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Take out your course schedule and let’s
look ahead.
 I will review the content of the midterm next week.
 Lab due: 15 exercises on Jamestown
 Change in lab assignment for Week 6
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Lab Activity 5 Change
 Activity 5: Watch Video 9/21/10Watch “How
Numbers Lie” or “Media—Truth or
Fiction.” Although the titles of these videos are
different, the content is the same. Take 1 ½ to 2
pages of typewritten notes on MLA format.
 Read the article, "Telling the Truth About Damned
Lies and Statistics” (Click here for the link.) on our
course website. Write a 3/4 to 1 page summary on
MLA format. Entitle your summary "Summary:
Telling the Truth About Damned Lies and Statistics."
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Today’s Agenda
 Go over next week’s work.
 Introduce vocab from last week’s reading.
 Review last week’s reading.
 Watch clip from The Daily Show clip.
 Discuss evidence.
 Work on group project.
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Apocryphal
 I thought that swallowed gum stays in your system for
seven years. I learned recently that this was apocryphal.
 an apocryphal story is well-known but probably not true
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seethe
 I was seething after the store clerk yelled at me for not
having my money.
 to feel an emotion, especially anger, so strongly that you
are almost shaking; fuming
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prognostication
 Do not believe the gloomy prognostications that our
planet will be doomed by overpopulation in five years.
 A statement about what you think will happen in the
future; a forecast
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blather
 Just ignore his blather about aliens and ghosts—he
believes in paranormal activities.
 Talk that lasts for a long time about unimportant things
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recrimination
 Criticism or blame for something that has happened
 Bitter accusations and recriminations followed the
disaster.
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strife
 Somalia does not have a central government because it is
filled with strife among various tribal groups.
 trouble between two or more people or groups; conflict
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Let’s sit in smaller groups.
 I am going to give you a card.
 Sit with people who have the same number as you.
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Supersize Me: Morgan
Spurlock
 Play first five minutes.
 Visits doctors, gets clean bill of health
 Was a vegan
 Play 15:55 to get rules
 Skip Day 30 1 hour 29 minutes
Questions
 What assumptions does Spurlock make about the effect of
fast food?
 What evidence does he use?
Your group is assigned the
following. Page 329
Group 1. Who is the writer?
Group 2. What is the writer’s main argument?
Group 3. If possible, list one or two unstated assumptions.
Group 4. Is the evidence relevant?
Group 5. What types of evidence are represented?
Group 6. Is the argument worth considering?
Do you accept the argument?
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How good is the evidence?
Take these statements:
 Most U.S. senators are men.
 Practicing yoga reduces the risk of
cancer.
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How do we know whether a
claim is true?
 Establishing the absolute truth or falsity of most claims
is extremely difficult.
 Instead, it is more useful to ask whether they are
dependable.
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How do we know if we can
count on the claim?
 The greater the quality and quantity of evidence
supporting the claim, the more we can depend on it.
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When we encounter a claim,
we can ask these questions:
 What is your proof ?
 Where’s the evidence?
 Are you sure it’s true?
 How do you know that’s true?
 Why do you believe that?
 Can you prove it?
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What do you do if there’s
conflicting evidence?
 We need to make judgments based on the
preponderance of evidence.
 The more supporting evidence there is, the more we
can accept the claim.
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What do we mean by
evidence?
 It is the explicit information shared by the
communicator that is used to back up or justify the
dependability of a claim.
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Relevancy
 What kind of connection writer make between
the evidence and the claim?
 Does the evidence really support the claim?
 The writer needs to explain the significance of the
evidence to the claim.
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Adequacy
 Is the evidence reliable? Consistent? Valid? Not too
biased?
 Is the evidence authoritative? Who has written or
published it?
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Is it relevant & adequate?
In a random survey last month of 470 members of the
Sierra Club, 98 percent of those interviewed
opposed drilling for oil in the Alaskan wilderness.
Clearly then, the American people oppose such
drilling.
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Number Groups
 Each group number will receive an article, or maybe
two, about a type of evidence an writer uses to support
his or her claim.
 Read the article.
 As a group, find an example and a danger for that type
of evidence. Danger refers to LIMITATIONS.
 Be sure you are able to explain what you have.
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Color Groups
 Switch groups and sit according to you color.
 Take turns sharing what you have.
 By the time everyone is done, your handout should be
complete.
 I will collect this at the end of class.
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Let’s apply what we’ve
learned.
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Identify the Claim and
Evaluate the Evidence
1. Second Hand Smoke
Video #1 from the
American Lung
Association
Identify the following:
 claim
 type of evidence
2. Second Hand Smoke
Video #2 from the
Canadian Government
 limitations
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From the
Canadian
Government
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From Blue
Cross Blue
Shield
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We have evaluated evidence in
isolation. Let’s look at how it applies
in relation to the other parts of an
argument.
You are your partner are going to receive two articles on
the same side of a controversial issue.
Compare and contrast the articles.
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Similarities
Differences
Decide
1. Which writer uses more relevant
and adequate evidence?
2. Because of the evidence, which
article is more convincing?
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