Analyzing written arguments

Basic task: To evaluate the effectiveness of a written argument.
Purpose: To develop a strong understanding of the elements of effective argumentation.
Later in the course, you will write your own arguments about meaningful topics—but first, it will be valuable for you to analyze effective and ineffective elements of arguments and identify strategies for conveying strong arguments. This way, you will be informed about techniques and approaches before developing your own arguments.
For this assignment, then, you will choose a specific written argument to analyze. This written argument must be relatively brief (at least 200 words and no more than 2000 words), must be from a local publication, must be recent (written within the last ten years), and must contain a clear author, audience, and argument. Local publications you can select a written argument from include The Arizona Daily Star, the Aztec Press, The Daily Wildcat. the Tucson Weekly, TucsonSentinel.com, and The Arizona Daily Independent. Here are direct links to the opinion sections of these publications:
The Arizona Daily Star
Aztec Press
The Daily Wildcat
Tucson Weekly
TucsonSentinel.com
The Arizona Daily Independent
If you would prefer to analyze a text from a different publication, please feel free to contact me so we can discuss options.
After identifying a written text to analyze, you will use critical reading skills to determine the main idea, supporting details, and organization/layout of the text; then, you will analyze rhetorical elements to come to a conclusion about the effectiveness of the argument. Your essay should identify and assess the following:
The main idea, supporting details, and organization/layout
The rhetorical situation of the argument, including:
The author’s purpose/argument
The author’s audience
The context of the situation
The writer’s credibility (ethos)
The ability of the writer to engage readers emotionally (pathos)
The logic of the writer’s ideas tone, organization/flow, diction, etc.) and whether the author’s use of the elements helps or hinders the writer’s attempt to persuade the audience of the argument
The overall strength and effectiveness of the argument
To best fulfill your purpose, you should present your points in a focused essay of at least 900 words that contains a strong introduction and conclusion and a series of well-organized and well-developed body paragraphs. Also:
Use examples and quotations from the argument you are analyzing to support your points
Format citationst appropriately (MLA style)

Last Completed Projects