Rebuttal of an Editorial

 Rebuttal of an Editorial using one of the Columnist below : The rebuttal assignment provides an opportunity to explore the power of persuasion. For this assignment, you will develop an 800 word rebuttal of an editorial of your choice. Assignment Protocol: Please find a specific argument (usually an editorial) with which you disagree. Write a rebuttal of that argument. Your purpose is to utilize and analyze logic, as well as demonstrate an astute understanding of MLA documentation. Objectives: Simply stated, argument is the rhetorical strategy of expressing one’s point of view through a rational defense of that view. Unlike other rhetorical strategies, which might be used simply to inform/educate or entertain/delight, the purpose of argument is almost always to persuade. It can be used to inform others of the truth, but since there is often disagreement over the truth, we are generally using argument to convince others to change their erroneous views or adopt desired courses of action. While arguments ultimately rely on the reasoning behind them, they are usually not effective in changing others unless we also make use of ethical and pathetic appeals. There are three modes of arguing: defending the expression of one’s stance, rebutting an opponent’s stance, and inviting someone to consider a new stance. Write a rebuttal of someone else’s stance. The term “rebuttal” often carries with it a confrontational aura, but in most cases of rebuttal, aggressive confrontation does very little to move an opponent closer to one’s own position. In most types of sophisticated disagreements, opponents concede points to each other and search for common ground (which is usually the main ethical appeal in arguments). In other words, you may want to convince the audience that both sides want to do the right thing, but only one side is actually right. This behavior shows a willingness to engage, and it also creates a positive tone for the disagreement. By trying to make a meaningful connection with your opponent, by discovering shared goals and assumptions, and by actively listening, you are far more likely to accomplish a productive and civil conversation. Here is an overview of how to find an editorial: Editorials are written by columnists whose work appears in the Opinion or Editorial section of a newspaper. Editorials are different from newspaper articles because they state an opinion. In other words, all editorial columnists make a claim. Some columnists support their positions (claim) better than others. Certainly, any editorial can be analyzed for its effectiveness. I have listed some popular columnists on the bottom of this handout. Please perform an internet search on any of these columnists or the newspaper for which they work – this document includes a list of columnists to help you. If you go their personal website or that of their newspaper, you can do a search in order to find an editorial that they have written. If it is the columnist’s personal website, there should be a link to their editorial columns on the menu of the homepage. If it is a newspaper website, enter the columnist’s name into the website’s search engine that can be found on the homepage. (If an internet search seems overwhelming to you at this point, you are always welcome to find an actual newspaper, like the Fort Myers Newspress or USA Today. Then, look for the editorial columns on the Opinion pages. In the Fort Myers Newspress, they can be found in the back of the Local/State section. It is also possible to do the same with a news magazine, such as Newsweek and Time.) You may use a columnist that is not listed. Essay Structure: Most rebuttals accomplish most, if not all, of the following goals. Your rebuttal essay should accomplish goals of these as well: Identify the specific claim against which you will argue. Responsibly summarize the alternative position. Be fair yet rigorous. (Introduction) Establish common ground. Discuss the aspects of the argument with which you agree. (first body paragraph) Find a point or points of disagreement. Explain your good reasons for disagreeing with the alternative argument (such that logical appeals are the bulk of your essay; you must do research). (body paragraphs) o Repeat this process until you defend your thesiso Note fallacies your opponent uses o 3 secondary sources required in MLAExplore other ideas, arguments, and possibilities that your opponent discounts or ignores. (last body paragraph) Try to persuade the audience to move toward your position (either by believing what you believe or doing what you wish them to do). (Conclusion) Types of Disagreements: People disagree for different reasons. Here are a few ways to think about how you might disagree with someone else’s argument: you might disagree with a basic fact, or a definition of a key term, or the value of something (good/bad; desirable/undesirable; right/wrong). You might disagree about the proper course of action that should be taken in light of the facts, or you might disagree about the cause of a problem. You might disagree with the analogies, metaphors, and descriptions that someone uses in an argument. Perhaps the argument just does not feel right. You might disagree with someone because they seem untrustworthy (although beware of ad hominem fallacies). You might disagree with someone’s fundamental assumptions about the world. You might disagree because your opponent relies on fallacies. Usually during a complicated disagreement, one person disagrees with another for a combination of reasons, but in most cases, one or two particular kinds of reasons prove to be more important than the others. Use this as grounds for your thesis.