Part 1
- Copy and paste the text of the opinion article into a Word or Google document.
- Provide a URL link to the original opinion article.
- Your analysis should include at least 12 comments.
- Using the comment function, highlight the text of the opinion article that you are analyzing. The comment should identify the piece of the argument that phrase or sentence represents, and analyze the effectiveness of that argument piece. Each comment should be at least two sentences.
Here are argument pieces that you may comment about.
- Identify: the thesis statement and supporting claims made in the opinion piece.
- Analyze: Is the specific claim are they clear and easily understandable? Are there any claims missing or any adjustments that would improve the claim?
- Identify: the evidence that was used in the argument.
- Analyze: Does the evidence support the claim? Is the evidence strong or weak? Is there enough evidence? Could they have used a different type of evidence? Is the evidence credible or verifiable?
- Identify: the reasoning.
- Analyze: Are there any errors in reasoning or fallacies? Did the sub-arguments provide support for the thesis statement? Are there any pieces of reasoning missing?
- Identify: any rebuttals within the argument.
- Analyze: Did the writer respond to a strong counter-argument? If so, was it effective? If not, how could they have responded to a counter-argument?
- Identify sourcing or citations.
- Analyze: Did the writer properly attribute their information? Are you able to follow the trail of information? Did they have any hyperlinks, citations or attributions missing? Are the sources credible?
- Identify the author &/or publisher.
- Analyze: Are they credible & authoritative? Can they be trusted? Can you easily find information about their reputation?
- Identify: anything missing?
- Analyze: Go beyond analyzing what is present in the argument to include what was missing. For example, maybe the title of the article was missing making it difficult to understand what the argument was about.
Part 2
Apply what you have learned in Unit 1 & Unit 2 to evaluate the opinion piece. Write a 1/2-page to 1-page argument that evaluates the opinion piece you analyzed.
- The evaluation should have at least two paragraphs and a thesis statement that indicates whether you think the argument is strong/sound or weak/not sound.
- For example: "This is a strong argument because...", "This is a weak argument because it has inconsistencies in reasoning..."
- Make sure you have several introductory sentences before stating your thesis statement.
- Use the comments that you highlighted in part 1 to support your thesis statement.
- Written at a collegiate writing level. Your essay should be free of grammar, syntax, and spelling errors and I recommend that you revise and/or complete a peer review.