The Four-Sentence Paper
Teaching Philosophy 38 (1):49-76 (2015)
Abstract
They say that argumentative writing skills are best learned through writing argumentative essays. I say that while this is excellent practice for argumentative writing, an important exercise to practice structuring such essays and build critical thinking skills simultaneously is what I call the four-sentence paper. The exercise has the template They say..., I say..., one might object..., I reply... One might object that the assignment oversimplifies argumentative writing, stifles creativity, promotes an adversarial attitude, or that students can’t consider objections well anyway. I reply that a simplified form of argumentative writing is fine for beginners, especially since the template is ubiquitous in philosophy; that any assignment template has room for creativity; that considering objections is consistent with good manners; and that despite some pitfalls of trying to defend a thesis and consider objections, students are capable of considering objections well with proper instruction and practice.Author's Profile
ISBN(s)
0145-5788
DOI
10.5840/teachphil20151730
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Citations of this work
The “six-line essay” writing intervention for first-year philosophy students: A preliminary report.Ewa Latecka - 2020 - South African Journal of Philosophy 39 (4):411-422.
Building a Pedagogical Relationship between Philosophy and Digital Humanities through a Creative Arts Paradigm.Taylor Elyse Mills - 2020 - Teaching Philosophy 43 (4):403-429.
References found in this work
Philosophy, Adversarial Argumentation, and Embattled Reason.Phyllis Rooney - 2010 - Informal Logic 30 (3):203-234.
Aggression, Politeness, and Abstract Adversaries.Catherine Hundleby - 2013 - Informal Logic 33 (2):238-262.
Argument is War... And War is Hell: Philosophy, Education, and Metaphors for Argumentation.Daniel H. Cohen - 1995 - Informal Logic 17 (2):177-188.