Álvarez 1

Víctor Álvarez

Dr. Jason Dew

ENGL 1302 280

2 February 2023

Week 3 Homework

(Lunsford, Reflect Activity, p. 448) Look for an argument you’ve read recently that

caught your attention and re-read it with an eye for the argumentative strategies it uses. Does

it use one particular approach—classical? Toulmin? Rogerian? invitational? —or does it mix

strategies from more than one approach? Is the argument persuasive? If not, try revising it

using strategies from one of these approaches.

The last argument I read was yesterday, and it was about universal basic income. The

author in question used the Toulmin approach by claiming how it would be beneficial in a

strong way and proceeding to explain why it would. The argument itself, although having

minimal explanation, was still persuasive enough to make some people change their mind on

the topic.

(Lunsford, Reflect Activity, p. 484) Write a research question for your narrowed topic

that would lead to a report, one that would lead to an analysis, and one that would lead to an

argument. Remember, try to avoid “yes” or “no” questions.

How do sources of lightning, especially those coming from electronic devices, affect

sleep time?

(Lunsford, Establish a Schedule, p. 485)

Working title: The Effects of Screentime on Sleeping Hours

Working thesis: Screen time has a negative impact on sleeping hours.

Due date

Choose a topic. January 26

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Analyze your rhetorical situation. January 31

Do some preliminary research. January 31

Narrow your topic and decide on a research January 31

question.

Plot out a working thesis. January 31

Do library and web research. January 31

Start a working bibliography. January 31

Turn in your research proposal and annotated January 31

bibliography.

Plan and schedule any field research. January 31

Do any field research. January 31

Draft a thesis statement. February 2

Write out a draft. February 2

Get response. February 7

Do additional research, if needed. February 9

Revise. February 7

Prepare your list of works cited. February 2

Edit. February 7

Write your final draft. February 9

Proofread. February 7

Turn in the final draft. February 9

(More Than Inconvenienced: The Unique Needs of U.S. College Students During the

COVID-19 Pandemic) Respond to the following questions:

1. Who published this text (what journal)?

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Health Education & Behavior.

2. Is it peer-reviewed and how do you know?

It is peer-reviewed, the journal description’s page states the journal, and its articles are

peer-reviewed. Also, the article itself provides the ORCID IDs for the co-authors;

ORCID is a platform for peer-reviewing.

3. What is the author’s thesis?

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased mental health issues on students, especially on

vulnerable ones.

4. What evidence does the author use to support the thesis?

The authors cite previously done studies.

5. Who is the audience of this article?

University faculty staff, as the article provides recommendations on how to manage

issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic in a college environment.

6. What methods did the authors use to answer their research questions?

They explain the several problems students, especially vulnerable students, experience by

citing previously done studies.

(Lunsford, p. 682, Reflect Activity). Think about a person who you think has style (a

friend or family member, a public figure, a boss, or teacher): how would you describe

that style? What about this person and their style appeals to you—or doesn’t? What

choices has the person made that contribute to this particular style? If you can, look at a

few examples of the person’s style in language and writing (social media posts, for

example, or captions on a T-shirt). How does their writing style align (or not) with the

other parts of the person’s style?

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When it comes to writing style, I have a friend who uses formal vocabulary even during

colloquial situations. He also always uses proper punctuation whether for a school project

or instant messaging.

Now think about you: how would you describe your own style? What makes up your

style? Finally, look at a few recent pieces of writing you’ve done for school or for your

job: how well do they represent you? Do they align (or not) with your style? Do these

pieces of writing sound like you—does your voice come through? What about these

pieces of writing is memorable or vivid, and what makes them so? What is their level of

formality? What is your stance in them and what tone do you take? How would you

describe your writing style?

I always try to keep my academic and work writing with formal vocabulary, which is not

too far away from my style. I believe my style can be described as simple, clean, proper,

and formal.

(Lunsford, p. 698, Reflect Activity) Read through something you’ve written recently and

identify compound sentences joined with and. When you find one, ask yourself whether

and is the best word to use: does it express the logical relationship between the two parts

of the sentence that you intend? Would but, or, so, for, nor, or yet work better?

While reading my essay, I ran upon a sentence that used “and,” and decided to remove it,

as the idea would have been better understood without the word.

(Lunsford, p. 712, Reflect activity) Take a look at a writing assignment you’ve recently

completed. Read it aloud, listening for rhythm and emphasis. If you find a passage that

doesn’t read well or provide the emphasis you want, analyze its sentences for length

(count the words) and structure (how does each sentence begin?). Revise the passage

using the strategies presented in this chapter.

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I did not change any words; however, I did change the position of some sentences as they

did not sound well where they originally were. For example, I listed the benefits of blue

light just after raising the question that would lead me to my thesis and moved it back a

few sentences where it would fit better.