Riddle: Decide for Yourself
Where I first saw this image: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-cornwall-56286719
Is the BBC website a credible source of news? Is it credible enough that you will accept this photograph has not been altered after it was taken? The optical phenomenon is described in ways that sound SORT OF credible, but if the BBC had published it on April 01, maybe we wouldn’t be so likely to accept its veracity. Read the article. Decide for yourself. Leave observations below.
As part of your Agenda notes for today, evaluate how you feel about the credibility of the photograph and the reported explanations for it.
LINKS TO LATER SOURCES:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/06/world/europe/flying-ship-cornwall.html
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage
- https://www.eoas.ubc.ca/courses/atsc113/sailing/met_concepts/10-met-local-conditions/10f-optical-phenomena/
Housekeeping
- All Feedback and Revisions are conducted on the Rewrite Posts.
- Please put Feedback Please requests ONLY on the Rewrite posts.
- Don’t, for example, ask for feedback on BOTH the Causal Draft AND the Causal Rewrite.
- I work on Feedback every day. The queue was down to 2 yesterday, briefly. It’s back to 6 at 4am today, which is fine by me. Keep asking as long as you keep revising.
- To move up in the queue, post a Reply indicating what sort of feedback you prefer.
- Your Short Arguments need a Title.
- If I’ve already revised your post to say “Needs a Title,” provide a title.
- My next move will be to revise my advice to “Needs a Fucking Title.”
- DON’T USE parenthetical citation notes.
- Refer to the Author, Title, or Publication in your sentence.
- Refer to this page if you don’t understand: Citation Mechanics
- Above your sources, at the bottom of your essay, center the word References
- That’s it. Just the word References
- Don’t make it bold.
- Don’t follow it with a colon.
- Don’t leave it against the left-hand margin.
- Don’t put it into quotation marks.
- Refer to this page if you don’t understand: Citation Mechanics
Don’t be EC.
Syntax Lesson
The Rebuttal Unit
My Worthy Opponent is Wrong.
In your research, you run across an article by Bob Herbert in the New York Times that concerns you. Herbert sounds pretty knowledgeable, and you know he speaks compellingly for opponents of nuclear power in the US. How can you USE HIS ARTICLE in your Rebuttal Argument?
Does he make mistakes of logic? Does he apply his evidence inappropriately? Does he complain of cost overruns that don’t actually result in overly expensive power? Does he concentrate on one or two objections and ignore all the advantages of nuclear power? Does he set up a false choice between two options when there are other alternatives?
Read the article now:
If you encounter a paywall, find the full text (and more!) at:
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- Rebuttal Practice: A Price Too High?
Next Portfolio Task
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- Task: Rebuttal Argument: My Worthy Opponent Is Wrong!
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- DUE MON NOV 27 (11:59PM SUN NOV 26)
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- Task: Rebuttal Argument: My Worthy Opponent Is Wrong!
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Counterintuitive Fall 2023 
Notes:
-an optical illusion caused the ship to appear as though it was above the horizon
-we went over asking for feedback and professor said we can ask for feedback whenever
-like very essay has a thesis, every paragraph has a topic sentence
-every paragraph should only contain one main idea…if it has two, try to break it up into 2 paragraphs
-do not use parenthetical citation notes
-“she told him she loved him” the word “only” can change the meaning of a sentence of it were to be placed at different parts in the sentence
-we read about nuclear power in “a price too high?” By Bob Herbert
-because the accident in Japan occurred, something like that COULD happen to us here but given the circumstances it probably wont
November 15 class notes
– make sure to go over the feedback and change the citations and have a title.
– the usage of the word “only” can be changed so much and change the entire meaning of a sentence.
– opposite of the thesis is not just the inverse of it. For example, the opposite of a black shoe is not a white shoe.
– an argument needs to contain enough evidence to persuade.
class notes- 11/15
We review an optical illusion and trusting the credibility of the source that it is a real illusion. Personally, I really struggle to grasp things that are very mind warping.
Only put feedback please in the rewrites of the drafts.
We reviewed my example, I have a better idea of how to revise since we viewed picked my assignment apart.
We reviewed syntax and dissecting where transitional words and how syntax plays into being able to decipher a sentence. And the word only, and how its used could change the meaning of a sentence.
We review the premises of a rebuttal argument, we do not take out argument down, and unravel it, but we show alternate perspectives.
We discuss the depth of the rebuttal argument while looking at the example of children and car seats.
We read about a disaster of a nuclear power plant in Japan, we review the plausibility of the argument and how to best utilize persuasive writing and how it can make a bad argument even look valid.
Class notes 11/15/23
-Riddle: you decide for yourself: I would normally say that this is a credible source because of how big the association is that this article came from, however after examining the other links this image has been altered.
-Housekeeping: Feedback and revisions are only done on rewrite page, and don’t use parenthetical citation.
-Only matters when it matters: we learned how drastic it is to know where to place only.
-The Rebuttal Unit: Find a good opponent. Something credible. The opposite as our Thesis. Must have sufficient evidence, not irrelevant evidence. Evidence must be conclusive.
11/15/2023
-Feedback Please can be reused as much as you want as long as you show that you are using it.
-Make sure you pay attention to feedback (and make sure you add titles to your work)
-Promise and Prize
-Citations: informal in-text citations, and references page with real citations WITH links
“She told him she loved him”
add only randomly in between words and watch how the context changes.
Rebuttal argument is supposed to be 3,000 words.
Check out “My Worthy Opponent is Wrong”
Check out the rebuttal practice page
Get good at persuasive writing.
Have enough evidence to be persuasive. You don’t need all of it, just enough to persuade your audience.
. The placement of even the smallest of words completely changes the intent of the sentence and if that intent clashes with the intent of the greater essay it causes the essay to cannibalize itself
. Break down bigger paragraphs to give readers time to digest the information you the author are giving them. Their eyes will glaze over if your paragraphs are too long.
. The rebuttal argument is a duel of words against a powerful opponent. Just as a fencer parries the blow from their opponent you need to swat away opposing viewpoints with grace and respect.
. It is no use creating a made-up person in your head to beat in an argument, your essay should be able to weather the storm of real public opinion.
CLASS NOTES:
Sentences can have multiple meanings, depending on the word placement. Rebuttal arguments are made to refute your opponent. The purpose of a rebuttal is to find the best claims on the opposing side and declare why the author is wrong. We contradict arguments to create stronger cases.
-The seemingly floating ship is simply from the heat of the sun reflecting off the water that makes it seem like its in the air
-Spoke on feedback please and only rewrites shall be placed in there and how rewrites need a f****** title
-She told him she loved him has multiple meanings by placing the word only in-between each word
-How strong the word ONLY is and how it can affect your writing if misplaced in a sentence
-Rebuttal argument and how to correctly go against a article with an opposing opinion on your topic.
Class Notes 11/15
Riddle: Decide for Yourself:
– A ship floating over the water.
– It’s an optical illusion of the ship floating on the water but what if it wasn’t an illusion what if it was pillars under the ship painted like the sky and sea to make it blend in?
– A website of the image where they tell us how the ship the temperature inversion were it changes the weather to be cold or warm it bends the light in our eyes and changes the distant object appears.
Housekeeping:
– Feedback/Revisions are conducted only on the Rewrite Posts(Definition, Causal, Visual).
– Professor works on feedback every day.
– Short Arguments always need a Title.
– No parenthetical citation notes, only use insight notation.
1) Refer to the Author, Title, or Publication in your sentence.
2)Refer to the Citation Mechanics
– Sources at the bottom with the References in the center.
1) No making it bold.
2) No colons.
3) No left-hand margin.
4) No quotation marks.
5) Refer to the Citation Mechanics.
Syntax Lesson:
– Only Matters Only When It Matters
– Only, Used Correctly
o (only)She(only) told(only) him(only) she(only) loved (only)him(only).
1) Only she told him that she loved him. (She and no one else said that she loved him.)
2) She only told him that she loved him. (She told him that she loved him, but she didn’t necessarily believe or mean it.)
3) She told only him that she loved him. (She told him and no one else that she loved him.)
4) She told him only that she loved him. (She said that she loved him, and said nothing more.)
5) She told him that only she loved him. (She told him that she and no one else loved him.)
6) She told him that she only loved him. (She said that she loved him and had nothing else to do with him.)
7) She told him that she loved only him. (She loved him and no one else.)
8) She told him that she loved him only. (She loved him and no one else.)
-It Matters When It Matters
o The insurance company denies your claim by inserting “only” at strategic places in this policy language.
o (1) ABC Casualty will reimburse the insured (2) to replace possessions (3) if destroyed by (4) fire (5) in the insured’s (6) apartment.
1)What if ABC Casualty merges with another insurer?
2)What if the insured doesn’t want to replace some items?
3)What if possessions are merely damaged?
4)What if both fire and smoke or sprinkler water, cause the damage?
5)What if other apartments also suffer damage?
6)What if the insured has two apartments?
– Exercise:
o D3: Ebola, which is spread only through contact with bodily fluids, can be controlled by first-world infectious disease protocols.
o D3 seems to have the best and clearest claim.
Rebuttal Unit:
– My Worthy Opponent is Wrong.
– Third short argument is due SUN NOV 26 at midnight (before class MON NOV 27).
– An argument is essential to your Research Position Paper.
– Rebuttal Argument will identify (and demolish) the argument you feel is the strongest rebuttal to your own thesis. (Is to REFUTE not advance your own thesis)
– The rebuttal is to detail all the qualifications that must be met to make a car seat safe, taken directly from your opponents’ arguments.
– Examples of the model is in the Rebuttal Practice
– Article on Is Nuclear Power Worth the Risk?
– Rebuttal Practice: A Price Too High
Next Portfolio Task:
– Portfolio Essay
– Rebuttal Argument: My Worthly Opponent Is Wrong! due Sunday 11/26 or before class Monday 11/27
– Write your third Short Argument and the paper will take the form of a Rebuttal Argument.
– Identify the strongest rebuttal (or rebuttals) that can be made against your thesis.
– Examine those rebuttal positions carefully, refute those positions, and include Works Cited.
– But in addition to that placeholder title, also give your essay a proper title. For example, this post is titled “My Worthy Opponent is Wrong.”
– Publish your Rebuttal Argument in the Rebuttal category, and your Username
Class Notes Wednesday 11/15:
-I think I have no choice but to believe in the validity of the photograph. While its important to fact check mainstream news and hold them accountable for any wrongdoings, I believe that this photo is real because why would they lie about it? The scientific explanation seems sound enough for me to believe.
-Every paragraph is dedicated to one singular main idea. If you start talking about another main idea, start another paragraph.
-The word ‘only’ has a lot of power. Be careful with using it because it can change the entire meaning of your sentence.
-Rebuttal Arguments are focused on arguing against an opposing viewpoint, not your own. You should take the opposing viewpoint, and explain why yours is better. The rebuttal argument is not a rebuttal against your hypothesis, it is a rebuttal against an opposing viewpoint.
The boat optical illusion makes the boat look like it is above the ocean and in the sky. With credible sources proving that it is a real photo and the boat is still in fact in the ocean. I find it hard sometimes to fully grasp types of photos like this because I am the type of person that is convinced by what I see more than what I am told about the photo.
Feedback is important; if you need feedback, comment on your rewrite of what you are wanting feedback on and Professor Hodges will give you feedback. Don’t wait till the last minute.
The word “only” can have a great impact on a sentence. Adding or taking away the word “only” from a sentence can cause it to have a totally different meaning.
For the rebuttal argument you want to find a strong source and argument against your thesis. Then you want to prove why they are actually wrong in reality and that your thesis is right.
Find things about your thesis that would go against your thesis and explain in detail their ideas and then find a flaw within, that would make your argument stronger.
Choose a source that is seen to be very credible to rebuttal.
The rebuttal must have strong and effective evidence to truly move and convince the reader.
11/15
The only exercise was pretty cool. It really makes you play with words.
The jobless rate is only the representation of people without jobs who are searching for a job.
This was crazy because it seems obvious that this is how they do the rate but i didn’t even think about it like that. I thought it was anyone who didn’t have a job.
The rebuttal argument is a task where you have to try and contradict someone else who thinks they’re right.
The flying ship riddle is pretty weird. I can’t tell if that boat is on water. It doesn’t look like it is. But how would it be floating?
11.15.23 notes
– A source loses its credibility if published on April 1st (April fool’s day)
– Only ask for feedback on your rewrite posts. Original posts should not be edited AT ALL, keep it as a comparison to final draft.
– Short arguments need titles (different titles for different short arguments)
– Only utilize APA citations that includes Author, Title, and Publication in your sentence
– Word placement can make your sentences have different meanings (the seven ways of using “only” in, she told him she loved him.)
– You need to find a worthy & credible “opponent” that is against your argument for you to refute, if they’re weak, there is nothing impressive about debunking their argument
– You are not looking for something that directly OPPOSES your argument, but something that you can dispute in whole
– Rebuttal practice is available on agenda page
– Rebuttal argument draft due the 26th is a strict deadline because there is not much time left in the semester following the due date
Class notes 11/15/2023
riddle- consider this a puzzle to decipher at first glance one might deem this information trustworthy due to its association with a substantial organization. However, with other links, it becomes apparent that the image accompanying the article has been manipulated.
housekeeping- A reminder that feedback and revisions will exclusively take place on the rewrite page, and the use of parenthetical citations is discouraged.
Only Matters when it Matters- Today we delved into the significance of precision in placement. the lesson underscores the profound impact of understanding when to employ the term only.
The rebuttal unit – emphasis lies on credibility and opposition to our thesis. the chosen source must present compelling and pertinent evidence avoiding irrelevant points. conclusiveness in evidence is a key criterion for a robust rebuttal.
Class Notes 11/15:
– BBC is typically a credible news source as it is looked at by millions all around the world. It is up to the viewer of the news to pay attention to dates of articles and text written in the fine print, as it can reveal additional meaning behind the news. This is a critical tactic which readers must keep in mind when viewing news.
– Students MUST put a title on their work.
– Be sure to submit a proper rebuttle argument that refutes the viewpoints of those who are questioning your work.
Class notes
Discussed daily riddle
Discussed house keeping items such as the argument rewrites
Went over Syntax Lesson portion of the lecture
Learned the versatility of “only” and how where it is placed in a sentence can determine the entire meaning of it.
Discussed “rebuttal argument” assignment
Notes 11/15/23
– Feedback – Only on rewrite posts
Don’t ask feedback on both draft & rewrite
Long wait? = Leave reply for emphasis
– Don’t use parenthetical citation in writing instead mention the source before starting the quotation
– Only matters only when it matters > Remodeling single sentences with with several different “only” positioning
– First Monday post – thanksgiving rebuttals argument due
Class notes 11/15/23
I felt the picture uploaded by BBC news network to be inaccurate with personal evaluation as BBC has that type of reputation. We then discussed more house keeping things regarding our feedback. We then gave feedback in the Syntax Lesson. Lastly we read the nuclear power article which I found very educational and useful. Then we discussed our third short arguement of the year which will be the Rebuttal.
– We discussed asking for comments, and the lecturer indicated we could do so at any time. Other examples of this include the fact that every essay has a thesis and that each paragraph has a topic phrase.If there are two, attempt to divide it into two paragraphs; do not include parenthetical citation notes.
– We went through syntax again, analyzing the use of transitional words and how syntax contributes to sentence comprehension. Additionally, a word’s usage alone has the power to alter a sentence’s meaning.
– We have to attempt to refute someone else’s position if they believe they are correct in the rebuttal argument.