Critique Papers

5-7 pages double spaced

5 different sources including two peer reviewed sources (the bad argument you are critiquing counts as one source)

This paper has four sections. You do not need an introduction or conclusion.

Thesis: What is your theory of the world? This should be a theory of the world that contradicts how some people believe, know or do. (Think ontology- the assumptions that create our way of being, epistemology- how we know things or ways of knowing, or methodology- how we do things or ways of doing). Examples could include (only one) Capitalism is bad (and what is fundamentally wrong with it. Socialism is bad (and what is fundamentally wrong with it). Civil discourse is bad (and what is fundamentality wrong with it). Illiberal discourse is bad (and what is fundamentally wrong with it). Settler colonialism is bad (and what is wrong with how it operates). Open borders is bad (and what is fundamentally wrong). Having borders at all is bad (and what is fundamentally wrong with it). And so on.

Link: This is someone’s argument that you think is bad assumption of how we do things, how we know things or what we believe about the world. Find someone either through a source or a personal encounter who is making an argument that you think is fundamentally wrong.

Impacts: What are the long term consequences of people believing or following the argument that you identified as bad in your links?

Alternative: This has two parts. First, what should people believe, know or do differently? Second, why will this work? (How will this solve the issue you laid out in your thesis?)

Helpful notes, 1. Write the thesis last. 2. Start with what annoys you, then find someone making an argument to support that, then you have your link and now you need can work on finding your thesis/impact/alternative

Here is a link to open evidence. You can browse critiques (the will be called [theory] K or Kritik) that high school debate teams use. If you are feeling overwhelmed by their work, please ignore. If you find it not useful, please ignore. https://openev.debatecoaches.org/