Analyzing and Evaluating an Argument
The Real-World Necessity of Analysis and Evaluation
Anyone who has been exposed to the field of writing has heard the words “analyze” and “evaluate” at some point. For anyone working in academia, these words function as a subtle but prominent mantra that shadows the subconscious every time they read or write, forcing them to dig below, behind, and in-between the words on the page to uncover some intended meaning or purpose.
However, with the rise in technological advancements and uses, everyone can encounter the potential to analyze and evaluate content every time they pick up their phone, turn on the TV, or log on to their computer. From social media feeds to ads you can’t skip on YouTube or Hulu, anyone could potentially be bombarded with countless modes of information. And it is this information that many people, especially the young, use to help them navigate through society.
From the interactions we have, to the clothes we wear, to the food we eat, we are constantly and unconsciously determining not only where we fit in but where we should fit in and where we want to fit in. In other to do that, you have to be able to judge the merit and validity of whatever is presented to you, whether it’s breaking news, a new political debate, or a new acne cream. As educators, it should be our goal and responsibility to help students understand that analysis and evaluation are normal skills that are not only obtainable but essential to their growth as adults and consumers. And that is where this section comes in.
While created by different authors, each piece functions like a spot on a map directing students through the process of truly understanding not just how to analyze and evaluate information but helping them grasp the necessity and the impact this knowledge has on their lives and their writing. In other words, the articles can be put in a type of order, one either building off the other or adding a new layer to knowledge already learned. While these articles can be placed in any order based on literary interpretation, the most logical order I have found is Jones, Cohn, Carroll, Davis, and FitzGerald.
“Finding Good Arguments or Why Bother with Logic” by Rebecca Jones comes first because it provides the students with the sledgehammer needed to break away some of the old and outdated interpretations associated with argument. Composition is not supposed to be a bloody battlefield where writers leave their words scattered on the page like dismembers limp. But rather an intelligent debate. Jones helps readers see that a well-constructed argument is not intended to be “right,” but understood. An argument is meant to be strong and durable but also malleable, seen and acknowledged by many but the skeptical eye can find the cracks and holes that can be used to denounce the claims found. Denounce not destroy for, if explained correctly, every idea will have an audience. This understanding will help students build their confidence because they will realize that they don’t have to be right, just understood, emphasizing that the foundations arguments build are not intended to support everyone, just the ones they convince to stand on them.
Once the old ideas about argument are removed, student are ready for Jenae Cohn’s “Understanding Visual Rhetoric.” This article helps with rebuilding the idea of rhetoric through simple yet relevant and understandable concepts. Looking at the basic design elements such as lines, color, shape, size, space, value (“the lightness or darkness of a particular element”), and texture, students can start to process how argument is formed through the visual. Since, in many ways, we live in a visual society, these ideas will be easier to grasp due to the constant exposure. Since the old beliefs about argument have been chiseled away, student can begin to process not why the information is “right” but why the information is working, which is one of the primary goals of any argument and ultimately one of the goals that instructors hope student strive for in their own work.
Now that students are moving into interpreting an arguments functionality, they can move on to Laura Bolin Carroll “Backpacks or Briefcases: Steps toward Rhetorical Analysis.” Carroll reinforces Jones by reminding the reader that arguments are not built based on right or wrong but intend and purpose. Furthermore, this piece, like Cohn, focuses on breaking down the elements used to determine what the author wants to get across to the audience. However, Carroll adds on to Jones’s and Cohn’s pieces by providing the different ways to determine and identify the elements being used, as well as how to evaluate those different components to determine the argument’s merit and validity. Basically, Carroll explains that even though a piece isn’t intended to be right or wrong, it should be logical, organized, and properly supported. This piece teaches students to look for the strengths and weaknesses in others so they can learn from them, thus further building on that understanding that it’s not about right or wrong, but support.
Upon first read, Kerry Davis’s piece “Navigating Genres” sounds similar to the first three articles. This author also suggests that students must learn from others before they can truly understand what to do. So, like Jones, Cohn, and Carroll, the article suggests breaking down the works of others to determine how the piece is structure so you can better understand how the author formed their ideas and thoughts. The contribution this author makes is explaining the significance of learning the genre one is writing in. This piece is a necessary steppingstone for students as they begin the drafting process. Genres are ready-made frameworks to help guide students in the right direction when constructing their own pieces, working as a way for students to double check they are conveying the intended purpose associated with the genre they are working within. While it is often said there are no hard rules to writing, for students, it’s always beneficial to know that there are guidelines they can follow until they are more comfortable with breaking the mold.
Davis’s article also works as a transition, moving away from how others have done things to how the student will do them. Once this transition is made, FitzGerald’s piece takes them to the next step by getting them to think about ways of making the work truly their own. “Writing with Force and Flair” is also a good shift from “Navigating Genres” because, as Davis’s piece goes well with the first draft, FitzGerald’s piece goes well with the revision process. First the students have to figure out what to say and how to say it. It is here where students mimic (sometimes plagiarize) the work of others to ensure they are getting their point across and achieving the intended purpose. Now as any writer knows, whether they like it or not, the first draft should never be the final draft. Even though FitzGerald focuses on the incorporation of figurative language, the understanding is still that the goal is to make the writing better and more of the student’s thoughts and interpretations. In order for students to determine what types of figurative language to incorporate, they have to stop and process what they know and understand about their work. This processing will make the writing better, stronger, and infused with their person voice.
In the end, every piece in this section helps lead students to a better grasp of what it means to analyze and evaluate the work of others as well as their own work. They are also provided with a real world rational for why performing these skills are important and crucial as each author uses known or practical examples from information found in the public. These inclusions help student see that they are expected to piece a part and put together the world around them all the time.
As educators, analysis and evaluation should not just be a box checked off on an instructional map. These concepts should be taught to give students the tools necessary to think for themselves and navigate this world, hopefully understanding that they don’t have to agree with others and others don’t have to agree with them. It’s not even about acceptance. It’s about understanding that difference has always existed, will always exist, and should always exist. And that really is okay. Arguments are not intended to tear anyone down and destroy individuality. Arguments are an opportunity for different people to have their different and unique voice heard. Student just need to learn to process the information they encounter in a logical and intelligent way so that they are not looking for what’s “right,” but for what makes sense to them.
