COMM 170 Sample Assignments
Acknowledgements
We thank the following students for graciously permitting us to use their work for educational purposes:
Pardy article: from an anonymous PLAR candidate’s assignment, used with permission
Kay article: from PLAR candidate Cindy W.’s assignment, used with permission
Links to Sources
The samples below relate to the following two sources:
Kay, J. Why progressives desperately stifle any dissent on abortion (even from Elizabeth May)
Pardy, B. Mental disabilities shouldn't be accommodated with extra time on exams
Reverse Outline of Your Source
Sample 1: Pardy Article
Paragraph 1
Pardy draws an anecdotal parallel between students with mental and cognitive impairments claiming accommodations and an injured runner requesting a head start in a race; he implies the situations are synonymous and accommodations should not be granted.
Paragraph 2
Pardy makes his thesis statement: extra time on exams and assignments is unfair to the students without these accommodations and it goes against human rights legislations and laws.
Paragraph 3
Pardy explains how the system is flawed because it is easy for students to make false claims about their mental and cognitive health so they can receive advantageous academic accommodations; he believes the drastic increase in the number of students in Canadian colleges and universities claiming mental disabilities over the past decade is proof students are taking advantage.
Paragraph 4
Pardy claims the commissions that are insisting academic accommodations are necessary for students with mental health disabilities are not guided by neutral investigative bodies but are instead influenced by their own agendas.
Paragraphs 5 – 7
Pardy argues discriminating is one of the purposes of the exam, and that discriminating between students based on their cognitive and mental abilities while under pressure (as displayed in an exam) is not against the law, so no accommodations are necessary.
Paragraph 8
Pardy specifies that students with physical disabilities that would prevent them from participating in an exam – like blindness – should be accommodated, and that such accommodations do not give them an unfair advantage over other students.
Paragraphs 9 – 10
Pardy rebuts an opponent’s claim that accommodations are about leveling the playing field, instead claiming that they skew the playing field in the favour of the accommodated student(s).
Paragraph 11
Purdy concludes his argument, criticizing students who claim extra time for mental disabilities because they only want to increase their chance for success at the expense of their peers.
Sample 2: Kay Article
Paragraph 1 & 2: The author refers to a CBC interview with Elizabeth May in which she talks about her personal views on abortion which are in keeping with a history in Canada of politicians being allowed to hold personal views on abortion that may differ from the official position of their party.
Paragraph 3-6: Author provides a summary of what constitutes May’s initial response to the possibility of a Green Party MP wanting to introduce a bill to reopen the abortion debate and suggests her response is indicative of the Green Party’s tendency to give its members ideological latitude.
Paragraph 7 & 8: The author details the backtracking May and the Green Party undertook after receiving backlash for May’s comments in the interview.
Paragraph 9: Author argues that the pro-choice side is channeling the spirit of inquisition.
Paragraph 10 & 11: Author posits that while a “zero discussion policy” is defensible in cases of fringe positions, wanting to reopen the abortion debate in Canada is not a fringe position.
Paragraph 12: Author argues that many journalists embrace “pro-choice orthodoxy” and coverage of abortion in major media centres is rare.
Paragraph 13: The author states that in Canada, the abortion debate is not an actual debate about the rights of women or the fetus, but rather “about enshrining a fashionable minority viewpoint as immune from critique”.
Paragraph 14 & 15: Author notes that in many European countries, there are national debates about how to balance the rights between a woman and a fetus with little fallout while in Canada, it’s a debate about whether anyone should be allowed to have a debate about an abortion at all, and what should happen to those who try to.
Paragraph 16: Author provides examples of how this has played out in Ottawa’s political circles.
Paragraph 17: Author argues this hard line against debating abortion isn’t necessary in Canada as it’s highly unlikely that Canada would ever ban abortion outright.
Paragraph 18 & 19: Author argues that politicians are only protecting their own monopoly over the abortion conversation because they know that if they don’t, it will become known that many Canadian centrists would actually welcome that discussion. According to Kay, having that discussion would not have dire consequences.
Support Materials:
Goal:
State the central point of each paragraph in your own words
Where applicable, combine paragraphs
Cut unnecessary details and telescope the argument down to its essentials
Layout:
A clean, clear, consistent layout, such as:
Para 1: Point
Para 2-3: Point
Or,
Paragraph 1
Point
Paragraph 2
Point
Original Source Text, by source author Reverse-Outline Summary, by student writer
Source 1 (by Pardy)
Last week at the World Track and Field Championships, Usain Bolt ran his final race. Andre De Grasse, the Canadian sprint star, missed his last chance to beat Bolt because of a hamstring tear. If, instead of pulling out of the race, De Grasse had claimed accommodation for his injury and demanded a 20-metre head start, no one would have taken the request seriously. Pardy draws an anecdotal parallel between students with mental and cognitive impairments claiming accommodations and an injured runner requesting a head start in a race
Yet an equivalent accommodation is standard practice at Canadian universities and colleges. They award extra time on exams and assignments to students who claim mental and cognitive impairments. Extra time for mental disabilities is as unfair to other students as a head start would be to other runners. Human rights legislation does not prescribe such measures. The practice is illegitimate and inconsistent with the law. Pardy claims that extra time on exams and assignments is unfair to the students without these accommodations and it goes against human rights legislations and laws.
The number of Canadian university and college students claiming mental disabilities has increased dramatically in the past decade. Depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, learning disabilities, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders are common conditions. Some are permanent and others temporary; some are constant and others recurring. Typically, only a medical note is required to get accommodation, even though many clinicians rely on self-reported symptoms to measure impairment. At some universities, students not need even disclose the nature of the condition they claim to suffer. A typical accommodation is an additional 50 per cent of the time allotted (an extra hour for a two-hour exam). Pardy explains how the system is flawed because it is easy for students to make false claims about their mental and cognitive health so they can receive advantageous academic accommodations; he believes the drastic increase in the number of students in Canadian colleges and universities claiming mental disabilities over the past decade is proof students are taking advantage.
Source 2 (by Kay)
If a single politician can be said to symbolize the strange way we talk about abortion in this country, it would be Elizabeth May. Speaking to Vassy Kapelos of the CBC last week, the federal Green party leader said that her “personal hero” is “Jesus Christ.” Why? “Because he led a revolution that was non-violent. He inspired people for a mil … it’s been 2,000 years. I rely on … I rely on his advice. A lot.” On the other hand, May added, she is a fully committed supporter of abortion rights — a position she says she has maintained consistently “since I was, like, eight years old and realized what was going on when I heard my mother arguing with people about the issue.”
To the extent there is any contradiction in these two ideas, it is one of those officially permitted fudges that have been an accepted part of Canadian political life for decades. If Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin could be practicing Catholics while leading a pro-choice party, Elizabeth May should be allowed to have, and eat, that same cake.
The author refers to a CBC interview with Elizabeth May in which she talks about her personal views on abortion which are in keeping with a history in Canada of politicians being allowed to hold personal views on abortion that may differ from the official position of their party.
Break Down Your Source’s Argument
Sample 1: Pardy Article
The Issue or Controversy at Stake:
Whether or not students with mental health disabilities should continue to receive academic accommodations, like extended time on exams, as they do presently
The Writer’s Thesis:
It is unfair for students with mental health disabilities to receive accommodations because it is easy for them to take advantage of the system and it is unfair to the rest of the students who do not receive accommodations; in particular, students with mental health disabilities should not be allowed more time on exams because the rest of the students will then unfairly be at a time disadvantage.
The Writer’s Main Reasons and Evidence in Support of the Thesis:
We should not provide students with mental and cognitive impairments academic accommodations, especially extra time on exams and assignments, because:
Exams are intended to discriminate between students, where the student with the best exam gets an A and students in the middle of the pack receive B’s
Academic accommodations interfere with the accuracy of that discrimination process
Exams are intended to assess how a student focuses and performs under pressure
Allowing some students extra time is unfair to the other students (like giving a head start to an injured runner would be unfair to the other runners)
They are taking advantage of the system
Evidence: the number of students claiming mental health disabilities has increased dramatically in the past decade
The current system is easy to manipulate:
Only a medical note is required, despite the fact clinician rely on self-reported symptoms
Sometimes students aren’t even required to disclose the nature of their health condition
Reasoning: the current system relies on the student’s word, so honesty and morality is the only thing preventing an individual from taking advantage
It is against human rights legislation and inconsistent with the law
The commissions insisting academic accommodations are necessary aren’t guided by neutral investigations
Sample 2: Kay Article
Issue at Stake:
The state of the abortion debate, or lack of debate, in Canadian politics.
The Writer’s Thesis:
A debate about abortion rights is actually not allowed in Canada and the political left monopolize the conversation about abortion to prevent it from becoming widely known that many Canadians would welcome a discussion on the current state of abortion rights in the country. The author argues that having that discussion would not have detrimental effects.
The Writer’s Main Reasons and Evidence in Support of the Thesis:
To make this point, the author uses recent examples of political leaders stating that they will not reopen the abortion debate. In particular, he uses the case of Elizabeth May and the Green Party, in which May backtracked on her original statements in an interview about party members being allowed to have their own positions on the abortion issue. The author also mentions recent cases from his own field of journalism that exemplify this apparent code of silence surrounding abortion. The author uses statistics from a recent poll that suggest that this political stance flies in the face of a large proportion of the Canadian electorate who would like to reopen the debate. Lastly, the author cites examples of abortion rights in European countries where abortion is both more regulated and more openly debated, in order to suggest that reopening the discussion would not have dire consequences.
Support Materials:
Argument:
Issue (the question or controversy at stake)
Thesis (the writer’s position on that question/ controversy)
Reasons/ Evidence (the reasons and evidence explaining why the author believes their position to be true)
The author is saying:
“On the question of _______________, I believe ______________, because ___________”
“On the question of which movie to go to, I believe the answer is Knives Out, because the reviews look good and it won some awards.”
“On the question of whether a gun ban will work in Toronto, I believe that yes, a gun ban will work in Toronto, because global stats show that fewer accessible guns = fewer gun fatalities.”
Find the Issue:
The question or controversy--the thing that’s at stake.
More than a single topic (“Climate Change”), i.e. “What is the best way to reduce carbon emissions?”
Look at the title and opening paragraphs
Find the Thesis:
The author’s central point -- their answer to the question/ controversy or issue.
Look at the title, subtitle, any callouts, etc.
Look at the opening and closing paragraphs
Skim the whole article, step back, and ask “What is the author’s central point?”
Find the Reasons and Evidence:
See https://www.comm.pitt.edu/argument-claims-reasons-evidence
The claims and data the author uses to support their position or thesis.
Reasons: Look for key statements and assertions that answer “why” the writer believes their thesis
Evidence: Look for data, examples, etc. that supposedly prove thesis or reasons
“Why do you say that?” Because [reasons]. “Can you prove it?” Here [evidence]
Types of Evidence
Anecdote
Analogy (comparisons)
Common sense
Statistical or quantitative data
Historical data or examples
Expert testimony
Eyewitness testimony
Summarize Your Source
Sample 1: Pardy Article
In “Mental Disabilities Shouldn’t Be Accommodated With Extra Time on Exams,” author Bruce Pardy speaks out against the status quo in Canadian education, arguing that students with mental health disabilities should not be granted academic accommodations like extra time on tests and assignments. Pardy explains that exams are intended to discriminate between students based on their mental and cognitive performance under pressure; this form of discrimination is not prohibited by law, so accommodations are not necessary. Moreover, Pardy argues that accommodations skew the playing field in the favour of the accommodated students, rather than leveling the playing field, consequently making it unfair to the other students; for example, allowing extra time on exams puts the rest of the students at a time disadvantage. He also draws a persuasive parallel between students with mental health disabilities and injured athletes, claiming accommodations are as unfair to other students as a head start is unfair to other runners. However, Pardy does distinguish between mental health disabilities and physical disabilities – like blindness – making it clear that students should receive the necessary accommodations – like a text reader – that enable them to participate in the exam; it is accommodations that give students an advantage over the other students that should not be allowed. Furthermore, Pardy illustrates how the current system is flawed, making it easy for students to falsely claim accommodation, and that the parties advocating for accommodations, insisting they are necessary, are guided by their own biased agendas – both additional reasons we should reconsider the current practice of granting academic accommodations. Finally, Purdy concluded his article by criticizing students who claim extra time for mental disabilities because they want to increase their chance for success, even at the expense of their peers.
Sample 2: Kay Article
Note: This example is briefer than our target summary
In his article, “Why Progressives Desperately Stifle Any Dissent on Abortion (Even from Elizabeth May),” Jonathan Kay suggests that there is in fact no actual debate about abortion rights in Canada but rather a code of silence around the issue that is enforced by a political elite minority. Kay argues that this code is especially well demonstrated by recent political events in which political leaders from major parties stated that they would not reopen the abortion debate, even when they had previously stated otherwise. This code of silence (and subsequent political punishment for those who break it), flies in the face of the feelings of a large number of Canadians who would like to see a discussion of abortion rights in Canada, a discussion Kay argues would not have a dire consequences for abortion rights in Canada.
Support Materials:
Goal
Paragraph-long neutral overview of the writer’s argument
Identify author, title, year of pub
Identify the issue/ thesis
List the main pieces of reasons evidence
Key conventions
Stay neutral and objective!
Strip away small details, get the “big picture”
Show the logical connections in the argument
Attribute to the author
Highlights show:
Identify title and author
Identify issue/ thesis
Identify reasons, while attributing ideas to the author and showing the connections between them
In “Mental Disabilities Shouldn’t Be Accommodated With Extra Time on Exams,” author Bruce Pardy speaks out against the status quo in Canadian education, arguing that students with mental health disabilities should not be granted academic accommodations like extra time on tests and assignments. Pardy explains that exams are intended to discriminate between students based on their mental and cognitive performance under pressure; this form of discrimination is not prohibited by law, so accommodations are not necessary. Moreover, Pardy argues that accommodations skew the playing field in the favour of the accommodated students, rather than leveling the playing field, consequently making it unfair to the other students; for example, allowing extra time on exams puts the rest of the students at a time disadvantage. He also draws a persuasive parallel between students with mental health disabilities and injured athletes, claiming accommodations are as unfair to other students as a head start is unfair to other runners. However, Pardy does distinguish between mental health disabilities and physical disabilities – like blindness – making it clear that students should receive the necessary accommodations – like a text reader – that enable them to participate in the exam; it is accommodations that give students an advantage over the other students that should not be allowed. Furthermore, Pardy illustrates how the current system is flawed, making it easy for students to falsely claim accommodation, and that the parties advocating for accommodations, insisting they are necessary, are guided by their own biased agendas – both additional reasons we should reconsider the current practice of granting academic accommodations. Finally, Purdy concluded his article by criticizing students who claim extra time for mental disabilities because they want to increase their chance for success, even at the expense of their peers.
Respond to Your Source: Analyze Claims, Reasons & Evidence
Analyze Claims, Reasons and Evidence
Strengths/ Merits
Passage: “Last week at the World Track and Field Championships, Usain Bolt ran his final race. Andre De Grasse, the Canadian sprint star, missed his last chance to beat Bolt because of a hamstring tear. If, instead of pulling out of the race, De Grasse had claimed accommodation for his injury and demanded a 20-metre head start, no one would have taken the request seriously. Yet an equivalent accommodation is standard practice at Canadian universities and colleges. They award extra time on exams and assignments to students who claim mental and cognitive impairments. Extra time for mental disabilities is as unfair to other students as a head start would be to other runners.” (Pardy, 2017)
Pardy drew a very persuasive comparison between students with mental health disabilities and injured athletes to explain why students should not be granted accommodations is not easily discounted
When debating mental health and academic accommodations, I personally had not considered how the accommodations impacted students who were not receiving them – I had only considered how the accommodations helped disadvantaged students, so Pardy’s argument that accommodations are unfair to other students was (to me) a persuasive reason not to grant accommodations
Flaws or Areas for Development
“Exams are competitions too. A student’s grade depends largely upon how his performance compares to his classmates. When a professor awards an A to the best exam and a B to the middle of the pack, she discriminates between exams” (Pardy, 2017)
Although Pardy’s arguments appear logical, they are only persuasive to a person who aligns with his philosophy about education and mental health
Pardy assumes that students are or should be competing against one another. He takes this as a complete given. But there are other models of education entirely.
Pardy describes a grading method where an A is rewarded to the best exam and that exams scoring in the middle of the pack receive Bs, but not all professors grade this way. In fact, Pardy’s method and philosophy is somewhat antiquated, which means his opinions on mental health accommodations are also outdated.
Raise questions about fairness
Passage: “The number of Canadian university and college students claiming mental disabilities has increased dramatically in the past decade. Depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, learning disabilities, and attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders are common conditions. Some are permanent and others temporary; some are constant and others recurring. Typically, only a medical note is required to get accommodation, even though many clinicians rely on self-reported symptoms to measure impairment. At some universities, students not need even disclose the nature of the condition they claim to suffer. A typical accommodation is an additional 50 per cent of the time allotted (an extra hour for a two-hour exam).” (Pardy, 2017)
Pardy uses loaded language and insinuates that students are taking advantage of the system: “Typically, only a medical note is required to get accommodation, even though many clinicians rely on self-reported symptoms to measure impairment” and “students “not need [sic] even disclose the nature of the condition they claim to suffer. A typicall acc is an additional 50% of the time allotted”: He’s suggesting how it would be relatively easy for a student to manipulate/deceive their doctor in order to receive approval for advantageous accommodations. This is a cynical viewpoint. The phrase “they claim” shows his suspicion. Yet Pardy never provides any evidence this is occurring – he does not provide any empirical data, investigative reports, or case studies to support his implied claim that the increase is all about students taking advantage. Although his explanation is possible, there are other more likely explanations for the drastic increase. It is more likely there has been an increase in the number of students claiming mental health disabilities because there has been a movement to raise awareness, eliminate harmful and debilitating stigmas, increase support for those with mental health issues. These advances lead to an increase in the number of mental health diagnoses, so it does not surprise me that more students are claiming these disabilities at school.
Get Free Quote!
290 Experts Online