Unit 2: Argument Analysis
You will select an essay from the required course readings and analyze an ethical problem it addresses. Your analysis should first describe the ethical problem in detail and identify the potentially harmful or helpful consequences that emerge if the audiences are persuaded by the writer’s argument. You must cite and analyze passages and evidence from the text to support your claims.
There are many ways to begin thinking about this essay, but the easiest is to imagine how a social change can occur that is related to the writer’s argument. For example, you could claim that MLK Jr.’s essay “Letter from the Birmingham Jail” could increase racial tolerance and challenge racial inequality.
This is not an op-ed piece, do not preach or get on your soapbox. Focus on the writer’s argument and how it could potentially elicit change. Be sure to continue thinking as you did in Unit 1 by finding and analyzing the writer’s primary and secondary arguments, as well as the evidence used to support those arguments.
Questions to consider:
- What ethical issues does the essay raise or address?
- What passages best represent the author’s argument and potential consequences?
- What are the predictable responses? Can you more beyond the predictable response to the essay?
Format:
- 10-12 point, Times New Roman
- 1500 Words
- MLA Guidelines
- Specific Title
See your textbook for more information.
