Week 13: Causal Argument

Practical Argument Readings:

• Chapter 8: “Evaluating Sources” (219-247)
• Chapter 13: "Causal Argument" (353-383)

Presentations:

• "Introduction to Causal Argument" (University of Louisville)
• Tyree Library - "Accessing Library Databases from Off Campus"

Resources:

"Evaluating Sources" (Lakeland Community College)
Tyree Library - "Finding Articles"
Tyree Library - "Is It a Popular Magazine or a Scholarly Journal"

Discussion Questions:

• Post links here to two sources about the same subject - one bad, one good.  Use the accuracy, credibility, objectivity, currency and comprehensiveness criteria to explain how you evaluated each source.
• As you probably know, most instructors (including me) discourage students from using Wikipedia as a source of information.  (Though I should note that the links in the footnote and resource sections at the bottom of the page are usually great sources of information.)  Read "The Top Ten Hoaxes in Wikipedia's First Ten Years" and then set out to find a Wikipedia page on a subject you know a lot about.  Post a link to the page here and assess the page's accuracy.
• Read "Do Employers Using Facebook for Background Checks Face Legal Risk" (PA 244-46).  Answer the five discussion questions that accompany the reading.
• Analyze the ad at the end of this section.  What is its causal argument?  What does it identify as main causes?  Does it identify contributory causes?
• "Contemporary media is encouraging children to grow up too fast."  Create a causal chain that either supports or refutes this statement.