Your assignment is to analyze an article from a current newspaper or magazine. You will evaluate your response to this article and then write a letter to the editorial board of your chosen publication. It should be double-spaced, with 1-inch margins top, bottom, and sides. You should follow a traditional business letter format.
Steps to be Followed:
Please skim your article carefully. After skimming the article, write a one-paragraph summary of the article. Use this summary to focus your detailed reading.
After skimming your article and writing a brief summary, please do a detailed reading of your article. While doing this reading, please map your article. In your mapping, please indicate the following:
What is the issue?
What are the arguments and what reasons and evidence are given to support these arguments?
What is the conclusion of the article as supported by its arguments?
After mapping your article, please form an outline of the information you have noted. It should consist of three columns:
Column 1—list issues, arguments, reasons, and evidence and conclusion of article;
Column 2—list all questions that you could ask of this article; and
Column 3—list all of your comments and personal responses to this article.
To form a response to this article, you must first analyze how you will respond on a point-by-point basis to the arguments given in the article. To do this, list your issue in response to the article’s issue. How does it differ?
Then file counterarguments to each argument given; do the same with reasons and evidence. Either take issue with the specific nature of the information given, or give alternative reasons and evidence to support your issue. Finally, organize your arguments cohesively to come to a conclusion.
Answer any questions you may have had about the article, and use this information to form the basis for your response. Either use direct experiences or indirect experiences (books, articles) to answer these questions. Remember, “Knowledge is a belief that can function within a context.” If the article you are reading is based on direct experience, you can respond with direct experiences, but if your article consists mainly of indirect experiences to form arguments, you must do so as well.
Use the information from step 5 and the outline from step 3 to start writing your paper.
Paragraph 1 should consist of a detailed descriiption of the article’s issue and your response to it. The last sentence in this paragraph should explicitly state your position.
Paragraph 2 should state your first argument. Your argument should consist of reasons and evidence derived through direct or indirect experiences.
Paragraph 3 should state your second argument, again supported by reasons and evidence.
Paragraph 4 should state your third argument, supported by reasons and evidence.
Paragraph 5 should state your conclusion. It should show how all your arguments work together to lead to this conclusion. After doing this, your paper should be complete.
To double-check your paper, you should ask yourself the following questions:
Have you supported your arguments clearly with reasons and evidence?
Can your arguments be verified by other sources?
Are your arguments responding to points being made in the article?
Submit your assignment in a Word or PDF file. Include the letter and references to the news paper article on an additional page using APA style.
