English for Academic and

Professional Purposes
Quarter 2 – Module 1:
Arguments in Manifestoes
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English for Academic and
Professional Purposes
Quarter 2 – Module 1:
Arguments in Manifestoes
1
 Lesson

Arguments in Manifestoes
1

Every now and then, we come to a point wherein we need to take a stand or determine a
position in a particular issue. Pronouncing our side on a matter is not that easy, considering
that we need to scrutinize every aspect of that concern for us to be able come up with a decision.

A position paper is a document which contains statements about a one-sided arguable

opinion on a certain subject or issue. It is sometimes called a point of view paper since it
presents your claims provided with rationale and valid evidences. It is a debate in written
form with the goal of convincing your audience to your belief or judgment. Hence, the
principle of writing in an argumentative way should be followed.

An argument is a set of ideas put together to prove a point. It is different from the
“real world’ meaning where an argument denotes “fight” or “conflict”.

Manifesto is defined as a written statement declaring publicly the intentions, motives, or

views of its issuer. (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Analyzing an argument means breaking it down into its components in order to determine
whether or not it is strong or weak, effective or not.

What’s In

Put a check on each argumentative statement that corresponds your stand or

position.

Statements Yes No
1. Continuing this School Year is not advisable due to COVID- 19
pandemic.

2. The Anti-Terrorism Law is unjust.

3. Front liners receive the merit of being the modern heroes.

4. Men and women are equal.

5. Abortion should be legalized in the Philippines.

6. Persons with incurable disease could be euthanized if they wish to.

 What’s New

Listen to the Argument Song on YouTube:

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fg6_UwQ3Cys

The Argument Song

By Ms. McCann

Because you know I’m all about my claim,

‘bout my claim and reasons
I’m all about my claim, ‘bout my claim and reasons I’m all
about my claim, ‘bout my claim

Yea, it’s pretty clear. I know how to argue

But what steps should I Be taking, taking before I do? First,
read the writing prompt, and make a t-chart
Then skim through the sources, read through the sources

Then find some evidence for both pros and cons. Go

over my-chart, come on now make a claim.
Then choose two reasons, reasons that tell them why.
It’s time to plan and write and tell them why I chose my side.

No, I won’t focus on my opinion and how I feel But, I

will use my sources to cite evidence that’s real
Yea, I’ll use facts and statistics to try and prove my point
And expert opinions and quotes to support my side

Because you know I’m all about my claim,

‘bout my claim and reasons
I’m all about my claim, ‘bout my claim and reasons I’m all
about my claim, ‘bout my claim

I’m writing paragraphs.

Got to make sure I have four paragraphs. Into
comes first and conclusion is last.
Two in the middle. So one for each reason, and your essay is top notch!

No, I won’t focus on my opinion and I how I feel But, I

will use my sources to cite evidence that’s real
Yea, I’ll mention the counterclaim so they see the other side
But, then I’ll show how my claim is more logical and is right

Because you know I’m all about my claim,

‘bout my claim and reasons
I’m all about my claim, ‘bout my claim and reasons I’m all
about my claim, ‘bout my claim
Transfer what you have learned from the song about argument through this concept
map:

What is It

A writer’s argument is a group of statements or reasons used to persuade the readers that
what he/she believes is true. It may cause the audience to act differently or change mind
completely.

As for the audience, it is essential that you could develop the skill to evaluate whether an
argument used by the author is good or bad; whether it supports the assertion sensibly or it
is presented in a confusing and illogical way.

An argument consists of these parts:

1. Claim/Conclusion What do you want It summarizes the main idea. It
reader to believe? is not just your opinion. It is
what you think
is true about a topic.
2. Reasons/Premises Why should the It is the importance of your
reader accept your claim.
claim? It includes the evidences that
comes in various forms,
including specific examples
quotes and ideas from other
 scholars, statistics, data,
testimonies, narratives and
facts.

There are three major ways that authors present an argument:

 Reasoning – giving logical explanation of the argument.
 Evidence – presenting statistics, facts, and studies
 Appeal – stimulate the reader's emotions

Types of Arguments

 Deductive Arguments- proceeds from general ideas/facts to specific inferences

Example:
Premise 1: All men are mortal (major premise/very general statement)
Premise 2: Railey is a man. (minor premise/more specific) Conclusion:
Railey is a mortal. (very specific statement)

 Inductive Arguments-derives from specific observations lead to a general

conclusion

Example:
Premise: The past Marvel movies have been incredibly successful at the box office.
Conclusion: Therefore, the next Marvel movie will probably be successful.

Identifying the Arguments

Source:https://library.wlu.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/tutorials/identifyingarguments.pdf

When reading, you need to identify the arguments to understand the main points. In
paragraphs, a topic sentence identifies the main claim or main idea.
To find it, follow these steps:
1. Read the paragraph
2. Ask, “What is the paragraph about?
3. Summarize the content in your own words
4. Find the sentence within the paragraph that best matches the summary. This is
the stated claim of the paragraph.
 Let us look at this example:
Hamlet". Simba represents Hamlet, the successor of the King/Mufasa, who swears revenge on his evil uncle Scar/Claudius. Likewise, Sim

After reading the paragraph, it seems clear that the author is comparing "The Lion King" to
"Hamlet". More specifically, it is saying that the similarities between the two are too great to
be only coincidences.
As a result, it would appear as though the best 'sentence' match to this summary would be
the first sentence. This is likely the stated claim.

Analyzing the arguments

In order to begin analyzing an argument, you must first look at the evidence
presented to you, then ask questions based on that evidence.
Ask questions like,
 "Based on the evidence, is there a different explanation or claim possible?"
 "Is the evidence convincing and sound?"
 "How does the argument/evidence compare with others you've read?"

You will likely find two authors who make different claims on the same topic. How do
they each support their claims with reasons and evidence?

Let's look at an example.

r patients rather than dealing with insurance procedures and liability concerns. Each person has a right to be cared for and having acce
Universal health care is an impractical system where total costs end up being much higher compared to privatized care. Do

These two passages each reflect an opinion about a universal health care system.
Although each paragraph discusses the same topic, they both claim very different things.

The upper paragraph argues that universal health care gives doctors the opportunity to
focus on care over insurance concerns while the bottom argues that doctor flexibility is
decreased in such a system due to intrusive government policy.

The upper paragraph argues that universal health care gives everyone the opportunity for
regular checkups, no matter the cost while the bottom argues that such a system forces the
healthy to subsidize benefits for those needing care due to smoking or obesity.

Ultimately, each author supports his claim with effective reasoning. As you read, make
sure you understand the claims that the author is trying to make.
 What’s More

Write A if the following is an example of an argument and N if it is not.

1. Justine is angry with me, so she probably won’t accompany me to

the party.
2. Are you serious? Stop doing that!
3. Animal abuse laws in most countries are so lenient that offenders face
almost no punishment, so stronger, stricter law must be imposed to protect animals.
4. As generation of students enter college, it is time for higher
education to use gaming to appeal to students and make learning more
engaging.
5. First, I watched Netflix, and then I ate lunch. At noon, I decided to go out
with my friends. I missed them.
6. Divorce should be legalized in our country. There are many
women suffering from abusive relationship.
7. Elena showed me her artwork, and I was very surprised to see how
talented she is.
8. Obesity has become a problem of many women because obesity
rates have risen over the past years.
9. If the floor wasn’t slippery, she wouldn’t have fallen into an
accident.
10. Here you go again. Please, stop complaining.
 What I Have Learned

Based on what you have learned from the lesson, supply the missing word using picture
clues.

An argument is a set of put together to prove a

It consists of a or conclusion and reasons or premises.

Writers can present their argument using these three ways: Reasoning,

and Appeal.

The two major types of Arguments are: Deductive and Argument.

 What I Can Do

Read the given manifesto entitled “Is Bad Language Unacceptable on TV?’’. Do the
task that follows.

Is Bad Language Unacceptable on TV?

BBC Online

(1) The use of racially abusive language on television and radio is an area of increasing
concern among viewers and listeners, a new study has revealed. The report also suggests
most adult with children want their homes to be expletive free. Stephen Whittle, Director of
the Broadcasting Standards Commission in England, says there is an acceptance that
swearing and offensive language is used in daily life, and may be appropriate if a program is
aimed at adults.

(2) But he says people “would prefer their homes to remain an expletive deleted zone for
children.” Is swearing still a matter of major concern to you? Or have swear words and
offensive language become an accepted part of TV output? Here are some responses to this
question featured on the BBC Online’s “Talking Point”:

(3) There’s a simple answer to all those complaining. If you don’t like it then don’t watch it.
There is nothing more annoying than listening to outraged people complaining about what
they had to watch the night before. No one makes you watch them so if you hear bad
language/ see sex scene/ view violence then change the channels instead of watching all
three hours and then complaining about afterwards. YOU DON’T HAVE TO WATCH IT. It’s
true that at times in films/programs it seems the language is used purely to shock rather than
as part of the script/plot/characters but if you sit and watch it all instead of turning over/
switching off then you can’t then blame your shock and outrage on the program makers.
James, UK

(4) There is no justification to the use of bad language on TV. It is unacceptable. How can a
parent positively correct a child who uses bad language if all they hear on TV is filthy
language every minute?
Ruskin Kwofic, USA

(5) Not only is swearing wrong and extremely offensive, even worse than that is the constant
blasphemy on TV. This is especially hurtful to a Christian like myself when it is done to make
people laugh. We should not be blaspheming or condoning this when we laugh or otherwise
accept it passively or actively. It is too easy to say,” ...use the off switch...,” this is not the
answer. Does any parent want to encourage their
child to swear and adopt negativity? Rather it would be more constructive to teach them the
values of right and wrong. To sum up, all who own a television license are entitled to be
informed and entertained by its purchase and that means all.
K.D., Wales

(6) Protecting children is a big chunk of what responsible parenting is about, and protecting
their minds and emotions is just as important as physical protection, if not more so. Of
course they’ll come across it elsewhere, but it’s clear that the extent will be increased or
decreased by the levels of exposure of their peers. As a parent I find the so-called watershed
is no guarantee at all that my kids won’t hear swearing on the television. Please can we have
a consistently regulated watershed?
Tom Richards, UK

(7) I consider the television to be a guest. I would not allow a visitor to my house to use
swearing and foul language in front of me or my children. I consider the television to be a
guest, and when it offends, off it goes!
J.Herbert, UK

(8) It really is stupid to campaign for protecting young people against swearing on TV. By the
time you reach 12 years old you’ve heard every word under the sun a million times in the
playground. Anyone who fails to realize this is just completely ignorant.
Darren Meale, UK

(9) Bad language is nothing compared to all the violent shows on so many series. I prefer to
hear someone pronounce a four-letter word than to see them beaten to death or killed in a
TV series. Bad language is part of the everyday life of most people. Violence is not.
Luc Masuy, Belgium

(10) The use of bad language in TV or cinema is not a reflection of society, but rather an
excuse by writers and actors to hide the facts that they can no longer produce real drama or
real emotion. The use of swearing is to emphasize a point is only there to mask the lack of
understanding and talent. Media twenty years ago didn’t need to use bad language—the skill
in presenting drama and emotions was there anyway. Sorry, no swearing on TV or cinema at
all for me.
Steve Gittins, UK

(11) In writing drama one of the first rules is to make your characters believable. Censorship
of bad language could lead to some of the most unbelievable characters ever portrayed on
television. People swear. For instance, a prison drama in which no one ever swore would be
ridiculous. What sort of programs you allow your children to watch is up to you? But they will
hear swearing in the real world—you can’t censor that. Colin Wright, UK
(12) Why is it necessary? Surely we can use descriptive adjectives without resorting to bad
language. It is not enough to say it is a part of life. We have the power to adopt better social
attitudes; instead many people seem content with debasing everything.
Jill Doe, Wales

(13) All drama revolves around conflict and jeopardy so bad language in itself is not wrong, it
all depends on the context it is used in. Imagine if Shakespeare or Chaucer had been
prevented from writing and performing their works without the “bawdy” language, the
swearing of their day. As long as it doesn’t become meaninglessly used and the watershed
is observed to my eyes at least, it is acceptable.
James Newman, UK

(14) Please keep it off our screens. You only have to listen to children going to school to see
how commonplace it has become. Gerry, Scotland

(15) It may be the duty of our media/entertainment outlets to reflect the standards and
behavior of our society and culture, but they surely also have some responsibility to set the
standard. By merely reflecting, because they permeate every level of society, they take the
lead in the general debasement of “generally accepted standards of behavior.” I am not
prudish or offended by bad language/behavior on TV and radio, per se, but if often makes
me wince! Mark M. Newdick, USA

(16) As a relatively liberal minded young person, I am not outraged by occasional bad
language on television, but at the same time, I do not think that it is necessary. Bad
language is neither amusing nor particularly effective in stressing a point. It is just fashion—
and a very cheap fashion at that. It’s best to leave it in the cinemas (if it is really required
there) and edit the stronger language out before it appears on television. Personally, I have
never found that a movie is lacking punch just because a few profanities have been deleted.
Indeed, this should be the test to see whether a films is worth its weight at all. Robert
Kidd, Australia

(17) My personal experience of working in an environment where swearing was the norm
was to swear more. When I changed jobs where swearing was banned I stopped. The best
thing to do is to avoid swearing in the main but keep a little to be realistic, and hence cut
down on the excessive use of profanities in society.
Gavin Pearson, USA

(18) As adults, we can accept bad language on TV programs, as long as it relates to the
program in question (i.e., drama series or films). However, children should not have to hear
that sort of language. I’m not a prude by any means, but I find it really depressing when I
hear children from toddler age and up using foul language. Of course, they may learn this
from their parents and other family members, but let’s minimize their exposure by keeping it
out of children’s programs. Karen, UK

(19) The simple fact of the matter is if you don’t like the swearing then turn over! Anything
that your children may or may not hear on TV they are certainly going to hear in the real
world. People need to wake up and understand that the censorship
of television is going beyond a joke. I’m all for restricting bad language before a time when
children are likely to be up but can someone please explain to me the necessity to cut swear
words from a film at 10:30 or 11:00. People can say they are offended as much as they like
but the simple fact is that you control what you watch, if you’re offended by swearing then
turn it off. Welcome to the real world people, people swear!

Richard Tacke, England

Tasks

1. Classify the different positions in the article regarding the acceptability of bad language
on T.V.

Positive Negative Neutral

2. Put together similar arguments and label them as to the kind of argument (religious,
mental, social, literary, etc.)

3. To sum up, what is the message implied in the example manifesto regarding
swearing on T.V.?
 Assessment

Read carefully the given manifesto, then try to analyze it using the guide questions that
follow:
The Other Side of E-Mail
Robert Kuttner

(1) A few years ago, when my daughter was a college freshman, I wrote a column singing
the praises of e-mail. We were suddenly corresponding. It was, I decided, the revenge of
print on electronics - whole generation raised on the tube and the phone, rediscovering the
lost art of writing letters. How utterly charming.

(2) Now I’m not so sure. Like all new media, e-mail has a dark side. To be sure, it saves a
great deal of time and paperwork and has facilitated new, unimagined forms of affinity.
However, e-mail is also a thief. It steals our time and our privacy. It deceives us into thinking
we have endless additional hours in the day to engage in far-flung communications that we
may or may not need or want.

(3) All of a sudden, on top of everything else we have to do, e-mail is one more garden
demanding tending.

(4) E-mail brings a kind of pseudo-urgency that demands an instant response. It creates
false intimacies. Recently, I got an e-mail message from a perfect stranger, a student who
had read one of my articles and wanted help on a term paper. I was touched, but alas, there
aren’t enough hours in the day. Yet something about the message made me feel I needed to
apologize for not being able to do her homework. With e-mail, it’s too easy to hit the reply
key, with results you may regret. One acquaintance, thinking she was just responding to a
note from a close friend, accidentally sent a highly personal message to the friend’s entire
mailing list.

(5) I recently had a painful quarrel triggered by e-mail messages. A dear friend and I were
both having a busy week and imposing on each other’s time. Without quite intending to, we
ended up firing salvos of e-mail back and forth of escalating testiness until we had quite
insulted each other. We apologized, in person.

(6) This mishap could not have occurred either by phone or by ordinary mail. When talking to
someone, you pay attention to tonality. And when you write a letter, you read it over a few
times before sending it. But e-mail is tone-deaf and all too instant. It is ephemeral, yet
irrevocable. Once you’ve banged out your message and sent it into the ether, you can’t take
it back.

(7) E-mail is a great convenience-for the sender. The recipient is presumed to have infinite
time and interest. It is the equivalent of endless Christmas letters from boring
distant relatives all year long.

(8) Bosses get in the habit of sending down incessant e-mail messages from on high, as if
anyone cared. (Now hear this…) A large corporation with which I am vaguely affiliated sends
me more messages than I could possibly want to have, let alone answer.

(9) E-mail is also not secure. The magazine that I edit regularly gets highly personal
missives, sent by mistake to the wrong e-mail address thanks to a typo. With the phone, you
know as soon as you have a wrong number. And mis-addressed letters either get returned or
end up in the dead letter office.

(10) At one company, two people carrying on an affair were incautiously sending each other
intimate e-mail, which a supervisor discovered. To make matters worse, they were making
snide comments about the supervisor. Security escorted from the premises.

(11) E-mail is also easily forwarded and deliberately or mistakenly put into mass circulation.
Don’t e-mail anything private unless you are prepared to see it crop up all over the World
Wide Web. E-mail, like talk radio, reduces inhibitions; it is democratic to the point of moronic.
And I’ve not even gotten to mass junk e-mail, known in the trade as spam.

(12) I know, I know, the Internet is a marvel. And it is. And sure, e-mail is great for
scheduling meetings, for sending and receiving research materials, for allowing people in
remote locations to collaborate on projects. But novelty and low cost tend to breed excess.

(13) Like every new tool, from the wheel to nuclear energy, electronic communication will
take a while to find its proper etiquette and niche. In the meantime, it is an awkward
adolescent that has borrowed the family car, hormones raging and radio blaring, with little
regard for the rules of the road.

(14) “Of course, some fans of e-mail may find these words controversial or offensive. So if
you have any comments on this column, my e-mail address is … no, actually, send me a
letter talk,” Wardhaugh explains that trust, shared experience, and expectations of universal
truths play a vital role in the success of social conversation. Margaret Wheatly discusses
how conversation has the power to effect social change in “Some Friends and I Started
Talking.” David Grambs explains why he feels defeated by “uptalk” and misuse of the word
like, which seems to have permeated the speech of the younger generation. After years of
trying to fight this insidious invader, Grambs reveals his fear that “like” is here to stay in “The
Like Virus.” And Robert Kuttnerr discusses what he feels are the detrimental effects of the
instant nature of e-mail in “The Other Side of EMail.” The section closes with a review of
some common IM and text messaging terms and slang in “r u online?” by Kris Axtman.
Questions to Answer:
1. Look at Paragraph 2, sentence 2 which says: Like all new media, e-
mail has a dark side. “What purpose does this sentence serve?
2. List down both the advantages and disadvantages of the e-mail based on the
arguments presented in the selection.
3. Does the author of this article totally reject the e-mail?
4. Are the arguments strong or weak? Explain.

Additional Activities

You Have a New Message:

1. What is the purpose of your e-mail? (including messenger). Why did you open
an e-mail account?

2. How many messages do you usually receive/send in a day?

3. Do these messages usually need immediate attention or action?

4. What are the good and bad effects of e-mail and Facebook in your life?
Answer Key
References

English for Academic and Professional Purposes Teacher’s Guide

English for Academic and Professional Purposes Learner’s Guide

https://library.wlu.ca/sites/default/files/pdfs/tutorials/identifyingarguments.pdf

https://study.com/academy/lesson/writing-an-analysis-of-an-authors-
argument.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vKud5YgD8eI

https://viva.pressbooks.pub/letsgetwriting/chapter/chapter-3-argument/

https://www.mscc.edu/documents/writingcenter/Deductive-and-Inductive-
Reasoning.pdf

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/wm-writingskillslab-2/chapter/practice-
argumentative-thesis-statements/
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