Transcript Argument - College of the Redwoods Home

Argument
Language is a form of motivated
action
Argument as Discourse
• It’s important to understand that for the
purposes of this class, Argument means
the exchange of ideas in order to discover
some version of the truth. (Persuasion is
to know a truth)
• Reason and evidence are key
• Finding common ground with others is
also key
Types of Argument
• To inform—tell an audience something
they didn’t know
• To convince—persuade readers rather
than win over opponents
• To explore—to get to know the nuances of
an issue
• To make decisions—(often tied to making
policies)
Types of Argument (cont)
•
•
•
•
•
About the past (System of a Down)
About the future
About the present
Of definition
Of evaluation
Stasis Theory of Argument
• Determining the point at which people
disagree
• Questions to ask:
• Did something happen?
• What is its nature (arguments of definition)
• What is its quality (arguments of evaluation)
• What action should be taken (proposals)
Audience
• Arguments need to
speak compellingly to
others
• Writer needs to think
about:
• Imagined readers
• Invoked readers
• Real Readers
• Writers need to think
about the context of
the audience:
• Factors:
Social, cultural,
institutional,
economic, linguistic,
geographic
Connecting with an Audience
• Pathos – use of emotion
• Ethos – presentation of self and evidence to
establish credibility
• Logos – Facts, statistics, credible testimony,
sound reasoning
– Inductive Reasoning: drawing a generalization based
on a number of examples
– Deductive Reasoning: assumes a general principle
and then applying this a specific case
To write well:
• Think dynamically: topic/audience/writer
• Ask good questions:
• What is the question at issue?
• Who is my audience and how do I build credibility
with them?
• Find effective ways to enter the discourse
(templates from They Say, I Say)
Writing Effective Arguments
• Learn to recognize reasonable claims so
you can make your own
• Use sound reasons and reliable evidence
• Understand underlying assumptions
Toulmin Argument
• Claims=debatable and controversial
statements or assertions worth arguing
• Claims that take a stand
Evidence + Reason = Claim
There must be a logical and persuasive
connection between claims and reasons.
This is called the warrant.