Deconstructing Video Clips on the Water Wars

In addition to reading arguments in print, you will probably listen to, view, and evaluate the credibility of news reports and documentary films. Once again, remind yourself of the elements of a good argument as you begin to determine validity and reliability.

A good argument

• contains a valid source or is written by a reliable, credible author;
• uses neutral language rather than loaded words to create a tone of moderation, respectfulness, and good will;
• offers a body of evidence (statistics, charts, graphs, photographs, expert testimony, government documents, Web sites, etc.) that clearly and sufficiently supports the main idea and is recent enough to still be relevant; and
• acknowledges other viewpoints fairly.

Sometimes you won’t have a written text to review and reconsider when evaluating a source. If you’re watching a video, for example, it might be helpful to make a checklist of what a good argument does and then refer to it during your evaluation. The next activity provides good listening and viewing practices for these kinds of situations.

Watch the two video clips below. When you are finished, go to the next section and test your understanding.

Video #1:

The first video was produced by the BBC, a major broadcasting company located in England, in April, 2013.

Video #2:

The second video was produced by a local news station in New Mexico in January, 2013.