Evaluate the effectiveness of James Fallows’s essay “Viva Bilingualism,”
English 711
Essay assignment # 1
Length: Two to Three double-spaced pages not including Works Cited
Evaluation of an Argument through Analysis – In this assignment, you are required to show your abilities to summarize and evaluate the effectiveness of an argument, based on your analysis of it.
Thus far in the course, we have explored the ways in which we read and analyze an argumentative text critically. Critical analysis of a text requires us to look for what the author claims (the main idea/thesis) and to closely examine how the author supports the claim (via subsidiary claims and evidence). It also requires us to examine how the author presents the claims and evidence and how he or she addresses his or her opposing views.
Write an essay in which you evaluate the effectiveness of James Fallows’s essay “Viva Bilingualism,” based on your analysis of its claims, evidence, and/or the presentation of the claims and evidence. In other words, overall, is the essay persuasive? Why or why not? Which elements of the argument make it persuasive or unpersuasive?
In order to complete this assignment successfully, you need first to analyze and evaluate Fallows’s essay thoroughly by asking the following questions:
- Claims
(1) What is Fallows’s main claim (thesis)? Is it clearly stated fairly early in the essay? Does it reflect the purpose of the essay?
(2) What are his subsidiary claims? That is, what are the claims that he uses to support his
main claim? Are they clear and valid? Are they related to the main claim?
(3) Does he address opposing views fairly and counter them successfully?
- Evidence
(1) How does Fallows support each of his subsidiary claims? What kind of evidence does
he use for each of his subsidiary claims? (e.g., facts, statistics, examples, personal
experience, expert testimony/authoritative statements, analogy, comparison,
reasoning)
(2) Is the evidence for EACH claim/idea convincing? In other words, is the evidence
sufficient, specific, relevant, and reliable?
- Presentation
(1) What is the author’s tone? Is it neutral, sincere, respectful, humorous, sarcastic,
informal, pessimistic, etc.? How do you know? What context clues or expressions, reveal this tone to you? How does it contribute to his argument?
(2) How is the text organized? Is the organization effective?
Once you have analyzed the essay and made the evaluation, decide on two areas (points) about which you can write substantially in this assignment. These are called your “points of evaluation.” Some examples of points of evaluation include Fallows’s evidence and his tone. These points of evaluation need to be included in your thesis statement, and each needs to be supported in your body paragraph(s).
In your introduction, introduce Fallows’s essay by summarizing it accurately, beginning with its thesis. After the summary, end the introduction with your own thesis statement that is focused and reflects the evaluative purpose of your essay.
In your body paragraphs, support each point of evaluation in each body paragraph by providing several pieces of specific evidence from Fallows’s essay and by explaining how such evidence proves your point (not how it proves the author’s point). When you use your evidence, make sure to introduce it by providing the context in which the evidence is used in Fallows’s essay.
Please note that in your body paragraphs you should not simply write your analysis of Fallows’s argument; you need to write your evaluation of his essay on the basis of your analysis.
In your conclusion, briefly restate your focused thesis and write other insightful concluding remarks.
For all essay assignments, try to meet the Portfolio Grading Standards found in Course Readings.
