Discussion 3
Topic: How Became the Most Powerful Governor in Texas History
Read the article linked below (by R.G. Ratcliffe, as published in the Texas Monthly) and address all of the prompts below (at a minimum) in your primary post:
Ratcliffe 2021, How Greg Abbott Became the Most Powerful Governor in Texas History.docx
• Summarize the article. Identify the central argument(s) and the evidence used to support it/them.
• Identify how this issue relates to what you have learned from the course textbook. Be specific, citing a relevant passage from Unit 3 (ch. 7-10) and page from the book using MLA in-text citation format.
• What have other scholars said about the issue? How are their findings consistent/inconsistent with those in the article?
• Summarize and evaluate the conclusion. Is it logically consistent or inconsistent with the evidence provided in the article? Is it consistent with what you learned in the textbook?
• Overall, what are your thoughts about the central argument, evidence, and conclusion presented and why?
Guidelines:
Each discussion activity involves an element of independent research and critical analysis. The questions will address your understanding of central themes in the textbook and the ability to think critically about the course material to apply it to real life situations. The intent is to go beyond the textbook.
The minimum research criteria is one reputable source, not counting any required readings for the assignment. You may use a scholarly article, but that is not necessary. Other examples of reputable sources include well known and trustworthy newspapers, news magazines, news websites, a court case or an actual law, and government websites. Unless specified otherwise, the course textbook, reference materials, Wikipedia, internet search engines, blogs and similar items are examples of unacceptable sources on the collegiate level.
The minimum writing requirement for the original post is 200 of your own words (excluding cited or paraphrased information from the word count). Your responses are to be in essay/paragraph format. Be sure to fully address each prompt and cite supporting evidence. The grade for the primary post will be determined by the quality, depth and originality of your writing. Finally, provide a word count at the end of the post.
