AP Language Question 3--persuasive 2007 Exam Charitable Acts

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1 Becky Talk Cushing H.S. Cushing, TX AP Language Question 3--persuasive 2007 Exam Charitable Acts A weekly feature of The New York Times Magazine is a column by Randy Cohen called The Ethicist, in which people raise questions to which Cohen provides answers. The question below is from the column that appeared on April 4, At my high school, various clubs and organizations sponsor charity drives, asking students to bring in money, food, and clothing. Some teachers offer bonus points on tests and final averages as incentives to participate. Some parents believe that this sends a morally wrong message, undermining the value of charity as a selfless act. Is the exchange of donations for grades O.K.? The practice of offering incentives for charitable acts is widespread, from school projects to fund drives by organizations such as public television stations, to federal income tax deductions for contributions to charities. In a well-written essay, develop a position on the ethics of offering incentives for charitable acts. Support your position with evidence from your reading, observation, and/or experience.

2 What is invention in writing? Invention concerns finding something to say (its name derives from the Latin invenire, "to find."). Invention is tied to the rhetorical appeal of logos, being oriented to what an author would say rather than how this might be said. Invention describes the argumentative, persuasive core of rhetoric. Aristotle, in fact, defines rhetoric primarily as invention, "discovering the best available means of persuasion." FIND SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THIS PROMPT. How well do you know human nature? What motivates people to give to others? List all the reasons you can think of for people to give to charity. Don t pass judgment on people s motivations; just list what you know is true from your own experiences, your reading, and your observations. Reasons People Give to Charity Suggested responses: --for a tax write-off --to look righteous to others --to feel good about themselves --because they feel guilty in their prosperity --because they believe that those who have abundance should help those in need --because they believe it pleases God --to gain something financially or emotionally --to impress someone --etc. In 1958, Stephen Toulmin published a book called The Uses of Argument. He proposes a template for writing a thesis statement for a persuasive essay. Remember that the directions for writing this essay tell you to develop a position on the ethics of offering incentives for charitable acts. In persuasive writing, your thesis statement could also be called your position statement, or your claim. The directions could just as well have read, Develop a claim about the ethics of offering incentives for charitable acts. Here is the Toulmin template for writing a thesis statement: Because, therefore since. Look at this introductory paragraph a student wrote over this prompt:

3 Sample 1 Is the exchange of donations for grades O.K.? The question is posed to us as if there is some idea of changing the system should the answer be a resounding no. But if we were to be wholly honest with ourselves, we know charity is never entirely selfless. Even the self-effacing saints who speak of selflessness are guilty of some degree of selfishness; charity for charity s sake doesn t exist when there is something to be gained, be it better grades for students, or even just the bubble of happiness that comes from charitable works. Incentives for charitable acts have always and will always exist, because we as humans live in a quid pro quo society. Ethically questionable, perhaps, but if it motivates us to do good, it can t be all bad. We can read this paragraph, analyze this student s reasoning, and write a thesis statement according to the Toulmin model: Because charity is never entirely selfless, therefore it is ethical to offer incentives for charitable acts since whatever people s motivations, the outcome of charity will be that people will be helped. Note: You may find that the word therefore sounds awkward. If so, just omit it. Read the next student sample and fill in the blank in the Toulmin thesis statement. Sample 2 Offering a reward for good deeds is a practice that is widespread. Charitable donations are rewarded with tax deductions, and students often recieve extra credit for attending charitable events. While in a perfect world, charity should not be done to recieve benefits, this world is far from perfect. Thus, charity, even if done to recieve benefits, is still beneficial, and a necessary component to any functioning society. Because what is important is not one s motivations but the effectiveness of charity, therefore it is ethical to offer incentives for charitable acts since people will benefit no matter what motivates people to act charitably.

4 Here s another student sample, this time with the introductory and concluding paragraph. You will supply part of the Toulmin thesis statement. Sample 3 It takes a lot sometimes to get people to participate. As an incentive, people offer other items just to get others to get involved. But in the case of charity drives, it is unacceptable to make an exchange between these two things. Charitable acts should be motivated by the desire to get involved or help others out, not to gain something physical in return. The only gain should be feeling proud for what you are doing, and happiness for helping out others in need. (concluding paragraph) Charity is an act of kindness. And kindness should not have to be paid for. It should come from the bottom of the heart, with eagerness to help out, to make the lives of others better. It should be carried out with the desire to gain from it emotionally, not with bribes and physical incentives. This is immoral and defeats the entire purpose of charity. Because charitable acts should be motivated by the desire to get involved or help others out, therefore it is unethical to offer incentives for charitable acts since true charity should come from a willing heart. For this student sample, you will fill in all the parts of the Toulmin model. Sample 4 Charitable acts, regardless of the incentives associated with them, should be rewarded as they display selfless giving and moral integrity. Praising students and other citizens for charitable donations should not undermine the essential goodness of these acts. By promoting a national sense of moral obligation to the less fortunate, charitable acts should be recognized on both a small and large scale as they encourage greater participation and help others globally. Because charitable acts display selfless giving and moral integrity, therefore it is ethical to offer incentives for charitable acts since charitable acts promote a national sense of moral obligation to the less fortunate.

5 Now you will write your own thesis statement for this prompt according to the Toulmin model. Read the directions for writing the essay once again: In a well-written essay, develop a position on the ethics of offering incentives for charitable acts. Because, therefore since. Allow students time to write their own thesis statement. Call on some students to share their responses. Or ask for volunteers and have students write their responses on a transparency. Share with whole group. Planting a Naysayer in Your Text (or writing a concession) (Quoted from They Say/I Say, Gerald Graff and Kathy Berkenstein) Once you see writing as an act of entering a conversation, you should also see how opposing arguments can work for you rather than against you. Paradoxically, the more you give voice to your critics objections, the more you can disarm those critics, especially if you go on to answer them in convincing ways. When you entertain a counter-argument, you make a kind of preemptive strike, identifying problems with your argument before others can point them out for you. Furthermore, by entertaining counterarguments, you show respect for your readers, treating them not as gullible dupes but as independent, critical thinkers who are aware that yours is not the only view in town. (75-76) Choose one of the templates below. Write a concession or a naysayer. Answers will vary. Example: Although I grant that the true nature of giving involves an unselfish willingness to help others, I still maintain that it is ethical to offer incentives for charitable acts since the ultimate outcome will be that people are helped, no matter what one s motivations for giving are. TEMPLATES FOR MAKING CONCESSIONS WHILE STILL STANDING YOUR GROUND Although I grant that, I still maintain that.

6 Proponents of X are right to argue that. But they exaggerate when they claim that. While it is true that, it does not necessarily follow that. On the one hand, I agree with X that. But on the other hand, I still insist that. Although one cannot dispute the importance of writing a powerful position statement and adding a logical concession (or naysayer, as Graff calls it), the crux of your argument is going to come down to the evidence you choose to convince the audience that your position is sound. Your ethos (character and credibility) demands that you offer sound evidence to convince your audience. You must show that you respect them and realize they expect and deserve convincing, compelling evidence for your position. Plan out the evidence you will use in your essay. Remember that the directions state that this evidence can come from your reading, observation, and/or experience. My Evidence From my reading From my observation From my experience

7 Answers will vary. Allow students time to fill in the chart. You should give them time to fill out at least one response in each category. Share student responses with whole group. Remind them that today they have worked on three important elements of writing a persuasive essay: Writing the thesis statement Writing a concession (which develops logos and ethos) Outlining the evidence you will use