help with a paper in my argumentation class?

Question

any ideas on how to write a paper based on should the great wall of Mexico should or shouldn't be built. can some one shoot me ideas and websites i can use as citations for my paper?

Answer 1

Hi, I am an Enghlishteach and maybe can help. First of all, let's look at argumentation and persuasion. Argumentation makes it's appeals based on logic, that which makes sense, the right thing to do, and it convinces one to take or not to take a certain action based on the "rightness" of the evidence presented.
Persuasion on the other hand appeals to the emotions, makes its claims by pusing our emotional "hot buttons, often uses biases or personal agenda to win over converts. So you might say that argumentation appeals to the "head" and perusasion makes it appeals from the "heart" Argumentation uses the "facts" or that which has been proven by research and past use plus the logic, to makes its case. Persuasion tries to make it's appeal on a lot less solid ground by pulling at our emotions.
Really good agumentation/persuasion papers I have found in my teaching experience use a combination of both tactics, and go back and forth from appeals to the head and heart to convince the audience.
As far as web sities, I am at a loss at suggest really specific ones. I would think that economics and security for both the US and Mexico would be issues that would need to be considred in your paper, and you could build a pretty convincing case for one or the other related to both the US and Mexico using argument, persuasion, or both. Good luck with your paper and thanks for sharing! [e-mail]. If you need more ideas or suggestions, let me know as I am always happy to help a student.