PHL 111 Week 3 Assignment | Southern New Hampshire University

Overview: For your final project in this course, you will write a critical essay in which you use critical thinking skills to examine an argument presented in an article that is associated with your chosen topic.

 You will examine the argument’s logic, reasoning, bias, and credibility, and then apply the same critical thinking skills to developing your own alternative argument.

    You will then reflect on how you can apply this process to other areas and situations in your life. In the Module One journal assignment, you chose a topic and article that you will focus on for your final project.

 In this milestone, which is a first step toward the successful completion of your final project, you will introduce the article that you have chosen and begin to assess and analyze the argument asserted in the article. 

Prompt: Complete the Milestone One Worksheet and use your answers to draft a paragraph for each of the sections below. Specifically, the following critical elements must be addressed:

 I. Introduction: To begin your essay, you will formally introduce your real-world topic. 

As the foundation of your paper, your introduction should engage the audience and establish any necessary background. A

. Provide a brief overview of the topic. For example, you might consider the premise of the conversation and why the topic is being discussed. 

B. Describe any personal connection you have to the topic. 

Why is the topic of particular interest to you?

 II. Presented Argument: In this section, you will explore the argument in your chosen artifact.

 You will uncover the logical structure of the argument and investigate any bias behind its claims

. A. Describe the argument made by the artifact. 

B. Identify key facts, research, or resources the argument is based on. Provide specific examples to support your identification.

 C. Describe the logic and reasoning used to advance the argument and any gaps or weaknesses present. Consider the premises and conclusion advanced in the artifact, and the questions that are left unanswered.

PHL 111 Milestone One Worksheet

Use the guiding questions below to help you develop the Introduction section and Parts A, B, and C of the Presented Argument section of your final project. The more rigor and detail that you put into answering these questions and drafting your responses in paragraph form, the more you set yourself up for success on the final project, your critical essay. First, answer each of the questions below to draft your ideas. Then, complete the Outline for Writing section, using your answers to the questions to help you draft a paragraph response for each of the two sections below.

        I.            Use the following guiding questions to help you draft the Introduction section of your final project.

A.    Provide a brief overview of your topic.

                                                        i.            What is the premise or premises for the argument?

                                                     ii.            Why is the topic being discussed?

                                                   iii.            What is the conclusion?

B.     Describe any personal connection that you may have to the topic.

                                                        i.            Why is this topic of interest to you?

Outline for Writing

The topic I have chosen to focus on for my final project is          . To summarize, the topic presented in this article is about          . The premise or premises for the argument is/are          . This topic is relevant and being discussed because          . The conclusion is _______. The personal connection I have to this topic is          . This topic is of particular interest to me because          .

     II.            In this section, you will begin to explore the argument in your chosen artifact. You will uncover the logical structure of the argument.

A.    Describe the argument made by the article and artifact.

B.        Identify the key facts, research, or resources the argument is based on .Provide as many examples as possible to support your identification, as this will help you with your final project.

C.        Describe the logic and reasoning used to advance the argument.

                                                        i.            Considering the premises and conclusion, what logic and reasoning is used to advance the argument?

                                                     ii.            What questions are left unanswered? Describe any gaps or weaknesses present in the logic and reasoning used to advance the argument.

Outline for Writing

The argument being made by my chosen article/artifact is            (be sure to use some detail to describe the argument being made). This argument is based on the following key facts, research, and/or resources:          (be sure to provide specific examples). The logic and reasoning used to advance this argument is          . Considering the premises and conclusion that are advanced in the article, the logic and reasoning used to advance the argument is          . I have the following questions that are not answered by the article:          ?Therefore, a gap or weakness in the article is          .