Editorial Analysis
This thesis-driven essay asks you to prepare yourself to write an argument by closely analyzing the
argument of another. This exercise in identifying, examining, and evaluating the working parts of an
argument can help us learn useful (and avoid less useful) patterns in our own thinking and writing.
Topics
Any editorial or Opinion piece from a reputable periodical (but NOT from the sports, style, entertainment,
or business sections of the newspaper) will be sufficient for this assignment. Periodicals such as the New
Yorker, the Atlantic Monthly, the National Geographic, the Entrepreneur, etc. are highly recommended
for this assignment. Be sure to choose a well-written editorial on a topic of interest to you, which will
help you stay engaged through the entire process of composing the paper. However, bear in mind that you
should keep your own opinions out of this paper. You must argue objectively about the quality of the
argument, not the position it espouses.
Research
This is not a research paper, but you will be required to cite your editorial using in-text and bibliographic
citations.
Analysis
You must analyze the editorial’s argument objectively using the Toulmin Model of Argumentation. You
will 1) identify the major parts of the argument (claims + reasons = enthymeme, warrants, qualifiers,
evidence, and rebuttals) AND 2) evaluate whether the author makes a successful/mediocre/unsuccessful
argument.
At the prewriting stage, consider these questions:
1) What is the author’s claim and what reasons are given to back up the claim?
2) How sound are the warrants that connect the claim and the reasons?
3) Is the evidence presented in a reliable fashion?
4) Does the author make appropriate use of qualifiers?
5) Does the author acknowledge possible refutations to her/his argument? How does s/he explain or
approach different arguments on the same issue?