Unit 1
Definition of Arduous
What is extremely difficult to achieve?
Definition of Alienation
What is state of being isolated or withdrawn?
Definition of Affluence
What is abundance of wealth?
Definition of Candor
What is frankness or honesty?
Definition of Anarchy
What is a state of lawlessness and absence of government?
How to determine a Central Idea
What is, you must determine what the author most wants you to remember about what you are reading?
Rhetoric is
What is another name for the art of persuasion. And, it really is an art—and a skill?
Structure elements of understanding text structure purpose
What are paragraphs, chapters, and sections? can help a reader to comprehend a text’s main idea or claim
Determining Themes
What is the theme of a text can be determined from the text’s topic. Readers can first determine which topics are discussed in depth within a text. Those topics can then point readers toward what the themes are?
Elements of an Argument
What is Logos, Pathos, and Ethos?
Types of evidence
What is facts, definitions, quotations, concrete details, and statistics or data?
Evaluating Evidence
Recent, Relevant, Unbiased, and Sufficient
Intro Paragraph
Hooks the reader, provide context and background, show importance to the main idea, and narrow the scope to the thesis.
Understanding Audience
What is Who, What, and How?
Body Paragraph
What is topic sentence, evidence, explanation, transition?
Determine hidden meaning
Teaching is like a mansion, the more doors and windows you open, the more ideas the mind can find.
What is, Teaching is all about opening each persons mind to the idea that you are teaching?
Determine Figurative Language
The sun is as bright as a piece of paper
Simile
Multiple Sources and Formats
#1. Elaborate "Evidence" Elaborate
#2. Transition, "Evidence"(MLA). Elaborate "Evidence"(MLA). Elaborate.
What is #2?
Determine the Theme
"The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation"(Jefferson).
Sometimes “it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bonds which have connected them” and form a new government
Identify Elements of an Argument
"Is the media biased? Many people would say so. Even observers on both sides of the political spectrum have agreed that partisan politics has become much more rampant in the news today. However, this idea is presented as a novelty, implying that at some point in the past the media has, in fact, been unbiased.
On the contrary, it is wrong to believe that mainstream media has ever achieved true objectivity. Throughout American history, the press has been used as a political tool and as a way to promote particular points of view. For instance, prior to the American Revolution, revolutionary leaders such as Benjamin Franklin used emerging colonial newspapers to rally citizens to the cause of independence. Newspapers, including Franklin’s Pennsylvania Gazette, published political cartoons, news stories hostile to the British, and editorials clearly promoting revolution. In fact, newspapers were one of the primary tools in garnering support for independence from Britain. While the cause may have been noble, the newspapers were clearly a tool of persuasion rather than an objective chronicle of the day’s events.
This theme continues throughout American history. When John Adams was president, he signed the Sedition Act, a law that made it illegal to publish information that was overly critical of the president or Congress. When Thomas Jefferson was running for president he gave money to newspapers that would support him. Even during Abraham Lincoln’s presidency, the government effectively shut down anti-Union newspapers by banning them from mail distribution"(Biased in the Media).
Answers may vary
Claim
The central claim is that “It is wrong to believe that the mainstream media has ever achieved true objectivity.” This is a controversial statement that must be proven using at least one reason and ample evidence.
Reason
The author provides the reason that “Throughout American history, the press has been used as a political tool and as a way to promote particular points of view.” This reason certainly supports the claim, but it is valid only if the author proves the reason using evidence.
Evidence
The author states that revolutionary newspapers, political cartoons, and editorials helped persuade the American populace to support the American Revolution. This evidence provides three instances of political media during one period of American history. This is a strong start, but to establish a trend across history, the author will need to cite examples from various time periods. The author continues by noting that newspapers accepted money from Thomas Jefferson, which shows scandal on the side of newspapers. However, the author’s other two examples, the Sedition Act and Lincoln’s obstruction of anti-Union press, show actions taken by presidents to prevent media from spreading. Additionally, the author fails to cite sources for the evidence.
Warrant
Finally, the author’s entire argument relies on the warrant that media should be impartial, purely reporting facts with no spin or opinions. If the author’s readers do not accept that warrant, this argument will not persuade them.
By analyzing this author’s argument through the lens of the Toulmin Model, you can see that the author uses a strong claim and a strong reason. However, by presenting only three accurate examples of media bias, all from the year 1800 or earlier, the author fails to make a persuasive argument that the media has achieved objectivity
Determine type of evidence
If you are writing about my concern for dogs because of what they eat, and you include evidence about people's favorite movie...
What is irrelevant?
Finding Evidence: Social media causes mental health
#1. Blog post about someone complaining about the people on social media
or
#2. Research conducted the last year showing high percent of people with mental health problems who have high social media usage rates.
What is #2?
Determine Text Structure
Many teens suffer from depression and anxiety, a great way to help with this is to lower social media usage.
What is Problem and Solution?
Determine Usage of Evidence
#1. State claim, "Evidence" Expand on claim from evidence.
#2. "evidence". Next topic
What is #1?
Revising for Content
Social media is bad for mental health
Answers may vary
Research and experiments over the years show that social media usage is correlated to many mental health issues. Social media is a great way to interact and see what's going on as many do, but the effects are much more traumatic.