Argument Description Essay

The purpose of Unit 1 is to teach students the difference between description and analysis. In argument description, you are documenting how a person delivered an argument, paying close attention to the evidence that he or she uses to support it. This means that argument is description is not a comprehensive account of how someone delivered an argument but rather a representative account of the most important aspects of an argument. You will not evaluate the efficacy, or lack thereof, in your writer’s argument. Instead, you will simply identify, name, and explain the six pieces of argument, paying special attention to how the writer uses these pieces and how you know that what you’ve identified are the proper argumentative moves you claim them to be. You must choose a reading from our supplementary readings, with special consideration given to the ones assigned on the syllabus (excluding Crawford’s “Autism” essay).

 

The pieces of argumentation you must identify are: Purpose, Audience, Arrangement, Evidence, Implications, and Word/Phrase Choice

 

Purpose: Why is the writer making this argument? What is his or her specific claim?

Audience: To whom is the writer directing their argument? Think demographics (ethnicity, gender, economic class, age, etc.)

Arrangement: Where does the writer place the individual parts of his or her argument? Where is the thesis? How do the paragraphs fit together?

Evidence: What types of evidence does the writer use to support his or her arguments? These include, but are not limited to, anecdotes, quantitative data (i.e., numbers), direct quotes from industry experts.

Implications: What recommendations does the argument make to audiences? What does the writer want us, the audience, to do about this issue or claim?

Word/Phrase Choice: What words or phrases does the writer use to make the argument? Consider tone, style, register, vocabulary, and anything else you deem important.

 

For more information, to include assignment description and assessment/grading standards, please refer to your textbook, pages UNT-23-25 and UNT-63-66.

 

Paper Requirements

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12-point Times New Roman

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Double-spaced, 1200-1500 words

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MLA guidelines for heading

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Include a title