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☞ Project Toni Project Launcher Monika the NGSS Phenomena Generator
AI

Hi! I'm Toni, your writing TA. I am excited to work with you. We can get started
by you providing me with the assignment you are working on or you can ask me
questions about my process and what I do. :) How would you like to begin?

Identify the author's main idea, argument, or thesis. Explain the author's line
of reasoning by identifying the claims used to build the argument and the
connections between them. Evaluate the effectiveness of the evidence the author
uses to support the claims made in the argument.

AI

Great, you've outlined a comprehensive assignment that focuses on critical
reading and analytical writing. Now, could you please share the essay you've
written in response to this assignment? Once I have your essay, I'll be able to
help you with the analysis and provide feedback on your work.

Peter Levine's argument is that the United States should lower its voting age
from 18 to 17 in order to promote informed voting, expand the national
electorate, and, in turn, strengthen the nation's democracy as a whole.

Levine builds his argument that the US should lower its voting age to 17 by
presenting the notion that high schools could encourage informed voting,
utilizing specific examples in which younger voting ages have benefitted
democracies and by examining the benefits of a lower voting age that could
potentially be enjoyed by the United States. He first makes the claim that
lowering the voting age would allow high schools to educate their students on
how to be informed voters and create a cultural norm in American youth that
encourages voting. Levine argues that because “voting is habitual,” the US could
see higher turn-out rates in areas where “a majority of students believed that
they should vote.” Not only will more people vote if the age limit is lowered to
17, Levine argues, but more informed people would also participate in elections
because schools would have the opportunity to improve their students' “knowledge
of the Constitution, the political system and current issues” prior to an
election. These claims made by Levine are supported by his inclusion of specific
examples in which lower voting ages have encouraged democratic participation. He
notes that when Scotland lowered its voting age to 16, the “turnout in that age
range was high.” This greatly contrasts his example of California, which, in the
2014 elections, saw a turnout of only “5.2 percent of eligible 18-year-olds.” He
also notes the example that, when allowed to preregister at age 17, young voters
were more likely to vote. A reform that encouraged students to branch out from
simply voting blindly (if at all) and actually “broadened the youth
electorate…to include more Republican voters.” Finally, Levine explains the
impact that a lowered voting age could have on the US specifically. He claims
that it would allow an opportunity to connect “civil learning in schools to an
important act of citizenship,” which would in turn “boost informed participation
in our democracy” long term, thus allowing the voices of us the youth to make
American “policies and institutions better.”

Levine effectively utilizes credible evidence to support most of his claims,
though there are some areas that lack credibility. His use of quote [sic]
research conducted by political scientists such as that of Eric Plutzer, Mark
Franklin, and John Holbein and Sunshine Hillygus was appropriate because
Levine's argument centered around politics. As these sources were all experts in
their field of political science, they were perfectly in position to support
Levine's argument with their research and claims that proved “voting is
habitual,” having the voting age of 18 may have been the “sole reason voter
turnout has declined,” and that a lower age could potentially “broaden the youth
electorate.” Levine's inclusion of examples from Scotland, Maryland, and Iowa
were also effective as they supported his argument with historical evidence of
successful attempts at lower voting ages. Finally, Levine's use of claims by
college professors David E. Campbell, Daniel Hart, and Robert Atkins was
somewhat effective because, as college professors, they're around young adults
(the young voting demographic) all the time. However, because they are not
proven to be experts in the political field and because there is no cited proof
of their claims, their credibility to speak on the matter was lacking. Overall,
however, Levine's evidence was both effective and credible with relative
consistency throughout the argument.

AI

Thesis Analysis: Peter Levine's thesis is that the United States should reduce
the voting age to 17. He posits that this will lead to more informed voting, a
larger electorate, and ultimately strengthen American democracy. He supports
this thesis by asserting that high schools could play a pivotal role in voter
education, cites examples of successful lower voting ages in other regions, and
discusses the potential benefits for the U.S. in terms of civic engagement and
informed participation.

How accurate or inaccurate did you find my paraphrase of your underlying
argument?

great

AI

General Suggestions: As you refine your essay for publication, there are a few
areas you should consider revisiting. Firstly, ensure that you have thoroughly
analyzed each claim made by Levine and the evidence he uses to support these
claims. Assess whether his reasoning is logically sound and whether the evidence
is both relevant and sufficient to back up his arguments.

Additionally, it would be beneficial to examine any potential counterarguments
to Levine's thesis and address them within your essay. This would not only show
a deeper understanding of the subject but also strengthen your analysis by
showing that you have considered multiple perspectives.

Lastly, pay close attention to the credibility of the sources used by Levine.
You've pointed out that some evidence may lack credibility; it would be
insightful to discuss further why this is the case and how it affects the
overall argument.

Did you find any of my suggestions confusing or would you like to move on to
look at each paragraph more closely?

how should i address counter arguments?

AI

Addressing counterarguments is a critical part of strengthening your essay and
demonstrating comprehensive understanding. Here are some suggestions for how you
can incorporate counterarguments into your analysis:

 1. Identify Potential Opposition: Think about who might disagree with Levine's
    argument and why. What reasons might they have for maintaining the voting
    age at 18?
 2. Research: Look for articles, studies, or expert opinions that provide
    reasons against lowering the voting age. These sources will give you
    material to work with in your essay.
 3. Acknowledge the Counterargument: Introduce the opposing viewpoint in your
    essay. This shows that you're aware of different perspectives and are not
    simply ignoring them. For example, "Critics of lowering the voting age argue
    that..."
 4. Explain the Counterargument: Give a fair explanation of the opposing view,
    presenting it as strongly as possible. This could involve discussing
    concerns about maturity, civic knowledge, or the impact on electoral
    outcomes.
 5. Refute or Rebut: After presenting the counterargument, offer your response.
    You might refute it by demonstrating that it is based on incorrect
    assumptions or rebut it by showing that your argument is stronger even if
    the counterargument has some validity. For instance, "While it is argued
    that 17-year-olds may lack the maturity for voting, research shows that
    civic education can bridge this gap effectively."
 6. Integrate Evidence: Support your response with evidence, just as you would
    with your main argument. Use data, expert opinions, or logical reasoning to
    show why the counterargument doesn't undermine Levine's thesis.
 7. Concede When Appropriate: In some cases, you might find that the
    counterargument has valid points. It's okay to concede this, but then
    explain why the overall balance of evidence still supports Levine's
    position.

Remember, by addressing counterarguments, you're not only strengthening your own
position but also showing that you can engage thoughtfully with complex issues.
Would you like to move on to a detailed text analysis of your essay now?

yes please

AI

Text Analysis: To provide detailed feedback, let's break down your essay into
its constituent paragraphs.

Paragraph 1: Introduction and Thesis Strengths:

 * "Levine builds his argument..." was effective because it clearly states the
   author's main argument and sets the stage for your analysis.
 * "Levine argues that because 'voting is habitual'..." effectively captures
   Levine's claim and introduces the reader to one of the key reasons for
   lowering the voting age.

Areas of Improvement:

 * "These claims made by Levine are supported by his inclusion..." can be
   improved if you specify which claims are supported by the examples. This
   helps in maintaining a clear line of reasoning throughout the essay.
 * You might consider starting the essay with a hook or a broader context to
   engage readers before delving into Levine's argument.

Paragraph 2: High School's Role and Informed Voting Strengths:

 * "Not only will more people vote if the age limit is lowered to 17, Levine
   argues, but more informed people would also participate..." efficiently
   relays Levine's dual focus on quantity and quality of voters.
 * The discussion on schools' roles in improving students' knowledge is a strong
   point because it supports the argument for lowering the voting age with a
   practical solution.

Areas of Improvement:

 * "These claims made by Levine are supported by his inclusion..." could be
   improved by directly connecting the evidence to the specific claims they
   support for a tighter argument structure.
 * Consider adding a sentence that critically evaluates the feasibility or
   potential challenges of schools effectively educating students about voting.

Paragraph 3: Evidence from Other Democracies and Pre-registration Strengths:

 * "He notes that when Scotland lowered its voting age to 16, the 'turnout in
   that age range was high'" is a strong point as it provides concrete evidence
   from another country's experience.
 * "A reform that encouraged students to branch out from simply voting
   blindly..." effectively conveys the potential positive impact of an informed
   youth electorate.

Areas of Improvement:

 * "Levine's inclusion of examples from Scotland, Maryland, and Iowa were also
   effective..." can be improved if you explore more deeply how these examples
   specifically support Levine's claims.
 * When mentioning specific examples, such as Scotland's voting age, it would be
   beneficial to include more detailed statistics or outcomes to bolster the
   evidence.

Paragraph 4: Potential Impact on the U.S. Democracy Strengths:

 * The point about connecting "civil learning in schools to an important act of
   citizenship" is effective because it ties educational initiatives to
   practical civic engagement.
 * The discussion on how lowering the voting age could "make American 'policies
   and institutions better'" is compelling as it suggests tangible benefits to
   the nation's governance.

Areas of Improvement:

 * "Finally, Levine explains the impact that a lowered voting age could have on
   the US specifically..." can be improved by critically analyzing how realistic
   and significant Levine's predicted outcomes are.
 * Consider discussing potential criticisms of the idea that lowering the voting
   age would automatically lead to better policies and institutions.

Paragraph 5: Evaluation of Credibility of Evidence Strengths:

 * "Levine effectively utilizes credible evidence to support most of his
   claims..." is good as it acknowledges the strength of Levine's evidence.
 * The critical analysis of the credibility of some sources, such as the college
   professors, is a strong point because it adds nuance to your evaluation.

Areas of Improvement:

 * "His use of quote [sic] research conducted by political scientists..." can be
   improved by correcting the typo and providing clarity on what research was
   used.
 * When discussing the credibility of evidence, it would be helpful to suggest
   how Levine could strengthen his argument by either providing additional
   evidence or clarifying the qualifications of the sources.

If any of the text seems dense or could be better organized, consider
restructuring it for clarity and flow.

Reflections: 1) What parts of this feedback make the most sense to you? 2) What
parts of this feedback do you have questions about or disagree with?

After hearing your thoughts, we can discuss how to revise your essay or move on
to scoring, depending on your preference. Thank you!

move on

AI

Scoring: Now, let's evaluate your essay based on the provided criteria.

Developing an Argument (0-3pts): I would give your argument development a 3 out
of 3. You have a clear and falsifiable thesis and articulate a progression of
ideas that logically support it.

Understanding and Analyzing Argument (0-6pts): You've done a thorough job of
explaining the author's line of reasoning, identifying claims, and explaining
the connections between them. Your understanding and analysis score would be a 5
out of 6. There's room for improvement in integrating counterarguments, which
could provide a more comprehensive analysis.

Evaluating Sources and Evidence (0-6pts): You evaluate the relevance and
credibility of Levine's evidence well, but there is room for a more in-depth
examination of the strength of each piece of evidence. I would score this
section a 4 out of 6.

Communicating Information and Ideas (0-5pts): Your essay is clear and
well-organized. However, there are minor issues with syntactic incoherence and
the potential for more specific language and evidence. You receive a 4 out of 5
here.

Your cumulative score is 16 out of 20. This is a strong score, reflecting a
well-constructed essay with some areas for improvement to reach the highest
standards of published writing.

Would you like to revise your essay further based on the feedback, have a
conversation about potential revisions, or are you satisfied with the work as it
stands? You're welcome to come back for more guidance at any time. Be friendly!

AA By Adrian Antao, High School English Teacher

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