Running head: FINAL PROJECT: COMPREHENSIVE ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

Final Project: Comprehensive Argument Analysis Derek Fullmer University of Phoenix CRITICAL THINKING CRT/205 Valerie Hendler December 03, 2011

FINAL PROJECT: COMPREHENSIVE ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

Axia College Material

Appendix E Critical Analysis Forms
Fill out one form for each source. Topic One/Source One - Title and Citation: Gays and Lesbians should not be allowed to adopt At Issue: Are Adoption Policies Fair? Ed. Amanda Hiber. Detroit: Greenhaven Press, 2008.

Identify the principal issue presented by the source.

The principal issues contained within this article are the dangers of children raised in a homosexual marriage compared to a traditional heterosexual marriage.

Identify any examples of bias presented by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

These admissions exemplify the selfishness of gays and lesbians who adopt children to satisfy their own desires. Miss ODonnell is a spoiled, privileged adult who put her own feelings ahead of what even she believes would be in the best interest of the children. She used her privilege and wealth to place children too young to object in an environment two recent studies indicate will make them more likely to engage in the very high risk behavior Rosie hopes they wont.

Identify any areas that are vague or ambiguous. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

I could not find and any areas that were vague or ambiguous in nature. The author uses fact and quotes found in research and presents very view of the authors own views of the subject.

Do you find the source credible? Explain your reasoning.

Based on the subject matter and references used, I find the source(s) credible in nature. The information the author presents is based on recent and currently accurate information from Universities and respected journals. The sources are credible and give the author valid arguments to support their point of view without the use of bias. Very little attention has been paid to some starkly contradictory statements she made in an interview with Diane Sawyer. This is an example of Dysphemism.

Identify and name any rhetorical devices used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

These admissions exemplify the selfishness of gays and lesbians who adopt children to satisfy

FINAL PROJECT: COMPREHENSIVE ARGUMENT ANALYSIS their own desires. This is an example of Dysphemism.
The media glorified Rosie ODonnells public announcement that she has sex with other women. Innuendo. Miss ODonnell is a spoiled, privileged

adult who put her own feelings ahead of what even she believes would be in the best interest of the children. She used her privilege and wealth to place children too young to object in an environment two recent studies indicate will make them more likely to engage in the very high risk behavior Rosie hopes they wont. This is an example of Ridicule.
The sheer weight of evidence makes the issue clear: Should children be handed over as trophies to the homosexual "rights" movementadopting them into households where they'll face dramatically higher risk of exposure to domestic violence, mental illness, life-threatening disease and premature death? An environment which increases the chances they'll engage in high-risk homosexual behavior themselves? This is an example of a loaded question.

Identify and name any fallacies used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

I could find no fallacies within the article. The article was written based on statistics and researched information. The author uses very little of personal opinion or bias in the article.

State one argument made by the author.

One argument made within the article is the author use of facts from studies done that proves it is not only unhealthy for the child, but in fact dangerous to place an adopted child with a family who are homosexual. The scientific fact is that children's health is endangered if they are adopted into households in which the adultsas a direct consequence of their homosexual behavior experience dramatically higher risks of domestic violence, mental illness, substance abuse, life-threatening disease, and premature death by up to 20 years. This is a Premise. Which means children adopted by adults involved in homosexual behavior faces not only secondhand exposure to the risks of such behavior by their "parents," but are more likely to suffer firsthand by engaging in the same high-risk behavior themselves. This is a premise. The sheer weight of evidence makes the issue clear: Should children be handed over as trophies to the homosexual

Identify the premises and conclusion of the argument.

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"rights" movementadopting them into households where they'll face dramatically higher risk of exposure to domestic violence, mental illness, life-threatening disease and premature death? An environment which increases the chances they'll engage in high-risk homosexual behavior themselves? Not on your life, Rosie. And certainly not theirs This is a conclusion. Is the authors argument valid or invalid, sound or unsound, strong or weak? Explain how you determined this. I believe the authors argument is a valid one. The uses of credible studies support his stance on homosexual adoption issues. The information shows statistics and percentages for success rates of children who come from a homosexual family, and provide valid strength to the authors point of view.

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Does the author use moral reasoning? If not, explain how you determined this.

Yes, the author uses moral reasoning and judgment when he relates how children being raised in a heterosexual relationship compare to a homosexual relationship. By using this comparison, he is clearly displaying the difference in what he believes should be considered right and wrong.

Topic One/Source Two - Title and Citation: AN UNJUST LAW ON ADOPTION.(NATIONAL). Howard Simon. The St. Petersburg Times (St. Petersburg, FL) (Sept 4, 2009): p13A. (760 words) Reading Level (Lexile): N/A.

Identify the principal issue presented by the source.

The principal issues presented are that homosexuals should have the right to adopt children if they want. The author suggests that a homosexual man has made a huge victory in the court system when he won a court battle that granted him the right to raise children. How bad does a law have to be and still survive a court challenge? We all know that the Legislature sometimes passes bad laws, but should policies that are based on prejudice and stereotypes that masquerade as science survive as law? Children trapped in Florida's foster care system have been held hostage to ugly antigay prejudice for far too long. We achieved a landmark victory in November 2008, when the circuit court granted an adoption to Martin Gill, a gay man who has been raising two foster children since 2004. While it is important to win legal battles, it is equally

Identify any examples of bias presented by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

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important to change hearts and minds and debunk myths and prejudices so that our victories in court are sustainable and enduring. This saga shows how much easier it is in Florida to enact bad legislation than to repeal bad laws. Wiping this law off the books, whether by the courts or the Legislature, would help provide more children with permanent, loving and stable families. Martin Gill has provided a nurturing home for two neglected brothers who are now thriving. How bad does a law have to be and still survive a court challenge? Martin Gill has provided a nurturing home for two neglected brothers who are now thriving. I know which side should prevail in this battle.

Identify any areas that are vague or ambiguous. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

Do you find the source credible? Explain your reasoning.

I do not find the source credible at all. The source gives facts about the events that took place in the courts but does not give any facts or proof as to why the courts finding was the right choice for the children. The only supporting evidence offered is surveys taken from other gay rights activist, but these are only opinions and not supporting facts. How bad does a law have to be and still survive a court challenge? We all know that the Legislature sometimes passes bad laws, but should policies that are based on prejudice and stereotypes that masquerade as science survive as law? This is an example of a loaded question. Children trapped in Florida's foster care system have been held hostage to ugly antigay prejudice for far too long. This is an example of euphemism. We achieved a landmark victory in November 2008, when the circuit court granted an adoption to Martin Gill, a gay man who has been raising two foster children since 2004. This is an example of stereotyping. While it is important to win legal battles, it is equally important to change hearts and minds and debunk myths and prejudices so that our victories in court are sustainable and enduring. This is an example of down-playing. This saga shows how much easier it is in Florida to enact

Identify and name any rhetorical devices used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

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bad legislation than to repeal bad laws. This is an example of ridicule. Wiping this law off the books, whether by the courts or the Legislature, would help provide more children with permanent, loving and stable families. This is an example of down-playing.

Identify and name any fallacies used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

Martin Gill has provided a nurturing home for two neglected brothers who are now thriving. This is an example of wishful thinking. I know which side should prevail in this battle. This is an example of hasty generalizing For the past 30 years, state officials have tried to defend a law that did little more than give vent to prejudices and is now repudiated by every professional organization with expertise in the rearing of healthy children. For the past 30 years, state officials have tried to defend a law that did little more than give vent to prejudices and is now repudiated by every professional organization with expertise in the rearing of healthy children. This is a premise. For the last five years, Martin Gill has provided a nurturing home for two neglected brothers who are now thriving. This is a premise. I know which side should prevail in this battle. This is the conclusion.

State one argument made by the author.

Identify the premises and conclusion of the argument.

Is the authors argument valid or invalid, sound or unsound, strong or weak? Explain how you determined this.

I believe the authors argument is an invalid one. The arguments made in the article are only supported by one single court ruling, and that court ruling is currently on appeal in the state courts level. No proof or facts are giving from the sources that the author uses to support his view point ( I consider it highly biased) No moral reasoning is offered to support the authors opinions.

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Does the author use moral reasoning? If not, explain how you determined this.

Topic Two/Source One - Title and Citation: Government Programs Do Not Help Teen Mothers Get Off Welfare. Douglas J. Besharov and Karen N. Gardiner. Opposing Viewpoints: Welfare. Ed. Charles P. Cozic. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997.

FINAL PROJECT: COMPREHENSIVE ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

Identify the principal issue presented by the source.

The principal issues presented are that the current three large-scale educations and job-training programs offered by the government have not helped end government sponsored welfare dependency for teenage mothers. The programs failed to make teen mothers self-sufficient as compared to other corresponding programs whereas the teenage mothers did not participate in the government programs. Teen mothers are now responsible for about 30 percent of all out-of-wedlock births, but even this understates the impact of unwed teen parenthood on the nation's illegitimacy problem. There should be no denying that the inability of most unwed mothers to earn as much as their welfare package is a major reason why they go on welfareand stay there for so long. All in all, it's a sad story. But what is most discouraging about these results is that the projects, particularly New Chance and CCDP, enjoyed high levels of funding, yet still seemed unable to improve the lives of disadvantaged families.

Identify any examples of bias presented by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

Identify any areas that are vague or ambiguous. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

The author does not give any information to the amount of people who were used in both sides of the study (government programs versus the control group). There is also a lack of information as to how long the study took place, or when it took place. No information is giving as to why the programs were a failure, only that they were a failure.

Do you find the source credible? Explain your reasoning.

Yes I find the authors sources as credible, the information used in this article are based solely on facts taken from the study. The author went beyond the studys findings and used sources outside the study to support his findings. There should be no denying that the inability of most unwed mothers to earn as much as their welfare package is a major reason why they go on welfareand stay there for so long. This is an example of Stereotyping. All in all, it's a sad story. But what is most discouraging about these results is that the projects, particularly New Chance and CCDP, enjoyed high levels of funding. This is an example of Down-playing.

Identify and name any rhetorical devices used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

FINAL PROJECT: COMPREHENSIVE ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

Identify and name any fallacies used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

I was unable to locate and fallacies in the article. I read the article over twice to make sure and came up with the same results.

State one argument made by the author.

The authors strongest argument in my opinion is There should be no denying that the inability of most unwed mothers to earn as much as their welfare package is a major reason why they go on welfareand stay there for so long. Hence, since the 1960s, most attempts to reduce welfare dependency have focused on raising the earnings capacity of young mothers through a combination of educational and job-training efforts. This is a premise. Given the faith Americans have in education as the great social equalizer, this emphasis has been entirely understandable. This is a premise. However, the evaluations of three major demonstration projects serve as an unambiguous warning that a new approach is needed. This is a conclusion.

Identify the premises and conclusion of the argument.

Is the authors argument valid or invalid, sound or unsound, strong or weak? Explain how you determined this.

I believe the authors argument is a valid one based on his sources and statistical information presented. A sound argument is presented based the analysis of the information and statistics of the government programs offered. Based on this, I believe a strong argument is presented with the proof needed to support the authors conclusion.

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Does the author use moral reasoning? If not, explain how you determined this.

I do not find any evidence of moral reasoning in the article. I determined this from my examination of the article and was able to conclude the author based their own conclusion on the facts the sources used and the facts they found.

Topic Two/Source Two - Title and Citation: Government Programs Help Teen Mothers Get Off Welfare. Pat Rowe. Opposing Viewpoints: Welfare. Ed. Charles P. Cozic. San Diego: Greenhaven Press, 1997.

Identify the principal issue presented by the source.

The author tells us that state jobs and state programs based on targeting teen mothers can help them get off welfare programs and become sufficient on their own. Using these

FINAL PROJECT: COMPREHENSIVE ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

programs have shown that teenage mothers have been able to gain and keep successful employment and finish school.

Identify any examples of bias presented by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

The only form of bias seen within the article is the one sided view of the program, whereas information giving is only showing what happens when and if the teen mothers remain in the programs. No information is shown that tells what happens if a teen mothers fails or slacks off during the program. In other words, we only know the upside, not the down.

Identify any areas that are vague or ambiguous. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

I was unable to find any areas where the article was vague in nature. Strong references to support the points and statistical percentages that show the positive changes in teen mothers lives leave no room for vagueness.

Do you find the source credible? Explain your reasoning.

The sources are credible, author Pat Rowe is the credited assistant editor of Children Today and the facts and sources in the writing are used based on information and statistical information provided by credible outside sources. I was unable to locate and rhetorical devices that the author uses in the article. I determined that there were no rhetorical devices by carefully reading and searching for them.

Identify and name any rhetorical devices used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this. Identify and name any fallacies used by the author. If none exist, explain how you determined this.

I was unable to find any fallacies in the writing used by the author. I determined there were no fallacies by carefully reading and searching for them.

State one argument made by the author.

The authors best argument in my opinion is: After three years of implementation, LEAP is showing encouraging interim results. School enrollment for LEAP teens in school when the program began was 10% higher than for control group teens; and LEAP participants who had dropped out of school were more likely to return to high school or enter adult education (13%) than were out of school teens in the control group. This is a Premise. LEAP found a relationship between the amount of time since the teens dropped out of school and the institution to which they returned. Recent drop-outsthose who had left school within a year before entry into LEAPusually returned to high school. Those who had dropped out more than a year before were more likely to enter adult education programs. This is a Premise.

Identify the premises and conclusion of the argument.

FINAL PROJECT: COMPREHENSIVE ARGUMENT ANALYSIS

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After three years of implementation, LEAP is showing encouraging interim results. This is a Conclusion. 9 Is the authors argument valid or invalid, sound or unsound, strong or weak? Explain how you determined this. I believe the authors argument is a valid one based on the authors use of credible sources and facts used to support the view of the subject. The information presented makes for a valid argument, but does not give him a sound argument as it does not offer very many supporting facts to his argument.

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Does the author use moral reasoning? If not, explain how you determined this.

I believe the author uses moral reasoning when he states that we should offer programs that go to helping support teenage mothers become self-sufficient and support themselves. This is an example of moral reasoning because he shows how much he cares about who have such pressures and responsibilities at a young age.