Quick Write Assignment, due Tuesday: Identifying Fallacies in Argument

Chapter 5 in our book is all about identifying fallacies. This skill is very important when you are analyzing the rhetoric used in constructing arguments and evaluating them.

Read the following analysis of fallacies employed by anti-gun control proponents: "Gun Control Is Just the Latest Issue Where Facts Lose Out to Emotions and Paranoia" by Mitchell Bard. Whether or not you agree or disagree with the position the author is taking, take note of the way he critiques the positions held by his opponents and exposes the fallacies being used.

Then read this article on graded inflation: "The Dangerous Myth of Grade Inflation" by Alfie Kohn. The author argues that grade inflation doesn't really exist, and if grades are getting higher, that is not truly a bad thing. Again, you may find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with the points made, but pay more attention to the validity of the points and if you think the author is committing any logical fallacies in his reasoning.

Your Quick-Write Assignment, due Tuesday, is to write a critique/evaluation of Kohn's piece, arguing either:

1) that his reasoning is flawed due to fallacies (give specific evidence)

or

2) his reasoning is sound because he accurately exposes his opposition's fallacies (again, give specific evidence)


Use Chapter 5 as a resource. Further discussion of Logical Fallacies can be found at this website: http://www.logicalfallacies.info/

Grades for Essay #1

FYI -- Here is the Grading Breakdown for Essay #1:


Name, Title, Handed in on Time (5 pts)

Met the Word Count Requirement (10 pts)

Fulfilled the Assignment (5 pts)

Thesis is Specific and Analytical (10 pts)

Argument Needs to be Proven (5 pts)

Argument Proven by End of Essay (10 pts)

Paragraphs are Organized in Logical Way (5 pts)

Body Paragraphs have Strong Topic Sentences (5 pts)

Body Paragraphs have Strong Ending Sentences (5pts)

Body Paragraphs Balance Description & Analysis (10 pts)

Introduction Catches Readers’ Attention (5 pts)

Conclusion Leaves Something to Think About (5 pts)

Writing is Clear, Fluid, Grammatically Correct (10 pts)

Writing is Interesting, Varied, Polished (10 pts)

"Revisioning" your work

Today's peer review session was a bit shorter than I had hoped. Yet, many groups felt that they got some good feedback in today's session and felt confident they knew where to go next with their essays. Writing, especially the revising part of it, takes time and effort in order to produce excellent work.

Consider this sample development of a thesis from weaker to stronger:

Version #1: This ad is selling a luxury car. (Weakest -- not an argument that needs to be proven)

Version #2: This ad is selling luxury. (Weak -- too vague)

Version #3: This ad is selling upper class status and luxury. (Stronger, but not specific enough)

Version #4: This ad is selling the luxury of upper class status to average families. (Strong but could use more polished language)

Version #5: Using the image of the minivan as movie theater, this Audi ad sells the luxury of an upper class lifestyle to average American families. (Strongest, most specific, best elaboration)

In revising your essay this weekend, try to get each paragraph to level 5, which is the equivalent of A-level writing.

Pretzel Ad Analysis

An article published this week in the Hartford Courant and written by a high school student is more of an informal discussion/critique of this ad, but if she were writing a formal argument like we are for the first essay, her thesis might be something like "This ad is selling sexism and self-loathing to teenage girls" (but she isn't buying it.)

Check out her piece: http://www.courant.com/news/opinion/hc-op-fresh-talk-hughes-girls-more-than-doodle-fre-20130212,0,4237557.story

Thesis Workshop

If you missed today's class, here are the questions we used in workshopping our thesis statements:

1. Does the argument/thesis fulfill the assignment?

2. Is is an argument that CAN be proven?

3. Is it an argument that NEEDS to be proven?

4. Does the thesis/analysis move beyond simply describing the ad?

5. Does it offer an original/interesting analysis?

6. How can it be made more specific?


First drafts are due Tuesday. Bring 3 copies of your first draft to give to your group members.

SCSU OPEN

Bring your thesis and brainstorming Thursday.

If you cannot make it, let me know.

Snow!

Southern is officially closed for Monday, Feb 11. Stay tuned for Tuesday. So far, no plows have been on my street and I cannot get out, but hopefully I will be out by Tuesday if SCSU opens. In the meantime, work on your essay! And stay safe!

This just in...

SCSU closed tomorrow due to snow.

Essay #1: Visual Argument Analysis

What are they really selling?


Your first longer essay for this course builds on the argument analysis work we have been doing since the first day of class. This essay asks you to take these skills and use them in crafting an extended analysis in the form of a longer piece of writing.

For this assignment, find a unique advertisement (in a newspaper, magazine, or online -- a static, 2-dimensional ad; not a video or other multimedia commercial) that is designed to sell a particular product to a particular audience. In your analysis essay, make an argument for what the ad is "really selling," to what audience, and why it would appeal to that audience. You will need to look beyond the obvious product being sold and think more about the lifestyle, the character, the state of mind, and/or the emotion being "sold" through this product. For example, is the ad advertising a feeling of "cool" or promising success or selling nostalgia or promoting a certain lifestyle choice. Be very specific and think about how the ad accomplishes this through the makeup of the image and words. Also, why is the ad selling this specific image, message, or worldview? What is the appeal? Why does that help sell the product to the target audience.

Don't pick something that is too obvious or too simple because you won't have enough material to work with. Remember that an argument is something that needs to be proven to your readers, not something obvious to your readers immediately. Also, your essay will need to include a detailed description of the advertisement, but don't just summarize what you see. The description is your evidence that you will analyze and use to help build your argument of what's really being sold, but the description itself is not the argument.

The final draft of the essay needs to be 700-1000 words long.

For Tuesday Feb. 12th, please bring in:

1) the ad

2) notes taken on describing the ad (detail everything you see)

3) notes taken on the analysis/argument (brainstorm on what you see being "sold")

4) tentative thesis statement (or a few to choose from)


For Thursday Feb. 14th, please post a first draft on your blog and bring hard copies of the essay to class, enough copies so everyone in your group can have one to take home for peer review.

The final draft of this essay is due on Thursday Feb 21, as noted on the syllabus.

If you need help in constructing your essay, please read Chapter 7 in our textbook as that may be helpful. Also, here is an excellent web resource: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/725/03/

Announcement

Check your SCSU email!