing to a conclusion before you have all the relevant facts. 

Common Logical Fallacies

Post hoc ergo propter hoc: This is a conclusion that assumes that if 'A' occurred after 'B' then 'B' must have caused 'A.' 

Circular Argument: This restates the argument rather than actually proving it.

Either/or: 

This is a conclusion that oversimplifies the argument by reducing it to only two sides or choices.

Common Logical Fallacies

Ad hominem: This is an attack on the character of a person rather than his or her opinions or arguments.

Ad populum: This is an emotional appeal that speaks to positive (such as patriotism, religion, democracy) or negative (such as terrorism or fascism) concepts rather than the real issue at hand. 

Red Herring: This is a diversionary tactic that avoids the key issues, often by avoiding opposing arguments rather than addressing them. 

Common Logical Fallacies

Unity

One focus per paragraph

Coherence

Make your writing understandable to your reader

Logical bridges

Verbal bridges

A Topic Sentence

Main idea of the paragraph

Adequate Development

Use examples, evidence, and explanations

Effective Paragraphs