Argument Analysis Assignment Overview: An Argument In 188689

Argument Analysis Assignment Overview An Argument In The Sense We

An argument (in the sense we understand the term in this course) is not an angry discussion with raised voices and blood pressure. Nor is an argument merely a statement of opinion. A good argument contains evidence that its author understands the issue at hand and knows the opposition’s position. A person with a good argument makes well-supported points that are clearly connected to a larger discussion, and uses language and evidence fairly without making unwarranted claims or assumptions.

Certainly, to be able to make sound arguments of one’s own, one needs to be able to dissect the arguments of others. This dissection is called argument analysis. The summaries you have already begun to write are the beginnings of analysis. An analysis is titled and opens just as a summary does, with the title, the author’s name, and his or her main idea in the first sentence.

Additionally, the first sentence should provide a sense of the argument’s overall quality and persuasiveness. An analysis offers an objective evaluation of the argument being made. That evaluation should include the following: • Identifying the writer’s tone and audience as these will often suggest the writer’s political or cultural position. • Evaluating the argument’s overall persuasiveness and completeness. • Analyzing the quality of supportive evidence. This includes noting any glaring or systemic logical fallacies or any unwarranted assumptions. OBJECTIVITY.

Your analysis should not include any use of the first person (I, me, or my). Any disagreement with or critiques of the author’s work should be done in a civil tone absent of sarcasm, irony, or personal attack. (Criticism should be specific, not general.) A FINAL NOTE. In addition to being evaluated for standard academic English, an analysis’ grade is also based on evidence of a clear understanding of what the author is arguing, and how well or poorly that argument is supported and presented. Summary Writing ASSIGNMENT OVERVIEW. A summary is a distillation of an original non-fiction work, like an essay, an article, or a chapter from a book.

A well-written summary proves an understanding of the argument or essential ideas in the original text without being a mere collection of quotations or an extended paraphrase. GENERAL GUIDELINES. A well-written summary will use few quotations, but a partial sentence quotation that encapsulates the essay’s main idea or argument is often imbedded in the first sentence (see below). A few other quotations may be needed, but these should be relatively short and embedded in your own sentences. Since a summary is intended to convey only the essence of an article or essay, do not restate detailed examples offered in support of particular ideas.

Note only the main ideas. The ideas presented in a summary do not necessarily appear in the same order as they did in the original article, but are instead presented in their order of importance or as necessary to explain the chain of the argument or points being made. To ensure the audience knows that the ideas being summarized are not yours, you should use occasional references to the original author by last name or gender specific pronoun as appropriate. TRANSPARENCY. A summary should be a clear distillation of an author’s ideas.

Do not critique or praise the author’s ideas. Do not editorialize, interpret, or take sides; nor should you use the first person singular—I, me, or my. TITLING A SUMMARY. The title of a summary assignment is its work cited entry, which is placed one-line space below your single-spaced name block. For example: Kristof, Nicholas. “U.S.A., Land of Limitations?” New York Times. August 8, 2015. Web. of-limitations.html. Accessed October 12, 2015.

BEGINNING A SUMMARY. All summaries begin with a first sentence that contains three things: the full title of the piece being summarized as well as its author’s full name— first and last—and his or her key point, idea, or argument. For example: In his New York Times opinion column, “U.S.A., Land of Limitations?” Nicholas Kristof argues that America’s current lack of economic mobility and its noticeably absent level playing field for economic opportunity, and the fact that “disadvantage is less about income than environment” are what presidential aspirants need to acknowledge and confront. THE LENGTH QUESTION. An often cited rule of thumb for summary writing is that one should be ¼ - ½ of the original. This rule is subject to qualification, of course.

A particularly dense article will require more work—length—to summarize than a fairly simple argument. A FINAL NOTE. In addition to being evaluated for standard academic English, a summary’s grade is also based on evidence of a clear understanding of what the author is arguing, and the relationships and importance of his or her ideas. The Impact of College After receiving primary and secondary education in China for twelve years, my parents sent me to the United States for higher education with a lot of effort and a lot of money hoping that an American diploma could serve as a golden ticket for my future. However, what welcomed me at the moment when I stepped in to the University was more than just orientation leaders.

In fact, I was also welcomed by many differences in culture, education systems, and values. Although I only have been exposed to American education style for over a year, I have found myself to have a completely new understanding of the value of education and the importance of critical thinking. I have also become a more independent person. My parents spent a lot of money for me to get into an American university, from SAT, TOEFL tutoring to educational consultants. Even when I did get into University of California Santa Cruz, they were still willing to pay some educational consultants that would help me to transfer to a better ranking /.

However, I refused them when they brought up the idea to me. I was not the only one who sought help from tutors and consultants for my college preparation and application. Most of my Chinese peers studying at shared the same story as me. After reading the article “The unbelievable things some Chinese students are doing to get into colleges,” I actually found out that my parents were nice to me by not forcing me to get tutoring from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m. or getting different companies to train me for my SATs (Yang). During an interview with one of the Chinese international students at / (who I will call Peter) told me that he did not even attend school regularly during the last year of his high school, instead, he was attending tutoring classes for ACT and TOEFL.

Paper For Above instruction

The following analysis examines the argument presented in the article “The unbelievable things some Chinese students are doing to get into colleges,” by Stephanie Yang. Yang discusses the intense preparations Chinese students undertake to gain admission to U.S. colleges, highlighting the pressures and systemic practices involved. The tone of the article is critical yet descriptive, targeting an audience concerned about educational inequality and international academic pathways. Yang’s main point is that many Chinese students, supported by their parents and often aided by agents, engage in extraordinary measures—including excessive tutoring and manipulated applications—to secure college placements in the United States, revealing broader issues of cultural expectations and systemic pressures.

Assessing the persuasiveness of Yang’s argument, her depiction of intense preparatory activities effectively emphasizes the weight of the challenge for Chinese students. Her use of specific examples, such as students attending tutoring from early morning until late at night and relying on agents for college applications, underscores the systemic nature of the problem. However, her argument might be critiqued for lacking quantitative data to fully substantiate the scope of these practices. Is this behavior widespread or limited to a subset of high-achieving students? The article’s strength lies in illustrative anecdotes, but a more comprehensive statistical analysis could have reinforced her claims.

Regarding the supporting evidence, Yang’s reliance on personal interviews and detailed descriptions effectively paints a vivid picture of the pressures faced by Chinese students. Nonetheless, some systemic assumptions—such as the notion that everyone uses agents—may overlook variations in individual approaches. Moreover, the article implicitly suggests that these practices are problematic, raising ethical questions about fairness and meritocracy. The arguments could be strengthened by exploring the implications more deeply—does this culture of intensive preparation legitimize or undermine the integrity of college admissions? The article hints at systemic inequality but stops short of proposing solutions or considering alternative viewpoints.

Objectively, Yang’s tone is somewhat alarmist but justified given the evidence presented. Her audience appears to be educators, policymakers, and parents concerned about educational equity. The persuasiveness of her claim is moderated by her vivid storytelling but could benefit from broader data and acknowledgment of varied experiences among Chinese applicants. Nonetheless, her portrayal sheds light on the intense pressures that drive certain behaviors, raising awareness about the ethical and systemic issues embedded within international college admissions.

In conclusion, Yang’s argument compellingly highlights the extreme measures Chinese students take to access U.S. colleges, illustrating broader cultural and systemic pressures. While her anecdotal evidence powerfully conveys urgency, a more balanced analysis with quantitative data would enhance persuasiveness. Her insights contribute to understanding the complexities of international education pathways and provoke critical reflection on fairness in college admissions. This analysis demonstrates that her overall argument effectively emphasizes the need for systemic reform and increased transparency within the college application process.

References

• Yang, Stephanie. “The unbelievable things some Chinese students are doing to get into US colleges.” Business Insider, 27 Feb. 2015.
• Kristof, Nicholas. “U.S.A., Land of Limitations?” New York Times, 8 Aug. 2015.
• Larmer, Brook. “The Parachute Generation.” The New York Times, 2 Feb. 2017.
• Sherry Turkle. “A passion for objects: How science is fueled by an attachment to things.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2011.
• Smithsonian. “Almost Human: How R3D2 became the most beloved robot in the galaxy.” 2014.
• Rebecca Solnit. “The silence of the lambs wool cardigans.” Alternet.
• Brook Larmer, “The Parachute Generation.” The New York Times, 2017.
• Additional source specific to object (if applicable).
• Additional peer-reviewed journal articles or credible reports relevant to international education and systemic pressures.
• Official statistics and data from higher education admissions agencies or educational research centers.