3 - 1 page summary

Argument Analysis ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW. An argument (in the sense we understand the term in this course) is not an angry discussion with raised voices and blood pressure. Nor is an argument merely a statement of opinion. A good argument contains evidence that its author understands the issue at hand and knows the opposition’s position. A person with a good argument makes well-supported points that are clearly connected to a larger discussion, and uses language and evidence fairly without making unwarranted claims or assumptions. Certainly, to be able to make sound arguments of one’s own, one needs to be able to dissect the arguments of others. This dissection is called argument analysis. GENERAL GUIDELINES. The summaries you have already begun to write are the beginnings of analysis. An analysis is titled and opens just as a summary does, with the title, the author’s name, and his or her main idea in the first sentence. Additionally, the first sentence should provide a sense of the argument’s overall quality and persuasiveness. An analysis offers an objective evaluation of the argument being made. That evaluation should include the following:

• Identifying the writer’s tone and audience as these will often suggest the writer’s political or cultural position.

• Evaluating the argument’s overall persuasiveness and completeness. • Analyzing the quality of supportive evidence. This includes noting any glaring

or systemic logical fallacies or any unwarranted assumptions. OBJECTIVITY. Your analysis should not include any use of the first person (I, me, or my). Any disagreement with or critiques of the author’s work should be done in a civil tone absent of sarcasm, irony, or personal attack. (Criticism should be specific, not general.) A FINAL NOTE. In addition to being evaluated for standard academic English, an analysis’ grade is also based on evidence of a clear understanding of what the author is arguing, and how well or poorly that argument is supported and presented.