I Have To Write A Definition Paper On Censorship- Help!

[BamaLefty]

My assignment for the weekend is to write a one page definition paper on censorship. We are currently reading Fahrenheit 451 for English class. As many of you may know, it is a book that focuses on the issue of censorship in a futuristic setting.

If any of you have ideas on a topic sentence or a 3 point argument, or historical link that would really help me out.


I believe that this issue is slanted to the left. We have Republican legislators in my state wanting to ban books written by homosexual authors such as Tennessee Williams and Truman Capote. Keep in mind that this is a definition paper, but it can be written in either 1st or 3rd person. She wants it to be consistent though... stay 1st the entire time or stay 3rd. I say this in case any of you have any personal & political ties with censorship. Ex: Feel free to say "I Believe that censorship... yadda yadda."

Thanks DU,
BamaLefty

[grytpype]

1. Do your own homework.

[emanymton]

2. Besides Doing Your Own Homework, How About ...

three sheets of paper with blacked out lines.

Or a photo copy from Faux News.

[SouthernDem2004]

3. One measly page? Teachers are getting weak.

[Atman]

4. Type only one or two paragraphs...."REDACT" the rest

Hand in a paper that is almost entirely black-magic markered out. It will say ten times more than any words you could write.

[BamaLefty]

5. That's A Good Idea

I just might try that.

I wouldn't do it with the idea of trying to "get out of something", but rather to make my point. My teach would know that.

[strategery blunder]

6. If you do that, make it more than one page.

Redact it to one page of actual content. That way the teacher won't be able to dock you for not fulfilling the assignment requirements.

[Taxloss]

11. Clever! Risky, but clever! nt

[Atman]

18. It might help to have a back-up copy available...or even better...

...help prove that liberals have integrity, despite republicans who doth protest too much.

Actually write the paper (you still have to do some work!) but make it a bit edgy. I don't know what your writing skills are, but if you're clever enough, you can write sentences which will lead the reader to think you're about to say one thing, but <redacted>.

So anyway, regardless of your writing style or ability, do this above all else: mail her a copy of the unredacted text, being sure it is postmarked prior to the due date.

You'll blow your teacher's mind.

[Taxloss]

7. "Under what circumstances would censorship aid a free society?"

Provocative, if nothing else. The short answer is "few if any".

[BamaLefty]

8. Opening Line

Good thought.

[Taxloss]

10. Happy to help.

Always good to attack a topic from an unexpected angle.

[Nevernose]

9. That's good

ANy paper that started off like that in my class would get at least a letter grade higher just for reader interest.

[alcibiades_mystery]

14. That's really more an evaluative argument

i.e., is censorship a social good?

The assignment appears to call for a definition argument, which is completely different. In much rhetorical theory, one cannot even move to an evaluiative claim until a number of definitions have been established. That makes good sense here: one cannot ask whether censorship is a social good until one knows what constitutes censorship: what are we talking about when we say "censorship." That's the work of a definition argument, and, of course, definitions could differ drastically on that question, so it is a good question for students to work with.

[Taxloss]

15. Ah, but the question could operate on a Socratic level.

To stimulate the discussion of terms towards a hypothesis.

[alcibiades_mystery]

20. Oh, I'm sure it does

But if what is asked for is a definition argument, one should proceed with a definition argument. You can get to the evaluative thesis in another paper. Since these are different rhetorical skills, and since I take this to be an assignment in applying rhetorical skill sets, the student probably should practice the lay-up when asked to perform the lay-up, and get to the jump shot when the class turns to the art of the jump shot.

[eleny]

12. You've already posted enough yourself for a page

Now, stop worrying and start chewing that pencil! You don't need us. Don't you want it to be all your own? Get to it you smarty pants. After all - you're a Democrat!!! For some inspiration - listen to Karel streaming on KGO http://www.kgoam810.com/listenlive.asp#

[alcibiades_mystery]

13. Do you understand the formal features of a definition argument?

You'll want to put censorship in a class of other activities, then name those features that distinguish it from those other activities. Or you could do what's called an enumerative definition, and pile up the "essential" features of censorship.

The point, of course, is to prevent you from thinking definitions as essential anymore, or something you find in a dictionary, and instead to think of them as rhetorical: definitions are persuasive, and people are persuaded to adhere to some definitions rather than others. Needless to say, which definition you accept is of supreme importance (I hear that we have many people who believe that a fetus IS a fully fledged person endowed with a living soul from conception, while others seem to believe that a fetus is a clump of cells operating mechanically according to genetic functions, at least for some time after conception: which definition you adhere to there is of course life-changing and of supreme importance...).

To define, you must establish the several features you believe apply to the term censorship, but you must also excise those features that do not apply. As an invention activity, you might start with two columns, and begin brainstorming ten activities that you would consider censorship on one side, then ten that you would not, but other people might, on the other. From this activity, you can begin to discern similarities and differences that will help you find those key terms that you'll use as the major arguments in your definition argument.

Second invention exercise. The form of a definition argument's thesis is "X is Y" (an evaluation argument, formally, looks like "X is a good Y," a proposal argument, formally, would be "We should do X"). So, come up with ten Y terms for CENSORSHIP is Y. Keep these short so that you can then find your major arguments in your Y terms (Example: Censorship is the use of force against expression; Censorship is the fear of communication in general; Censorship is the common voice of social values, etc.).

[BamaLefty]

17. What I Have So Far

Censorship is defined as the systematic use of group power to broadly control freedom of speech and expression. Essentially, censorship includes any attempt to suppress information, points of view, or methods of expression such as art, or profanity, but it may also include sensitive matters relating to national security.
In what circumstances would censorship aid a free society? Certainly, most would agree that certain subjects are not protected in a freedom of speech context. For example, censorship is needed in controlling the production and distribution of child pornography. Censorship may also be deemed as necessary in protecting intelligence and/or ”top secret” information relating to national security.
*CHILD PORN* (thought" Because
Censorship is commonly used by social groups, organized religions, corporations and governments. There are also groups which specifically oppose censorship.



(INSERT) Censorship is a necessary tool of governments around the world.



This is just some thoughts off the top of my head. How's it look?

[Just Me]

16. Examine government control by proxy. n/t

[Atman]

19. Add a bibliography which footnotes Patriot Act and library searches.

There's a lot of material for you to work with.

How sad.