7 Supporting Your Ideas

Chapter 7: Supporting Your Ideas

1. Introduction

  • Jamie Oliver's TED Prize Speech (2010)

    • Topic: Teaching children about food

    • Captured attention and demonstrated credibility using compelling statistics.

      • Statistic: Four Americans will die from food-related diseases in 18 minutes.

      • Used charts to highlight diet-related deaths surpassing other health-related deaths.

2. Chapter Objectives

  1. Combine multiple forms of evidence

  2. Differentiate three types of testimony

  3. Navigate library resources

  4. Evaluate source credibility

  5. Understand plagiarism and strategies to avoid it

  6. Apply concepts through review questions and activities

3. Personal and Professional Knowledge

3.1. Personal Testimony

  • Walter Fisher's Narrative Paradigm

    • Humans as storytellers: Sharing experiences to build community.

    • Enhances credibility and memorability of a speech.

    • Example: Sharing personal hunting experiences in a speech about local hunting culture.

  • Caution: Reliving experiences can distort details; practice to maintain focus and brevity.

3.2. Interviews

  • Importance of expert testimonies for predictions and issues lacking personal experience.

    • Example: Interviewing a Red Cross expert for disaster preparation tips.

  • Conducting interviews:

    • Prepare basic questions and establish rapport.

    • Use respectful communication and clarify points as needed.

4. Library Resources

4.1. Types of Library Resources

  • Books: Comprehensive topics; consult catalog for titles and call numbers.

  • Periodicals: Include newspapers, magazines, and journals; provide current information.

  • Full Text Databases: Access scholarly articles and extensive research.

4.2. Using Books Effectively

  • Determine specific search goals: General knowledge vs. specific supports.

  • Use table of contents and index to find relevant sections quickly.

  • Note-taking: Keep thorough records of bibliographic information.

5. Internet Resources

5.1. Search Engines

  • Popular engines: Google, Bing, Yahoo!

  • Strategy: Experiment with algorithms; ensure relevant results by adjusting search terms.

5.2. Defining Search Terms

  • Start with general topics then refine with synonyms.

  • Boolean Operators:

    • OR: Expands search (e.g., "college OR university").

    • AND: Narrows search (e.g., "Hillary Rodham Clinton AND Senate").

    • NOT: Excludes terms (e.g., "hyena NOT lion").

    • Quotation Marks: Searches for exact phrases.

6. Evaluating Information

  • Assess the quality and credibility of sources:

    • Comprehensive coverage of the topic.

    • Recognition of competing perspectives.

    • Proper citations and reliable data.

7. Citing Sources and Avoiding Plagiarism

7.1. Style Guides

  • Use proper citation styles: MLA, APA, Chicago.

  • Importance of oral and written attribution for credibility.

7.2. Understanding Plagiarism

  • Intentional vs. unintentional plagiarism: Both are unethical.

  • Importance of citing all sources and ideas that are not your own.

8. Conclusion

  • To craft convincing speeches, combine diverse supporting materials.

  • Evaluate consistency in sources and address contradictory information.

  • Use high-quality resources to back up arguments effectively.

9. Module Activities

  • Activities include getting to know the library, brainstorming search terms, and conducting effective searches.

10. Glossary

  • Bias: Predisposition towards a viewpoint.

  • Expert Testimony: Insight from recognized authorities.

  • Personal Testimony: Individual experiences that illustrate points.

11. References

  • Cited works used in developing chapter content, covering various relevant topics.