1. Name: ______________________________________________
Writing for College
The Elements of Argument and Persuasion in Super Size Me
Viewing Questions
1. Explain the significance of the opening scene with the children singing?
2. List some obesity statistics.
3. How many deaths are attributed to obesity?
4. Evaluate the use of maps and graphs as a means of persuasion.
5. What is Morgan Spurlock’s argument?
6. Rewrite the opening sequence of the film as an introduction to a persuasive paper.
7. Why does Spurlock include the initial medical checkups in the film? What does this do for his
argument?
8. What was Spurlock’s starting weight?
9. How many McDonald’s are on Manhattan Island?
10. Which interview with the public did you find to be the most effective in proving Spurlock’s
assertions?
11. Why does Spurlock target McDonald’s? What information do we learn about McDonald’s from
the lawyer? How is this relevant to the argument?
12. How does Lisa Young, Professor of Nutrition at NYU utilize imagery in her presentation? Is this
effective? How/Why?
13. Evaluate the effectiveness of the super size eating sequence.
14. Evaluate the use of the analogy between fast food and smoking.
15. Why does Spurlock include Jared the Subway spokesperson in his film?
16. What was Spurlock’s weight at the first weigh in?
17. Evaluate the effectiveness of the McNugget cartoon.

2. 18. When and why does Spurlock include the Big Mac enthusiast?
19. According to the film, how does advertising affect a child’s eating habits? Why is advertising so
effective? How does Spurlock prove this?
20. What was Spurlock’s weight at the second weigh in?
21. Evaluate the effectiveness of the school lunchroom segment. How does it function as a part of
the argument?
22. Describe the current state of school lunch programs and identify the cause of this state.
23. Why does Spurlock ask people what a calorie is?
24. Why is how girlfriend’s argument about ham and heroine ineffective?
25. What was Spurlock’s weight at the third weigh in? Why?
26. Explain the function of the second visit to the doctor. How is this persuasive?
27. How does McDonald’s terminology prove or disprove Spurlock’s assertion about addiction?
28. How does Spurlock define the difference between diet and healthy living?
29. Evaluate the effectiveness of showing the gastric bypass surgery.
30. Why does Spurlock ask the people to recite the Pledge of Allegiance?
31. What was Spurlock’s weight at the final weigh in?
32. How does Spurlock summarize his experiment?
33. Rewrite the ending of the film as a conclusion to a persuasive paper.