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Cory sheldon
English 111
Bill Reader
5/1/23
Review essay
overcome. Two authors who have written about this issue are Adam Grant and James
Surowiecki. In Grant's article "Why You Shouldn't Feel Bad About Procrastination," he
argues that procrastination can actually be beneficial in some cases. Surowiecki, on the
other hand, takes a different approach in his article "Later: What Does Procrastination
and should be addressed. In this essay, we will compare and contrast three rhetorical
One rhetorical strategy that both authors use is anecdote. Grant uses anecdotes to
illustrate his point that procrastination can sometimes lead to better outcomes. For
example, he tells the story of how Martin Luther King Jr. procrastinated writing his
famous "I Have a Dream" speech until the night before he was supposed to give it.
Grant argues that this last-minute writing allowed King to tap into his emotions and
how procrastination can be harmful. He tells the story of a student who procrastinated
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writing a paper and ended up staying up all night to finish it, only to receive a lower
grade than he would have if he had started earlier. These anecdotes are effective in
Another rhetorical strategy used by both authors is the use of expert testimony.
Grant cites research by psychologists who have found that procrastination can
sometimes be a useful tool. For example, one study found that people who
procrastinated on a creative task came up with more innovative ideas than those who
started the task right away. Surowiecki also uses expert testimony to support his
argument that procrastination can be problematic. He cites research that shows that
people who procrastinate tend to be more stressed and less healthy than those who do
not procrastinate. The use of expert testimony adds credibility to the authors' arguments
A third rhetorical strategy used by both authors is rhetorical questions. Grant uses
example, he asks, "What if procrastination is a sign that you're taking the problem
tool for problem-solving. Surowiecki uses rhetorical questions to prompt the reader to
reflect on their own procrastination habits. For example, he asks, "What is it about a
task that makes us put it off?" He then suggests that procrastination can be a sign of
deeper psychological issues that need to be addressed. The use of rhetorical questions
is an effective way to engage the reader and encourage them to think critically about the
topic at hand.
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Both Grant and Surowiecki use a variety of rhetorical strategies to make their
arguments about procrastination. While they both use anecdotes, expert testimony, and
rhetorical questions, they use these strategies in different ways. Grant uses anecdotes
and argue that it can sometimes be beneficial. Surowiecki uses these strategies to
prompt the reader to reflect on their own procrastination habits and suggest that it can
be a sign of deeper issues. However, both authors use expert testimony to support their
In conclusion, while Grant and Surowiecki both write about procrastination, they
have different approaches to the topic. Grant argues that procrastination can sometimes
be helpful, while Surowiecki suggests that it is a sign of deeper issues. Both authors use