CORE 100 Final Report – 20%
Assignment Objective
The Final Report will require you to revise some of the work you’ve already done on your article, as well as add a few opinions and conclusions of your own on the topic.
Part I: Source and Author Information
Part II: Revised Thesis and Brief Summary
Part III: Author’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Part IV: Evaluation of the Article and Opinion on Topic
Part V: Citation of Your Sources
Formatting Note
In your report, you should use the headings and subheadings provided. Use the templates and examples provided to help you.
Assignment Questions
Part I: Source and Author Information
Answer the questions below in complete sentences and/or short paragraphs where necessary. Remember to use in-text citations for any researched materials.
Title: What is the published title of the text? What is the date of publication or most recent update?
Source Information: Which magazine, newspaper, website, etc. does the argument come from? Does the source have a particular mission or focus?
Author Information: Who is the author? What are the author’s credentials or expertise? Does the author have any particular mission or focus in their work? What is the author’s bias?
Audience Analysis: Who do you think the author’s intended audience is, and how can you tell?
Part II: Thesis and Brief Summary
Remember to paraphrase or use your own words in this section of the report!
Author’s thesis or main idea: Paraphrase the main idea of the argument in a complete sentence. i.e., What does the author want the audience to believe after reading the argument? What is their “should” statement? Be sure to explain the thesis in your own words.
Brief summary: In 2-3 sentences, provide a brief summary of the author’s main ideas.
Part III: Author’s Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths: Using 2-3 examples from the article, explain the strengths of the author’s argument. This should focus on their use of various strategies and the three appeals (pathos, ethos, logos). You should 1) provide an example/quotation, 2) explain which appeal or strategy the author is using, and 3) explain why this example is a strength of the article.
Weaknesses: Using 2-3 examples from the article, explain the weaknesses of the author’s argument. This should be completed similarly to Part A above.
Part IV: Evaluation of the Argument and Opinion on the Topic
Evaluation: Evaluate the author’s argument overall. Was the author successful in convincing you of their argument? Why or why not?
Opinion: Finally, end by sharing a few sentences on your own opinion on the topic.
Part V: Citation of Your Sources
Include a properly formatted references page with all sources you used in creating this document, including the main text you are analyzing and any other sources you checked to evaluate the author’s argument or to come to your own position.