Critical Evaluation Essay
Instructions: Your first essay – the critical evaluation essay – is due at the end of week three. In this essay, you will be critically evaluating a classic argument. Do not use your forum for your essay.
Choose one argument from the historic American or global works listed in the “Supplemental Readings” (see attached) section of the course lessons. Decide whether this argument is successful or not. If you decide this essay is successful, discuss why. You may use the structure of the argument, the tone, and the various types of support (ethos, pathos, and logos) as proof of the argument’s success. Make sure that your thesis has an introduction that contains a hook and a thesis, body paragraphs that discuss one proof at a time (one paragraph per example), and a conclusion. If you decide that the essay is not successful, then discuss the fallacies that the argument makes. You are still required to have a strong introduction (hook and thesis), body paragraphs that discuss one fallacy at a time, and a conclusion. You may also discuss how the essay is successful with reservations. In this case, point to both the support and the fallacies you have found in the work.
This paper should be at least 700 words, but no more than 850. The paper should be formatted correctly MLA style and written in third person (do not use the words I, me, us, we, or you). The essay should also contain citations and a works cited list. Formulate the structured response from your own close reading of the text. Do not use outside sources (open Web) without explicit permission from the instructor.
Supplemental Readings for ENGL102: Effectiveness in Writing Quick Reference: Find the categories on the following pages. “Issues Facing Education” on p. 1 “Historical American Works” on p. 2 “Historic Global Works” on p. 3 “Issues Facing America” on p. 4 “Issues Facing the International Community” on p. 5 “Persuasive American Speeches” on p. 7
Issues Facing Education
Aoun, Joseph E. "In Learning, the Lasting Value of Place." The Chronicle of Higher Education.
00095982 (2011). ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Bouville, Mathieu. "Why Is Cheating Wrong?" Studies in Philosophy & Education 29.1 (2010):
67-76. Education Research Complete. Web. 6 Dec. 2011.
BRADLEY, PAUL. "A Graduating Crisis. (Cover Story)." Community College Week 23.25
(2011): 6-8. Education Research Complete. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Butakov, Sergey, Vadim Dyagilev, and Alexander Tskhay. "Protecting Students' Intellectual
Property In The Web Plagiarism Detection Process." International Review Of Research
In Open & Distance Learning 13.5 (2012): 1-19. Education Research Complete. Web. 1
Feb. 2013.
Goodwin, Bryan. "Grade Inflation: Killing With Kindness?." Educational Leadership 69.3
(2011): 80-81. Education Research Complete. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
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Greenberg, Milton. "The New GI Bill is no Match for the Original." The Chronicle of Higher
Education 54.46 (2008): A.56-A56. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
Keramidas, Cathy Galyon. "Are Undergraduate Students Ready For Online Learning? A
Comparison Of Online And Face-To-Face Sections Of A Course." Rural Special
Education Quarterly 31.4 (2012): 25-32. Education Research Complete. Web. 1 Feb.
2013.
Klein, Deanna. "Why Learners Choose Plagiarism: A Review Of Literature." Interdisciplinary
Journal Of E-Learning & Learning Objects 7.(2011): 97-110. Education Research
Complete. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Mendenhall, Robert W. "How Technology Can Improve Online Learning." The Chronicle of
Higher Education. 00095982 (2011). ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Owunwanne, Daniel, Narendra Rustagi, and Remi Dada. "Students' Perceptions Of Cheating
And Plagiarism In Higher Institutions." Journal of College Teaching & Learning 7.11
(2010): 59-68. Education Research Complete. Web. 26 Nov. 2011.
Smith, Burck. "Let's Deregulate Online Learning." The Chronicle of Higher Education.
00095982 (2011). ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Historic American Works
Du Bois, W.E.B. “Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others.” About.com: Grammar &
Composition. 2012. Web. 11 May 2012.
Eastman, Crystal. “Now We Can Begin.” About.com: Women’s History. 2012. Web. 11 May
2012.
Fulbright, William J. “On the Arrogance of Power, 1966.” Department of Physics: University
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http://grammar.about.com/od/classicessays/a/BTWdubois.htm
http://womenshistory.about.com/library/etext/bl_eastman_crystal_1920.htm
http://www.phys.washington.edu/users/vladi/CommonBook/Fulbright.pdf
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of Washington Online. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
Hamilton, Alexander. “The Federalist No. 6 – Concerning Dangers from Dissensions between
the States.” Constitution Society. Nov. 11, 2011. Web. 11 May 2012.
Jefferson, Thomas. “The Unanimous Declaration of the Thirteen United States of
America.” National Archives. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
Murray, Judith Sargent. “On the Equality of the Sexes.” Penn Libraries. Ed. Mary
Ockerbloom. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
Szilard, Leo and Cosigners. “A Petition to the President of the United States.”
Atomicarchive.com. 2011. Web. 11 May 2012.
Twain, Mark. “Fenimore Cooper’s Literary Offences.” University of Virginia Library. n.d.
Web. 11 May 2012.
Twain, Mark. “The Damned Human Race.” Moodyap.pbworks.com. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
Historic Global Works
Aristotle. Nichomachean Ethics, Book 1. The Internet Classics Archive. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
Demosthenes. “The Third Philippic.” Wikisource. 11 Sept. 2009. Web. 11 May 2012.
Descartes, Rene. "Meditation II." The Classical Library. 2001. Web. 11 May 2012.
Marx, Karl. "Bourgeois and Proletariats." The Classical Library. 2001. Web. 11 May 2012.
Plato. “Apology.” Project Gutenberg. 2008. Web. 11 May 2012.
Swift, Jonathan. “A Modest Proposal.” The Art Bin: Origo. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa06.htm
http://www.constitution.org/fed/federa06.htm
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/declaration_transcript.html
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/murray/equality/equality.html
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Docs/ManhattanProject/SzilardPetition.shtml
http://etext.virginia.edu/railton/projects/rissetto/offense.html
http://moodyap.pbworks.com/f/Twain.damned.pdf
http://classics.mit.edu/Aristotle/nicomachaen.1.i.html
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Public_Orations_of_Demosthenes/Philippic_III
http://www.classicallibrary.org/descartes/meditations/
http://www.classicallibrary.org/marx/manifesto/index.htm
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/1656/1656-h/1656-h.htm
http://art-bin.com/art/omodest.html
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Issues Facing America Flint, Samuel S. "Public Goods, Public Utilities, and the Public's Health." Health & Social Work
36.1 (2011): 75-77. Education Research Complete. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Gerson, Michael S. "No First Use." International Security 35.2 (2010): 7-47. International
Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Gunter, Kimberly K. "In Our Names": Rewriting The U.S. Death Penalty." Writing On The Edge
21.2 (2011): 32-38. Education Research Complete. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Korten, Tristram, and Javier Zarracina. "Panther at the Crossroads." Sierra 96.5 (2011): 46.
GreenFILE. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Leffler, Melvyn P. "9/11 in Retrospect." Foreign Affairs 90.5 (2011): 33-44. International
Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Mansfield, Harvey. "The Law and the President." The Weekly Standard, 16 Jan. 2006: 12-3.
ProQuest Research Library. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Palazzolo, Joe, and Carl Bialik. "Lack of Data Slows Studies of Gun Control and Crime." Wall
Street Journal (Online): n/a. Dec 21 2012. ABI/INFORM Global. Web. 1 Feb. 2013 .
Rajczi, Alex. "A Populist Argument for Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage." The Monist 91.3
(2008): 475-505. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Skelton, Joseph A., M.D., et al. "Prevalence and Trends of Severe Obesity among US Children
and Adolescents." Academic Pediatrics 9.5 (2009): 322-9. ProQuest Research Library.
Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
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Smith, Melissa Diane. "SAY NO TO Gmos." Better Nutrition 73.3 (2011): 46-50. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Steinhoff, Uwe. "Defusing the Ticking Social Bomb Argument: The Right to Self-Defensive
Torture." Global Dialogue (Online) 12.1 (2010): 1-12. ABI/INFORM Global; ProQuest
Research Library. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
"Unmade in New York." National Review 63.13 (2011): 16. International Security & Counter
Terrorism Reference Center. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Vincent, Andrew. "Patriotism and Human Rights: An Argument for Unpatriotic Patriotism." The
Journal of Ethics 13.4 (2009): 347-64. ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Walt, Stephen M. "The Myth of American Exceptionalism." Foreign Policy 189 (2011): 72-75.
International Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Issues Facing the International Community
Ahmed, Leila. "Veil of Ignorance." Foreign Policy.186 (2011): 40, 43, 10. ABI/INFORM
Global; ProQuest Military Collection; ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Auslin, Michael. "Build, Hold, And Clear." National Review 63.16 (2011): 33-35. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
Caldeira, Ken. "The Great Climate Experiment." Scientific American (2012): 78-83. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Cohen, Nick. "The Problem with Princes." Time 177.19 (2011): 56. Academic Search Premier.
Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
Donahue, Thomas J. "Anthropocentrism and the Argument from Gaia Theory." Ethics & The
Environment 15.2 (2010): 51-78. GreenFILE. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
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Funabashi, Yoichi. "Keeping Up With Asia." Foreign Affairs 87.5 (2008): 110-125. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
Gratcheva, Ekaterina. "The New Russia: Friend or Foe?" Kennedy School Review 8.(2008): 25-
33. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
Jenkins, Mark. "The Healing Fields." National Geographic 221.1 (2012): 96-115. Academic
Search Premier. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Lileks, James. "Comply and Fall." National Review 63.23 (2011): 49. International Security &
Counter Terrorism Reference Center. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
Lindsay, James M., and Ray Takeyh. "After Iran Gets the Bomb." Foreign Affairs 89.2 (2010):
33-49. International Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center. Web. 8 Dec. 2011.
McDonnell, Timothy. "Nuclear Pursuits: Non-P-5 Nuclear-Armed States, 2013." Bulletin Of The
Atomic Scientists 69.1 (2013): 62-70. Academic Search Premier. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Munson, Mark B. "SOMALIA: Is There A Way Forward?" U.S. Naval Institute Proceedings
137.7 (2011): 52-57. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
Pannella, DanaMarie. "Animals and Property: The Violation of Soldiers' Rights to Strays in
Iraq." Case Western Reserve Journal of International Law 43.1/2 (2011): 513-535.
International Security & Counter Terrorism Reference Center. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Pickering, Thomas R. "The United States, Iran, And The Greater Middle East." American
Foreign Policy Interests 32.2 (2010): 57-63. Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Dec.
2011.
Posen, Barry. "Overkill – The Containment Conundrum Subtitle: How Dangerous Is a Nuclear
Iran?" Foreign Affairs 89.4 (Jul-Aug 2010): 160. LexisNexis. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
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Vallance, Ted. "Off With Their Heads. (Cover Story)." New Statesman 138.4957 (2009): 18-20.
Academic Search Premier. Web. 16 Dec. 2011.
Szabo, Stephen F. "Welcome to the Post-Western World." Current History 110.732 (2011): 9-
13. ProQuest Military Collection; ProQuest Research Library. Web. 7 Dec. 2011.
Zakaria, Fareed. "Clash of the Titans." Newsweek 155.4 (2010): 34-36. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 1 Feb. 2013.
Persuasive American Speeches
Anthony, Susan B. “On Women’s Right to Vote.” EmersonKent.com. 2012. Web. 11 May 2012.
Byrd, Robert. “On the Brink of War.” The Charleston Gazette. 28 June 2010. Web. 11 May
2012.
Byrd, Robert. “Today I Weep for My Country.” Information Clearing House. n.d. Web. 11 May
2012.
Darrow, Clarence. “Mercy for Leopold and Loeb.” American Rhetoric. 2011. Web. 11 May
2012.
Douglas, Frederick. “The Meaning of July Fourth for the Negro.” History is a Weapon. n.d.
Web. 11 May 2012.
Eisenhower, Dwight. “Farewell Speech.” Kennedy Assassination Home Page. n.d. Web. 11
May 2012.
To view another Eisenhower speech (the Campaign Ad for Nixon/Lodge), please go here - http://vasc.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/view/744712.
Henry, Patrick. “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death.” LibertyOnline. 1999. Web. March 23,
1775.
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http://www.emersonkent.com/speeches/on_womens_right_to_vote.htm
http://blogs.wvgazette.com/watchdog/2010/06/28/sen-robert-c-byrd-on-the-brink-of-war/
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article19577.htm
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/cdarrowpleaformercy.htm
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/douglassjuly4.html
http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/ike.htm
http://vasc.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/view/744712
http://libertyonline.hypermall.com/henry-liberty.html
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Ickes, Harold. “What Is an American?” The History Place. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
Jordan, Barbara. “On the Impeachment of the President” Watergate.info. 2012. Web. 11 May
2012.
Kennedy, John F. “Inauguration Address.” Bartleby.com. 2012. Web. 11 May 2012.
To view a video of Kennedy’s speech, go here - http://vasc.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/view/744714
MacArthur, Douglas. “Duty, Honor, Country.” Penelope.uchicago.edu. 1 June 2012. Web. 11
May 2012.
Malcolm X. “The Ballot or the Bullet.” Social Justice Speeches. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
McCain, John. “Only the Most Deluded of Us Could Doubt the Necessity of this
War.” Newsmax.com. 2012. Web. 11 May 2012.
Roosevelt, Eleanor. “The Struggle for Human Rights.” American Rhetoric. 2011. Web. 11 May
2012.
Stanton, Elizabeth. “The Destructive Male.” The History Place. n.d. Web. 11 May 2012.
Truth, Sojourner. “Ain’t I a Woman?” Fordham University. Aug. 1997. Web. 11 May 2012.
Wilberforce, William. “Abolition.” EmersonKent.com. 2012. Web. 11 May 2012.
Washington, Booker T. “Atlanta Compromise Address.” About.com: Grammar &
Composition. 2012. Web. 11 May 2012.
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/ickes.htm
http://watergate.info/impeachment/74-07-25_barbara-jordan.shtml
http://www.bartleby.com/124/pres56.html
http://vasc.alexanderstreet.com.ezproxy1.apus.edu/view/744714
http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/America/United_States/Army/USMA/MacArthur/1962_speech_to_the_Corps.html
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/speeches/malcolm_x_ballot.html
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/8/31/93423.shtml
http://archive.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2004/8/31/93423.shtml
http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/eleanorroosevelt.htm
http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/stanton.htm
http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/sojtruth-woman.asp
http://www.emersonkent.com/speeches/abolition.htm
http://grammar.about.com/od/classicessays/a/atlantacomprom.htm