Category Archives: Assignments

A09: Rebuttal Argument

Posted on November 4, 2015 by davidbdale

My Worthy Opponent is Wrong Your third short argument is due WED NOV 11. It will make an argument essential to your Research Position Paper, due FRI DEC 04. Combined with your Definition Argument and your Causal Argument, the Rebuttal … Continue reading →

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A08: Causal Argument

Posted on October 30, 2015 by davidbdale

Helmets Prevent Injury (by Preventing Biking) Your second short argument is due TUE NOV 03 at midnight. It will make an argument essential to your Research Position Paper, which will be due FRI DEC 04, roughly two weeks after your … Continue reading →

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A07: Definition (Category) Argument

Posted on October 21, 2015 by davidbdale

Definition (or Categorical) Argument Your first Short Argument, due at noon on TUE OCT 27, will make a definition or categorical argument essential to your Research Position Paper, which itself will be due before you know it. You’ll write three … Continue reading →

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Advertising Failure Exercise

Posted on October 16, 2015 by davidbdale

The story of Doctor Kim A. Adcock’s approach to solving a problem in the radiology department at Kaiser Permanente in Denver reads like script background for one of those “procedural” TV shows such as CSI. We know who died (far … Continue reading →

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Exercise: Safer Saws Claims

Posted on October 6, 2015 by davidbdale

Exultant Inventor Twelve years ago an avid home woodworker invented an ingenious device that stops a table saw blade within 4/1000ths of a second of contact with human flesh. The technology could prevent thousands of amputations every year in the … Continue reading →

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A05: Visual Rewrite

Posted on October 2, 2015 by davidbdale

Rewrite Assignment Rewrites are always encouraged and necessary, but sometimes they’re also actually assigned and required. A05 is an assigned rewrite, with its own assignment number. You will create a new post for it in the A05: Visual Rewrite category. Grade … Continue reading →

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E06: How to Open Exercise

Posted on October 2, 2015 by davidbdale

Based on sample Openings provided in red in your professor’s White Paper, write at least two different opening paragraphs for your Research Project, based on your current best understanding of your topic. Each Opening must contain a thesis sentence that … Continue reading →

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E05: Mechanical Trouble

Posted on September 25, 2015 by davidbdale

that/which PTSD was once thought of as an illness which only afflicted veterans returning from war. PTSD was once thought of as an illness, that was true until early in the 21st century. who/whom This condition is visible in the … Continue reading →

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A04: Proposal+5

Posted on September 25, 2015 by davidbdale

Research Proposal Plus 5 Sources The Pitch Our classroom discussions about counterintuitive topics have been, essentially, preparation for your own research plans. This assignment will be your first chance to pitch a topic of your own. You’ll begin at the … Continue reading →

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E04: Critical Reading, PTSD

Posted on September 22, 2015 by davidbdale

Critical Reading: “Is PTSD Contagious?” This week, following the model of critical reading I provided in “Kidney Season on Death Row,” I’ll ask you to closely examine the claims made, inferences made, and conclusions drawn by the author of the … Continue reading →

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