Author Archives: davidbdale

The issue of targeting the enemy for elimination by drone strikes, putting aside for a moment the extraordinariness of the entire concept, is a rich source of definition questions. Nobody who attempts to make an argument of any kind against … Continue reading →

A shopkeeper says she has two new beagle puppies to show you, but she doesn’t know whether they’re male, female, or a pair. You tell her that you want only a male, and she telephones the fellow who’s giving them … Continue reading →

Beginning with the Definition Essay, your Shorter Arguments and of course your Research Paper will have to include a Works Cited. Please understand this is different from a Bibliography, which identifies every source you consulted in your research. The Works … Continue reading →

Definition (or Categorical) Argument Your first Short Argument, due TUE MAR 11, will make a definition or categorical argument essential to your Research Position Paper, which itself will be due before you know it (first draft, THU APR 15). You’ll … Continue reading →

Housekeeping and Miscellany Housekeeping: Grades Available at Professor Conferences Housekeeping: When Is Spring Break? Just Checking. Housekeeping: Request Feedback for Safer Saws and Critical Readings Schedule: Definition Essays Due TUE MAR 11 Diversion: Rate My Professor, please New Agenda Lecture/Discussion: … Continue reading →

What is death? What is life? What is abortion? What is rape? These sound like silly questions we could answer without thinking or by flipping open a good dictionary, but in fact death,life, abortion, and rape (among countless others) are … Continue reading →

Before you begin to write your own, you’ll want to review the essential qualities of a good Definition Essay. 1. It’s an argument. I’ve told you before that all writing is argument, but now is always a good time to … Continue reading →

Housekeeping and Miscellany Housekeeping: Request Feedback for Summaries and Proposals, Safer Saws New Agenda Lecture/Discussion: Facts, Inferences, Judgments Lecture/Discussion: Critical Reading: Organ Donation Assignments Pending TUE MAR 04. A07: Critical Reading Absent students will always find an Agenda on the … Continue reading →

Kidney Season on Death Row The “GOOD” Video Today, I’ll ask you to carefully examine a written argument for claims that can be disputed for accuracy, sufficiency, and relevance; for inferences that are unfair, unreasonable, illogical, or irrelevant; and for … Continue reading →