What is a rhetorically accurate verb

The opening paragraph to your piece should include follow the Rhetorical Precis format as described below:

The Rhetorical Précis Format

a) In a single coherent sentence, include the following information: -name of the author, title of the work, date in parenthesis; -a rhetorically accurate verb (such as "assert," "argue," "deny," "refute," "prove," disprove," "explain," etc.) that helps you articulate what the main argument is (it should have a that clause to help you show what the major claim of the piece is, and what type of claim it is).

c) In a single coherent sentence give an explanation of how the author develops and supports the main argument/claim.

c) In a single coherent sentence give a statement of the author's purpose, followed by an "in order" phrase.

d) In a single coherent sentence give a description of the intended audience and/or the relationship the author establishes with the audience.

e) Articulate your thesis statement which is the focus of your piece (which is to analyze the elements of argument in Samuelson’s essay as a means of arguing whether or not he is making a convincing argument).

Below is a sample Rhetorical Precis:

Charles S. Peirce's http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gifarticle, "The Fixation of Belief” (1877),http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gifasserts that http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gif humans have psychological and social mechanisms designed to protect and cement (or "fix") our beliefs.http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gifPeirce backs this claim up with descriptions of four methods of fixing belief, pointing out the effectiveness and potential weaknesses of each method.http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gifPeirce's purpose is to point out the ways that people commonly establish their belief systemshttp://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gifin order tohttp://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gifjolt the awareness of the reader into considering how their own belief system may the product of such methods and to consider what Peirce calls "the method of science" as a progressive alternative to the other three.http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gifGiven the technical language used in the article, Peirce is writing to a well-educated audience with some knowledge of philosophy and history and a willingness to understand other ways of thinking.http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl201/images/archive/Check.gif

Note: This sample DOES NOT include a thesis statement. You will need to add your thesis, a 5th sentence, to the end of this précis.

The précis MUST be composed using the exact sentence structures and terminology as described and illustrated above (4 succinct sentences total, plus your thesis statement 5th sentence which identifies the focus of YOUR piece). Your rhetorical précis will have its own category on the scoring RUBRIC.