LESSON 2.22
Pedagogy- Writing Claims
Review
All formal documents except those giving direction can follow the SONY pattern:
Summary
Old Variable
New Variable
Why Section
Conclusion
Formal documents include—
Formal essays
Short papers such as literature papers
Research papers
Argumentative papers
Business reports
Business reports without an emphasis on giving directions
Masters’ thesis
Doctoral dissertations
SONY vs. Five-Paragraph Paper
(for teachers)
At first glance, it looks as if SONY is a five-paragraph paper in different clothing. However, there are major differences that dramatically affect documents’ quality and length:
Five-Paragraph Essay | SONY |
Middle three sections can be anything that helps prove the thesis. As a result, the proofs are often a rehash of common information. | Each of the three sections has a specific role: Old variable: What readers probably already know New variable: What readers probably do not know AND what probably interests them. Why section: Why the What Section (the Old + the New) are true or important? |
Essay is five paragraphs long | The middle sections can be any length. |
Essay is a maximum of 750 words. | Essay has no maximum number of words. |
Essay does not have to have a New section and thus usually is boring. | Essay must have a section that is new to readers and likely interesting to readers. |
Originally created for speeches but is used for writing | Was created for writing but can be used for speeches. |
Is an artificial construct superimposed on discourse. | Is based on the way we naturally communicate (explained in Lesson 2.10) |
Informal Papers
Informal papers, such as personal essays, will also follow the pattern. The only difference is that the S (summary) is not needed.
Creating a Claim
Informal papers, such as personal essays, will also follow the pattern. The only difference is that the S (summary) is not needed.
In Lesson 2.8 we examined IDP:
Old variable
I
D
P
New variable
I
D
P
Why section
I
D
P
Small Group Activity
The following sentences represent a paragraph. Its sentences are arranged alphabetically instead of being organized so readers can best understand them. Rearrange them to fit the IDP formula.
- Find the sentence that best introduces the main idea.
- Find the sentences that define, describe, and/or discusses the idea.
- Put the sentences from #2 in an order that in your opinion best helps the reader understand the idea.
- Find the sentences that provide evidence.
- Put the sentences from #3 in an order that in your opinion best helps the reader understand the idea.
- Find a sentence that effectively ends the paragraph.
Sentences
As the result of their experiment, the engineers were better able to give real passengers a stronger and more reliable internet signal for their laptops.
Boeing engineers could not ask passengers to sit motionless for many hours while the engineers tested the radio waves.
In 2006, Boeing loaded a plane with sacks of potatoes to find dead zones or weak zones of wireless signals.
Of the 15 fruits and vegetables, potatoes most closely resembled the human body’s electric force transmission.
Potatoes and humans have similar water content and chemistry.
Radio waves bounce off potatoes and human bodies the same way.
Scientists had tested 15 fruits and vegetables for the way they transmit electric force.
Signal strength can be spotty 35,000 feet (10,700 meters) in the air.
So what could the engineers do?
The Boeing Company has used potatoes to improve passengers’ Wi-Fi.
The Boeing engineers stacked sacks of potatoes in each seat.
The potato sacks oddly resembled real humans!
Small Group or Individual Activity
Complete the exercise: Jamaica