GISAT class notes, Sept 10, 2007

Review - What is the issue?  What is the conclusion?  What are the reasons?  Why?

1. Warm up - Two short opinions.  (Activity 1)
2. Read carefully your own paper.  (Activity 2)
1. Identify the issue.  (Remember an issue is usually in the form of a question.)  What question are you trying to answer with your opinion.
2. Identify your thesis.  Specifically where in the piece is it located?  Did you use any of the indicator words?  If so, which ones.  Does it answer the issue?
3. Identify your arguments(reasons) in support of the thesis.  Specifically where in the piece are they located?  
3. Now trade papers with your partner.
1. Identify the issue.  What issue was the writer responding to?
2. Identify the thesis?  Where in the piece is it locataed?  
3. Identify the arguments (reasons) in support of the thesis.  Specifically what reasons are given?

Quality of writing.  Why does this matter?

1. Example of internet addiction.  2 articles. (Activity 3)
2. What is the author's intent in writing each piece? 
1. Who are they?
2. Why are they writing the piece?
3. Why did they choose the position that they are taking?
3. What kinds of evidence are used?
4. What kind of language is used?  Does this make a differenence?
5. Let's look for flawed writing. - Chap 4
1. Ambiguous terms
2. Unclear terms
3. Unclear terms

http://cagle.msnbc.com/news/StemCellsProCon/2.asp

Is this critical thinking?