A Clear, Logical Organization: Providing Cues for Readers

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 Analyze 
Use the basic features.

Writers of position arguments generally try to make their writing logical and easy to follow. Providing cues, or road signs—for example, by forecasting their reasons in a thesis statement early in the argument, using topic sentences to announce each reason as it is supported, and employing transitions (such as furthermore, in addition, and finally) to guide readers from one point to another—can be helpful, especially in newspaper articles, the readers of which do not want to spend a lot of time deciphering arguments.

ANALYZE & WRITE

Write a paragraph analyzing and evaluating the cueing strategies Etzioni uses to help his readers follow his argument:

  1. Find and highlight his thesis statement, the cues forecasting his reasons, the transitions he provides, and any other cueing devices Etzioni uses.
  2. Identify the paragraphs in which Etzioni develops each of his reasons.
  3. Explain how Etzioni helps readers track his reasons and how effective his cues are.

    Question