Week 11 Project Execution II: Organization Richard Nowell ¨Structure ¨ ¨Introductions & Conclusions ¨ ¨Sections & Paragraphs ¨ ¨Targeted Learning Outcome ¨ ¨Introducing and concluding (the right way) ¨Argument-driven paragraphs & evidence-based sections ¨ ¨ ¨How do you find writing introductions? ¨ ¨What do you think an introduction needs to do? ¨ ¨How do you find writing conclusions? ¨ ¨What do you think a conclusion needs to do? ¨ ¨When do you write these parts? ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Introductions and conclusions are the most important components of academic outputs; so we may wish to devote considerable time to them ¨ ¨They are so important because when done properly they explain to where we stand on all of the important components of the paper ¨ ¨In reality, we can usually combine the introduction and conclusion into a single passage at the start of the output – an “introlusion”, if you will ¨ ¨This approach may sound strange, but we often struggle to say anything in our conclusions; in reality we usually end up summarizing things ¨ ¨This phenomenon is a product of something quite reassuring though; if done properly, an introduction already spotlights conclusion material ¨We need to start off by recognizing that introductions and conclusions are used to achieve certain things, irrespective of the topic of the paper ¨ ¨A) Focus: What we are looking at in our paper ¨B) Argument: What we have to say about this ¨C) Positioning: How our argument differs from other perspectives ¨D) Methodology: How we conducted our research and analysis ¨E) Organization: How we organize our findings in the paper ¨ ¨F) Contribution: How our paper enriches understandings of the world ¨(this can be included at the end of the intro or used as a conclusion) ¨ ¨This is a prototype; we may deal with such matters in a different order ¨ ¨A) Focus: Warner Bros.’ Barbie (2023) Trailers ¨ ¨B) Argument: Quality inclusive fun for liberal adults ¨ ¨C) Positioning: Counter sexist reputation of Barbie toys ¨ ¨D) Methodology: Derived from B. Klinger and L. Kernan ¨ ¨E) Macro-Organization: 4 Sections ¨ ¨F) Contribution: Heritage branding post-#MeToo post-woke ¨ ¨ ¨What are paragraphs? ¨ ¨What should they do? ¨ ¨How do you organize them? ¨ ¨ ¨Paragraphs are self-enclosed blocks of text that make one major point by signposting content and delivering a selection of strong evidence ¨ ¨I propose a formula for organizing paragraphs: it involves building a four-five point paragraph supporting a single aspect of argumentation ¨ ¨The Stinger: The first sentence makes an assertion that represents the main point you would like to make in the paragraph as a whole ¨ ¨Evidencers: Then include about three or four points that you feel are likely to persuade the reader of your stinger: 1-2 sentences per point ¨ ¨Outro: avoid links between paragraphs – this just leads to repetition between a sentence’s outro and the stinger opening the next paragraph ¨ ¨ ¨Paragraphs are self-enclosed blocks of text that make one major point by signposting content and delivering a selection of strong evidence. I propose a formula for organizing paragraphs: it involves building a four-five point paragraph supporting a single aspect of argumentation. The Stinger or first sentence makes an assertion that represents the main point you would like to make in the paragraph as a whole. Then include about three or four “evidencers” that you feel are likely to persuade the reader of your stinger, using 1-2 sentences per point. Avoid links between paragraphs; this just leads to repetition between a sentence’s outro and the stinger opening the next paragraph ¨ ¨ ¨Do you prefer reading essays broken into sections or those that comprise one unbroken block of writing? ¨ ¨Do you organize your essays into smaller blocks? ¨ ¨Is there an ideal number of sections an essay should include? ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Sections are self-enclosed blocks of related paragraphs in which we support ONE part of our case so as to persuade readers of our position ¨ ¨Your essays should ideally contain circa 3 sections, each containing 3-4 paragraphs, each providing evidence in support of the thesis statement ¨ ¨This approach can help us as writers, as it requires we organize our ideas into coherent groups, which helps us to think about argumentation ¨ ¨Organizing work into sections can also help readers, because it clearly spotlights to them a key piece of evidence in a larger piece of work ¨ ¨Sections also enable readers to take a deep breath, thus allowing them to reflect back on the previous topic before moving on to new material ¨ ¨ ¨A prototype section might be comprised of these components: ¨ ¨Title ¨This should give a clear sense of what the section is about ¨ ¨Section statement: tell the reader what the section is about and why it is important to the overall argument you are making ¨ ¨Paragraphs (about 3) ¨- These paragraphs each add an example as evidence of the assertion ¨- Organize them in some logical way or in terms of their importance ¨ ¨Final Sentence – The Outro (DESIRABLE) ¨Gestures to the content of the next section ¨ ¨ ¨Organize the following into a suitable number of sections ¨ ¨Give each section a title. ¨ ¨NB: You may drop as many points as you see fit. ¨1. Older actress as voiceover ¨2. Parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey (1969) ¨3. Barbie dolls as groundbreaking nostalgia ¨4. An auteur film from a female indie director ¨5. Centralizing marginalized groups inc. trans- and black women ¨6. Colorful camp aesthetic ¨7. Sex appeal of Margot Robie, as star of earlier male-oriented films ¨8. Stars of male-oriented films: Will Ferrell, Michael Cera, Ryan Gosling ¨9. Crude, quasi-homophobic, humor ¨10. Pokes fun at the absurdities of the Barbie universe ¨11. Women as socially dominant individuals ¨13. Mocks homoerotic aspects of male-on-male aggression ¨14. Female existential awaking ¨15. Female recreational celebration ¨16. Promotion of Sisterhood (female collectives) ¨ ¨Section 1. Older Women ¨ ¨1. Set-up ¨2.Older actress as voiceover; ¨3. Barbie dolls as nostalgia; ¨4. Parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey ¨ ¨ ¨Section 2. Open-Minded Straight Men ¨ ¨1. Set-up ¨2. Crude, quasi-homophobic, humor; ¨3. Stars of male-oriented films: Ferrell, Cera, Gosling; ¨4. Sex appeal of Robie, ¨5. Mocks homoeroticism of male-on-male aggression ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Section 3. Young Liberal Women ¨ ¨1. Set-up ¨2. By a female indie director ¨3. Women as socially dominant ¨4. Promotion of Sisterhood ¨5. Female existential awaking ¨ ¨Section 4. LGBTQ+ ¨ ¨1. Set-up ¨2. Centralizing marginalized groups ¨3. Colorful camp aesthetic ¨4. Pokes fun at Barbie ¨5. Promotes recreational celebration ¨ ¨Section 1. Heritage ¨ ¨1. Set-up ¨2.Older actress as voiceover; ¨3. Barbie dolls as nostalgia; ¨4. Parody of 2001: A Space Odyssey ¨ ¨ ¨Section 2. Just Ken ¨1. Set-up ¨2. Crude, quasi-homophobic, humor; ¨3. Stars of male-oriented films: Ferrell, Cera, Gosling; ¨4. Sex appeal of Robie, ¨5. Mocks homoeroticism of male-on-male aggression ¨ ¨ ¨ ¨Section 3. Femininity ¨ ¨1. Set-up ¨2. By a female indie director ¨3. Women as socially dominant ¨4. Promotion of Sisterhood ¨5. Female existential awaking ¨ ¨Section 4. Inclusivity ¨ ¨1. Set-up ¨2. Centralizing marginalized groups ¨3. Colorful camp aesthetic ¨4. Pokes fun at Barbie ¨5. Promotes recreational celebration ¨ ¨If we are to maximize the quality of our work and grades, we need to present our argument and evidence in a reader-friendly fashion ¨ ¨Because such an approach is designed to help readers, it also stands to help us to organize our ideas and evidence in a coherent manner ¨ ¨Introductions introduce the paper not the topic, and include: focus, argument, positioning, organization, methods, and contributions ¨ ¨Aim for 3-4 sections, with a brief statement about a section’s content, and about 3-4 paragraphs unpacking a single major piece of evidence ¨ ¨Paragraphs work similarly, the first sentence should encapsulate the whole paragraph, and then include 3-4 evidence sentences supporting it ¨ ¨ ¨Date: 7 December ¨ ¨Instructor: Sarka ¨ ¨Topic: Work-in-Progress Seminar 2 ¨ ¨Outcome: Responding to earlier feedback, and signposting ¨ arguments and organization. ¨ ¨