Argument Workshop Worksheet

Argument Workshop Worksheet
Your Name
Author’s Name:
Keep the author’s concern your primary focus.
BEFORE YOU READ:

Audience:  What is the author’s target audience?

All individuals who are required to have insurance. This could be young adults, middle-aged adults and older adults.
What interests, beliefs, values, etc. do YOU think the audience holds?
(2 to 3 sentences) I think the audience is wondering why they would pay so much for insurance if they don’t need the coverage. They want to know why they have to get insurance if they don’t go to the doctor enough to make it worth the cost.

AS YOU READ:
Ethos:  How does the author align himself/herself with the audience?  Maintain credibility? I think you answer the question “why” really well! you give a lot of examples and quotes from many different sources.
(Give specific examples from the argument – 4 sentences minimum.  Give tips for improvement as appropriate)
Example 1: Members of the public also complain that the act is unfair, “the law requires that everyone pay for all services whether you need them or not” (Fernando 89). This is a good example of Ethos because it uses a specific quote that relates to his claim.
Example 2:“Employers with more than fifty employees are expected to provide a qualified healthcare plan option or to pay a penalty of $2000 per employee” which is more expensive than the insurance cover (Fernando 89). This one also shows how he used a quote to support his claim. Good job!

Logos:  Are reasons backed up with evidence that is both strong and sufficient in number?
For every reason you have you have some for of quote backing it up as far as I can tell. You have quite a few of them.
What are the strongest/most convincing aspects of this argument? What are the weak aspects of this argument?  (ex. Statements that are too general, shaky reasoning from statements to conclusions or from reasons to supporting evidence, lack of specific examples or definitions, etc.)  (Give specific examples from the argument – 5 sentences minimum)
Example: t “adding over one million uninsured individuals to the health care plans represents a significant cost to members of the public since the newly insured patients will definitely increase visits to hospitals, require additional medications, diagnostic and surgical procedures”. They will also ‘fight for’ “additional social support programs and expect long-term care available to any other insured person” (Fernando 86).
This example is one of the stronger statements. It is a slew of information all pertains to your argument. I feel that with this quote and some of your own input it makes a good case.

Have a minimum of three sources been used? Yes. Are quotes and phrases cited using MLA style? All of your citing seems correct.  (Give suggestions when appropriate.)

Pathos:  Describe your emotional reactions to specific places in the argument.  How did the emotional appeals work for you? (4 sentences minimum)
The emotional parts of the Essay were not as strong with my feelings as someone else may feel. I feel as though your essay was more of a fact providing type. Maybe you could try to add a bit of someones testimony of how this has affected them personally? Otherwise you are pretty consistent with good fact finding.

AFTER YOU READ:
What is the purpose of the argument?  What does the author want to accomplish?  (Your guess)
I believe it is to show all people that need to get insurance the facts of what to expect. It provides the opinions of what others think about having to have insurance.
(Two sentences minimum.)

What questions do you have?  What would you like to know more about? (defining terms and ideas, clarifying reasons or links between evidence and conclusions, etc.)
(Two sentences to one paragraph.)
I would like to know more about a persons personal testimony and how it affected them directly. I feel like you could used some more emotion and personal opinion added in.

What objections can you think of?  (Think of opposing views: other explanations for the evidence, examples, or  situations; alternate solutions, new aspects of the argument that the author hasn’t considered, etc.)  Write down any that aren’t addressed in the argument
(Four sentences minimum.)
Are you for or against the issue? I feel like there was really not a line drawn as to which side you are on. This may make your essay seem like it’s just facts stating what the problems are and what people like about the issue but doesn’t really persuade in either direction. Just food for thought..

What other suggestions do you have for this author?  (Three to six sentences.)
I feel like you did a great job at explaining what the issue was, how many different parts are with it, and using quotes to help solidify the remarks. I again would try to add a little of your opinion in there and also use more feeling. Overall you have a great topic and sound like you know what you are talking about. Good job!
•

By admin in Essays on July 30, 2016