Proposals

            The Fight Club strategies we have learned throughout the semester are crucial in developing our papers. We have learned many techniques from formatting our arguments, addressing counterarguments, to communicating our positions in effective mannerism by using paradigms and concepts from “They Say, I Say”. We can use these techniques in our papers, as we must find ways to argue our proposal despite opposing viewpoints.

Many times in Fight Club, we must argue something that we may disagree upon. I believe this will help us tremendously when finalizing our papers because we have learned how to play the devil’s advocate in most situations. Thus, we are able to address many counter arguments as they arise in our papers, therefore strengthening our proposals and allowing us to connect with the audience. However, Fight Club does not address formal writing strategies as well as it prepares us for voicing our opinions and anticipating counters. In Fight Club, one is preoccupied with ideas and counter parts instead of focusing on the conventional details that need to be present in papers that we turn in. In addition, in a verbal environment we are able to express our specific points clearly and explicitly, which can prove to be difficult in writing. However, through the paradigms and templates we have learned, I believe our proposals will be much stronger as we learn how to address counters, popular opinions, or our own viewpoints. Overall, I think Fight Club has been preparing us in recognizing the counters of our audience in our proposals, which is crucial in writing a strong proposal. 

Fight Club Papers

Being forced to represent a point of view that is contradictory to the one that you naturally form from your own logic and emotions helps greatly with advocating for a cause because you can present different viewpoints contrary to your argument to appeal to those who might not be convinced by your topic and argue against them to persuade those who might share the same arguments that contradict your natural point of view. the ability to argue for any position and clearly see pros and cons, irrespective of emotional bias is a huge skill that is largely unappreciated in persuasive writing. Even though debates can help someone think of counter-arguments, it's still difficult to argue against the counter-arguments with evidence, as some may be way too specific, illogical, or just too obscure to dream up as an opponent, and therefore impossible to debate against. In a verbal debate, its easier to appeal to a wider range of people as the focus is nearly all on the present point of debate, rather than one single point in a paper which is heavily dependent on all the rest of the words written. In a debate, it's much easier to broaden an argument without being obviously self-contradicting. However, a paper is easier because of the time-frame and the ample amount of sources that the author can accumulate to back up the arguments. Both situations have their own pros and cons, but generally people's minds can be more easily molded in the free-form dialogue of verbal debates and crossfire.

Fight Club Strategies

Fight Club has been an interesting experience and has taught me many things. It taught me to look at both sides of each argument and back up each side with support.  Something that I struggle with is arguing for a specific side I don’t necessarily agree with. Although it is difficult to do that, it helps me open my mind to new ideas. Fight club is also fun in my opinion, it is a great opportunity to interact and argue with my classmates. This is something I don’t always have the opportunity to do in my other classes.

            I can apply these strategies to my paper by always looking for more support to back up argument. In my opinion, it is easier to verbally argue because people are physically there listening to your argument and agreeing or disagree with you. It is also more effective to argue verbally because you can use a specific tone to get a point across. On the contrary, writing is easier because you have time to think through how you want to state each argument.

            In future fight clubs, I would like to see more controversial topics. Weather we get to choose our side or not I believe it would be beneficial. Allowing us to choose our own sides would allow us to fight for something we strongly believe in. On the other hand, assigning us a specific side to the argument would force us to look at the other side of the very controversial argument.  

Resource or Reject?

If anyone was given the chance to improve something about their writing, they would take it. Mediocrity is not a goal not is it tolerated by those and their audience who realize their potential. By using new and innovative ways to improve writing skills, old habits can be ceased and new methods implemented.

Initially hesitant, I have began using Fight Club strategies in my writing. For instance, the use of Fight club has caused me to have higher attention to detail. With a better eye, I can spot grammatical and spelling mistakes. I can avoid the use of contractions and find areas in need of evidence to support a claim.

In addition to that, Fight Club has also helped me gain a sense of comfort within my writing. Though writing stays within a formal setting, the writer does not have to. We are all human and we all have begun similar or identical assignments. The idea of Blogger and Fight Club is to ease students stress over sharing their ideas with their peers and to let them engage in multiple ways of publishing and expressing their works.

Fight club has also made me realize I MUST state my claims and why the audience should read my work. By stating your cause or reason for writing the reader can decide if they are the correct audience. They also can negate your claims and provide objection. With such one can only strengthen their argument and begin to predict future rebuttals in later works. 

The only complaint I have with Fight Club is that it did not wholly enhance my writing abilities. I still have trouble with transitions, claim placement, knowing where to extend/ end, and feedback. Though some classmates comment on my work, not all do. Moreover, when some do comment, it's been irrelevant, biased, or undesired. I truly would love to get genuine, knowledgeable feedback and aid in perfecting my transitions.

However having six more weeks of Fight Club, I hope to perfect my writing abilities, open myself to commentary, and engage further in 'Fight' Club. By being placed within a verbal environment, ideas are immensely more free flowing and creative. Students do not feel pressured to be immaculate. They know mistakes will be made and that they may not win the argument, but being placed in a safe space and given free reign to speak and debate allows opportunity. Not only that, but resources are present to do quick research and to back any claim or decision being discussed. Fight Club just like any writer is not perfect but it is improving.

Fight Club Strategies

Fight Club has been useful in preparing both sides of an argument.  When writing my paper, having the arguments against your argument ready to be addressed will be helpful in improving the credibility and the strength of my paper.  This was the easiest thing that was helpful in regards to how Fight Club strategies are applied in my paper.  When researching, I was prepared to look up articles that go against my thesis, because then I was able to see how the other side thinks so as to better prepare ways to bring up and diminish their arguments in my paper.

                  What is still hard is trying to bring up the opposition’s points without them making them seem better and more understandable than mine.  I do not want to bring something that will make the readers of my paper think that that is really understandable and then it takes away from what I am trying to argue. 

                  Fight Club is a lot easier when it is in a verbal environment.  Thoughts can flow instantaneously, because you do not have to wait to finish writing down one thing before you go onto another.  Also, when speaking, the arguments to your own arguments are instant.  The person that is “fighting” with you is right there, ready to say what they have to say.  There is an engagement between two people rather than just one person trying to look at both sides of an argument.  Therefore, it is easiest to verbally communicate when trying to see both sides of an argument to make yours stronger. 

Fight Club

Because of fight club, I have gained better strategies and skills in order to help me form an argument. I can come up with points to mention that will back up my side of a debate. In a verbal argument, it is easier to compare both sides and get the opposing sides’ opinions in order to form counterarguments. You can also ask your opposing side questions and make your argument stronger by contradicting the your opponent’s statements. Although, I find it easier to form my arguments in writing rather than verbally. It is hard to come up with things to say on the spot. I find my arguments make more sense and are better when I have time to think about it and come up with relevant examples to back up my opinion. My arguments are also more valid when they are written because I can do research on my thoughts to make sure they are legitimate examples. In a verbal argument, you are more likely to say things that are irrelevant or things you aren’t sure are true. But, there are advantages to verbal arguments. The major advantage to fight club is being able to counter argue your opponent, and you also gain argument development skills in your overall writing ability.

Blog 10/30

Fight Club strategies can be applied in my paper because the discussions have made me better at forming arguments. Before, I only focused on my side of the argument and never took time to address the opposing viewpoint. I always thought than an effective argument was totally one-sided. From Fight Club I have learned that the most effective arguments include the central viewpoint along with recognizing the other side. In a true argument there will be rebuttals and counter-arguments, so Fight Club has allowed me to see the importance of creating a dialogue. This is similar to Graff's "They say" and "I say" model.

Fight Club is challenging for me because putting my ideas into speech is difficult. I prefer to write down my ideas because that way my thoughts can come across as organized and coherent instead of jumbled. Coming up with arguments on the spot has been a struggle for me, but I am improving.

In a verbal environment, the argument is two-sided. On paper, even though the author can engage opposing points, the author chooses how to use that opposition to his advantage. I have done this in my paper. It is not effective to entertain an objection that is a stronger argument than one's own. Verbal environments provide more engaging discussions than in writing.

Challenges that I am still facing in my writing are providing enough support for my arguments. I have ample quotes, but I need to improve my analysis of the quotes. A quote with no analysis weakens the argument and does not show that the author thought about what he or she was writing.