analyzing a text and evaluating arguments
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Analyzing a Text and Evaluating Arguments. Questions for Analysis (Hacker p. 66). PURPOSE: What’s the thesis of the article? What is the author’s point in writing the article? STRUCTURE: How is the text organized? What are the main ideas and how do they relate to the thesis and to each other? - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Analyzing a Text and Evaluating ArgumentsAnalyzing a Text and Evaluating Arguments
Questions for Analysis(Hacker p. 66)
Questions for Analysis(Hacker p. 66)
• PURPOSE: What’s the thesis of the article? What is the author’s point in writing the article?
• STRUCTURE: How is the text organized? What are the main ideas and how do they relate to the thesis and to each other?
• AUDIENCE: Who is the audience?
• PURPOSE: What’s the thesis of the article? What is the author’s point in writing the article?
• STRUCTURE: How is the text organized? What are the main ideas and how do they relate to the thesis and to each other?
• AUDIENCE: Who is the audience?
Questions for AnalysisQuestions for Analysis• What strategies does the author use
to achieve the purpose? How does he/she try to persuade the audience that his/her argument is valid?
• What types of evidence does the author use to support his/her thesis? How good is this evidence? Is it observation, inference, or a combination of both?
• Point of view, tone, metaphor, context
• What strategies does the author use to achieve the purpose? How does he/she try to persuade the audience that his/her argument is valid?
• What types of evidence does the author use to support his/her thesis? How good is this evidence? Is it observation, inference, or a combination of both?
• Point of view, tone, metaphor, context
Questions for AnalysisQuestions for Analysis
• Does the author include opposing views? Does he/she respond to them effectively?
• Does the author leave any questions unanswered?
• Does the author use faulty reasoning or unfair arguments?
• Does the author include opposing views? Does he/she respond to them effectively?
• Does the author leave any questions unanswered?
• Does the author use faulty reasoning or unfair arguments?
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• Deaths from overdoses in Metropolis have doubled in the past three years. Therefore, more Americans than ever are dying from drug abuse.
• Hasty Generalization
• Deaths from overdoses in Metropolis have doubled in the past three years. Therefore, more Americans than ever are dying from drug abuse.
• Hasty Generalization
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• Politicians are corrupt.
• Asian students are exceptionally intelligent.
• Stereotypes
• Politicians are corrupt.
• Asian students are exceptionally intelligent.
• Stereotypes
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• If we can put humans on the moon, we should be able to find a cure for the common cold.
• False analogy (Both are scientific endeavors, but other than that they have little in common.)
• If we can put humans on the moon, we should be able to find a cure for the common cold.
• False analogy (Both are scientific endeavors, but other than that they have little in common.)
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• Evidence: In a recent survey, 923 of 1,115 students questioned say they would subscribe to wireless Internet access.
• Conclusion: The majority of students on our campus would subscribe to wireless Internet access if it were available.
• Is the evidence sufficient?• Is the evidence representative?• Is the evidence relevant?
• Evidence: In a recent survey, 923 of 1,115 students questioned say they would subscribe to wireless Internet access.
• Conclusion: The majority of students on our campus would subscribe to wireless Internet access if it were available.
• Is the evidence sufficient?• Is the evidence representative?• Is the evidence relevant?
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• Since Governor Cho took office, unemployment of minorities in the state has decreased by 7 percent. Governor Cho should be applauded for reducing unemployment among minorities.
• False cause and affect assumption
• Since Governor Cho took office, unemployment of minorities in the state has decreased by 7 percent. Governor Cho should be applauded for reducing unemployment among minorities.
• False cause and affect assumption
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• Our current war against drugs has not worked. Either we should legalize drugs or we should turn the drug war over to our armed forces and let them fight it.
• Either… or fallacy
• Our current war against drugs has not worked. Either we should legalize drugs or we should turn the drug war over to our armed forces and let them fight it.
• Either… or fallacy
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• Violent crime is increasing.• Therefore, we should vigorously
enforce the death penalty.
• Argument with a missing claim
• Violent crime is increasing.• Therefore, we should vigorously
enforce the death penalty.
• Argument with a missing claim
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies
• Mary loves good food; therefore, she will be an excellent chef.
• Non sequitur (“does not follow”)
• Mary loves good food; therefore, she will be an excellent chef.
• Non sequitur (“does not follow”)
Logical FallaciesLogical Fallacies• The police do not give speeding tickets
to people driving less than five miles per hour over the limit. Sam is driving fifty-nine miles per hour in a fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone. Therefore, the police will not give Sam a speeding ticket.
• Argument with a questionable premise
• The police do not give speeding tickets to people driving less than five miles per hour over the limit. Sam is driving fifty-nine miles per hour in a fifty-five-mile-per-hour zone. Therefore, the police will not give Sam a speeding ticket.
• Argument with a questionable premise
• All members of our club ran in this year’s Boston Marathon. Jay ran in this year’s Boston Marathon. Therefore, Jay is a member of our club.
• Conclusion does not follow
• All members of our club ran in this year’s Boston Marathon. Jay is a member of our club. Therefore, Jay ran in this year’s Boston Marathon.
• All members of our club ran in this year’s Boston Marathon. Jay ran in this year’s Boston Marathon. Therefore, Jay is a member of our club.
• Conclusion does not follow
• All members of our club ran in this year’s Boston Marathon. Jay is a member of our club. Therefore, Jay ran in this year’s Boston Marathon.
Emotional appeals: can be fair and unfairEmotional appeals:
can be fair and unfair
• Is it anti-American to be against having a retail giant set up shop in one’s community? Some people would say so. On the other hand, if you board up Main Street, what’s left of America?
• Is it anti-American to be against having a retail giant set up shop in one’s community? Some people would say so. On the other hand, if you board up Main Street, what’s left of America?
Emotional appeals:Emotional appeals:
• This progressive proposal to build a ski resort in the state park has been carefully researched by Western Trust, the largest bank in the state; furthermore, it is favored by a majority of the local merchants. The only opposition comes from narrow-minded, do-gooder environmentalists who care more about trees than they do about people; one of their leaders was actually arrested for disturbing the peace several years ago.
• This progressive proposal to build a ski resort in the state park has been carefully researched by Western Trust, the largest bank in the state; furthermore, it is favored by a majority of the local merchants. The only opposition comes from narrow-minded, do-gooder environmentalists who care more about trees than they do about people; one of their leaders was actually arrested for disturbing the peace several years ago.
How fairly does the writer deal with opposing views?How fairly does the writer deal with opposing views?• Does the writer fairly handle the
opposition? Does he/she concede points when necessary and counter others in a civil spirit? Does he/she quote opposing views fairly and accurately and not take words out of context?
• Does the writer fairly handle the opposition? Does he/she concede points when necessary and counter others in a civil spirit? Does he/she quote opposing views fairly and accurately and not take words out of context?
Opposing ViewsOpposing Views
• Washington, DC, residents are lobbying for statehood. Giving a city such as the District of Columbia the status of a state would be unfair.
• Straw man fallacy
• Washington, DC, residents are lobbying for statehood. Giving a city such as the District of Columbia the status of a state would be unfair.
• Straw man fallacy
Misleading QuotesMisleading Quotes• ORIGINAL:• Johnson’s History of the American
West is riddled with inaccuracies and astonishing in its blatantly racist description of the Indian wars. (B. Smith, reviewer)
• QUOTE• According to B. Smith, Johnson’s
History of the American West is “astonishing in its… description of the Indian wars.”
• ORIGINAL:• Johnson’s History of the American
West is riddled with inaccuracies and astonishing in its blatantly racist description of the Indian wars. (B. Smith, reviewer)
• QUOTE• According to B. Smith, Johnson’s
History of the American West is “astonishing in its… description of the Indian wars.”
Even if you don’t see logical fallacies…
Even if you don’t see logical fallacies…
• Do you see any possible opposing ideas/views that the author has overlooked? Do you have any questions that the author doesn’t answer?
• Do you see any possible opposing ideas/views that the author has overlooked? Do you have any questions that the author doesn’t answer?