Course Director: Hilary E. Davis Modes of Reasoning Conceptual Analysis Techniques O !

ective: The meaning of any concept is relative to the context within which it is used; it will depend on who is using the concept and when and where it is used. The following Conceptual Analysis Techniques will provide 1) a method which you can apply to concepts so that you can work through their possi le meanings and clearly define them and !) steps you can use to guide the rainstorming you do efore answering a question of concept and writing an argumentative essay which supports your answer. These steps are divided into " sections which we will cover in the next four classes. 1) "tretching the Concepts will teach you how to tease out the layers of meaning and possi le uses of each concept. !) The #nterior Dialogue will help you compare the concepts and give you rainstorming steps which will ena le you to answer the original question. #) Defining the Concepts shows you how to create and edit definitions for the concepts. ") The Essay Outline will put together your definitions and reasons as an argument which supports a main conclusion$ i.e. your answer to the original question of concept. To learn the techniques we will answer a question together in class$ creating a common template on the chalk oard. The template$ however$ won%t e sufficient for you to learn the steps & only practice can do that. 'ew questions will e assigned for each class%s homework. (xpect this homework to e time)consuming. *omework will e checked in class according to the group assignment schedule and all students will e expected to present their homework in class. +issing class as we learn these steps is strongly discouraged.

$% "tretching the Concepts: A% Model Case i. Think of a concrete example which you are certain answers ,yes- to the conceptual question. ii. (xplain why this is a good model case. ./o not define the concepts in this explanation.) iii. Create a !)column chart listing general characteristics of each concept. +inimum requirement is 0)1 characteristics2concept.

&% Contrary Case i. Think of a concrete example which you are certain answers ,yes- to the conceptual question. ii. (xplain why this is a good model case. ./o not define the concepts in this explanation.) iii. Create a !)column chart listing general characteristics of each concept. +inimum requirement is 0)1 characteristics2concept.

C% &orderline Case i. Think of a concrete example which you are certain answers ,may e- to the conceptual question. 3ou are unsure if this example answers 4yes5 or 4no5 to the conceptual question. ii. (xplain why this is a good orderline case. 3our explanation must express your am ivalence. iii. Create a !)column chart listing general characteristics of each concept. +inimum requirement is 0)1 characteristics2concept.

D% Model Respondent i. Think of who would answer 4yes5 to this question. ii. (xplain why this is a good model respondent iii. Create a !)column chart listing general characteristics of each concept. +inimum requirement is 0)1 characteristics2concept. Additional "teps for &onus Contrary Respondent and2or &orderline Respondent ' do steps A$ 6$ C for each. To count for onus charts of characteristics must e included.

(% #nterior Dialogue This step is where you mull over your characteristics$ compare 7 contrast them$ and consider various answers to the question of concept. 8t is the preliminary stage of writing where you decide on exactly what you will argue. A) Create a #)column chart or using all characteristics from your previous charts for oth concepts. The middle column should list the characteristics which oth concepts share$ the other two should list the characteristics exclusive to each concept. 3ou can add new characteristics if they come to mind. 6) 9rite a summary statement for each column which analy:es the characteristics in that column. 'ote oth similarities .,All or some characteristics for mothering are;;.-) and exclusions .e.g. ,'one of the characteristics for occupation are;;.-). <se specific$ not vague$ over)generali:ing language. C) Ask and answer " questions which you feel you need to answer efore you can answer the question itself. These can e questions a out the characteristics or concepts or your analysis of the comparative chart. =or example$ for ,8s mothering an occupation>- you could ask ,+ust all occupations e paid>- ,9hat do 8 mean y 4nurturing5> .if 4nurturing5 appeared as a characteristic) or ,*ow do 4?o s$5 4careers$5 7 4occupations5 differ>- .again$ assuming 4?o s5 7 4careers5 appeared among your characteristics)

/) Create an %All /epends% column & the answer to the question all depends on..... .for example$ ,whether or not mothering must e iological- or ,whether or not occupations must e paid-). () Create two columns & one listing reasons to support a %yes% answer to the question and the other listing reasons to support a %no% answer to the question. @ist as many reasons as you are a le. =) Conclude the dialogue with your answer to the question of concept. This will e the thesis statement for your essay outline. 8t may e edited or modified as you write up your outline. Do not egin your interior dialogue with your answer to the question. Aemem er that the num er of reasons isn5t the way to choose your answer$ rather choose how to answer the question ased on the strength of your reasons. Bther minimum requirementsC interior dialogue must e ! pages and your answer to the question must appear at the end of the dialogue. )% Defining the Concepts DDDD'ote & each of these steps are to e done for each concept you have stretched. 8t is recommended that do all steps for one concept at a timeDDDD A) =rom among your charts list the necessary characteristics for each concept. These are the concepts which are essential to understanding$ identifying or defining each concept. 6) 9rite up a summary definition for each concept that is !)# sentences long. /efine each concept separately and do not define them in terms of one another. C) Critique your preliminary definitions from Etep A) using Eaindon5s ,Criteria for good definitions- in the text ook .+odule !.F$ pp. ##)#"). Apply the criteria for good definitions to your preliminary definitions. Ask yourself what your definition wrongly omits or assumes$ if it is too road or too narrow. &e e*plicit + detailed in your critiques rather than vague. =or a positive criticism$ ask yourself$ what your definition does especially well. (xplain how is it appropriately road or narrow Avoid tautologies in your positive criticisms .that is$ it is not enough to say that this is good for your definition ecause this is what the word means & this is circular reasoning). Ask yourself if your definition is relevant or appropriate to how you have answered the question of concept. 'ote what is irrelevant. Ask yourself if your definition is sufficient to descri e the concept in the context in which you are answering the question. *ave characteristics een left out> 8f so$ what are they> +inimum requirement & ! negative critiques and 1 positive for each definition. /) Aewrite your definitions from Etep A) in the hindsight of the critiques you made in Gart 6) and while asking yourself$ what do 8 mean y ,x- .your concepts) when answering the question of concept.

,% Essay Outline This is the architecture or structure of your argument. 8t should e presented in premise2conclusion form with each paragraph representing an mini)argument which supports your main conclusion$ or thesis statement. 8n your introduction include 1) rief definitions of your concepts 7 !) an explanation of the context in which you are answering this question. 9hen complete evaluate your argument looking for weaknesses 7 edit it as required. There is a separate electronic handout with a sample essay outline.

Hints + Tips: 'ever repeat characteristics within the same column for a concept or among cases. 3ou can$ however$ repeat a characteristic across the columns if it is applica le to oth concepts. 'ever$ ever repeat cases. (ach case represents a different perspective or context through which you are viewing the concept and unpacking its depth 7 complexity. <se qualifiers for your characteristics when needed. /on5t make your characteristics case)specific. The cases are only prompts$ characteristics are always general. 9hen in dou t test your characteristic y seeing if it fits into the phrase ,Hthe conceptI in general is;.. Aemem er that this is rainstorming$ so don5t censor characteristics which seem not to fit a particular case. 8f a good characteristic occurs to you$ ?ot it down. Eometimes characteristics will prompt other characteristics. Contradictions can e sorted out during your ,8nterior /ialogue. 8f you get completely stuck 7 are una le to generate any or few characteristics for a given case$ then the case is not working 7 you need to try again with a new case. Aemem er that the quality of your characteristics .their richness 7 variety) is as important as the quantity.