AOW #7- More Questions About Mammograms

This editorial discusses the use of mammography as being less beneficial in America today. Out of the 39 million women who undergo annual mammograms, only 230,000 of these women were diagnosed with invasive breast cancer from the screenings. This piece came from the New York Times online magazine, which is a well renowned newspaper, having been publishing articles since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes- the most awards any organization has achieved. The context of this piece is causal because the economic crisis that is occurring today has brought about many issues with the way our country is spending its money. Mammography is a very costly procedure and many women are wondering if this screening is doing more harm than good. This audience of this article is women above the age of 40 who annually undergo mammography screenings. The purpose of this piece is to convince the audience that the 5 billion dollars spent on mammogram screenings should be used for other purposes because mammograms are doing more harm than good. The author achieves his purpose through rhetorical devices such as logos when he uses statistics and facts to prove his argument, as well as ethos through his specific medical diction when he discusses mammograms.

"More Questions About Mammograms." The New York Times. The New York Times, 26 Oct. 2011. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. <http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/27/opinion/more-questions-about-mammograms.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss>.