Chapter 14 Wrap Up Exercises

EXERCISE 14.6

In a group of three or four students, discuss your own opinions about the pros and cons of fracking. Is fracking really necessary? What benefits are associated with this process? What alternative scenarios are possible? What possible negative outcomes do you see? Write a paragraph that summarizes your group’s conclusions.

EXERCISE 14.7

Write an evaluation argument on the topic, “Do the Benefits of Fracking Outweigh the Environmental Risks?” Begin by establishing the criteria by which you will evaluate both benefits and risks. Then, consider how well fracking meets these criteria. (If you like, you may incorporate the material you developed in the template and Exercise 14.6 into your essay.) Cite the readings in this chapter, and be sure to document the sources you use and to include a works-cited page. (See Chapter 10 for information on documenting sources.)

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EXERCISE 14.8

Review the four pillars of argument discussed in Chapter 1. Does your essay include all four elements of an effective argument? Add anything that is missing. Then, label the key elements of your essay.

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WRITING ASSIGNMENTS: EVALUATION ARGUMENTS

  1. As a college student, you have probably had to fill out course-evaluation forms. Now, you are going to write an evaluation of one of your courses in the form of an argumentative essay that takes a strong stand on the quality of the course. Before you begin, decide on the criteria by which you will evaluate it—for example, what practical skills it provided to prepare you for your future courses or employment, whether you enjoyed the course, or what you learned. (If you can download an evaluation form, you can use it to help you brainstorm.)

  2. Write an evaluation argument challenging a popular position on the quality of a product or service that you know or use. For example, you can defend a campus service that most students criticize or criticize a popular restaurant or film. Be sure you establish your criteria for evaluation before you begin. (You do not have to use the same criteria used by those who have taken the opposite position.)

  3. Write a comparative evaluation—an essay in which you argue that one thing is superior to another. You can compare two websites, two streaming services, two part-time jobs, or any other two subjects you feel confident you can write about. In your thesis, take the position that one of your two subjects is superior to the other. As you would with any evaluation, begin by deciding on the criteria you will use.