Identify the thesis in each text.

Explain what the author is trying to

convince the reader to believe.

President Obama argues that America is a country that welcomes al
religions and should not be discriminatory towards others, even if they
have done terrible things to the country. He states that discriminating
against these people will go against what America is about. The author
of the other article argues that most Muslims are not terrorists, but in
fact they demonstrate a diversity similar to the United States. He
states that the terrorists are not representative of all muslims.
Describe how the writer tries to argue his or her thesis. Identify

whether the author cites sources, includes expert commentary,

cities specific examples to convince the reader, or uses some
other method to support his or her thesis.
President Obama relies on two major devices: pathos(emotion) and
logos(logic). He starts off by talking about all the different religious
ceremonies celebrated at the White House, and he states that these
are an affirmation of who we are as Americans. By stating this,
Obama establishes a firm baseline around which to argue. He states
that religion has flourished within although not without controversy.
He uses emotional language to convey a sense of sorrow for those lost
during 9/11 but clearly states that this should not lead to
discrimination. He uses a logical approach to argue that while
terrorists practice Islam, they are not religious leaders and are not
representative of all Muslims, meaning that the war is not on Islam,
but rather on Terrorism.
The other article takes a slice of life approach. The author starts by
describing a scene in a muslim country, calling it a commonplace
scene. He describes the widespread and multinational nature of
Muslims, and gives several examples of countries that have a large
muslim population. A shift occurs when he talks about the hardships
these people face in every country, drawing sympathy for their plight.
This article appears to want to take away the idea in many peoples

mind about the cruel nature of Muslims, showing that they are just
regular people as well.

Identify any bias in the readings and discuss the balance of the
argument. For example, if the author is trying to convince the
reader that an Islamic mosque should be built at Ground Zero,
does he or she consider the viewpoint of someone who might be
opposed to this construction and explain why the viewpoint
should be abandoned?
Obamas speech is not biased, as he considers both sides of the
argument. The other essay however, shows a clear bias in the favor of
Muslims. While the author talks about all kinds of muslims, he neglects
to mention the terrorists and their actions in the essay.
Explain which text is more convincing.

Generally, a text filled with the right amount of emotion has the
greater power to convince. For this reason, Obamas speech is more
convincing. His expression of sorrow for 9/11 and then his firm stance
on discrimination paints the correct picture for this nation.
Explain what piece of evidence is missing from the readings that

would strengthen the authors position.

The author of the other article is missing one country that contains a
large muslim population: America. Muslims in America face the
greatest social injustice and discrimination, an article describing their
life would strike a chord with those effected by terrorism.