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SyllabusOctoberTwentySixth

Page history last edited by PBworks 18 years, 5 months ago


 

 

Evaluative Argument

 

Evaluative arguments are useful for making decisions and helping others make decisions. You might, for example, make an evaluative argument about a movie, arguing that your roommate should go to the movie because it was so "awesome." He or she will likely ask for more details, and a convincing argument from you would include a claim and a set of reasons to support the claim. Or you may argue with the theatre manager and make your case that you should receive your money back because the movie print was bad or the projector was malfunctioning. One good way to make an evaluative argument is to think about the ways you might alter the object or event being evaluated, as in " It was a good meal, but the black beans were too salty." In this case, you imply that you would have added less salt. Choose a movie or a film and evaluate it, providing readers with a claim such as "Boogie Nights bears repeated viewings" and a set of reasons to justify the claim, such as "The film's opening shot welcomes viewers into a labyrynth of compelling characters caught between their own egos and the shifting technology of video and film." Note that an evaluative argument is often a causal argument in disguise: the opening shot causes me to become fascinated with a world that would otherwise hold little interest for me. Filling out this argument would entail breaking down the aspects of the shot and the film that, taken together, cause me joy and insight.

 

Remember that any evaluative argument is, like any other argument, tuned to the preferences and inclinations of particular audiences, even as you seek to transform the preferences and actions of your audiences.

 

Assignment:

 

Choose a film or song and make an evaluative argument about it. Be sure to view the film and/or listen to the song before writing! And be as specific as possible about segments of the song of film in your discussion. Online films abound - try the Prelinger archives or www.commontunes.org for free music. Or you could evaluate a classmate's musical composition from freesound, or your own.

 

Evaluation due October 31 to Wiki by 11:59PM.

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