Argument Critique Essay -- Frequently Asked Questions

Argument Critique Essay

Frequently Asked Questions (revised from Spring 2004)

1.) Can we use two of the authors, Postman and Williams, for example?

It depends on which part of your paper you're talking about:

In the first part of your paper, the evaluation of the argument part, you must focus on your author of choice and determine whether or not s/he has a well-written argument.
In the second part of your paper, the response (support/refute) part, you might refer to one of the other authors we read, if doing so helps you to make your point.

2.) When we're doing research, what are we supposed to be looking for?

This is a hard question to answer, because there are so many different possibilities:

You might need to do research to familiarize yourself with key terms or ideas in your chosen writer's essay -- for example: Who is Edmund Burke? What is a "deliberative democracy"?
You might need to do research to "test" your chosen writer's evidence -- for example: Where did Rapping get her statistics? Are Williams' statistics accurate for her time period? Is Everette Dennis, who Williams quotes, indeed credible?
You might need to do research to find ideas for you to use to support and/or refute your chosen author's argument -- for example: Has anyone else written in favor of daytime talk shows? Has anyone else written in opposition to daytime talk shows?
You might need to do research to find support for the ideas you are going to use to argue in favor or in opposition to your chosen author's argument -- for example, if you take issue with Sunstein's implied assertion that people will not "be exposed to materials that they would not have chosen in advance" on the internet, what can you do to support your opposing claim?

3.) When we're doing research, where are we supposed to be looking?

Again, this is a hard question to answer, because it depends on what you're looking for. Keep in mind, unless something has been published somewhere else before being put on the internet, people might take issue with your choices of evidence. Keep in mind, your own sources need to be credible: authors should be experts, dates should be as current as possible, etc. Keep in mind: sources found only on the internet might not have gone through any "peer review" or "editorial" process before being published.

Use a key word search on -- www.google.com
Use a subject tree search on -- www.yahoo.com
Use other databases linked to our library -- www.anokaramsey.edu/library/coonrapids.cfm

If you are searching these databases from on-campus, you shouldn't need passwords. However, if you are searching from off-campus, you may need passwords.

A.) For PALS:

Your ID is your library barcode number and your password is the first eight (8) letters of your last name.

B.) For EBSCO databases:

The off-campus ID is S4070783; the password is Password.

C. For PROQUEST databases:

On-campus account name is 0094P7HMTR; password is WELCOME.

Off-campus account name is 03XP9B2DDP; password is WELCOME.

(Please do not share these passwords with others outside A.R.C.C.)

4.) When we do research, how are we supposed to find stuff?

Yet again, a hard question, because it might depend on what you are looking for, where you are searching, and how you are going about your searching:

I think, in general, people don't give research the proper time and planning, which leads to poor results when searching.
In addition, as I said in the lab, you have to take the time to brainstorm search terms, keep track of which one's you're using, and add to the list as you begin to find good sources or discover other terms that other writers are using.

5.) I've been trying to start this essay and I am not quite sure how to start it. I kind of know what to write about but I'm not quite sure. Could you give me some pointers?

This is yet another a hard question to answer, since everyone writes a bit differently. It's good that you kind of know what to write about. START THERE. Perhaps just do some freewriting about what you're going to write about. Who knows, it might become your introduction.
The main thing is to get the drafting momentum started. If you don't like the first idea, perhaps begin by simply summarizing the essay you are going to write about. Remember, the summary is objective, so none of your opinions, thoughts, ideas, or feelings are in it. You're going to need one paragraph of summary in your paper anyway, so this might also be a good way to begin.
A third idea might be to start with a body paragraph you are really passionate about. Perhaps one body paragraph from section III about one thing in the essay that makes it a good (or a bad) argument. Begin by pointing out something the writer is doing in the essay, then say whether what the writer is doing makes it a good or a bad argument, and then explain HOW and WHY it makes it a good or a bad argument. Or, start with a body paragraph for section IV, where you argue in support of the writer's argument ... or where you argue against the writer's argument.

I hope one of these helps. The main thing is to just get started SOMEWHERE and build up MOMENTUM. Let me know.