IDEA GENERATION FOR THE ENTIRE ESSAYReview of Burke’s Pentad, Five Thesis Generation Steps, and an Introduction to Subtopic Invention

THE PENTAD

A guided brainstorming activity, intended to delve deeper than the obvious thoughts you have on first glance.

Rather than an ambiguous, unclear approach, as in brainstorming (just think of things!), the Pentad encourages you to answer certain questions about your topic that engender interconnection between ideas.

Based upon Burke’s study of drama. Just like a play, every real life situation can be thought of as actions, carried out by people, driven by motivations.

THE PENTAD

Actors – What people, animals, organizations, etc. are involved with your topic?

Action – What various actions do your actors commit, in relation to your prompt.

Setting – What places and times do (or did) these actions take place?

Agency – What means and methods do the actors use to carry out their actions? (Also known as the “How” question)

Purpose – Why did the actors carry out this action, in that given setting, in that particular way?

A BRIEF PENTAD EXAMPLE

Prompt: Is taxation equitable in the United States?

Actor: The IRS Action: Collects taxes Setting: April 15; every time you are issued

a paycheck; your home; your workplace; your bank.

Agency: Withholding; Coercion; Legal means (add police to actors);

Purpose: To provide funds for the government; to assure a steady stream of revenue; to allow the government to make decisions without requiring the consent of the governed?

5 STEPS TO A THESIS

1. Topic – What is the general area of this essay? For our purposes, this should be the prompt.

2. Issue – What specific aspect of the topic? Take a side.

3. Rationale – Why is your side correct?4. Qualification – Limit your thesis, to

prevent broad, over-reaching statements that cannot be proven.

5. Rewrite – Make it all pretty like.

5 STEPS TO A THESIS

1. Topic – Taxation2. Issue – The government is out of bounds when

it withholds taxes from paychecks.3. Rationale – Because that money still belongs

to the taxpayer, so the government is effectively getting an interest-free loan.

4. Qualification – Even though withholding is practical, it is unfair.

5. Rewrite – Even though paycheck withholding is a practical means of tax collection, the IRS should pay the taxpayer interest on the additional money withheld because the government is borrowing the money.

SUBTOPIC GENERATION

Bad essays just give examples to support their thesis. Examples, on their own, do not prove anything.

They merely show that in that one specific case, the thesis is true.

A good example will strengthen a smaller claim that is necessary for the argument to stand on its own.

Good essays present subtopics that together support the larger thesis. Each of these subtopics can be supported by

examples.

COMMONLY USED SUBTOPICS

Principles Broad rules that can be used to support the

larger thesis. Example: All loans should pay interest to the

loaner. For example, when you borrow money from a bank, you have to pay interest. Otherwise, the bank would have no reason to offer the loan. Similarly, when you put money into a savings account, the bank pays you for the opportunity.

Danger-zones: Generalizations. When writing moral principles, you don’t want to just make up random rules and assume that they are true. Try to find principles that are widely accepted.

COMMONLY USED SUBTOPICS

Defining Your Terms Choose the critical, ambiguous or complex terms

in your thesis, and show specifically how you are using them.

Example: Tax withholding is effectively a loan to the government. The government ultimately returns the money, but in the meantime, the taxpayer cannot invest that money to earn additional capital.

Danger-zones: Don’t define terms in the same way as a dictionary. Everybody knows what the word “taxation” means. You don’t need to tell us again. You should be explaining how you are specifically using these ambiguous terms.

NEVER, EVER WRITE THE WORDS: “Webster’s Dictionary defines [term] as [definition].”

COMMONLY USED SUBTOPICS

Attack the Counterargument Think of what your opponent would say, and

show how they are wrong. Example: Obviously, this method will cost the

government more money. However, forcing the government to pay interest on the withheld money will encourage the IRS to be more specific and fair with its tax withholding, and therefore will actually reduce the amount paid by the taxpayers.

Danger-zones: Beware the straw-man. Argue against your opponent’s best argument, not some made-up ridiculousness that is easy to oppose. Disproving a straw-man argument makes you appear unsure to the point of needing to rely on trickery.

COMMONLY USED SUBTOPICS

Examine the Consequences Almost inevitably the last subtopic you would

want to use, once you’ve successfully defended your thesis. Consider what the future effects of your thesis might be.

Example: By forcing the government to pay interest on money that has been withheld above the citizen’s tax burden, the IRS will be encouraged to develop new, more efficient means of collecting taxes. Ultimately, the entire tax mechanism will become more effective for everybody.

Danger-zones: The slippery slope. Don’t speculate. Don’t make up crazy scenarios. Try to stay as close to reality as possible.