Reactions to Sanders’ Arguments and Sources
1. Readings: Read the following resources before attempting to compose this Heuristic:
Argument Today, Chapter 12 “Commentaries—Arguing about Current Issues and Events”
2. WA-1 Developing a Commentary: Review your notes on Sanders’ argument from Heuristics 1, 3, 5, and 7. Identify one idea Sanders discusses that you would like to respond to in a 500-word essay such as might be published in a print periodical or an online opinion blog as a reaction to Sanders’ book. The goal ultimately will be to compose a brief Commentary on that idea, sharing your thoughts and research on the issue/idea you identify. In your writing project, you will cite from Sanders and two other writers as you develop your angle. To help you generate ideas for this commentary section of your Writing Project 1, do the following.
A. Composing a Credo Statement: Look over your reactions to Sanders and choose one idea he develops that you either agree with, disagree with, or are uncertain about. Explore your rationale for believing as you do or for being confused about it by writing a credo statement for the idea you want to write about in your commentary. Model your statement after the example on p. 244 and as noted below.
Try to find a new or slightly different angle or perspective from Sanders’ idea, or think of ways that you might respond to his idea through illustrating, authorizing, borrowing, or extending as explained on pp. 76-7. Use the templates on pp. 75-6 to help you as needed.
Once you have chosen an idea to work with, prepare your credo statement as outlined below.
a. Write ONE of the following:
o an “I believe” statement for the idea (example: I believe that learners are simply students who know how to study), OR
o an “I don’t believe” statement (example: I don’t agree that the main purpose of a college education is to learn how to be a learner), OR
o an “I’m confused because” statement (example: I’m confused about whether college is worth it today, despite its potential to help me become a learner, because of its increasing high price and the decreasing job outlook in this economy).
b. Examine your assumptions (or warrants) in your position statement and compose a “My assumptions are” statement. (Remember, assumptions are the values behind your belief. You are trying to identify why you believe as you do or why you are conflicted. If you are conflicted, ask yourself what values are in conflict that leave you confused.) (See AT p. 60 in the discussion of warrants and pp. 343-4 for more information about assumptions.)
Assumptions for the “I’m confused” statement above might include that
• College is a consumer product and should be evaluated on the value it offers before investing in it
• The main value of obtaining a college education is to prepare for employment.
c. Compose “some people believe because” AND “some people don’t believe because” statements for your chosen idea. (See AT p. 244 for more information.)
B. Compiling Outside Research: Find two additional outside sources that discuss your chosen idea(s), read them, and reflect in a paragraph about how you feel about the idea(s) now that you have read about it in other people’s writing as well. Mention the authors by name, including Sanders and the new authors, and their ideas in your paragraph. Create a works cited list with the publishing information (all of it, not just the Internet URL) for the two new sources and Sanders at the end of your paragraph.
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