In this assignment, which is a variation of a rhetorical analysis you will be developing a research question on a significant current issue, finding evidence which guides you to an answer to said question, then writing an essay that both summarizes and analyzes the data and various arguments presented around the issue. While this type of writing might feel disembodied from standard the real world, it nevertheless emphasizes analysis skills useful in outside contexts: Whether it’s being able to break down the strengths or flaws in an argument (debunking why a conspiracy makes no sense), convincing a good friend why their well-intentioned argument is irrational, or in a professional context, being able to perform a needs assessment or marketing analysis.
Describe and briefly summarize the key arguments presented in your evidence.
Identify the assumptions and premises (e.g. warrants) of the evidence or arguments.
Analyze the quality of said premises and assumptions (i.e. provide a rationale for why these are valid or weak premises). This means highlighting fallacies or other flaws that weaken the overall argument, and/or highlighting the strengths of the argument.
Identify the most prominent rhetorical appeals in the argument and their strength.
APA References: A minimum of 5 in text-citations which follow APA formatting. A separate APA reference page must also be included.
General Formatting: This means including a title page, utilizing double spacing throughout, and including page numbers.
Finally, remember that your goal is not to agree or disagree with the arguments, nor is it to propose a specific course of action or solution (i.e. a proposition of policy): You’re evaluating the effectiveness of the arguments and evidence (in other words “is this a good or a bad argument” and explaining why it is/isn’t, in simplest terms). In other words, your personal feelings about the topic are largely irrelevant for this assignment.
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