Stasis Theory – Guidelines For Applying The Method To Your Paper

Many students face writing various persuasive essays that need to consider two points of view to better cover the topic. Teachers advise students to start an essay with a thematic question and give several answers as they write. The primary purpose of such papers is to go beyond where you need to write pros and cons on a topic. The reader expects you to consider the topic in its most complex manifestations and from different angles.

Remember when you were little parents asked you to put away your toys? Now, this was not the worst thing in your life. The task’s difficulty was that you could not decompose Barbie, Lego, cars, teddy bears, plasticine, and other toys in one box. Therefore, you had a difficult task before you – to put everything in its place. Many of you have chosen a position: lie on the floor, scream, cry and refuse to do it for a short period.

We hope you forgot about these times, and now it is not difficult for you to put outerwear, shoes, pajamas, jewelry, cosmetics in different places so that chaos does not happen in the house. You can do the same during your studies when you want to organize your projects, labs, essays.

However, the exploratory assignment evokes the same emotions when you were five years old and did not want to put your toys away. This feeling arises because you cannot collect all digital data in one chain and analyze information from Google or libraries. Fortunately, we know how to make your task easier with stasis theory. The ancient Greeks and Romans created a simple algorithm that will help you understand the topics of discussion and simplify analyzing information.

Five Claims That Will Help Know Your Topic

There are arguments in rhetoric that you can categorize by difficulty level, stage, and nature. We will draw your attention to such a concept as stasis theory. Its essence lies in the fact that you learn to analyze the arguments, evidence, and problems. This method helps writers create an article in which readers will move along a logical chain of information.

When you begin the process of parsing a topic, imagine five types of arguments in separate baskets. So you can sort all the questions by topic and don’t forget about the main thing:

• The first type is to provide the facts. At this level, you need to find out what happened on the topic and what is happening now. Here you can compare the details, information, and facts you want to write about.
• The second step is to give a definition. You have analyzed the topic, and now it’s time to classify, provide definitions for everyone to understand, and name the events you want to discuss.
• The third type is to find the cause and effect. Your task is to find the reason why this or that event happened. Then describe the result to which this event led.
• The fourth type is to determine the meaning. At this stage, you need to indicate how significant this problem is for the modern world. You can also describe what scale this problem takes and how widespread it is in society.
• The fifth type is policy. This is the last stage in which you must offer a solution or advice on how to get out of the situation.

By applying this method, you narrow down the topic or problem and focus on only one point. You will also learn how to manage the theme and format a logical document. Note that many colleges are asked to write an essay on stasis theory. Therefore, knowledge about this method will come in handy. Since the synthesis of points of view or analysis of problems is about expressing a topic from different angles, you can choose any stasis to focus on.

Also, by narrowing down the topic, you will save time researching a large pile of digital data, authoritative opinions, and any other analysis. Let’s take a closer look at each step.

The First Type Is To Provide The Fact

When choosing facts for your paper, make sure that they are not easy to agree on and there is something to argue over. For example, if you select the question “What color did Ferrari make the first car?” or “How many people attended the president’s inauguration?” then you will immediately fail your research. The fact is that you can quickly answer such questions: for this, you need to read the history of the Ferrari company or analyze the digital data that show the number of people present at the event. If there are specific answers to these questions, it is impossible to dispute them. Such facts are not considered to be the points of view of different people.

Choose questions that are related to historical events. For example, the topic of war is always discussed, and people are divided into several groups that hold different opinions. Historical issues require verification, analysis, where you can find disagreements, proofs, and interesting facts.

Let’s take a closer look at one issue. For example, about the human microbiome. The question sounds like this: “How many microbes can be in the human microbiome?” There are several points of view on this topic:

• Fact 1: According to biologists, more than 10 thousand different microorganisms live in a healthy human microbiome.
• Fact 2: According to a human genetics researcher, up to three microbial cells can exist on one human cell.
• Fact 3: The Institute of Human Health has compiled a ratio that indicates that one and a half microbial cells can exist on one human cell.

So you have three facts. In the research entry, you need to write briefly about each of the statements. You have to explain why the person thinks so – concrete evidence is required here, for example, experiments. Consider an example:

“The Human Microbiome Project, launched in the US in 2007, has identified the genetic identity of many bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms that live in close contact with us. Researchers warn that they are not talking about harmful microbes that need to be destroyed, but microorganisms are an essential part of what makes us human. However, until recently, researchers knew little about the trillions of microorganisms that inhabit our bodies. Yet, with the advent of more and more sophisticated DNA analysis methods, the participants of the Human Microbiome Project have been able to find microbes never seen before and look at their collective behavior. The project collected microbial samples from more than 200 healthy men and women in the United States from different parts of the body. Researchers found that the healthy human microbiome is home to more than 10 thousand different types of microorganisms.“

After briefly defining points of view, write a paragraph in which you discuss all the facts. For example, you can cite the merits or untruths of points of view.

The Second Type Is To Give A Definition

If your article contains disagreements on terms or events, give them a definition. Imagine that Mars is not becoming one of the most mysterious giant planets, but only a dwarf planet. To avoid this, you better acquaint the reader with these concepts in advance. If your topic is litigation or law, be sure to use definitions to make your article appear credible. For example, the word suicide implies deprivation of life at will. However, there are other points of view on this term – give the most precise definitions.

Let’s take a look at a specific example. Your topic is an article about what bullying is. You can give three definitions:

• Fact 1: Bullying is funny words from childhood, and you can ignore them.
• Fact 2: Bullying is the rude attitude of one person towards another.
• Fact 3: Bullying is a series of actions to intimidate or humiliate a person, while the same actions are often repeated.

Based on these facts, you can draw up paragraphs that support these statements. For example:

“School bullying can manifest itself in a variety of ways. It can be physical abuse, such as pushing, hitting, or pulling by the hair. It can also be name-calling, isolation from peers, or posting offensively edited photographs on the Internet. Girls, in particular, are often bullied in ways that are not immediately noticeable but which hurt very deeply. There is never really a valid reason for bullying. “

As in the first format, discuss all of the facts given. Find the strengths and weaknesses of each fact. Provide real-life examples if possible.

The Third Type Is To Find The Cause And Effect

By applying the type of cause and effect, you can narrow the topic as much as possible. This is useful if you have a limited number of words. Sometimes it isn’t easy to find answers to why an event happened because, in different sources, you can only find a list of reasons, but not answers. Consequently, here you need to include all writing skills, creativity, and thinking. For example, you are worried about the question, “Why is it important to recycle waste in the 21st century?” You get such a list of reasons:

• Processing helps to save resources.
• The air becomes cleaner.
• The well-being of people improves.
• The planets do not perish from non-decomposable products.

All of these reasons are just scientific advice, not points of view. Moreover, each of the reasons may include additional ideas. Therefore, the question is incorrect and is hardly suitable for more types of tasks. When looking for a topic for cause and effect, base yourself on those points of view that may have interacted with a friend. Here’s a good example:

“The issue of recycling used goods was the most pressing issue for 44% of Americans. According to National Geographic estimates, 40% of plastic products are used only once and thrown away. Therefore, most people believe that if the United States increases plastic recycling, it will save resources of trading floors. Despite this, John Tierney has a different opinion. In one of the articles in the New York Times, he argues that plastic processing does not save resources but rather increases. Indeed, it is necessary to increase the work of water-bearing and electronic stations to process plastics. The third category believes that it is better to refuse to buy poorly decomposed products in the ground, and then no processing is needed.“

In this example, we raised the question of whether waste recycling saves the resources of trading floors. We have generated only a few opinions. However, you may have more room to prove it – make the most of it. Discuss the problem from the perspective of different people.

The Fourth Type Is To Determine The Meaning

Using this method, you need to explain to your readers what meaning the topic provides in the world. For example, how important, common, or complex it is. For example, Nellie Bowles, in an article in The New York Times, claims that the screen of a phone, tablet, television camera badly affects children, and this problem arose with the appearance of these gadgets. Thus, the author describes how complex and important the problem is in the modern world. In her article, she successfully confirmed the assumption, using quotes from programmers who forbid children to use phones, computers, and tablets. They develop games and know that this is significant harm to the eyes of children. You can use the following points of view in your essay:

• Fact 1: Using any screens is always harmful to the health of children.
• Fact 2: In the age of computers and phones, you can live a normal life because many adults feel great despite using the screen.
• Fact 3: Using screens can have positive and negative effects. To get the most positive effect, you need to control the screen time.

Consider an example based on these facts:

“It is often possible to see that even small children can skillfully perform the most straightforward manipulations with an electronic device. No matter how good a computer is, it can cause irreparable harm to human health. Emma Paterson, an ophthalmologist, thinks:

• When working on a computer monitor, human eyesight suffers.
• Although it seems that the body is quite relaxed when working with a computer, it is not. Sitting for a long time leads to a cramped position.
• It is mental stress. The screen requires as much concentration as driving a car.“

In our example, we described fact number one – the harm of screens. Describe the following facts using the same algorithm.

The Fifth Type Is Policy

In this method, you should use the question: “What to do?” Imagine that you are the boss of a large manufacturing company and the employees refuse to come on shift. Your task is to find ways to solve the problem. The example we raise is the question: “How to improve the workability of people and reduce the number of absenteeism?” We have compiled the following points of view:

• Fact 1: People who skip you should punish work. For example, cut the monthly salary if the person does not show up for work within the specified time. You can also allow a certain number of sick days. If the people continue to ignore warnings and rules, you should fire them.
• Fact 2: You should find out why the absenteeism and suggest the best solution to the problem. For example, raise wages, allocate separate funds for bus passes, or reduce working time.
• Fact 3: You shouldn’t pay too much attention to employee attendance. Better to focus on production. You can choose not to set strict work limits and let employees come to work whenever you want. Moreover, their salary will depend on the amount of work done. You can also offer bonuses that will interest employees in coming to work.

In this method, all points of view should be different from each other. For example, in the first fact, the person believes that truancy should be punished. In the third fact, the person believes that this is not worth paying attention to at all. This contrast will help make your essay more interesting.

Conclusion

Stasis theory helps many students to cope with different writing tasks. However, this is not a panacea. Moreover, some students just don’t have time or desire to create academic papers. If you feel any difficulties with writing a paper, contact our team. We are ready to help you with any topic and discipline 24/7!