Prescription drug costs

The article was "The $750 pill" by theweek.com. This article discusses how pharmaceutical companies overcharge for their pills. It talks about specific cases, especially Shkreli's habit of raising prices exorbitantly, such as making pills that cost $1 all the way up to $750. The purpose of this article is to expose how big pharma exorbitantly raises costs and influences politics in such a way that allows for them to continue doing this. The audience of this article are Americans who both vote and/ or take prescription medication. 

This article mostly appeals to logos. It mentions statistics of what thing cost and how much the pharma companies pay to make the drugs. It also appeals to pathos with loaded language with how the companies are over charging those who have no choice but to pay. The author does not reference himself in the writing but does appeal to ethos by mentioning authorities in the subject. The article does not make many direct rhetorical appeals but does contain loaded language and an overall tone of anger at these companies actions. The article primarily uses the rhetorical strategy of exemplification to get its point across. 

College majors

     The article is "The Economic Guide to Picking a College Major" by Ben Casselman. This article talks about majors and the effect they have on the career and general wealth of students. This is in response to the occasion that numerous students going to college, and that the decisions they make will influence the rest of their lives. The audience is any and all people who are going to major in something in order to make a living. The purpose of this article is to inform future students to choose a major wisely since they may be better off not going to college if they can't get properly employed. 

    This article does make rhetorical appeals. The author primarily focuses on logos and mention numerous statistics. He tells wages, employment probability, and even probability of getting full time in their field. He makes some appeals to pathos by showing how some majors are terrible economic decisions and how many degrees just end in people getting underemployed and saddled with debt. The author does not make appeals to ethos in his article. He also does not use much figurative language or other such rhetorical devices in his article. 

Reading

     The article I read was "10 Benefits of Reading: Why You Should Read Every Day" from lifehack.org. The subject was the benefits of reading and the purpose of this article was to encourage people to read everyday. The audience was really just anyone who does not read much. The author mostly appeals to logos by mentioning benefits and some statistics even. The author has some appeal to pathos by mentioning how much better life could become with the benefits of reading. The author does not really appeal to ethos though. 

     I personally find the argument to be far to generalized. The author specifies that things like Facebook posts and tweets are not really as beneficial to one's mind as say a novel, but shows basically no distinction between books. This lack of distinction could imply that one could get the same benefits from reading an incredibly simple book like Dr. Seuss or a book which they can not comprehend at all and still get the same benefits as if they were reading an book of appropriate difficulty. Also in some areas she clearly distinguishes why TV could not be a substitute but in others she leaves it so open ended that even TV could work, like tranquility or even free entertainment, depending on what equipment you have, since many libraries have a DVD section. Otherwise it was decently argued. 

Mass killings in USA

The article is "America's killing contagion" by the week.com. This article discusses the prevalence of shootings within America and why the amount is increasing. The audience is anyone who is interested in learning about mass killings. The author uses logos by mentioning statistics to show the increase in crime, mentions the profiles of the killers, and discusses the culture behind the rise of this violence. He uses pathos by mentioning specific example of these killers and shootings by showing some of their problems. He appeals to ethos by mentioning many experts and using their authority on the subject.

Gluten

The article I read is called "against the grain" by Michael Specter. The purpose is to discuss wether gluten has health disbenefits for those who do not have celiac disease or at least a gluten sensitivity. The subject was gluten. Occasion was the rising amount of people avoiding gluten despite not having celiac disease. The audience was readers of the New Yorker. The author did a fairly good job showing both sides of the argument. He uses logos by mentioning studies that have been done, showing both their results and numbers of participants. He also mentions proven statistics. He uses ethos by mentioning his own personal experiences. His pathos is mostly found in anecdotes he tells of other people. 

Stem cell controversy

The article "how fetal tissue is used in medical research" discusses both uses and ethical controversies of stem cell research. It goes through actual progress made, such as vaccines, and mentions possible treatments that could be derived from this research. It discusses legal changes that have occurred, either making it legal, illegal, or legal with numerous requirements. It shows both sides of the argument fairly well, telling why stem cells are used, the claims against it, the response to the claims, and the moral controversy between those who think an immoral means can not justify a good end and those who think it is completely justifiable. It shows both sides appeal to logos, such as how cure have been derived from stem cells and how there have been cases, or at least claims, in which planned parenthood employees have broken the law. It also shows their pathos in which those who support stem cell research mention how practically everyone benefits from it and those against it by saying how they think something that is absolutely wrong can not be justified even if it helps others. 

Theater

       "Seven reasons why theater makes our lives better" was about how theater makes the world a better place. The author of the article was Howard Shalwitz, an artistic director of a theater company. The purpose of this article was to show how theater makes the world better. The audience of this article was anyone capable of enjoying theater, and those who see no purpose in theater. The article uses logos in the regards that it gives some facts, but it is not strong logos due to how it lacks specific examples. The article seems to rely mostly on pathos due to the fact it uses emotional words and phrases and expresses theater as a beautiful way to express oneself and connect people. The article does have an appeal to ethos, especially by including a brief introduction from the editor, by showing how the person who wrote the article is an artistic director at a theater company, showing that the author knows stuff about theater.