CLST 277-WI The World of Late Antiquity Fall Semester 2006 Dr. Jacqueline Long

Writing Exercise 2

Goals

• To explore a problem about a late antique text of historical representation: practice skills of analysis in reading by identifying relevant information, evaluating it, generating a thesis that interprets what your information means, testing your thesis, and understanding how the text works to support it
• To build a persuasive argument setting forth and supporting your interpretation: practice skills of exposition in essay form by introducing your thesis briefly in a way that indicates why it is worth considering, showing what lines of reasoning take you from your evidence to your conclusion (indicate what the evidence is and explain how it works in the text), and confirming your conclusion in a way that shows what it contributes to understanding of the text as a whole

To submit to peer review in class on Friday, 13 October: have in hand, in our room, at the start of class period:

• Recommended strategy:
  1. Think through the problem first. Form a preliminary answer, then keep testing it against the evidence that relates to the question. Refine your preliminary answer in light of your investigations. Repeat until you are sure you have thought of everything.
     • What evidence is relevant?
     • What does the evidence show? How does it show it?
     • How does the evidence help answer the question?
     • Taking all the relevant evidence into account (including counter-evidence that leads away from your conclusion), how can you best answer the question?
  2. How can an argument most persuasively demonstrate the answer you arrive at in phase 1 above? NB: The route by which you arrive at your answer may or may not be the most efficent route to take somebody else to the same point. Consider carefully what will work well.
     • Refer to concrete, specific pieces of relevant evidence, so that your reader can see you are building your answer on a solid basis.
     • Explain clearly how your evidence supports your conclusion, so your reader can see how your argument is operating.
  3. Write your essay so that it advances and defends your answer, according to the plan you arrived at in phase 2 above.
  4. Reread your essay for content and argumentation. Does it work the way you planned it to? Now that it's all together, can you think of any ways to make it stronger and more persuasive? Modify as seems appropriate.
  5. Review your essay for form and style, in light of Strunk and White: make sure you are writing clearly and correctly. Modify as seems appropriate.
• For more suggestions about formulating an argument, see this Guide to Writing Papers. Use the BACK button on your browser to return to this page.

Revised 10 October 2006 by jlong1@orion.it.luc.edu
http://www.luc.edu/depts/classics/