Sharpen+Your+Skills,+pg.+2

SHARPEN YOUR SKILLS


 * Take a look at all of the skills that you will be developing and strengthening as you take this constitutional journey:


 * Evaluating evidence and sources
 * Rhetorically analyzing public speeches
 * Constructing effective arguments for a specific audience
 * Writing a prospectus
 * Understanding and using elements of formal voice in writing || [[image:http://www.robinaburrows.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/path1.jpg width="420" height="425" align="center"]] ||
 * Rhetorical Analysis: Look between the lines.
 * Who is the author and what is his or her background in the issue?
 * What are the author's purpose, the intended audience, the topic, and context?
 * [[image:http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3193/2441148802_1fc91a06f5.jpg]]
 * What is the author saying, and how is it being said to connect with the audience?
 * What is the author not saying?

Ethos - What is the author's background and context in writing or speaking about this issue? Why should we listen to what he has to say?

Logos - What are the facts and evidence? Has the author presented a logical argument?

Pathos - How is the author attempting to connect with and move the audience's feelings?

media type="custom" key="19700740" So what do the appeals look like in real life? View the video then choose one appeal and demonstrate its use as you create a one-panel cartoon. || ** Let's start with the Prospectus: **

A prospectus is a plan for a paper or project. You develop the prospectus by focusing your topic and considering the questions that you want answered about the topic along with the sources that you will start with as you research your topic.


 * Think of it as the road map, in paragraph form, for a trip.
 * You have a good idea of your destination and some of the main points of interest.
 * You are still open to seeing what else you may discover along the way.
 * You have some questions to start you off.
 * In an argumentative prospectus, you will need to see why your trip may not be popular or the best choice.
 * You have chosen a few sources to help you plan your trip.
 * Some of these sources should lead you to even better sources of information.

A prospectus for an argumentative paper might go something like this:

Hillary Clinton once said that it takes a village to raise a child. With all of the new programs, mandates, and research that are available and focused on the job of the educators, how do contemporary practices take into account the "village" concept? Has our society become so individualized and individuals become so isolated that we have lost sight of the complexity of educating a child? I believe that Clinton's generalized statement speaks of a seriously important truth - families, communities, and educators need to work together to provide the opportunity for each young person to become educated and ready to take his or her place in our changing society and world market. "Cooperation" and "opportunity" are the key terms. Opportunities are different from handouts and guarantees. What makes the "opportunity" become a reality is the buy-in of the student. Without the student's input and desire, the best plans are worthless. So, I want to learn which programs are focusing on building the village of opportunities for students and, more importantly, which programs have managed to provide students with the desire to participate in designing and carrying out their educational goals? I will start with a survey of high school students to determine what motivates them to succeed academically. The state of Michigan currently has three top programs to turn around struggling schools; I will compare these to see which of these addresses community, family, and student commitments, as well as those of educators, to successful educational opportunities. Looking at what the MEA(Michigan Educational Association) and the MASA (Michigan Association of School Administrators) has to say. Which program is the best, based on these factors and solid research?

Or this:

Charging people penalties because they don't have insurance is wrong and unconstitutional. The new federal health care program has flaws, which out-balance the benefits. In order to prove that the flaws make the program unsound, I will need to get a better look at the program as a whole and compare the good and bad points. I will go to the CBS News site because they have an article that explains the main points of the healthcare program. Then I will need to check out the legislation that was most recently passed and the U. S. Constitution. I also need to find credible sources for opinions on both sides of the issue. After a good comparison of the facts and public onion, I am sure that I will find that the new federal health care program needs to go back to be rewritten if it is to be good for all Americans and fit within our constitutional rights. One thing that I know is that charging people because they don't have health insurance is not going to solve the issues of the working poor; it will only compound their problems. Now, I need to find the evidence to prove my point.

Or this: (To be added by government teacher) ||