20 Myths, Immigration, & Argument
In this unit, you'll learn to maneuver both the basics and complexities of argument via readings related to modern immigration, most notably "They Take Our Jobs!" And 20 Other Myths About Immigration. You'll learn about types of claims and evidence, as well as methods for analyzing the underlying assumptions of a writer's persuasive methods. You'll be assessed in a response essay in which you challenge, support, or qualify one of Chomsky's arguments or the claim of another writer in this unit.
Required Readings:
Required Readings:
- Chapter 3 of The Language of Composition
- "They Take Our Jobs!" And 20 Other Myths About Immigration
- The Toulmin Method for Analyzing Argument (video link below)
- Counterargument in Persuasive Writing (Harvard Writing Center link)
- Eric Schlosser's "In the Strawberry Fields (link)
- USCCB document "Strangers No Longer Together on the Journey of Hope" (link)
- Krauthammer's "In Plain English" (Language of Composition)
- Agosin's "Living in Spanish" (Language of Composition)
- Tan's "Mother Tongue" (Language of Composition)
- Whitman's "Slang in America" (Language of Composition)
- Baldwin's "If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What is?" (link to New York Times article) or PDF version
Assignments:
- Toulmin Analysis / Crafting a Thesis Statement (PDF)
- Persuasive Response Essay (PDF)