A Dam Good Argument - 1st Edition

Reviewed by Sarah Summers, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, Franklin College on 10/23/24

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

This textbook covers all of the topics necessary for a first-year writing course: thesis development, research, analysis, revision, etc. I also appreciate that the text works in a variety of key rhetorical concepts including the rhetorical appeals, the Burkean Parlor, and exigence. The thing that is missing here that is commonly seen in other text is annotated essays or sample student work. Instructors would probably have to supplement this text with those kinds of examples or readings to help students make connections between the textbook and their writing. Many of the chapters do include excellent ideas for activities that would help students make these connections.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate and error-free.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The examples are contemporary and wide-ranging enough to be relevant to range of students and course themes. The suggested questions at the end of chapters are also relevant to both the chapter content and to first-year students more generally. The book also addresses examples relevant to students' prior experiences with writing, like the 5-paragraph essay. There are a couple specific references to Oregon State, which won't be relevant to all students, but they don't affect the examples or students' ability to engage with the text.

Clarity rating: 5

The book is clear and includes several helpful visuals and diagrams. The tone is appropriate for students, particularly in the opening section that introduces students to writing courses. Terms are well defined.

Consistency rating: 5

The text is consistent in tone, terminology, and design. There isn't a lot of intentional overlap between chapters, but the concepts clearly connect and build on one another.

Modularity rating: 5

I think modularity is a real strength of this text. Though students could read it beginning to end, the chapters stand alone. For example, in the "Analyzing Persuasion" section, it would be easy to use the chapter on rhetorical appeals while students work on an early essay and then the chapter on close reading for an essay later in the course.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The topics are presented in logical subsections (introduction, analysis, argumentation, sources, and style) and can be read as a whole or separately to match with specific assignments or activities.

Interface rating: 5

I had no problems with the navigation or interface. Very easy to navigate with the consistent navigation bar on the left.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No errors.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text uses a variety of examples and addresses cultural difference and equity in many direct ways. It includes a chapter called "There is More Than One Correct Way of Writing and Speaking" that includes examples of code switching and additional resources about SRTOL. The appendix also includes Alternatives to Traditional Grading, which addresses equity issues, and Antiracist and Inclusive Pedagogy resources.

Comments

This is a useful book written with students and their experiences and preconceptions in mind. It would benefit from additional supplemental examples for students, but the suggested discussion questions and activities make up for that and would make it easier to prep class time while using the text.

Reviewed by Andrea LoMonaco, Adjunct Faculty, Tillamook Bay Community College on 12/11/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text covers the full range of argument concepts including emotional appeals, fallacy, critical thinking and rhetorical models. It also addresses the use of sources, mechanics and other basic composition elements, making the need for a separate text--outside of a citation handbook--minimal. Some supplementation may still be necessary in order to provide students with a more robust list of fallacies and sample student papers that illustrate the concepts.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The content is accurate and free of errors.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

Content is up-to-date and in line with existing argument concepts. There may be some cultural references that may seem dated as time goes by, but as with other textbooks, those specific sections can be amended as needed without a large overhaul.

Clarity rating: 5

The text is written in a clear, casual, accessible voice that should appeal to most college students. The technical terms are explained well with adequate examples and illustrations of the concepts.

Consistency rating: 5

While the text is curated from a variety of sources, the voice is relatively consistent throughout giving it a cohesive feel. The design of the e-book itself also follows a standard setup--headings, attributions, placement of discussion questions and reinforcement activities--making it easily navigable.

Modularity rating: 5

The modularity of this text lends itself well to assigning smaller sections and passages at a point that makes sense to the specific instructor's roadmap for the term without having to sequence the course as it's set up in the text. In addition to it's usefulness in the argument classroom, both the Style, Form, Mechanics and Working with Sources sections could be extracted from the text and used across disciplines.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The text is arranged in a logical order starting with an introduction to what it means to engage in argument in an academic setting, to analysis, constructing arguments and finally the finer details of engaging sources and writing with polish, but in a way that aligns with the writer's purpose and audience.

Interface rating: 5

The text is easily navigable and the images are clear.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I did not observe grammatical errors in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

The text approaches the work with a culturally sensitive and inclusive point of view. The authors also include a brief acknowledgement of the "dominance of whiteness in writing instruction" and that the text is grounded in "Western rhetorical traditions." Chapter 32 is also dedicated to anti-racist and inclusive pedagogy resources for further learning.

Comments

Overall this is an effective tool for teaching argument. While it was written for use at a specific school and states as much in the text itself, it would be easily adaptable to a course at any institution.

Reviewed by Terry Lovern, Adjunct Instructor, Radford University on 11/6/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The book does a great job of taking the reader step by step through the writing process. The text is very comprehensive overall with a nice scaffolding approach through each chapter; however, it could benefit with writing examples in different citation styles.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

Information is accurate and to the point. I like how it discusses when and why to use citations although I'd like to see specific examples of common styles used in these courses (MLA and APA).

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

I love the language used in the book because it's appealing to students. Textbooks are often written for instructors more so than for students, but the authors use humor like the CRAAP test, which give some much needed levity for such a dry subject.

Clarity rating: 5

The language throughout the text is clear and to the point. It never slows you down with excessive jargon, but the writers always make sure to define key terms with examples.

Consistency rating: 5

The authors scaffold everything and maintain a consistent tone with accompanying language for the duration of the book.

Modularity rating: 5

I love how the book can be used in different ways without losing anything. For example, an instructor could start at the beginning and work through the entire book sequentially, or they could pick and choose chapters they feel best fit their course needs.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

Excellent organization for start to finish. Instructors and students should have no trouble staying on track.

Interface rating: 5

Navigating the text is smooth with minimal effort. Everything looks good and is in the proper location. Nothing felt distracting or "off."

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors are present in the text.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I found the book to be very welcoming and inclusive to students from different backgrounds. Too many textbooks read as if only one type of student exists, but this one never felt that way to me. The authors even say up front that their university has a diverse student body, which they took into account creating the book.

Comments

Overall, the book is excellent, but there is room for additional material. It would benefit greatly from having writing examples of papers using different citation styles (especially MLA and APA). I've found that students almost always do better when they can see examples they can mirror until they get comfortable with their writing. I think the book would be a welcome addition to any comp course, but more as a reference guide as it is now. The authors have done a stellar job otherwise.

Reviewed by Karen Pleasant, Adjunct Instructor, Rogue Community College on 3/7/23

Comprehensiveness rating: 5 see less

The textbook is thorough in its coverage of writing an argumentative research paper. It walks the students through the process from constructing arguments ethically to developing a research question. It looks at the four tiers of sources and much more as it leads to the culminating chapter about style, form , and mechanics.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The book is spot on with the information included. It includes information about why and when to use citations, but doesn't include any specifics about any of the citation styles (APA, MLA, etc.)

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

This book will appeal to college students indefinitely as it uses enticing jargon, such as the CRAAP Test and Four Moves and a Habit (both about evaluating a source). The inclusion of discussion questions and activities makes the information even more relevant to students and instructors. The authors also use concepts, language, and phrases that are timeless and make the book one that can be used for many years.

Clarity rating: 5

The authors clarify terms and give examples and descriptions as needed.

Consistency rating: 5

The same terms are used throughout the text consistently and new concepts build on previous ones.

Modularity rating: 5

Students and instructors could start anywhere in the book and use the information as it is needed.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The book is well organized and flows through the process, from beginning to end, of writing a argumentative research paper.

Interface rating: 5

Yes, it was easy to maneuver through the textbook.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

I didn't notice any grammar or mechanical errors in the textbook.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

I didn't see any issues with equity and diversity in the book.

Comments

I will adopt and use the book for my English Composition II course which involves writing an argumentative research paper. This is just the book that I've been looking for. Students can augment it with online resources to learn more about APA and MLA styles, such as the Purdue Online Writing Lab.

Reviewed by Brenda Coston, Assistant Professor, Honolulu Community College on 11/8/22

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

The text starts by explaining why students need to craft a good argument regardless of what profession they take on. What is intriging about this text and what draws readers to it is it's real approach--not pretentious--but instead, down to earth guaranteed to grab it's readers. Take , for example, the opening comments,"Let’s begin by being real with each other: you’re probably in this class because you have to be. It fulfills a gen ed writing requirement you need to graduate, and you wouldn’t be here otherwise. And there is a good chance you’re not absolutely thrilled about it." Immediately, the reader wants to see what else is on the page, and so the learning begins.

Content Accuracy rating: 5

The text is interesting in its approach to the argument. Along with its "in your face approach," the text chunks important information in its chapters, giving the readers a chance to process the stages of argument writing. This approach works as students are not overhwhelmed with trying to develop the essay all at once. Here are the major sections:
I. Introduction to Argument at the College Level
II. Analyzing Persuasion
III. Constructing Arguments
IV. Working with Sources
V. Style, Form, Mechanics
VI. Appendices
Once the topic is selected, the text then goes through the fine tuning process of crafting a decent argument and why facts matters if students wish to convince their readers. The first chapter gets the reader to start thinking about the different ways people think and communicate. By discussing this information early on while students are beginning to craft the essay, the authors open up the argument and what it really means. "By perpetuating the myth of one correct way of writing, we are effectively marginalizing substantial swaths of the population linguistically and culturally."

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

With it's direct approach, this text is very relevent in today's world. It's great that the text addresses why students need to have a clear argument regardless of vocation. The need to commincate effectively is important period.

Clarity rating: 4

The text is clear in its approach. One drawback is that students like to see patterns. If the text could show patterns of argument, I think its comments would become clearer for students. I think a chart showing the following points in an essay would be awesome: introduction, background, main arguments, refutation, and conclusion. It's ok to talk, but students need to see the words in practice.

Consistency rating: 5

The text does a great job of explaining terms and their applications. The material is current and relevant to today's world. Take chapter 5, for instance: BACKPACKS VS. BRIEFCASES: Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis. The chapter begins with "Imagine the first day of class in first-year composition at your university. The moment your instructor walked into the room, you likely began analyzing them and making assumptions about what kind of teacher they will be. You might have noticed what kind of bag they are carrying—a tattered leather satchel? A hot-pink polka-dotted backpack? A burgundy briefcase?" Immediately, the reader is intrigued and then the chapter goes on to explain why analysis needs to happen.

Modularity rating: 4

After the explanation, I would like to see the material pointed out and applied to a student essay. This approach could be done at the end of each chapter before the next chapter takes the information a step further so students could clearly follow the process.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 4

Generally, the text is organized well as the reader thinks through the writing process, but more examples with application of the text's points shown on sample students essays would be very helpful for students.

Interface rating: 5

This text has NO significant interface issues or naviagtion problems. The points are clearly shown as students thinks through the creation of a well crafted argument.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No major grammatical errors are present.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

One of the best aspects of this text is that it is open to anyone of any background . It is not written with bias but instead with a "let's learn to argue effectively approach." For example, in the opening chapeter of the text, it is stated, "...one of the best things about Oregon State University is that our students come from all different cultures and stages of life and scholastic and socioeconomic backgrounds. So instead of trying to identify all of your individual circumstances, let me state two things everyone reading this shares: You’ve all made it this far somehow, jumping through hoop after writing-requirement hoop, and [y]our schooling is much closer to its end than its beginning." Thus, this text is open and makes it a point to be open and acceptable to anyone regardless of background.

Comments

This text right now is more or a book that students would read before beginning the argument essy rather than a text that could be used along with writing the essay. Consider this point made in Chapter 18: RESEARCH SHOULD START WITH QUESTIONS, NOT ANSWERS. "However, a researcher who begins with an open-ended question motivated by curiosity, whose goal is not to prove anything but to discover salient ideas about a human rights issue, has the chance to explore different thoughts about human trafficking and come to her own conclusions as she researches why it’s a problem and what ought to be done to stop it, not just create stronger consequences for it." Why not take a student essay on human trafficking and point out these points? Student need to see charts--patterns to the argument essay. Take a student essay or two --pointing out the introduction, background, main arguments, refutation, and conclusion. Then, analyze what the students have said, pointing out where improvements could be made and then rewriting with these improvements made so students can see the contrast. If an entire student essay were analyzed showing the parts of the argument , students would be better able to better follow the suggestions of the text. In addition, patterns of the argument essay shown in chart form with a essay given for each pattern would make this text a great one! Right now, this text is a very good reference, but with a lttle tweaking could be even more applicable.