Remarks on the Struggle for Citizenship and Math/Science Literacy

Remarks on the Struggle for Citizenship and Math/Science Literacy

Robert P. Moses
Journal of Mathematical Behavior 13, 107-111 (1994)

Word Count: 329

1.      Argument:   Minorities should enter high school with the skills necessary to begin and finish the standard college-track mathematics courses.

2.      Audience:  Mathematical professionals, primarily math educators who read scholarly mathematic journals and probably conduct research of their own.

3.      Goal:  To show that the effects of junior high school math programs can be far reaching and due to this, should be focused on and highly valued.  By doing this the author hopes to gain support for his organization, The Algebra Project.

4.      How:

·        Logos:   The author uses statistics to support his findings, and his conclusions are very logical.  The sequences of events  that he uses, such as getting behind in junior high causing a ripple effect throughout the rest of a child’s education, are logical as well.

·        Ethos:  By using findings from several universities and examples of his own dealings with the National Democratic Party and launching a campaign in Mississippi adds to the author’s ethos.  The audience will generally respect their peers findings from other universities, and the authors’ personal experience will help to convince them that he has put a lot of thought and effort into his claims.

·        Typical:  The issues about citizenship and the statistics given seem to be typical of the majority of minorities’ experience.  Mathematic and scientific literacy do a lot for professional progression in the United States, and often language and other cultural barriers make it more difficult for immigrants and minorities to keep up.

·        Relevant:  This is a very relevant topic for today’s math educators.  Citizenship is a big issue in politics today, and finding ways to help these immigrants succeed in the U.S. is important to consider.

Effective or Not:   I think the argument is very effective.  It not only addresses some very big issues facing America today, but gives some helpful suggestions on how to help fix them.  It is also very logical, with will appeal

Senior Missionaries and the Gospel

Elder Russell M. Nelson
Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Liahona, Nov 2004, 79–82

http://lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=2f5e8fbe352fe010VgnVCM100000176f620a____&vgnextoid=f318118dd536c010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD

Word Count: 373

1.      Argument:   Senior sisters and senior couples should engage in missionary work.

2.      Audience:  Senior members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and their priesthood leaders such as Bishops.  The talk was addressed to the entire membership of the church, but the focus is on these seniors.   

3.      Goal:  To cause more senior couples and sisters to serve missions or engage in missionary work in other ways.

4.      How:

·        Pathos:   Elder Nelson uses several stories of specific senior missionary couples experiences in his talk.  These stories give examples of how the missionaries are serving and the difference they are making in people’s lives.  The audience will be familiar with the good feelings that service causes and will feel like the work is something they would like to participate in.  These stories all spoke of blessings the couples were receiving as a result of the work.  This further encourages the audience to serve.

·        Ethos:  Elder Nelson draws on the Prophets to back up his claims.  He uses examples of Joseph Smith, John Taylor, Brigham Young, and Wilford Woodruff serving missions despite difficulties.  He quotes Heber J Grant and Gordon B Hinckley to emphasize the importance of senior missionaries.  He also speaks of Jesus Christ, his mission and following his example.  The audience very greatly respects these leaders and will want to follow their examples and their teachings.

·        Typical:  By addressing several different life circumstances that seniors in the Church find themselves in, Elder Nelson is able to give suggestions to people of all kinds of how their barriers to a mission can be overcome.

·        Relevant:  This talk is relevant to the audience because many senior members of the Church that could be on missions aren’t.  It is also relevant to the rest of the younger Church membership because they will someday be in that position.

5.      Effective or Not:   I think the talk was effective.  Members of the Church are particularly receptive to teachings by prophets and Elder Nelson was good about including lots of these.  The audience also generally has a desire to participate in church service and showing how others are engaging in this service and being blessed for it will be especially appealing.

No Salt For You!

image via http://www.consumerfreedom.com/cartoons.cfm#cartoon136

Word Count: 401

1.      Argument:   New York City’s focus on health, particularly sodium intake, is ridiculous and untimely.

2.      Audience:  Americans who are interested in politics and following current political issues.   

3.      Goal:  To make the audience see how silly it is for New York to crack down on sodium intake at this time.

4.      How:

·        Ethos:   The audience will feel sympathy for the people standing in line waiting for soup at the soup kitchen.  The caption “No Salt For You” is in reference to the Soup Nazi made famous on Seinfeld.  Most of the audience will be familiar with his catch phrase “No soup for you!”  They will find this clever link amusing and appropriate.  The way the Health Commissioner makes him look kind of shady and high on himself.   This will cause the audience to view what he is saying as shady and pompous as well.

·        Logos:    The argument of the cartoon is very logical.  The audience will agree that the health commissioner telling a fellow American who is poor and hungry enough to be in line at the soup kitchen to not eat the soup due to the sodium level is outrageous.   The signs that are posted saying “financial meltdown worst since great depression” shows a much larger issue than salt that New York should be focusing on.

·        Accurate:  Some of the cartoon is accurate, like the financial meltdown and the long lines at the soup kitchen being important issues that need to be addressed.  The shady portrayal of the Health Commissioner may not be as accurate.  And also the fact that he is directing his efforts at the needy is not accurate.  He is working with large manufacturers to reduce salt in their products, not end consumers.

·        Relevant:  This is very relevant to the audience.  The sodium reduction legislation is happening currently and many Americans are experiencing the effects of the crumbling economy.

5.      Effective or Not:   I think the ad is very effective.  It shows the very real issue of job loss and the financial meltdown that most Americans have felt the effects of.  It then shows a representative of New York City not only ignoring this issue, but lecturing the people about a much more trivial effect of their extremely limited choices.  Although I do not think it is entirely accurate, the cartoon does a good job at making New York City look stupid.

Summer sales jobs lucrative, but tricky

http://www.dailyutahchronicle.com/news/summer-sales-jobs-lucrative-but-tricky-1.352782

Word count: 377

1.      Argument:   Utah College students should be educated about a company‘s policies before they sign up for a summer sales job.

2.      Audience:   The audience is Utah college students considering a summer job doing door-to-door sales.  Many are returned missionaries who have experience knocking doors already.

3.      Goal:   To make students aware that all the promises a company makes may not be as straightforward as they seem.

4.      How:

·        Ethos:   By using first-hand accounts from students who have had experience selling for the companies that regularly recruit Utah college students, ethos is established.  The audience will tend to listen to their peers as they feel like they are in similar situations and will have similar experiences if they go work for the same companies.

·        Logos:  There are many statistics in the article.  Providing the numbers will be particularly convincing to the academic nature of the audience.  They are interested in how much they can earn doing a sales job, and the numbers provide them with that information.  

·        Accurate:   The article presents the pros and cons of summer sales accurately.  The audience is able to see both sides and make a more informed decision. 

·        Relevant:  Most Utah college students have seen advertisements like the ones mentioned in the article.  Even more students have heard stories about how much money can be made doing summer sales.  Because the audience is poor, making lots of money over the summer appeals to them, and because they are educated, they want to be able to know the ins and outs of summer sales. 

5.      Effective or Not:   I think the article is very effective.  Students who are considering summer sales as a way to make a lot of money for school will want to learn all the pros and cons.  The way the information is presented in this article is very convincing.  The audience will trust the summer-sales veterans as their peers, and they will be further convinced by the numbers provided.  The fact that the article’s major stance is to inform will appeal to the audience because it gives them the feeling that someone isn’t trying to convince them of something.  This approach allows students to form their own opinions which I think they will appreciate.