Analyzing an Argument Assignment

Choose one of the following: Prot, et al., “Video Games:  Good, Bad, or Other?,” pp. 192-207; Burgess, “Video Game Playing and Academic Performance in College Students,” pp. 226-239 or Hall, “A Plea for Caution:  Violent Video Games, the Supreme Court, and the Role of Science,” pp. 241-257.  Read the selected essay at least twice, using highlighting and marginal notes to keep track of important points, questions, and areas where you might differ from the authors’.  Then, begin a written analysis of the essay.  Your analysis should include the following information:
 

The author’s thesis
The evidence that supports the thesis and the kind of evidence used (facts, statistics, credible sources)
The logical process(es) used to come to the author’s conclusion
Any flaws in the reasoning, including logical fallacies (refer to pp. 57-58 in Academic Writing and PowerPoint posted on Blackboard)
An evaluation of the argument and its overall effectiveness. (Note:  I need more than “I am not convinced” if you feel the argument is not effective.)

 
The following questions will also help provide a framework for your analysis:
 

What assumptions is the author making as the basis for the thesis?  Is it reasonable to assume that the reader shares these assumptions?
Does the text provide a logical sequence of assertions that can be easily followed and that leads to a persuasive conclusion? Are there any convincing alternatives to the author’s conclusion?
Are appropriate and sufficient data and examples provided?
Are sources of evidence presented?
Has the author lapsed into any fallacies that distort the logic or lead to a false conclusion? (See pp. 57-58 and Blackboard).
What inferences does the author make from the evidence?  Are they reasonable, or does the author manipulate the reader’s perception of the evidence to suit the purposes of the thesis?