The party line rachel rafelman

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Essay Assignment #2

Length: three-to-four pages not including Works Cited

Comparison of Arguments in their Effectiveness– In this assignment, you are required to show your abilities to summarize and compare the effectiveness of two articles based on your analysis of them.

Thus far in the course, we have read writers arguing about the effect of gender on the way people talk to one another. For instance, in his essay “Sex Differences,” Ronald Macaulay argues that the popular assumption that the speech of men and women is essentially different is a pure myth, while Rachel Rafelman, in her essay “The Party Line,” supports the assumption by describing how men and women talk about different topics and employ different communication styles in some social conversations that she has observed. Whether the writers have the same claims or different claims about the topic, you may have noticed that the ways in which these writers argue for their claims vary in their effectiveness. Which writer’s argument is more convincing to you? What makes one writer’s argument more persuasive than that of the other writer?

Choose two essays from the readings on “Gender and Language,” and write an essay in which you compare them in terms of the effectiveness of their arguments. Please choose Rafelman and Holmes so that you don’t repeat analysis from Essay #1.

Like the first assignment, you need first to closely read and critically analyze each essay in terms of its claims, evidence, and the presentation of the claims and evidence, asking such questions as the ones that you raised in the first assignment. Once your analysis is over, compare the two essays in each area, and, finally, decide on several areas (points) about which you can substantially compare the effectiveness of the two essays. They are called your “points of comparison,” and you need to prove these points in this assignment.

In your introduction, summarize the two essays, with each summary beginning with the thesis of each essay. End the introduction with your thesis statement that is focused and reflects the purpose of your essay. In other words, you need to include your chosen points of comparison and address the evaluative nature of the comparison in your thesis statement.

In your body paragraphs, you should prove your thesis by providing a detailed account of your evidence. That is, in each body paragraph, write about one of your points, explaining why one writer’s argument is more convincing in each chosen area. In providing your evidence, make sure to use specific details from the essays. Also use, whenever relevant, such terminology as audience, purpose, claims, evidence, reasoning, credibility, opposing views, counterargument, language, tone, and organization. As for organizing your own essay, please use the point-by-point pattern, not the block pattern.

In your conclusion, restate your focused thesis and write other insightful concluding remarks.

PEER REVIEW DRAFT DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 18 (bring two printed copies of your essay draft for peer review)

REVISION DEADLINE: Wednesday, March 25 (by the beginning of class, email me a digital copy of your revised essay, and hand in printed copies of your 1) revised essay, 2) peer response draft and form, and 3) free writing to me in person)

FINAL DEADLINE: Wednesday, April 22 (by 12pm, email me a digital copy of your revised essay, and hand in printed copies of your 1) revised essay, 2) peer response draft and form, and 3) free writing to me in person in my office)