Using Qualifiers

1. Using Qualifiers Shannon Howard

2. What are qualifiers? They are words/phrases that decrease or increase the power of the subsequent words/phrases. They keep you from having to defend a statement that suggests topic ‘X’ is true for everyone, everywhere.

3. Below are examples. • Some • Most • Many • In general • Usually • Typically • Often

4. What happens when qualifiers aren’t used? • Readers in the academy will mark your writing accordingly: “hasty generalization,” “hyperbolic language.” • Your opponents in an argument may assume you are being overly aggressive. We’ll look at examples from R and B.

5. What problems can too many qualifiers cause? • If not used properly, qualifiers signal hesitancy or insecurity. • Writers may use them as a crutch if they don’t believe in their own arguments or assertions. • They may create sentences that are too wordy if used frequently.

6. How might the statements below be improved by using qualifiers? • “Finally, playing video games can be valuable for girls because it gives them insights into a disturbing part of male subculture. When the testosterone starts kicking in, guys become blatantly homophobic and misogynistic” (R and B 107).

7. “Gender roles are portrayed in children’s books and television shows. These gender roles are represented by male characters as heroes and problem solvers, while the females are the damsels in distress” (255).