Write a four page double-spaced argument analysis paper in which you analyze the two letters by the clergymen and King. Put the letters in historical context by describing the rhetorical situation, with emphasis on the exigence, the audiences, and constraints. Explain the issue from both points of view. Summarize the positions taken on the issue in both letters. Describe and evaluate the support, the warrants, and backing in both. Identify any fallacies and describe how the author’s use rebuttal. Finally, evaluate the ethical and unethical qualities that appear in the letters and write a conclusion in which you make a claim about the relative effectiveness of the two letters. Which letter is more effective? Why? Have you views been modified or changed? How?
Writing the Argument Analysis Paper
Create a structure for your essay:
For example make a list or an outline.
Place your ideas in an order that makes sense. Since you will be comparing and contrasting you may want to write first about the clergymen’s letter and then King’s letter and draw conclusions about both of them at the end.
Explain the rhetorical situation. Be sure to place the letters in historical context and describe the audience that both are addressing. Then explain the issue from both points of view and summarize the authors’ positions.
State the claims and describe the support in both letters.
Include summarized, paraphrased, or quoted material from the letters to provide evidence to support your main points. (use MLA format for citations)
Write a conclusion in which you evaluate the letters. Are they ethical or unethical? Is one more effective and convincing than the other? Why?
Focus Topics to Help You Analyze the Letters
Answer the questions that accompany the eight focus topics listed.
1. Rhetorical Situation: Consider each of these points.
0. What is the exigence for these two letters? What caused the authors to write them? What was the problem? Was it a new or recurring problem?
0. Who is the audience for the clergyman’s letter/ For King’s letter? What is the nature of these audiences? Can they be convinced? What are the expected outcomes?
0. What are the constraints? Speculate about the beliefs, attitudes, habits, and traditions that were in place that limited or constrained both the white clergyman and King. How did these constraining circumstances influence the audience for both letters at that time/
0. Think about the authors of both letters. Who are they/ speculate about their backgrounds, experience, affiliations, and values. What motivated them to write/
0. What kind of text is each letter? What effect do its special qualities and features have on an audience?
0. Think about yourself as a reader. What is your position on the issue/ do you experience constraints as read? Do you perceive common ground with either the clergyman or King, or both? Describe it. Are you influenced by these letters? How?
1. Organization and claims:
Divide each letter into its main parts. What is the subject of each part? Why have the parts been placed in this order? What is the relationship between them? What is the main claim in each letter? What types of claims are they? What are the subclaims? What types of claims are they?
1. Logical proofs and style
Analyze the use of logical proof in each of the letters. Provide examples. Describe the effect on the audience. Provide an example of the language of emotional style in the letters.
1. Emotional proofs and style
Analyze the use of emotional proof in the letters. Provide examples. Describe their effect on the audience. Provide an example of emotional language that establishes ethos.
1. Proofs and style that establishes ethos
Analyze the use of proofs that establish ethos or credibility in the letters. Provide examples. Describe their effect on the audience. Provide an example of language that establishes ethos in the letters.
1. Warrants and backing
Identify the warrants (both logical and contextual) in each of the letters what appeals to the community values and provide backing for the warrants. How much common ground do you think exists between the authors of the letters? How much common ground do you share with the authors? As a result, which letter do you find more convincing? Why?
1. Fallacious thinking and rebuttals
Provide examples of reasoning that is considered fallacious by the opposing parties in the letters. What rebuttals are made in response to these? How effective are they?
1. Ethical or unethical
Do the clergymen and King both make an adequate effort to understand the issue and its consequences? Does each also understand the position held by the other? How just/fair-minded is each party? Is their support fair, accurate, and/or convincing? Can you, as a reader, accept the warrants? Can you accept the references to community values that serve as the backing for the warrants? Should the claims be qualified, if they are not already? Do the clergymen and King sincerely believe their positions are in the best interest of the people of Birmingham as well as of the larger society? Do you agree with them? Who is benefitted, and who is burdened by their positions? Do you find evidence that either the clergyman or King are trying to manipulate the audience by hiding their real purpose, using inappropriate emotional appeals, manufacturing evidence, using inaccurate evidence or telling lies? Do either of the arguers change the usual definitions of words to cloud perceptions, or do they minimize issues to trivialize them? What do you conclude about the ethical and unethical qualities of the letters?
Writing Assignment:
Write a four page double-spaced argument analysis paper in which you analyze the two letters by the clergymen and King. Put the letters in historical context by describing the rhetorical situation, with emphasis on the exigence, the audiences, and constraints (paraghaph 1) Explain the issue from both points of view (paraghaph 2) Summarize the positions taken on the issue in both letters (paraghaph 3-4). Describe and evaluate the support, the warrants, and backing in both (paraghaph 5-6). Identify any fallacies and describe how the author’s use rebuttal (paraghaph7-8). Finally, evaluate the ethical and unethical qualities that appear in the letters and write a conclusion in which you make a claim about the relative effectiveness of the two letters. Which letter is more effective? Why? Have you views been modified or changed? How? (this should be about 3 paraghaps)
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chapter_9-_writing_the_argument_analysis_paper.docx
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