Week 5: Making an Argument

February 09-15, 2026

📖 Reading

• Read OTC Chapter 5.1 – Process
• Read OTC Chapter 5.2 – Audience Analysis
• Read OTC Chapter 5.4 – Articulating Technical Information
• Read ETC Backpacks V. Briefcases: Steps Toward Rhetorical Analysis, focusing primarily on the basic components of rhetorical analysis

📐 Prepare for class

• Reading Quiz Week 5

🥱 Monday 🌛

• Business Report Slides
• Argument Activity
• Discuss business report & assign report topics
• In class activity: Arguments in scientific and technical writing

🐪️ Wednesday 🐦‍⬛

• Slides
• Basic components of argument and rhetoric in scientific writing
• Canvas discussion board post – I am hoping to be able to do class by Zoom but we’ll record the activity’s results via discussion board in any case.

🏋 Practice Your Skills

• Analyze the rhetorical decisions and arguments in your research article (1 pg summary)
• Business report: locate data sets to support your analysis