Pg 140 ex 4.2

1.
a. Our mayor should be removed from office because we just learned that he was once arrested for possession of marijuana.
The qualifier is he was once; it is the leap from the data to the warrant.  If he had never been arrested the claim would be invalid.  The hard facts or evidence is that he was arrested and that it was for a possession of an illegal substance.  They try to legitimize the claim that he should the removed from office by using ethos or questioning his credibility it could also be looked at as an attack of his values.  The warrant is implied that anyone arrested lacks moral character and should not be in public office. Once a drug user or law breaker always one could be the counter warrant.

b. Any novel that includes the use of racial slurs should be banned from public school classrooms.

The qualifier is includes the use of, books that don’t include the use of are not up for this discussion.  The data is an emotional appeal that racial slurs of any kind are bad and that to have these novels with them in it supports their use or justification.   What is now considered a racial slur was not always so, if a book is to be read in historical context and that is part of the learning process of seeing where society once was compared to where we are.  Racial slurs give the reader a chance to explore the racial complexities that have existed in our society.  With comparison of  where we have been  we are know the argument could be made to leave the ‘terms’ in and learn about the conditions at that time that made it an acceptable term.

c. Beef in restaurants should be prepared well-done regardless of customer preference because of the danger of E.coli infection. 
The qualifier is implied that there is no exception to this rule. The data would be scientific data from the CDC from previous outbreaks and statistical data from inspections and testing of meat for E.Coli.  Testimonial data from scientist or doctors would help reinforce this claim.   The warrant would be logical or scientific with credible witnesses and data from government experts.  The danger of E.coli and the ignorance of the customer from the warrant is based on faulty data. . The danger of E.coli infection is based on the exposure of meat.  Hamburger meat has a higher risk of E.Coli exposure than steak hence steak should not be cooked well done, it ruins it.
2.    Outline for improving conditions where I live.
Classical Model
I.        Introduction
a.     Lead-In…I live in a quiet suburban city where people enjoy….
b.    Overview…The city has grown substantially bringing with it change…
c.     Background…Smallville started out as a train stop ….
   II.        Thesis (Position)….Change to Smallville is understandable but must check points and restrictions so that it doesn’t grow uncontrolled. 
   III.        Appeals
a.     Appeals…Emotional appeal to the way we grew up  (atmosphere), safe to play outside without constant supervision
b.    Evidence…Logical appeal with crime statistics (small petty crimes) which led to larger crimes.
IV.        Refutation…Not all large citys are dangerous look at the statistics per capita
V.        Conclusion…In conclusion I have shown through appeals and evidence that my thesis is correct.

Toulim Model

I.        Issue…Growth in Smallville has created changing conditions
II.        Claims…The changes are not for the better, crime has increased..
III.        Evidence…Crime statistics
IV.        Warrant…Logical statistics of crime from the police data bases and comparison to other citys of similar size. Ethical warrants from interviews with police and church figures showing the moral decline caused by the lack of knowing your neighbors.
V.        Backing…Cities that have instituted a know your neighbor or have kept that small town feel have less crime and a better quality of life.
VI.        Qualify…This claim is when small towns make the  population jump to above 100,000
VII.        Concluding Reflections
VIII.        Introduction based on information

3.a. Books are an environmental problem.  The printing of books uses approximately 30 million trees annually; this constitutes a massive environmental problem.
b. Cats make better pets than dogs. Cats make better indoor pets for housebound persons than dogs because they do not have to be walked or taken out to use the bathroom. 
c. Students should be admitted to college on the basis of merit only.Students should be admitted to college based on a combination of their board scores and high school grades.
4 and 5
a. There is more to attending college than the getting a degree in one subject it is about becoming a well round critical thinking person and taking at least one economic class would support that goal.  Most new college students are fresh from high school and are newly on their own.  A basic economic class will help them understand our economy, how money works, and how it affects them [i.e. student loans].  Economic training provides a background for people who make choices about resources whether they are personal or business.
b. The more classes offered over the internet the more accessible they would be for students that need a flexible schedule to attend.  According to research conducted for the U.S. department of Education enrollment in distance learning increased from 8% to 20% from the years 2000 through 2008¹.
c. The inadequacy of high school sex education is evident with higher percentage of high school students that become pregnant each year in states that lack quality sex education. Statistics provided by the C.D.C show that states with a higher percentage of black teenagers have the highest proportion of teen births².

 Sources
1. Walton, Alexandria, Learning at a Distance Undergraduate Enrollment in Distance Education Courses and Degree Programs, Pg. 3, retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012154.pdf  
2. National Vital Statistics Reports, Volume 59, Number 1 pg 7, retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr59/nvsr59_01.pdf

Pg 100 Exercise 3.1

Their thesis is that population growth and climate change are interconnected and reducing one would reduce the other. They could use evidence of destruction of the environment in areas such as Brazil where the poor have no access to birth control and continue to grow in population. They could use statistics to show a difference in the standard of living between families of different sizes. The statistics used help support their thesis, by showing that population growth rate could be reduced, but it is not shown that it correlates with an increase in living standard therefore reducing consumption of natural resources. There is no data showing the difference of consumption between small and large families, only assumptions made. If a larger family is living off of $2 a day and a smaller family is living off the same do then still not spend and use the same amount of resource just spread among more people?

The Aristotelian appeal to logic states that women would use contraceptives if they were available. Okay this makes sense but does it show how a reduction in population growth will assist climate changes? The appeal to the compassion (pathos) of doctors to help promote the use of birth control is appropriate for this argument; doctors do get to see the family situation(s) as a whole. The refutation of challenging views left me confused, my understanding is that the view is any population reduction plan by a government is done by coercive efforts. Then it gives examples that have halved the reproduction rate by other means; it’s the unmet fertility needs and choices that confused me. Is he talking about birth control choices? I think his refutation needs more clarity and thoroughness. The overall piece follows the classical model fairly well. The lead in paragraph creates a picture in your mind that the essay is about poverty and the environment. The essay uses emotional appeal but I think his statistical evidence could have been stronger throughout the piece. The countries he chooses to use as examples were communist type countries that have not been known for their human rights concerns.

Research Posting: Thesis paragraph for Research on Hemp Legalization

Farmers should be allowed to grow Hemp in the U.S. since it is legally allowed to be imported. Although the Hemp-product market continues to grow in the millions a ban on growing Hemp means that they must rely on imported Hemp; denying jobs in the United States.  The fact that a Congressional committee currently has a bill before them to amend the Controlled Substances Act to exclude industrial hemp from the definition of marijuana is evidence that individuals support the rights of farmers to economic freedom.  Farmers should have the economic liberty to succeed without restriction beyond what is necessary to protect and maintain liberty for our citizens.  

My outline will grow as I do more research but I believe it gives me a basis for sorting through the data.
1.       Introduction
2.       Thesis
3.       Statistics- Economic possibilities,  
4.       Historical Background Info- What is industrial hemp? Products and uses.
5.       Refutation of challenging views- gateway product to legalizing marihuana
6.       Appeal to logic- Business freedoms,
7.       Appeal to compassion- One of the most nutritious foods, end world hunger?, green products (renewable products),
8.       Evidence- Scientific and Ecology Facts
9.       Appeal to authority- legality of DEA , Support of states
10.   Conclusion

Pros and Cons, the Classical approach

The Classical model of argument is writing with a reason: to change an opinion or mind.   The structure allows the argument to be argued logically and flow in a manner that the audience can easily follow.  With that in mind the Classical model is for arguing to an audience, you must consider your audience when writing with this model.  One of the cons is that the outcome is a win-lose situation.  It does not allow for a compromise situation.   When writing with this model the author might be tempted not to fully look at the opposing views arguments with an open mind not wanting to weaken their own argument.   

Topic of Research Paper

I have decided to research the Hemp industry and why it continues to be illegal to grow in the United States.  I feel this issue is multi-dimensional and that I could learn a great deal.  Investigating the logic behind the different arguments against the legalization is what intrigues me.  Are they sound? What is the vested interest that the government has in keeping this product illegal to grow? Are they afraid it’s a slippery slope to drug use if we grow it in the states? I feel this will be an interesting topic. 

pg 92

1. I find that reading with the three stages technique helps my understanding of what the author is trying to convey. First previewing allows my mind to consider the topic such as pre-learning does, then when you actually read in depth the subject isn’t a completely foreign concept.  Postreading ensures that you really did understand the topic and you might be able to grasp the tone the author is trying to convey. 
2. When I’m reading in depth I try to analyze the logic of the argument to see if it is information piece, a persuasion piece, or if it is analyzing the pros and cons of the topic. I understand the importance of keeping an ‘open-mind’ while reading yet it is important to understand the topic being argued so I look for what the emphasis on whether it is the evidence, my emotions, or the ethics. Sometimes figuring out what is being argued is difficult, especially in marketing when emotion is involved such as A.T. &T. commercials reminding you to call your mother. Isn’t that nice of them? No, they are selling you long distance phone time while using your emotional ties to your mother. 

Exercise 2.7 #2

My reading activities since the beginning of school have been mainly “required”. I read required text consisting of research material for English, Speech, and Occupational Analysis and at work policy and procedures. I struggle to maintain some leisure time for “nonrequired” reading. My morning ritual of skimming the paper while eating hasn’t changed but I don’t have the luxury of rereading the paper during lunch, which time I would critically read articles and evaluate the content, that time is now dedicated to required reading material. The only other leisure reading I have is Bloomberg Businessweek a weekly magazine that arrives in the mail. The day that arrives I skim the articles for interesting pieces. I find myself reading, rereading, and critically evaluating the articles, if I have trouble with a certain passage because of content or wording I may read it several times before I can understand what the author was trying to convey. If it is something that is important to me such as the article on Credit reform I will not only read the article but highlight items I would like to do further research on such as the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. I don’t know if my motivation to read improved, but my desire for correctly understanding the material has, along with being able to critically view the logic that the author has presented.