Argument paper
Order Instructions:
there are two options:
Option One – An Argument Scrapbook
For this paper I would like you to collect a spectrum of arguments, from short to long, informal to formal, verbal to visual, and do a brief analysis, evaluation, and response to each. The purpose of this is to give you practice at recognizing, analyzing, and evaluating arguments.
Part 1 – Please collect 5-6 arguments, choosing from the following (choose at least 5 different kinds):
• Required: a short written argument (letter to the editor, review in Amazon, etc)
• Required: a longer written argument (a 1-2 page newspaper column or a published editorial)
• a verbal argument presented by a friend, family member, clergy, boss, customer, etc
• a visual argument (ad, billboard, bumper sticker, etc)
• a movie, restaurant, book, technology, or other review from a magazine or newspaper or web site
• an argument from a political, religious, technology, or other cultural blog
• an argument presented by a character in a novel or movie
Please copy or describe the argument so that I get a clear picture of it.
Please find 2-3 arguments you find credible, fair, and persuasive, and 2-3 you don’t.
Part 2 – For each, do a concise but complete analysis –
1. Its claim and support (both sub-claims and specific support), and any warrants you can find.
2. The intended audience – who is the author addressing?
3. Does it rely on logos, ethos, pathos, or a combination of them to support its claim? Explain/illustrate (be sure to support your analysis by referring to quotes or details).
Part 3 – For each one, provide a brief evaluation – is it effective or not, considering the intended audience? Fair or not? Does it really support its claim, or merely state an opinion or imply some kind of support? I anticipate your answers to steps 2 & 3 will be about 3/4 page or so total for each argument.
Part 4 – Please write a page or two in which you discuss what you learned in the process of analyzing and evaluating your arguments, and what criteria were most important for you in deciding whether an argument was persuasive/effective or not.
Part 5 – Assemble your “scrapbook” with the Part 4 reflection as your Introduction, and then your analyses as the “body.” Please title each analysis with the name or title of the argument/ad/bumper sticker etc. Note – you may have to invent a title for each. Please start each analysis on a new page (you can insert a page break using your word processor).
Option Two – Analysis and Evaluation of 2 Arguments about a Single Issue
Pick an issue that you are undecided about, but that interests you. Find two substantial and credible essays (1000 words minimum) that take opposing or at least different points of view on it, and then analyze their arguments. Credible = published in a high quality magazine or newspaper (not an amateurish blog or a student essay), and with a named author (not anonymous or “joebigideas556” etc)
Then follow steps 2-5 above, but go into considerably more depth since your arguments are considerably longer.
Possible sources: the essays in the back of our text or a pair of articles from an Opposing Viewpoints collection of essays. Click on the link and then on “Opposing Viewpoints” at the bottom of the page. The CQ Researcher database just above it can also provide interesting background and “Pro/Con” arguments, although they’re often less than 1000 words. In the Opposing Viewpoints database you’ll find a list of topics as well as a “Search” function. The nice thing about the OV collection is that it gives you just what you need for this assignment – pairs of arguments that take opposing viewpoints on a specific issue. Note: make sure you find articles that meet the length requirement of 1000 words each.
Questions you can answer to give structure to your paper:
• Why is the issue interesting to you? Why is it worthwhile or important?
• What were the two essays you found, and their claims? Who is the intended audience?
• How did they support their claims? Logos? Ethos? Pathos? A combination? Be sure to provide quotes and examples from the examples to develop your analysis.
• What is your evaluation of the credibility and persuasiveness of each one? What worked about each one, and what didn’t, taking the intended audience into account? You can think about factuality, logic, use of evidence, appeals to authority or values, appeals to emotions/drives or desires. You can refer to logical fallacies and illegitimate arguments that we’ve discussed in class. This should probably be the major section of the paper. Again, quotes and examples will help.
• What is your position on the issue after doing this reading and analysis?
• What did you learn about yourself and the dynamics of persuasion from doing this?
Please use the MLA or APA documentation guidelines to cite quotes, paraphrased material, and any facts you use. Suggested length: 4-5 pages (1200 – 1500 words)
There must be 6 factors in this paper:
claim, support, warrant, backing, qualifiers, rebuttal
Please try to write as a student level.
