-one of the ramblings on argumentative writing
In the process of argumentative writing, the most common fault is that the content is thin. It is required to write an article of not less than 800 words, and it will be impossible to write after three or four hundred words. The reason is that the author's vision is narrow, and both the application of examples and the quotation of famous sayings are poor, that is, the breadth of discussion is lacking. Secondly, the author's knowledge is shallow, and his analysis of problems is often superficial, that is, he lacks the depth of discussion. How can I write an argumentative essay with both breadth and depth?
To write an argumentative essay well, we should first pay attention to the extensiveness of the materials used, that is, its "breadth". In this regard, it is very important to take into account all aspects of ancient and modern China and foreign countries. For example, there is an argumentative paper entitled "Talking about Diligence". In order to prove the viewpoint of "Diligence can produce results", Su Qin's "Hanging Beam on the Head" and "Tapping Thorn" are cited. After unremitting efforts, he finally learned a lot and hung up the example of six countries printing each other. This is an ancient example. It also cited the case that Chen Jingrun finally took off the jewel in the crown of mathematics with a dozen sacks of draft paper, which is an example of using modernity. The above two examples are from China. If the author's examples stop here, then the breadth is not enough. After reading it, people may say, I don't object to your idea that people in ancient and modern China have worked hard to produce results, but only China people are diligent and foreigners are not? In order to prevent people from taking advantage of loopholes in this way, the author gives another example. Marx left a deep footprint in the British Museum and finally wrote Das Kapital, which shocked the world. Make up for this defect in the breadth of materials. When some students write argumentative essays and choose examples, they often make the mistake of paying attention to one thing and ignoring another. A student wrote an argumentative essay entitled "Facing Adversity", with few examples cited. There are cases in which Edison was expelled from school because he liked to ask some strange questions when he was a child, Beethoven was deaf in the heyday of music creation, and Einstein was laughed at by his classmates because he made a very ugly bench when he was a child. Although there are three cases, there is only one angle, that is, they are all foreign cases. While ignoring the examples of how China people faced adversity in ancient and modern times. In terms of "breadth", it is obviously unqualified.
This is the choice of examples, and so is the quotation of famous sayings. You can't always say what so-and-so China ancients said in argumentative essays, what so-and-so China modern people said in argumentative essays, and what so-and-so foreigners said in articles. You must combine them organically. Only in this way can we meet the "breadth" requirement of quoting famous sayings in argumentative essays. Because this reason is the same as the choice of the example mentioned above, I won't analyze it here.
When writing an argumentative essay, we must pay attention to the profundity of analyzing the problem, that is, "depth". In order to make the analysis of argumentative essays profound, it is very important to use positive and negative contrast writing methods. When analyzing a problem, we should not only explain clearly what must be done from the front, but also explain clearly from the back what will happen if we don't do it. The use of positive and negative contrast writing generally has the following two ways:
One is that both sides of the comparison are practical examples, that is, comparing "reality" with "reality". For example, there is an argumentative paper entitled "Apply what you have learned", in order to demonstrate that what you have learned in books must be combined with real life, so that you can make a difference. First, Mao Zedong is quoted from the front to combine the universal truth of Marxism with the concrete reality of the China Revolution, which created the road of China Revolution encircling cities from rural areas and seizing political power by force, and led us to win the new-democratic revolution. Then, from the opposite side, Zhao Kuo was cited as an armchair strategist. Here, the application of negative examples just forms the supplement of positive examples, and demonstrates the truth of "applying what you have learned" more effectively. Undoubtedly strengthened the depth of the discussion. A student wrote an argumentative essay entitled "Talking about" Cherishing Time ". In order to demonstrate that cherishing time is a necessary condition for success, he cited the example that Mr. Lu Xun spent all the time people drank coffee, even his works, and the example that Comrade Lei Feng "devoted his limited life to serving the people indefinitely" and finally became a great fighter. These two cases can't be said to be inappropriate, but because they are both positive cases and no negative cases are added later, they are not deep enough and convincing enough.
The other is the two sides of the contrast: one is the actual situation, and the other is the hypothetical "virtual" situation, that is, the "virtual" is used to compare the "real". For example, in an argumentative paper on the role of self-improvement, there is such a comment: "Self-improvement is the' catalyst' of the cause and a persistent research spirit. Zhang Haidi, a young woman known as "China's contemporary Paul", was paralyzed at a high position. She didn't go to school for a day, but she taught herself Japanese, German, English and French and translated many works. He also taught himself medicine to relieve the pain of patients. Mo Bosang, a famous French writer who stood up from the pile of waste manuscripts, was called Niccolo Bageni, a violinist trained on the piano in Dan Xian. They all experienced ups and downs and finally became famous. If they didn't take "self-improvement" as their spiritual pillar, Zhang Haidi would only be a mediocre inferiority complex, and Mo Bosang would not become a famous writer. Bajini has always been a political prisoner and has been in prison for 20 years. " In the first half of this discussion, Zhang Haidi, Mo Bosang and Bageni were listed as examples of going through hardships, constantly striving for self-improvement and finally becoming famous. These are all existing facts, which are "true". In the second half, Zhang Haidi, Mo Bosang and Balgin lost their "self-improvement" in the face of rough experiences and became mediocre people. But this is based on "if" (that is, "hypothesis") and is "virtual". Here, "real" cases and "virtual" cases set off each other, but they complement each other, which makes the analysis of the problem reach a certain depth. A student wrote an article entitled "Talking about Modesty", giving an example of Confucius's "not ashamed to ask questions" and finally becoming a "saint" to illustrate the benefits of modesty. However, it did not assume what would happen if Confucius was "ashamed to ask questions". So the depth of the discussion is lacking.
Clever use of sub-arguments to explain the truth
-Argumentative writing discussion (2)
When some students write argumentative essays covering a wide range, such as talking about ambition, modesty and turning point, it is easy to make a mistake, that is, they only focus on the central words such as ambition, modesty and turning point. The result is that although great efforts have been made in the discussion of prefix, it always gives people a superficial and superficial feeling.
To solve this problem in argumentative writing, it is very important to establish several sub-arguments related to the central word or central argument and explain the central word or central argument from different angles.
For example, we are all familiar with Wu Han's argumentative essay "Talk about backbone", which puts forward the central argument of the whole paper at the beginning: "We China people have backbone". After that, the author puts forward the following three sub-arguments around this central argument: 1, China people can't be prostitutes if they have money; 2. China people are poor and can't move; The people of China are strong and unyielding. This paper expounds that China people have backbone from three aspects, and proves that we China people have backbone from different angles with examples such as Wen Tianxiang refusing the temptation of high officials and rich people to die generously, a poor man in ancient times preferring to starve to death rather than eat food, and Wen Yiduo being fearless in the face of the assassination of Kuomintang agents. Such an argumentative essay is a good article with both depth and persuasiveness.
The so-called sub-argument is actually the concrete expression of the central word or the central argument in the process of elaboration. For example, you said in the article "Talk about backbone" that we China people have backbone, and people certainly don't understand what "backbone" means here. Therefore, the author gives a concrete explanation of "backbone" from three aspects: wealth cannot be lewd, poverty cannot be moved, and power cannot be bent. For another example, if you want to write the article "On the Turning Point", you must also give a specific explanation of the "turning point". First of all, from the scope, "turning point" is an overall turning point related to the national economy and people's livelihood, a local turning point related to a certain group, and an individual turning point related to someone. Secondly, in nature, "turning point" has a benign turning point from bad to good, a vicious turning point from good to bad, a turning point from good to bad and then from bad to good or from good to bad. Thirdly, from the perspective of effect, the "turning point" can turn bad people into good people and good people into bad people; You can turn bad things into good things, or you can turn good things into bad things. Finally, from its connection with the outside world, the "turning point" needs both external and internal forces, and also needs the * * * interaction between external and internal forces. Each of the above aspects can lead to at least three arguments.
It should be noted that when designing sub-arguments, we must stick to the central word or the central argument and try to avoid the so-called "sub-arguments" that have nothing to do with the central word or the central argument. There is a student who wants to write an argumentative essay on the topic of "Talking about ambition". To this end, he identified the following three sub-arguments: 1, ambition is the guarantee of career success; 2. Self-confidence inserts the wings of success for you; Ambition comes from the unremitting pursuit of ideals. The first argument can deduct the central word "ambition". Since the second argument is about "confidence", it has nothing to do with the central word "ambition". Although the third argument is also related to "ambition", it is different from the first argument (the first argument is analyzed from the effect of "ambition" and the third argument is analyzed from the source of "ambition"). Although the word "ambition" is used, it is also reluctantly tied together.
When designing sub-arguments, the angle of each sub-argument must be unified. If you write an argumentative essay on modesty, you can design sub-arguments from the perspective of the role of modesty: 1, modesty can strengthen yourself; 2. Modesty can unite the United States; 3. Modesty is the only way to get things done ... You can also design arguments from the perspective of modesty: 1. If you want to learn something, you must be modest; 2. To make the collective live in harmony, we must be modest; 3. To make the country prosperous, we must be modest ... or we can design the argument from the perspective of moderate performance: 1. Modesty is learning without being tired; 2. Modesty is not ashamed to ask questions; 3. Modesty requires courtesy, corporal ... but you can't break the boundaries from different angles. For example, you have designed the following three sub-arguments: 1, modesty can make you strong; 2. To make the collective live in harmony, we must be modest; 3. Modesty needs corporal's courtesy. This will not work. Because the angles of the three arguments are different, it violates the principle that the angles of the arguments must be unified.
According to the relationship between them, each argument can be divided into parallel argument and progressive argument. For example, the three sub-arguments in Tan Gu, that is, wealth can't be lewd, poverty can't be moved, and power can't be bent, constitute a parallel relationship, because it doesn't matter which of these three aspects is more important, and everyone is equal. The above three sub-arguments designed to talk about modesty are progressive, that is, let yourself learn something, let the collective live in harmony and make the country rich and strong. The first argument is about "self", the second argument is about "collective" and the third argument is about "country". There is a relationship between them, that is, the scope of discussion is gradually expanding.
Generally speaking, the fractional arguments with progressive relationship gradually transition from a relatively small range to a relatively large range in order. But there are exceptions, that is, turning them upside down, that is, gradually transitioning from a larger range to a smaller range. For example, if you want to write an argumentative essay on a topic, you can first analyze that complacency will stop the country or nation, then analyze that complacency will stop the collective or unit, and then analyze that complacency will stop the individual from making progress, so that the scope will gradually narrow. Although it seems that the scope is gradually narrowing, there is a deepening relationship in terms of the depth of its discussion. Because it only analyzes the harm of complacency to a country, a nation and a collective unit, people's experience about it is not profound. Only by combining the harm of complacency with everyone's vital interests can we have a painful experience and the article be convincing. Therefore, from the effect of expression, the inversion of this kind of argument is within the allowable range.
Multi-purpose: one of the emergency methods of college entrance examination composition
Many candidates are often troubled by the lack of writing materials when writing college entrance examination compositions. This, of course, is closely related to the fact that candidates usually don't pay attention to accumulating writing materials, but it doesn't rule out the reason that candidates won't use materials and can't make limited materials play the greatest role as much as possible, that is, they won't "use one thing for multiple purposes". Therefore, in order to make your composition in the college entrance examination not be "a clever woman can't cook without rice", in addition to paying attention to accumulating writing materials at ordinary times, "cramming" is also one of the emergency measures.
Many candidates think that only one writing material can be used in a composition. Therefore, how many compositions you write, you have to accumulate more than three times the composition materials. In fact, there are a lot of writing materials, all of which have the characteristics of "multiple uses for one material". It can be applied to the composition of questions A, B and C. For example, Lu Xue has a writing material called Xue Tan. Xue Tan worshiped Qin Qing to learn to sing (that is, Lv Xue), and before he learned all the skills of Qin Qing, he thought about leaving his master to go to the world. At this time, Qin Qing didn't stop him. When sending him on his way, Qin Qing sang a song that resounded through the sky, even the clouds walking in the sky stopped moving, and he was firmly attracted by Qin Qing's singing. At this time, Xue Tancai knew the gap between himself and his master in singing, so he stayed, and he dared not mention leaving his master to go to earth until his death. Some people think that this material can be used to write a composition on the topic of "teaching by example is better than teaching by words". It was through singing that Qin Qing conquered his disciples and achieved the effect of "teaching by example", that is, disciples should be open-minded and eager to learn. There is nothing wrong with this understanding. However, if you think that this writing material can only be used to write a composition on the topic of teaching methods, it is biased. In fact, from another angle, from the perspective of endless skills, it is not bad to write a composition on endless topics. Didn't Xue Tan realize that the master's singing was endless, so he "never dared to say anything"? You can also write a composition with an open mind from the perspective of Xue Tan's different learning attitudes before and after singing in Qin Qing. From the perspective of "teaching is for not teaching", combined with the effect of Qin Qing's "teaching by example", we can make Xue Tan dare not answer his words all his life, deny his teaching methods, and write an essay on the topic that teachers should pay attention to cultivating students' independent consciousness. In this way, Liu Xue's writing materials have four uses, namely, "one material has four uses".
There is also a written material that there was a young man named Chen Fan in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and his study was a mess. Once, his teacher came to his study and saw the garbage everywhere on the ground, so he accused Chen Fan. Chen Fan plausibly said, "If a gentleman wants to sweep the world, why sweep a house?" His teacher also replied, "If you don't sweep a house, how can you sweep the world?" This material can first be used to write an essay on the relationship between the big and the small: Chen Fan has great ambition to "sweep the world", which is of course very good; However, he neglected that the big ambition needs to be reflected in such a small matter as "sweeping the house". Secondly, it can be used to write an essay on the relationship between words and deeds: Fan Chen's mistake is that he just hung his ambition of "sweeping the world" in words, but did not implement it in concrete actions of "sweeping the house", which is contradictory. Thirdly, it can be used to write a topic composition on the relationship between ideal and reality: Chen Fan's mistake is that he just shelved his lofty ideal, but it was not reflected in real life. In this way, a written material about Chen Fan has three uses, namely "one thing for three purposes".
In fact, as long as we explore carefully, most writing materials can "explore" many functions. From the materials of Zhan Tianyou's construction of Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway, you can not only find the significance of China people's self-confidence, but also prove that self-confidence can work miracles. We can also find the meaning that China people don't worship foreign things, which proves that China people can still achieve great things without relying on foreigners. We can also find the meaning of China people's cleverness and prove that China people can work miracles with their cleverness. From Ouyang Xiu's The Oil Man, you can find the truth that "practice makes perfect", "if you are strong in China, you will be strong in China" and "if you learn well, you will be an official". From the fact that Mr. Lu Xun spent all his time drinking coffee to create this material, you can find the truth that "life depends on struggle", "time must be cherished" and "the meaning of life lies in dedication".
It should be noted that the versatility of writing materials does not mean that the same material appears in different compositions, they are all the same. Instead, we should make corresponding changes according to different topic requirements. For example, you should use the materials in Xue Tan Biography to write a composition on the topic of "example is better than words". When describing and analyzing the materials, you should highlight the content and significance of Qin Qing's "example"; You should use it to write a composition entitled "endless learning". When describing and analyzing materials, you should highlight Qin Qing's skills and their influence; You should use it to write a composition entitled "Learning with an open mind". When describing and analyzing materials, we should highlight Xue Tan's different learning attitude and its influence. You should use it to write a composition entitled "Teaching is for not teaching". When describing and analyzing the materials, we should highlight the consequences and adverse effects of Qin Qing's "leading by example". For another example, you should write an essay on self-confidence based on the materials of Zhan Tianyou's construction of the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway. When describing and analyzing the materials, you must highlight how Zhan Tianyou is "confident"; If you want to use it to write a composition that doesn't admire foreign things, when describing and analyzing the materials, you must highlight how the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway was built under the ridicule of foreigners. If you want to use it to write short essays on intelligent topics, you must highlight the innovative design of Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway when describing and analyzing the materials.
Therefore, when you are about to enter the college entrance examination, but you are worried about your lack of writing reserves, don't spend time to "accumulate" writing materials. This is a long-term effort and cannot be achieved overnight. You should calm down and take care of the materials you already have, especially to explore the multi-faceted significance of each material. In this way, when you use materials in the college entrance examination composition, you can "take one as ten" or "take one as four" or "take one as three", or at least "take one as two".