12 Aug Choose two or three of the author’s points and consider their validity.
Introduction should include the author’s name, the essay’s title, and a paraphrase of his thesis. Be mindful that your position on the author’s argument must be stated in the introduction. The stance you assume is your thesis statement. Keep in mind that the thesis statement should be evaluative even if you are in agreement with the author.
Now you add a summary of the source in another paragraph. Be brief and focus only on the author’s main points; omit all minor details and repetitions. Use no or very brief quotations in this summary.
You are ready to critique your source now. Choose two or three of the author’s points and consider their validity. First state each point and then offer your opinion on it. You may agree or disagree with the author’s point, but irrespective of your position, you need to engage with his evidence and reasoning. Here you may assess the validity of the author’s argument by asking the following questions discussed in WRAC (83):
– Is the information accurate?
– Is the information significant?
– Has the author used and interpreted information fairly?
– Has the author argued logically?
Use paragraph breaks when moving from one topic to another and do ensure that the paragraphs have smooth transitions between them and are unified, developed, and coherent. You may include quotes in the critique part of your paper, but be accurate in your punctuation and grammar when incorporating the quotes into your own sentences. Moreover, be judicious in your use of quotes—that is, quote only what is appropriate and essential.
In your conclusion, sum up your overall response to the author’s article, explain its strengths and/or weaknesses, and evaluate how well it achieves its purpose (see WRAC 66-78). You may consult LSH (28-29) for ideas on developing opening and closing paragraphs.
Your paper must demonstrate the use of two secondary sources. “Secondary sources” are those that discuss your primary source, i.e., Santens’s article on artificial intelligence named above. The secondary sources can be in agreement or in disagreement with the ideas and opinions expressed in the primary source. You should select them through your research. Do note that articles on AI in our textbook will not fulfil this requirement.
Note that MLA documentation, including a Works Cited page, is required in this paper. Use in-text citation every time you refer to your source essays. See LSH(119-69) for detailed information on MLA documentation.
