Human Genetics

Critical Thinking Student Expectations

Students are expected to read these guidelines prior to reading the opposing viewpoints essays and filling out the matrix. The goal of this assignment is to perform an in-depth, unbiased analysis on the essays provided. As a result, each section of the matrix should contain clear, accurate, detailed, and developed writing. The goal of this assignment is not for students to provide their opinions on the topic. As a result, when completing the analysis, students are expected to use evidence , logic and reason to support their statements.

I. Thesis: Students are expected to write a thesis statement for each essay. Both thesis statements should clearly and accurately identify the purposed of the author’s essay.

Tip: It is common for student to oversimplify the thesis statement. They leave out key details that change the meaning of the statement. For example:

Incorrect: The author is arguing that antibiotics are safe and necessary.

Correct: The author is arguing that antibiotic use in agriculture is safe and necessary.

II. Problem/Question:

a. Advocate/Opponent: Students are expected to summarize the major issues or problems presented by the advocate and the opponent.

b. Your point of view: Students are expected to agree with the advocate or the opponent, or provided an alternative issue or problem.

Tip: It is common for students to summarize the author’s entire viewpoint, rather than identifying the major problems. This leads to statements that do not describe problems addressed by the author. For example:

Incorrect: The advocate states that subtherapeutic levels of antibiotics in agriculture protect animals from pathogens.

Correct: The advocate states that banning subtherapeutic level of antibiotics in agriculture will lead to higher levels of pathogens in animals.

III. Perspective:

a. Advocate/Opponent: Students are expected to step in the advocate’s and opponent’s shoes and identify how the author’s background influences their position and values. Note that most viewpoints essays provide a short paragraph describing the author. If this is not the case, please research information about the author.

b. Your point of view: Students are expected to reflect on their own background and how that influences their position and values.

Tip: It is common for students to summarize the author’s perspective, rather than describe how the author’s background leads to their perspective. For example,

Incorrect: Rod Smith writes regularly for Feedstuffs, a weekly newspaper for agribusiness and he is for antibiotic use in agriculture.

Correct: Rod Smith writes regularly for Feedstuffs, a weekly newspaper for agribusiness. Because Feedstuffs is run by the agriculture industry and because they employ Rod Smith, he is likely influenced by what benefits the industry rather than society or the animals themselves.

IV. Evidence Identification and Evaluation:

a. Advocate/Opponent: Students are expected to identify the evidence provided by the advocate and opponent and to decide if it is creditable and effective. Students should identify and evaluate at least 3 major pieces of evidence for both the advocate and the opponent.

b. Your point of view: Students are expected to identify what additional evidence could be provided to strengthen the advocate’s and the opponent’s arguments.

Tip: It is common for students just to list pieces of evidence and not evaluate them. Additionally, it is common for students to provide superficial evaluations. For example,

Incorrect: “Researchers at Iowa State University found that pigs not administered antibiotics that got sick had a greater pathogen presence than pigs administered antibiotics that did not get sick.” This information cites a valid source therefore it is creditable and effective.

Correct: “Researchers at Iowa State University found that pigs not administered antibiotics that got sick had a greater pathogen presence than pigs administered antibiotics that did not get sick.” Here the author cites a study conducted by Iowa State University. University studies are considered valid sources, especially if they have been published by a peer reviewed journal. The issue here is that the author is not providing enough information about the study. His statement is underdeveloped and confusing. Obviously pigs that are sick are going to have a greater pathogen presence than pigs that did not get sick, regardless of whether antibiotics were used or not. This evidence might be effective if the author clearly explains the study.

V. Context:

a. Advocate/Opponent: Students are expected to identify how the current political, ethical, and social environments are influencing the arguments of the advocate and opponent.

b. Your point of view: Students are expected to identify if the current political, ethical and social environments favor the advocate or opponent, and why?

Tip: It is common for students to focus on one of the three required environments. All three must be addressed for the advocate and the opponent. Students should make sure they know the difference between political, ethical and social context. This might require further research.

VI. Assumptions:

a. Advocate/Opponent: When writing a viewpoint essay, the author assumes that their readers have some background knowledge on the topic, and as a result, they do not provide that information. Students are expected to identify what the advocate and the opponent assumed (took for granted) about the reader knowledge.

b. Your point of view: Students, as the readers, are expected to determine if the assumptions the advocate and opponent made about the readers held true.

Tip: It is common for students to state that the author assumed the reader was for or against the topic. This is not an assumption made by the author; the authors are taking a position on the topic and expressing their viewpoints. Determining the authors’ viewpoints is not determining what they assume the audience understands about the topics.

VII. Conclusions:

a. Advocate/Opponent: Students are expected to identify the implications of the advocate’s and opponent’s conclusions.

b. Your point of view: After weighing the implications of the advocate’s and opponent’s conclusions, students are expected to identify if they favor the advocate’s or opponent’s conclusion, or provide an alternative solution to the issue. Students are expected to provide reasons for their choice.

Tip: It is very common for students to simply summarize the author’s conclusions, rather than stating the implications of the author’s conclusions. Implications are the consequences that will occur if the author’s conclusion holds true.