CECG - Credibility, Evidence, Common Ground

Directions:

If your LAST name starts with a letter between A-H answer the following questions:

1.  CREDIBILITY - #1
2. EVIDENCE - #1 & #2
3. COMMON GROUND - #1

If your LAST name starts with a letter between J-Z answer the following questions:

1. CREDIBILITY - #2 & #3
2. EVIDENCE - #3
3. COMMON GROUND - # 1

THE ASSIGNMENT IS DUE BY TUESDAY @ 12noon

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Credibility, Evidence, and Common Ground

Credibility – In 6-c, Hacker recommends that your introduction should “establish credibility and state your position” (86).

1. We don’t have Epstein’s formal introduction. But she still has to maintain credibility and state her position. Find one passage that illustrates how she maintains credibility and one passage in which she states her position. Quote each passage, and explain why you selected them.
2. Re-read your introduction for Paper 1. What revisions can you make to your introduction to help establish your credibility?
3. Does your introduction include a sentence (or two) that articulates your perspective or position? If so, good. Rewrite the sentence(s) for this assignment. If not, try to locate such sentences in your draft. Rewrite those sentences in a way that helps you get your perspective into the introduction.

Evidence – Evidence is the stuff that supports our points or ideas. In 6-e, Hacker writes about three main kinds of evidence: facts and statistics, examples and illustrations, expert opinion (89-90).

1. Find one example of each kind of evidence in Epstein’s article. Quote each passage and explain how the evidence works to support a specific point or claim.
2. Look at your draft. Find one example of at least two kinds of evidence in your draft. What point does each piece of evidence help you support (or develop)? If the evidence isn’t supporting a point, is there a point that you can make with that evidence? Is there other evidence that might better help you support that point?
3. Examples and illustrations, when used together with other evidence, can help “flesh out an argument and bring it to life” (Hacker 89). Find a specific example of lifestyle branding on the (Red) website. Try to use that example in combination with “expert opinion” on lifestyle branding to develop a point of your own. (In other words, write a paragraph that makes a claim or point by using expert opinion and an example from (Red).)

Common Ground – We sometimes seek to overlook or ignore the evidence (or the perspective) that doesn’t support our own position when we make an argument. When we do this we miss opportunities to persuade readers. At the extreme, such omissions can undermine our credibility.

1. Find a passage that shows Epstein working “to build common ground” (Hacker 93). What would be lost if Epstein left that passage out of her article?

Revisit your draft for Paper 1. As you think about the position(s) you are taking, do you see pieces from Epstein or (Red) that might lead people to take a different position? How might you account for that material and build some common ground?

Google Doc for Class Schedule

Below is the link for the class schedule that will be regularly updated.

Consider this document "alive" -- meaning it is living, breathing, growing, and adapting all the time.

In this way, I can update the syllabus and schedule on a regular basis, making sure the assignments are most appropriate, best fitting your needs and the due dates are align with our daily progress.

Because of this, you will need to review the class schedule regularly -- ideally, at least on a daily basis. That way, you are aware of what is expected of you for every class and can come to each meeting prepared and ready to engage.

CLICK HERE:  CLASS SCHEDULE

Here is the actual link address:

(https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AF-E7YNC5FihACNBqEyH9VXHNgtAroWfcbX_MsKXWC0/edit?usp=sharing)

Thesis Assignment

Apparently, some of you are having trouble with the google doc. Please use this blog for your thesis assignment.

Use this document to post your thesis statements and topic sentences

Directions: Write your full name, thesis statement and topic sentences in the order to plan to discuss them in your essay.

If you’d like, you may offer others feedback on their work if you’d like, but this is not a requirement and meant to be constructive (in other words, to HELP improve others’ work, without being negative or adversely judgmental).

Example:

Élice Hennessee

Thesis: Write your thesis here.

Topic Sentence 1: This is the first supporting claim I plan to use in the body paragraphs of my essay and this is how it ties into my thesis.

Topic Sentence 2: This is the second supporting claim I plan to use in the body of my essay and this is how it ties into my first supporting claim and thesis.

Topic Sentence 3:

Topic Sentence 4:

Etc…

FEEDBACK: Someone may add a line for feedback and give advice (like peer review). You may post what you think could be improved upon, assumptions that may be present and/or counter-arguments one may pose. Anyone can add on to this section.

Now, go forth and write… ;)

Credible Sources

Evaluating the Credibility of Your Sources

Remember, your use of sources is a means of supporting the argument you make. This means that the sources you reference need to be credible and authoritative. How do you know that your sources are of value? Ask yourself the following questions:

Where was the source published?

• Is it in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal (i.e. an article that is evaluated by other experts in the field) or published by a university press, professional society, or scientific publisher (all of which also operate peer-review processes)? These texts will have scholarly credibility.
• Was the source published on-line? This is not necessarily bad, but it will depend on who published it, why it was published, and how you intend to use the material. For example, there are on-line journals that utilize peer-review thus providing greater credibility to the publication. But there are many articles published under the guise of scholarly work, by individuals claiming expertise but which are of highly questionable credibility. If you have doubts about an on-line source, you can discuss it with your instructor or TA or you can elect not to use it.

Who wrote it?

• You can undertake brief on-line research into the author. Is the author affiliated with a university or another institution? What else has the author written? Citation databases will also tell you the number of times this source has been cited by other academics, giving you further insight into its credibility.

Is the piece timely and appropriate for its field?

• In some disciplines, material can become outdated very swiftly. In others, texts can continue to be considered valuable for longer. You should search for additional texts on the topic to find related sources, sources in which this source is cited, and sources that cite this source in order to get a stronger picture of its intellectual relevance and value.

For whom is the source written?

• Is the intended audience a scholarly one? If so, it should have a clear bibliography that you will also be able to consult for further sources.

Will you use the source as a primary or secondary text?

• If the material does not measure up to expected standards of scholarly work, it may still be of use to you. But as a primary text – that is to say, a text that needs to be analyzed – rather than a secondary text – which is a text that might support your argument or provide a theoretical framework for your analysis, for example.

Why is it wise to avoid unreliable sources?*

Information from unreliable sources is not always true, up-to-date, or accurate. Using unreliable sources in an academic paper can weaken the credibility of the writer, dilute the writer’s argument, and detract from the overall strength of the paper.

What kind of sources should be avoided?

While the Internet provides a plethora of information on almost any topic imaginable, not all of its content can be trusted. Students should be cautiously selective while doing research and avoid sources that may contain unreliable information:

·       Popular and collective websites (ask.com, about.com, WebMD.com, etc.): Websites such as these provide articles and information that has been collected from other sources that may not be reliable. While the sponsors of these sites usually employ writers who research the topics, citations for the sources of the data are not always provided.

·       Wikipedia: Wikipedia is an online open-source encyclopedia, which means that it can be edited by anyone. While the information on the site is audited by a Wikipedia editor, the information found there may or may not be correct or current.

·       Source material based solely on opinion: While material that conveys opinions and beliefs may have some validity, reliable sources that back up the opinion or belief with facts and trustworthy information should also be sought. If the opinion piece does not include data from reliable sources, a writer may choose not to include it as a source.

Note: Some sources, such as Wikipedia, provide a works cited list or reference list. Some of the cited works could be reliable, but checking the original source and interpreting the information yourself provides the opportunity to confirm its validity.

Where are credible, reliable sources found?

·       Academic databases: These databases, such as Academic Search Premier and JSTOR, include searchable collections of scholarly works, academic journals, online encyclopedias, and helpful bibliographies and can usually be accessed through a college library website.

·       Academic peer-reviewed journals: Journal articles that have been peer-reviewed are generally considered reliable because they have been examined by experts in the field for accuracy and quality.

·       Google scholar: This Internet search engine helps the user to locate scholarly literature in the form of articles and books, professional societies’ websites, online academic websites, and more.

·       Library reference or research desk: Library staff can provide useful services, such as assistance with the use of library research tools, guidance with identifying credible and non-credible sources, and selection of reliable sources.

For further guidance, the Undergraduate Services Librarian and affiliates can help you evaluate online sources for credibility.

Source: Columbia College - http://www.college.columbia.edu/academics/integrity-sourcecredibility

MLK - Letter from Birmingham Jail Rhetorical Analysis

Examine Martin Luther King's language in "Letter from Birmingham Jail" and how he appeals to his audience using various rhetorical techniques. Point out examples of his rhetoric using quotes, identify the rhetorical device being used and explain how and why his rhetorical language is effective and influential based on the rhetorical device employed.

Give at least 5 rhetorical examples. You may NOT repeat more than 2 quotes used from ANY previous posts (so first come, first serve!). If you use up to 2 quotes that are also present in previous posts, you must say/suggest something NEW, that has not already been said about that quote. In other words, no repeating what someone else has posted!

The post is due by midnight on Friday.

Have fun!