Essay

Question 1

3 Things Evaluated in Essay:

Answer 1

1. Logical analysis: how well do you dissect and evaluate the argument.
2. Persuasive writing: how clearly and convincingly do you express your thoughts.
3. Language usage: grammar, syntax, variety of vocabulary

Question 2

Write a Descent Amount:

Answer 2

Longer essays generally score higher.

Question 3

Essays Must Include:

Answer 3

1. Discuss how well reasoned you find argument.
   i. e. find flaws and explain them clearly.
2. Analyze line of reasoning.
   • Why does conclusion not follow logically from
     premises? Which assumptions are questionable or
     unjustified?
     - Where are the gaps in the logic
     - What situations, cases, circumstances has author
     overlooked?
     - What would help the author prove the conclusion?
     What further evidence would strengthen or weaken
     argument? What changes in argument would make it
     more logically sound?

REMEMBER: Your task is not to argue for or against conclusion, doesn’t matter whether you agree or disagree with it. Your task is to analyze the logical strength of argument: how well is conclusion supported by premises?

Question 4

Steps to Write Essay:

Answer 4

1. Read passage (1-2 mins)
2. Brainstorm, take down brief notes on your initial thoughts about logic gaps etc. Find 3 or more flaws before moving on to outline essay. You can go sentence by sentence for this part and jot down the flaws. (2 mins)
3. Outline essay by typing placeholders for your paragraphs, including info for each and conclusion but both in keywords (1-2 mins).
4. Write (20 mins) - write a descent amount to get good score. Aim: 300 words!!!
5. Polish (3-5 mins)

REMEMBER: high scorers typically write more complex and longer sentences. Train to write 20-word sentences.

Question 5

Common Fallacies in Arguments:

Answer 5

1. Alternative causes; what else could be causing x?
2. Correlation ≠ Causation, only because x and y happened at same time not necessarily true that x caused y.
3. After ≠ Because, only because x happened after y doesn’t mean y caused x.
4. Future ≠ Past, only because something happened in past doesn’t mean it will happen again.
5. Unforeseen consequences, what could go wrong with author’s proposed plan? What implementation challenges has author overlooked?
6. Bad side effects not considered. E.g. if raise price to increase revenue, customers might flee, if cut prices to gain marketshare, competition could cut too. Also, who or what has been ignored by author, e.g. customers and competitors and their negative responses.
7. Do people who should carry plan out have skills? Do they have incentive to carry out well?
8. Faulty use of evidence, e.g. limited sample, little data, not representative, does evidence really imply what author claims it does?
9. Faulty use of language, e.g. extreme words that are not warranted, vague language, even math fallacies like using real quantities when only percents have been given.

REMEMBER: Don’t need to find and analyze every last flaw in argument to get a perfect score.

Definitely remember to consider numbers in facts made or information about numbers. If they say there are more accidents in city x compared to city y, ask whether there are maybe more drivers in city x too? Can you even compare the two cities or are their infrastructures too different, their number of cars and streets too different?

Question 6

Essay structure:

Answer 6

1. Introduction:
   
   • briefly restate main claim, conclusion, or plan but in
     your own words to show you understood it.
   • introduce your thesis statement:
     E.g. “The argument…omits some important concerns
     that must be addressed to substantiate the
     argument.”
     “This plan is fundamentally flawed in that the
     evidence provided fails to support the author’s
     claim.”
     “The author makes several assumptions that are
     unlikely to be true, in which case her argument is
     seriously compromised.”
     “Although the argument has some merits, a
     number of defects undermines the claim…”
     • briefly state two biggest flaws but don’t go into detail
       as that’s what you do in body part.
2. Body:
   - Describe and justify 3-5 flaws from the argument (no
   more than that)
   - All flaws can go into one paragraph
   - describe each flaw in one sentence, justify it in the
   next sentence.
   - You can state potential fixes to line of reasoning here
   or in conclusion.
   - you can put all flaws in one paragraph or use one
   paragraph for each flaw. Introduce the flaw, justify it,
   and then discuss how author could address flaw. You
   can use signal words to set flaws in different
   paragraphs: First of all, … Most conspicuously,….
   Secondly,….
3. Conclusion:
   - restate briefly that argument is flawed and recap why
   “In summary….”
   REMEMBER: Use new language when you restate.
   - mention potential fixes to line of reasoning if you
   haven’t already. Can be just one sentence.
   “To address the problems in the argument, one
   would have to…(gather more data on x, run pilot
   project to test y etc.)”

AVOID HUMOR!

Question 7

Language to Use:

Answer 7

Flaw or synonym: error, gap, mistake, defect, fault, imperfection

coherent

sound

logical

convincing, persuasive

Transitions: 
In summary, in short
therefore, however
In addition, moreover, additionally, Plus
In fact, 
First of all, ...
Secondly, ....
Finally,....

Argument contains a number of flaws, ranging from…to….

The description does not constitute a logical argument in favor of x

The description does not provide proof or support for the main argument.

Most conspicuously,….(for most important flaw at top of body part)

The argument does not address…

The argument assumes that….

In a weak attempt to support its claim, the argument describes ….

The argument is not sound because….

The argument is not persuasive because

The argument overlooks several considerations, ranging from…to…

Summary:
Because the argument leaves out several key issues, it is not sound or persuasive. If it included the items discussed above instead of solely explaining x, the argument would have been more thorough and convincing.

Question 8

Examples of Intros:

Answer 8

“In response to…, the author argues that measures should be taken to…. This argument suffers from a number of flaws, ranging from…..to…..”

“The argument …omits some important concerns that must be addressed to substantiate the argument. The argument merely describes how the system works. This alone does not constitute a logical argument in favor of…and it certainly does not provide support or proof of the main argument.”