1. We're dealing with a complex issue that does not have simple solutions (like most real world problems).
2. It's important to learn how to read difficult material–and this is one course where we can actually discuss strategies for doing that.
3. Reading short, non-academic articles doesn't give you opportunities to become immersed in how academic writing looks, sounds, and develops a logic. In college, you need to both read articles with these conventions and write using the same conventions.
4. Both college course work and real world work require readers to be able to read and glean necessary info from articles that may not be in their area of interest or expertise.

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