Write an evaluation argument essay that
assesses whether something in today’s popular culture is either good/bad,strong/weak, beneficial/harmful, etc. Your essay should contain the basic elements of argumentative writing,
including a clear claim, good reasons,
evidence that supports your claim and appeals to the reader, and an
acknowledgement of counterargument. Your sources should be integrated with your
own language and be used to support your own original thoughts and ideas. You should also use clear, specific criteria
as the basis for your evaluation.
1. The purpose of the
assignment is to argue your claim about some aspect of popular culture and the
value it has or doesn’t have in our society.
2. Answer the basic question: What good is this? Once you formulate a
basic claim, go beyond offering an opinion and use your argument to reveal the
intricacies of the issue.
3. you should research the topic, understand
the rhetorical situation, assert and support a way of seeing, and discuss and
refute the counterargument.
4. Go beyond
evaluating your topic as good or bad and show how something is harmful or helpful to people.
5. Don’t get too stuck
on the idea of “popular culture” –
while this can refer to things like technology, music, art, entertainment,
fashion, etc., it can also refer to a broad range of other things that are all
around us in society today.
6. Issues related to contemporary
politics, beliefs, social standards, race and gender identification, policies
in place on the education system or government or workforce can all be part of
popular culture too if we don’t define it too narrowly.
7. Be sure that your
claim is revelatory and not flat or expected. You need to argue and persuade, not
just state the common opinions held by the majority of your audience. It may be
helpful to think of what most people agree about that you disagree with so that
you can build your case from there. Go beyond the obvious and look at the
complex issues that are involved with your claim.
8. Be clear about whether you
are arguing for or against the topic and don’t waver between both positions.
9. The off-limits topics for this essay are social media,
smart phones, and “technology.” You
can write about a specific piece or type of technology; but do not use the word
“technology” as the primary focus of what you are evaluating because that word encompasses
way more than just smart phones or the internet or computers and is too often
used incorrectly.
10. be sure the topic
you choose is NARROW and FOCUSED! For example, it’s not possible to write a strong argument about
something as broad as “music.” Instead, argue about a specific genre, artist,
group of artists, or even a song or album (if you can think of a controversial
one). Likewise, arguing about something like “fashion” is not possible in a few
pages, while arguing about one specific fashion trend or a certain kind of
fashion is possible. “Reality shows” is not a good topic because that includes
everything from cooking contests and house hunting to shows like The Voice,
Real Housewives…, etc., and lots in between. Picking one show or one
specific type of show will help you be much more effective in your argument.
11.Finally, to write a argument of
value essay, it is crucial to know where you stand on your topic.First, you should realize that it is
an argumentative essay, intended to persuade readers to your point of view. You
will offer a “claim” and then attempt to support that claim.
12. Finally, there are some topics that
often pop up in composition courses that are almost never well done. Among
these topics are abortion, capital punishment, legalization of drugs, and
the “off-limits” topics noted on your assignment sheet. The problem
with these topics seems to be that students seldom explore anything unique
about them. To make this paper as strong as it can be, find a unique
perspective, make sure your topic is narrow and focused.
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