In Class Lab: Analyzing an Argument

Anthony Heaps:

1. The claim is that meditation and other stress mitigation techniques should be incorporated into early education. The thesis is clearly states multiple times.
2. The reasons given are that stress management skills lead to healthier, happier, more productive members of society. Much evidence is provided, a mix of statistics and testimonials. The reasons prove to be sufficient
3. There are mentions of dissenting opinion and the author deals with them fairly in his deconstruction of them. He acknowledges and responds to them reasonably and respectfully. His own arguments are appropriately qualified though sometimes broad.
4. They are used to validate claims he has made beforehand. They are mostly credible although .com sites are mentioned. They are all current
5. The author assumes very little except for some common sense in the reader. His language is very inclusively based. I sense we share the belief that a happier less stressed population is a better one.

Josh Miller (absent):

1.The author is trying to make the point that the legalization of recreational marijuana benefits us through taxation. The thesis is stated explicitly.
2. The primary reason he applies is that the taxation of recreational marijuana can be put towards many great programs that help children, effectively causing more benefit than harm. He provides ample statistics that show just how much money has been put towards programs because of recreational marijuana. They provide sufficient support for his reasons.
3. There are acknowledgements of counter arguments, the author deals with them through fair rebuttal, in a  respectful way. His arguments are appropriately qualified.
4. The sources of authority he provides are statistics and they are used to qualify his own claims. They are credible and unbiased being as they are publicly released numbers by State Governments. They are current.
5. The author makes no assumptions of the readers knowledge on the issue. His language is neutral, neither excluding nor including the reader, although it leans slightly more towards inclusive. I sense that the author and I both share the belief that recreational marijuana should be legalized and taxed and also that funding education programs is very important.