Invention: ANI Chart

One you have developed your issue for your persuasive essay, you’ll want to “discover” more about your issue or “invent” content to help you explore the issue you are writing about.
The first tool to help us do this, before we have formed our thesis statement, is the ANI chart – the Affirmative, Negative, Interesting chart.
Below is an example.
Issue: Whether Claudio should trust Don John
Let’s use the ANI chart to help us “think on” and develop this issue in our minds.
In the affirmative [A] column, we list why Claudio should trust Don John; in the negative [N] column we list reasons he should not trust Don John; and any interesting facts that don’t seem to apply to either the A or N column, we can list in the interesting [I] column.
This is a thinking exercise, so record away. Record all ideas presented in one of the three columns. Don’t worry about judgment of quality or repetition of ideas at this point, rather focus on generating a climate of thinking, contemplating, pondering the issue.

A	N	I
Don John (DJ) was a man	Claudio’s troops just defeated Don John’s in war	Hero was beautiful
DJ was a soldier	DJ was jealous of Claudio	Claudio home from war
DJ was Don Pedro’s brother	DJ was angry and bitter	Claudio worked for Don Pedro
Claudio needed help to woo Hero	Claudio was naive	DJ was Don Pedro’s half brother
Claudio valued other men’s opinions of Hero	Claudio should woo Hero for himself	What does DJ know about woo’ing women?
Claudio needed someone to lean on for help	A man should woo his own woman.	Women can’t be trusted
Men have to stick together	Claudio should talk with Hero to get to know her	Men fear losing honor

Put this tool of invention in your writing toolbox! We’ll learn more tools of invention as we go through the year. Stay tuned!