12.4: Logic in the Lines
- Page ID
- 199347
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Every essay is an argument.
Thaddeus Robinson taught us that an argument is a piece of reasoning that contains two things: reasons/premises and a conclusion. Every essay is an argument wherein your thesis (usually stated in your introduction) is the conclusion you want you audience to come to; it's what you want your audience to know or believe.
Wait...the conclusion is in your introduction?
Yes. And no. The conclusion you want your audience to come to – what you want them to believe as a result of reading your paper – is usually stated in the introduction of your paper. Your paper, however, still has a conclusion that gracefully wraps up, restates, and ends your paper.
A lot of students think that a thesis statement is simply what your paper is about. That may be true in some essays. Really good essays, and especially argumentative essays, begin with the end in mind. If I want you to walk away from my essay believing that Lucretia Mott absolutely owned the rhetorical canons in her 1848 "Declaration of Sentiments" speech, the introduction of my paper will clearly assert the conclusion I wish for you to reach: "Lucretia Mott skillfully 'fired the canons' of rhetoric in her 1848 speech, 'The Declaration of Sentiments'." For some reason, many students are fearful of boldly stating their thesis or argumentative conclusion in their introductions. Don't be tentative; be bold. You are making an argument!
The body of the essay will put forth the premises or reasons upon which your desired conclusion depends. How did Ms. Mott own this speech? Why do I believe this? The reasons–and the evidence/support for them–comprise the body of the speech.
Logos is reasoning, rationality, credible evidence and objectivity. Logos is facts and explanations. Whereas pathos appeals to emotion, logos appeals to rationality and intellect.
What does logos look like in a paper?
- Does your essay clearly and specifically state the conclusion you wish your audience to come to as a result of reading your paper?
- Is the thesis (what you want them to conclude) supported by strong reasons and credible evidence throughout your paper?
- Are the supporting arguments clear, well-organized, and easy to follow?
- Is your paper coherent, maintaining a well organized line of reasoning (not repeating ideas or jumping around)?
- Does your paper include exemplification – the use of many examples or a variety of evidence to support a single point?
- Does your paper provide elaboration – moving beyond just including a fact, but explaining the significance or relevance of that fact?
- Does your paper include forms of reasoning, such as:
- comparison/analogy
- causation (X leads to Y)
- inductive reasoning (specific examples add up to support a general conclusion)
- deductive reasoning (a broad generalization minus a specific premise supports a specific conclusion).
There is a lot of very good stuff going on in an essay which incorporates Aristotle's modes of proof. The mode or modes you favor in your writing should depend upon your audience and your purpose, but never forget that Aristotle recognized that persuasion is different from critical thinking or argumentation. He determined that effective persuasion requires all three modes of proof. Anyone attempting to persuade an audience needs ethos, logos, and pathos.