Central Argument

1. Central Argument (identify reasoning): In two to three sentences, state the primary reasoning or point of view the author puts forward in the assigned article(s). Can you identify a stance or debate? Begin with the statement: “In the article (name article), Jane Smith (name author) examines (descriptor of issue or topic). She argues that ….”.
2. Themes (synthesize content) What issues, questions, themes emerge from the author’s argument? Select 2 themes (or more) and provide each with a heading that articulates your focus selection (more than one word): Theme 1: (give a title)—and in one paragraph summarize the issue or theme selected. Theme 2: (give a title)—and in one paragraph discuss the question/issue/theme selected.
If two articles are assigned for a session, you may address each reading individually, together, or preferably, some combination of these two approaches, depending on the relationship you find between them.
The written response for each reading is intended to help you prepare for class discussions and to understand the relationships between topics and assigned readings. You may be asked to read some or all of your Reading response as a way to kick off the class discussion. Because of this, you are strongly encouraged to keep up on your readings, take notes, and develop your thoughts on the material as you read.
3. Reading–As you read each work, you might ask yourself the following questions:
• What ideas or thoughts is the author expressing? • What conclusions is the author asserting? • What data or information does the author use to construct and support his/her claims? • What are the implications of what the author is expressing? • What connections can you make to other issues and readings you have studied in this course?
What you write should demonstrate your overall understanding of each article: support your points with specific details from the assigned reading. Use your own words. If you refer to the text, use appropriate page references in parenthesis.
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