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Isbell's Argument Analysis

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Another way Isbell weakens his argument is through verb usage. Much of his article is written in the subjunctive mood and uses verbs in the present perfect tense, which makes the article more informative than persuasive. For example, he writes “It is possible to place the learning examples discussed above on a continuum of sorts…” His use of subjectivity weakens his statements, undermining the overall claim. Although in a professional field like education there are areas where it is appropriate to acknowledge controversy or uncertainty, Isbell’s frequent avoidance of stating information as known, even when acceptable, creates a weakness throughout his article. Though he attempts to be impartial, it undermines his efforts to prove his claim. …show more content…

The article instructs readers on the importance of the proposed educator qualities—smart, savvy, sensitive, skilled—and tells readers about why variety is important rather than showing them. This tone is evident when Isbell writes, “The full potential of that graduate will not be fully realized unless that person is skilled enough to actually teach in a variety of ways.” This causes the reader to feel like they are being asked to believe the claim without any evidence, which is rarely effective. Although it is important to inform readers about the topic at hand, Isbell’s article takes it too far, incorporating information without analyzing it or questioning its significance.
Another detriment to the article’s attempt to be persuasive is the mood of indifference. The tone and diction create a mood that makes the readers uninterested in the topic and bored by the irrelevant information. From the author’s influence on various parts of the conventions, the article becomes largely informative, creating an undesired mood in an audience expecting the claim to be constructed and supported. This, in turn, leaves the claim unsupported and the article …show more content…

The concluding paragraph of the article indicatively restates and explains the claim, saying, “it will require music teachers who are smart, savvy, sensitive, and skilled.” This is a strong persuasive statement, and the rest of the conclusion is clear and powerful as well. If the rest of the paper had supported Isbell’s arguments, the conclusion of the article would serve as a final repetition of an effectively proven claim. However, the rest of the article causes the conclusion to work adversely, highlighting the flaws in Isbell’s argument. In seeing the facts so clearly explained, readers question what proof was given to support the ideas, and in retrospect, the lack of support is evident to the readers. The writing becomes persuasive at the end of the article, but it can not undo any of the consequences of the earlier

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