...Critical analysis “Be more critical! More analysis needed! That’s what my tutors say about my essays. I’m not really sure what they mean.” “I thought I had written a really good assignment this time. I did so much reading and preparation for it, but my tutor’s feedback is ‘not enough argument.’ I’m not sure what to do now. I mean, I’m not an argumentative person - and I don’t really want to be.” One of the most important skills you will need to learn as a student, whatever your discipline is the ability to think critically and objectively about an issue and to present a well-constructed argument. Critical and analytical-thinking skills such as these will be essential to most aspects of your study, whether you are listening to lectures, contributing to seminars, or reading about your subject. Here, we will be focusing mainly on critical analysis for written work, as nothing gains or loses marks more for most student assignments than the quality of your written argument. Argument here doesn’t mean disagreement or unpleasantness. It simply means presenting a strong case to support a point of view. You don’t have to be an argumentative person to do this: on the contrary, good critical writing means using reasons and evidence to support your stand point. The first rule is: Identify the focus of the assignment Good critical analysis isn’t simply about writing. Before you start any assignment, you need to be clear about your focus. At university, this usually means thinking critically...
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...CMM 801: Journalism and Communication Theory Academic Essay Writing An essay is best approached as an intellectual argument that develops from the ideas, issues, theories, concepts, methodologies, etc., you have been taught within the module for which it is the final assessment. It is most important therefore – even as you begin and then progress through the module – that you are clear about the fundamental perspectives, values and assumptions underpinning the course’s main themes and topics as they are being presented to you in lectures and seminars. Remember no theory or perspective has the whole picture. All accounts of the world are partial and biased from a particular understanding of how we are human and what society is. Such-and-such a view is only the case under certain conditions. A prime purpose for an essay is to critique particular ideas, pointing out how explanation A might be more useful and valid than B in these circumstances. In the conclusion of your essay, on the other hand, you might want to point out that in other contexts (social, cultural, eras, etc.) there may be other factors that need to be considered. Do these limit or question the weight of claims you have made in the development of your current argument? Key questions before you embark on writing your essay • Have you identified clearly the key issue the essay question wants scrutinised? • Have you checked the command word in the question – e.g. explain means give details about why...
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...task helps me to develop some ideas from different angle which devise my essay question. It is the foundation of my essay. When I did the Brainstorming task, the China train collision has happened. This task helps me to extend my perspective behind the accident. My research topic idea ‘Why China society is riddled with corruption and immoralities?’ is come from this accident.The peer and self-review task help me to develop critical and objective thinking via reading my partner brainstorming and my partner feedback. The source justification task helps me to assess the material appropriate or not and do the correct reference. And the Literature Review task helps me to form the final essay argument and use the sources to support my argument. In The Interpretation Analysis Task I learned how to focus on the analysis writing. Also learn how to interpret, evaluate and compile my argument. In the Collaborative Critical reading task and presentation I learn how to form an argument via analysis the advertisement. In the online activities I have made a poster and analysis the poster. In this task I learned how to use the rhetorical strategies such as three rhetorical appeals (ethos, pathos and logo). It helps me to build a pervasive argument in my essay. This course not only provides rhetorical knowledge but also the technique of critical writing. The most important is that I know how to build pervasive argument. It helps me build up more competitive skill and confident in my writing...
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...Essays for A Level Art, Photography, Graphic Communication objectives • To help you to discover and focus in depth upon an aspect of art and design that fascinates you. • To develop your understanding of art and design history and to see how artists exist and work within artistic and social contexts that help shape their work. • To develop your academic research, writing and referencing skills, in preparation for university and work. • To inspire you and allow you to then make better, more well-informed, practical work, that discusses complex issues and sophisticated concepts. Format • A written and illustrated final outcome of 3000 words with 10% tolerance. • No shorter than 2700 and no longer than 3300. • Fully illustrated by you. • Presented visually. • Related to your practical work • Includes evidence of contextual research; critical analysis; critical interpretation; personal response and engagement; and critical evaluations and judgements • It is an essential component of your A2 year but it is NOT worth more marks than the practical element. Title • Design an essay title that will allow you to make a critical and evaluative conclusion. • Consider the following examples. Which ones will result in the better A level essays? Why do you think this is? Title examples • Lucian Freud: A Study of His Life and Works • Justify the following statement: All photographs are fake • To what extent is PhotoShop the cause of mistrust in...
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...Assessment detail Assessment 1: Individual Assignment Weighting: 20% Final Essay Length: 2000 words Due: Final submission due Week 6 (Friday, 29th August, 11.55pm). Assignments must be submitted through Turnitin. Description: The role of power and politics in organisations. Power and politics are very much part of organizational life. To succeed managers need to understand the meaning of power and politics, how power is acquired and how politics should be utilised. Power and politics may be the sources of solutions but can create problems in organisation. This essay asks you to explore the issues associated with power and politics in organisational life. Your essay should include the following: • Define the concept of power in the workplace. • Define the concept of politics in the workplace. • Explain how a manger could work to acquire power. • Explain how a ...
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...Critical Argument Analysis Kimberly Amat ENG/215 Critical Argument Analysis In the process of researching the selected topic regarding “Fear” there were many angles to consider in how ‘in depth’ the writers got into their topic. There were many questions to ask in how well the authors of the writings made their claims concerning the topic. As each author has his or her own way of reaching the audience it would be only right that his or her writing process reflect this. Each author has their own brand of emotion and logic he or she uses to reach their audiences, which in turn can affect each authors writing. Each author brings to the table a unique style of writing, one using technical/formal, one using a bit of technical/formal with a bit of informal thrown in. The third author was very informal toward their audience. In regard to this analysis this essay will reflect on each different aspect these authors bring forth in their writings concerning the topic “Fear.” The first author who will be discussed within this essay is Frank Furedi. As he is the one that started this essay on the trail of finding how different authors reflect on this topic of fear. Furedi starts his topic with “The only thing we have to fear is the “culture of fear” itself” (Furedi, 2007, pg. 1). In stating his argument that” fear is playing a key role in the twenty-first century” he is making a claim without any support to back his statement at this time (Furedi, 2001, pg.1). The style of Furedi’s...
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...POLI3001 Short Essay (20%) - 2015 - Due Friday 21 August 5pm (Turnitin) Student: Criteria/ Standards Research/ Literature Knowledge/ Understanding Argument/ Analysis Submitted: Poor 85% Student demonstrates inadequate research skills; literature used is irrelevant or insufficient; did not use a minimum of 8 scholarly sources. Poor knowledge and understanding of the essay topic; student has not read sufficient and/or appropriate material to engage with key concepts and issues. Student demonstrates adequate research skills; some literature used is irrelevant but includes 8 scholarly references. Student demonstrates good research skills; good choice of literature; 8 relevant scholarly references. Student demonstrates very good research skills; very good choice of literature; 8 or more scholarly references. Student demonstrates outstanding research skills; excellent choice of literature; 8 or more scholarly references. Satisfactory knowledge and understanding of the essay topic; evidence of sufficient reading on the topic but limited critical engagement with key concepts and issues. Good knowledge and understanding of the essay topic; evidence of sufficient reading and emerging critical engagement with key concepts and issues. Excellent knowledge and understanding of the essay topic; evidence of substantial reading and sophisticated critical engagement with key concepts and issues. Unsatisfactory...
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...Critical Thinking Student Development Unit 2005/06 [pic] [pic] Welcome! This booklet contains all the handouts and information that you will need for the Critical Thinking workshop held at the Student Development Unit. As well as the exercises we’ll be working on during the session, you will also find guidance that you can keep for future reference, such as advice on active learning and intelligence, models for critical thinking skills, and questions to help you think critically. When you are asked to complete an academic assignment, your tutor will be looking for evidence of these three skills: • Gathering of complex material • Making sense of that complex material • Communicating your understanding of that complex material to an informed reader.[1] The ‘making sense’ stage is the one we tend to neglect out of fear that we may not have anything of value to contribute. But, as the eminent thinker Edward De Bono puts it: ‘Thinking is a skill that can be improved by training, by practice and through learning how to do it better. Thinking is no different from any other skill and we can get better at the skill of thinking if we have the will to do so.’[2] We hope that this handbook will help you to develop strongly argued and well-structured pieces of work, and encourage you to build critical thinking into every aspect of your academic life. Be prepared to make some changes to how you work – if you always...
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...* ------------------------------------------------- Course Information: Course Description: Exposition and argument, emphasizing critical thinking in response to electronic and print texts. Focus on exploring, developing, and communicating ideas in a voice appropriate to the audience. Students strengthen skills through pre-writing, drafting, revising, and editing. In-class and out-of-class essays required. Prerequisite: A grade of "C" or better in ENGL 098 taken at 5 credits or recommending score on the writing skills placement test for ENGL 101. | Credits: 5Item #: 2806Class Hours/Locations: 9:00-9:50JSH 248 | ------------------------------------------------- Instructor Information: 0 1 Instructor: Sharla Yates, MA in Writing 2 Office Hours: by appointment only 3 Phone: 503-750-9552 (Last Resort) | 4 E-mail address: syates@clark.edu (Best) 5 Mailstop: FHL 222 6 Office Location: FHL 112 | * ------------------------------------------------- Text & Materials Needed: Required Text: * Hacker, Diana, Ed. Rules for Writers. Boston: Bedford, 2008. * Everything’s an Argument 5th edition. Boston: Bedford 2010. Required Supplies/Materials: You will need daily access to a computer and a printer, both must function properly. You will need access to the Internet. You will receive all assignments, announcements, grades, additional reading materials, videos, handouts and due dates on...
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...Critical Argument Analysis Rhoderick H. Mejares ENG/215 February 01, 2014 Suzann Connell Critical Argument Analysis Fear takes control of a person when place on certain circumstances that they are not ready to face. The three essays that I will analyze has their own identity of fear about something. The author of “Do We Fear the Right Things” talks about different fears that people have. On the “Bang, You’re Dead" article, the author’s argument is that the fear of what people see is what people do is not always true, and fantasy is just what it is. The third essay “Parents Need Help”, talks about how parents are the only ones responsible for their own children when it comes to violence on video gaming. The question is do the authors supported their arguments and how clearly they proved their essays. On the essay, "Do We Fear the Right Things" the author used facts, statistics and other fears in life in general to prove his argument. I think the author discussed his thesis well by using his own opinion and theories of people's fear in general. The facts and statistics that he used got my attention and made the essay an interesting one. There are really other threats that we should worry about, because no matter what we do risk will be there. He also said that it is normal for people to fear other things than fear itself. The author on the essay “Bang, You’re Dead” talked about how fantasy violence is good for a child rather than bad. He argued that...
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...Political-Editorial Cartoon By Gary Bacskay Kaplan University HU345 Professor Sean Choi 3-14-2014 I chose a cartoon that is portraying President Obama on a fighter jet exclaiming that we are in need of Defense Cuts. Photo by Michael Ramirez - Townhall http://townhall.com/political-cartoons/michaelramirez/2014/02/26/116552 This cartoon to me is describing how the government (with Obama in charge) is so far in debt, that the government is deciding where they need to cut back the federal budget. What better place to do that than taking money away from the military. This cartoon is displaying a military U.S. fighter jet in the sky with a person (President Obama) straddling the plane behind the cockpit holding a chain saw. It shows that the President just got done cutting the end or the back of the fighter jet off as the back of the jet is falling. There is a phrase that the President is saying, it says; “You Won’t Even Notice The Defense Cuts.” Thesis The most logical area to cut the national debt is by reducing the amount of money that is put into our military branches, but is this the best way to shrink our debt? There are those who think that we do not need our military. But I truly believe this is not the way to fix our problem. We need our military whether we like it or not. I know, and I feel much safer knowing that I have my fellow brothers and...
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...Management Semester 1, 2012 Assessment Task 2: Essay Writing instructions and Marking Rubric This assessment task is an ESSAY. The RMIT College of Business requires you to use a particular style of essay writing which involves both the way the essay is structured and the way that you acknowledge other people’s ideas used in your work. The structuring of an essay is very clearly described in the RMIT Study and Learning Centre Essay Writing Skills Online Tutorial available online at: https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/2_AssessmentTasks/assess_tuts/essay_LL/index.html Your first step in preparing for this assessment task should be to complete the tutorial. Investing time before you start writing will result in a better essay. Your second step should be mastering the art of referencing. There are many styles of referencing in use in different disciplines and geographical locations. You are required to use the RMIT Business Referencing System. This is available to you via the Library website, in your course site on myRMIT and is uploaded to the assessments folder in the BUSM 4176 course site. This is a 50 page document but reading it through will be enormously helpful for you in this and future assessment tasks. Make sure that you can clearly distinguish the difference between an essay (page 28 of the document) and a report (page 36). Remember this current assessment task is an ESSAY not a REPORT. The critical thinking element We want you to become...
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...Learning Outcomes Develop and articulate critical knowledge , understanding and analysis of change and the management change situations. Demonstrate the ability to apply theory to practice using appropriate techniques of inquiry. Analyse and critically evaluate aspects of theory and practice under investigation. ▪ Effectively communicate an appropriate solution to a particular case under investigation. Deliverables This group assignment represents 35% of the total marks for this module. The assignment length should be 2,500 words. You should state the number of words used on the cover of the assignment. You may include diagrams or figures, reference and bibliography lists and any appendices without word penalty. The standard sliding scale of penalties for excess length will be imposed. The penalties will be as follows: |1 -10% excess |no penalty | |11-20% excess |3 marks reduction | |21-30% excess |6 marks reduction | |31-40% excess |9 marks reduction | Instructions Consider a change that has happened within an organisation. Taking it as a case study, consider how well the change was managed, and compare it with the taught models on how change should be ideally managed. Question 1 (30 marks) Explore the...
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...WRITING A CRITICAL ACADEMIC ESSAY Contributions by Drs Yvonne Brunetto and Ashlea Troth and University of Tasmania [Homepage of University of Tasmania], [Online]. (2001, September 11 - last update). Available: www.utas.edu.au [2002, February 4]. Introduction It is important to note that an academic essay is structured as an argument. This means you cannot just list facts or points, rather you must use them as essential parts of an overall argument. An academic essay also requires you to produce reasons/evidence for any arguments you make. Therefore, essay assessment allows you to come to grips with complex ideas and concepts and to display your knowledge of them. A critical essay both displays and extends your analytical skills. Most students find it difficult to write an assignment. If you feel confident in your ability, you still need to use this guide to check you have the techniques required for a university level assignment. If you do not know how to write an assignment, read through this guide carefully. Keep it by you as you prepare for and write each assignment. However, remember this is just one recipe for 'How to Write'. Many students will still need personal help in writing. Your tutors will be ready to discuss ideas, plans or other matters with you. LAS (the Learning Assistance Service) is also available to give students free assistance. LAS is situated on the second floor of the library. What is critical thinking? "Little evidence of critical thinking"...
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...for Writing Ethical Arguments Your essay should be a position paper, not a report. The paper must make an ethical argument in defense of a thesis. It doesn’t matter what thesis you defend, but the argument must be clear and coherent. Depending on the topic, some outside research may be appropriate, but do not let that obscure the main purpose, which is to make an ethical argument. There are several possible ways to structure the paper, including one (or more) or the following: • Articulating and applying principles (such as love, respect for autonomy, respect for persons, the principle of utility, etc.) to the issue or to cases. • Investigating how one or more ethical sources work to support a particular view: for instance, how biblical principles or a religious tradition or a particular philosopher/philosophical school can be used to support your position on a focused issue. Such an approach should be critical, that is, with an awareness of where the philosophical or religious tradition is unclear or problematic and how others could use the tradition in a different manner. • Contrasting the arguments of two or more authors on an issue. • Developing and contrasting the pro and con arguments for a particular position. • Developing and answering a series of questions from general to particular, or particular to general. • Analyzing a case study. The reader of an ethical argument is looking for three main things in your essay: 1. a clear...
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