Analyzing Argument
Resources
scoring guide icon Discussion Participation Scoring Guide.
In this discussion, you will analyze argumentative techniques in published articles from The Prentice Hall Essential Guide for College Writers. Your focus in the discussion should be on the articles, especially the strategies that the writers use.

Thoroughly read and take notes on the following articles from this week’s assigned reading in The Prentice Hall Essential Guide for College Writers:
Neil L. Waters’s essay, “Why You Can’t Cite Wikipedia in My Class,” pages 367–370.
Mark A. Wilson’s, “Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia,” pages 370–372.
These authors present differing views on the validity of using Wikipedia in an academic environment. Explain the issues they agree and disagree about, giving examples. How effective do you find the arguments of each writer? Which essay do you find more convincing? Why?
Your post should focus on the writing strategies found in the articles, not on personal opinions about the topic or personal experiences with the topic of the articles.
Response Guidelines
Read the posts of your classmates and respond to at least two of them. Your responses should be substantive and detailed, referring to the articles and to specific points made by your classmates. You may agree or disagree, but support your statements with references to the text. The focus of this discussion is on the writing strategies used in the articles, not on personal opinions about the topics of the articles.
The Prentice Hall Essential Guide for College Writers:
Neil L. Waters’s essay, “Why You Can’t Cite Wikipedia in My Class,” pages 367–370.
Mark A. Wilson’s, “Professors Should Embrace Wikipedia,” pages 370–372.
The discussion will be more interactive, and you will learn more from it, if you post your original response early in the week, wait and respond to your classmates, and then read and respond to their messages.

Post your original message by Thursday of Unit 7 at midnight CST, and your responses by Sunday of Unit 7 at midnight CST. Please adhere to these deadlines, and please post on several days during the week versus making all posts on the same day of the week. Late points will be deducted, according the late work policy for the course, for main posts submitted after Thursday or for all posts made on the same day.