Elements of Argument with 2021 MLA Update
Thirteenth Edition ©2021 Annette Rottenberg; Donna Winchell Formats: E-book
As low as $39.99
As low as $39.99
The essential components of argument and research in one comprehensive, teachable package
The ebook has been updated to give your students the latest guidance on documenting sources in MLA style and follows the guidelines set forth in the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (April 2021)
Elements of Argument offers a deep dive into the major components of argumentation — claims, support, assumptions, language, and logic — to explain concepts and integrate them with reading, writing, and research processes. This affordable text uses brief, accessible readings on current topics to carefully scaffold argumentation for students, first modeling analysis and critical reading, then supporting students through guided practice using argument approaches such as Toulmin, Aristotelian, and Rogerian models, as well as stasis questions.
The Thirteenth Edition strengthens the connection between the elements of argument and reading and writing practices with a clearer chapter organization and easy-to-use Strategies boxes. Robust research coverage is further updated to include more digital source types and reinforce the importance of evaluating sources (especially online) for bias, spin, and reliability. An anthology of debates and casebooks gives students an entry point to writing about contemporary and timeless topics. Elements of Argument is a complete argument resource that provides students with a foundational vocabulary and understanding of the building blocks of argument.
Achieve for Readers & Writers
Combining diagnostics with formative and summative assessments, Achieve for Readers & Writers is a quick, flexible solution for targeting instruction on critical reading, the writing process, grammar, mechanics, style, and punctuation to each individual student. New Achieve Writing Tools allow instructors and peer reviewers to easily comment on student writing, while fully editable writing assignments pair with powerful analytics to track student progress.
Authors
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Annette T. Rottenberg
Annette T. Rottenberg, formerly assistant director of the writing program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, has taught composition and literature at Chicago City College, SUNY at Buffalo, Duke University, and schools abroad. She is the author of Elements of Argument and The Structure of Argument.
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Donna Haisty Winchell
Donna Haisty Winchell has directed the Freshman Composition program and codirected Digital Portfolio Institutes at Clemson University, where she was Professor of English. She has edited several freshman writing anthologies—including Elements of Argument and The Structure of Argument for Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Table of Contents
An asterisk (*) indicates a new selection.
PART ONE Understanding Argument
*1. What Is Argument?
Why Study Argument?
Argument in the Twenty-First Century
*MEL BONDAR, The Financial Case for Trade School over College
The Purposes of Argument
The Elements of Argument
The Ethics of Argument
So, Why Write Arguments?
2. Critical Reading of Written Arguments
Prereading
Strategies for Prereading
*GRETA THUNBERG, How Dare You?
Reading with an Open Mind
*MARK R. LEVIN, News, Propaganda, and Pseudo-Events
Reading for Content and Structure
Strategies for Annotating a Text
CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT, A Tale of Two Airlines
Summarizing
Research Skill: Using Summaries in Research
*OCEAN VUONG, Reimagining Masculinity
Evaluating
Strategies for Evaluating Arguments
BRUCE SCHNEIER, The Internet Is a Surveillance State
WHITNEY CRAMER, Giving Up Our Privacy: Is It Worth It? (student essay)
Argument Essentials: Examining Written Arguments
Assignments for Critical Reading of Written Arguments
3. Critical Reading of Multimodal Arguments
Visual Rhetoric
Photographs
*ERIK MCGREGOR, Candlelight Vigil for Mass Shooting Victims
*MICHAEL CAMPANELLA, Friday School Strikes, August 2018
*MARCO MERLINE, Fridays for the Future, Six Months Later
*NORMA JEAN GARGASZ, The View from the Other Side
*JOSEPH PREZIOSO, A Standoff over Immigration
*COURTENEY COKO MOORE, Little Boy Holds Hand of Crying Classmate
Argument Essentials: Visual Rhetoric
Print Advertisements
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, Stop Climate Change before It Changes You
AD COUNCIL, It Only Takes a Moment to Make a Moment
*L’OREAL, My Future Is What I Make It
Political Cartoons
*FRAN, Citizenship Test Forum
*PETER STEINER, Understand the Ten Commandments
*CHIP BOK, Sorry, Sir, You’ve Been Red-Flagged
Graphics
THEWORLD.ORG, Tobacco’s Shifting Burden
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, Where Your Gas Money Goes
Audio and Audiovisual Rhetoric
Television Commercials
TOYOTA, Let’s Go Places
Podcasts
*LEFT, RIGHT, CENTER, Recession Fears, Immigration Rules, and “Electability”
*TOM BALDWIN and NINA SCHICK, INTELLIGENCE SQUARED, How the Information Age
Crashed Our Democracy
Argument Essentials: Audiovisual Rhetoric
ELIZABETH WARREN, Remarks at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
Strategies for Critical Listening
Online Environments
Networking Sites
WILLIAM WHARTON, “Peaceful” Act of Compassion
Argument Essentials: Online Environments
Research Skill: Evaluating Online Sources
Interactive Websites
AD COUNCIL, embracerefugees.org
Assignments for Critical Reading of Multimodal Arguments
4. Writing Argument Analysis
Argument Essentials: Argument Analysis
Writing the Thesis (Main Claim)
Argument Essentials: Writing the Claim
Planning the Structure
Argument Essentials: Planning the Structure
Providing Support
Summarizing
Paraphrasing
Argument Essentials: Providing Support
Quoting
Research Skill: Incorporating Quotations into Your Text
Documenting Your Sources
Strategies for Documenting Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation
JAMES W. INGRAM III, Electoral College Is Best Way to Choose U.S. President
HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT, The Science Facts about Autism and Vaccines (infographic)
*STEFAN ANDREASSON, Fossil Fuel Divestment Will Increase Carbon Emissions, Not Lower Them
*BEN ADLER, Are Plastic-Bag Bans Good for the Climate?
*LESLEY WEXLER AND JENNIFER K. ROBBENNOLT, #MeToo and Restorative Justice: Realizing
Restoration for Victims and Offenders
*DESTINÉE MILLER, Restorative Justice and the #MeToo Movement (student essay)
*SABRA STAPLETON, How to Pick a President: Electoral College vs. National Popular Vote (student essay)
Assignments for Writing Argument Analysis
PART TWO Writing Argument
*5. Approaches to Argument
Aristotelian Rhetoric
Ethos
Logos
Pathos
Ancient Rhetoric Today
Argument Essentials: Aristotelian Rhetoric
*CHESLEY B. “SULLY” SULLENBERGER III, We Saved 155 Lives on the Hudson. Now Let’s Vote for Leaders Who’ll Protect Us All.
LIZA LONG, I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother
Rogerian Argument
Argument Essentials: Rogerian Argument
MALLORY SIMON, Gun Debate: Where Is the Middle Ground?
SARAH SELTZER, Teaching Trigger Warnings: What Pundits Don’t Understand about the Year’s Most Controversial Higher-Ed Debate
Stasis Theory
The Stasis Questions
Stasis Theory Claims
Research Skill: Narrowing Your Research
The Toulmin Model
The Claim
The Support
The Assumption
Toulmin and the Syllogism
Argument Essentials: The Toulmin Model
*ANGIRA PATEL, To Be a Good Doctor, Study the Humanities
STEVEN REINBERG, Embryo Selection May Help Prevent Some Inherited Disorders
Assignments for Approaches to Argument
6. Claims
Claims of Fact
Argument Essentials: Claims of Fact
Research Skill: Using Databases
*AMY FROIDE, Spinster, Old Maid, or Self-Partnered: Why Words for Single Women Have Changed through Time
DOMTAR PAPER, Paper Because (advertisement)
Claims of Value
Aesthetics
Morality
Argument Essentials: Claims of Value
SAMUEL CHI, The NFL’s Protest Crisis
*ODIE HENDERSON, Black Panther
Claims of Policy
Argument Essentials: Claims of Policy
ELISHA DOV HACK, College Life versus My Moral Code
*JESSICA ANDREWS, How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation at Coachella
Strategies for Reading and Writing Claims
Assignments for Claims
7. Support
Strategies for Reading and Writing Support
Evidence
Factual Evidence
Images
Research Skill: Evaluating Factual Evidence
Expert Opinion
Research Skill: Evaluating Expert Opinion
Argument Essentials: Evidence
KRISTEN WEINACKER, Safer? Tastier? More Nutritious? The Dubious Merits of Organic Foods (student essay)
SID KIRCHHEIMER, Are Sports Fans Happier?
Appeals to Needs and Values
Appeals to Needs
Argument Essentials: Appeals to Needs and Values
Appeals to Values
Strategies for Evaluating Appeals to Needs and Values
RONALD M. GREEN, Building Baby from the Genes Up
*SARAH GRIFFITHS, Why Having a Crush Is Good for You
Assignments for Support
8. Assumptions
General Principles
Widely Held Assumptions
Argument Essentials: Assumptions
Recognizing and Analyzing Unstated Assumptions
“Obvious” Assumptions
Intention to Deceive
Strategies for Recognizing Assumptions
*THOMAS R. WELLS, Let the Anti-Vaxxers Have Their Way
Research Skill: Focusing a Research Topic
MICHAEL LEVIN, The Case for Torture
ROBERT A. SIRICO, An Unjust Sacrifice
Assignments for Assumptions
9. Structuring the Argument
Organizing the Argument
Defending the Thesis
Refuting an Opposing View
Strategies for Refuting an Opposing View
SHARON ASTYK AND AARON NEWTON, The Rich Get Richer, the Poor Go Hungry
Finding the Middle Ground
Strategies for Finding the Middle Ground
*JACK BEYRER, Innovative Gun Control Idea Gains Support
Presenting the Stock Issues
JOHN R. KOZA, States Can Reform Electoral College — Here’s How to Empower Popular Vote
Argument Essentials: Organizing the Argument
Writing
Writing the Introduction
Writing the Conclusion
Assignments for Structuring Arguments
PART THREE Strengthening Argument
10. Language
The Power of Words
Emotive Language
STIHL, Consumer Confidence (advertisement)
*DONALD J. TRUMP, Remarks on the Shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio
PAMELA POWERS HANNLEY, Bathroom Politics: Preserving the Sanctity of the “Ladies’ Room”
Slanting
Research Skill: Evaluating Language in Sources
Figurative Language
W. E. B. DU BOIS, Of Our Spiritual Strivings
Concrete and Abstract Language
Shortcuts
Clichés
Slogans
Strategies for Evaluating Word Choice and Choosing Your Words Carefully
*RACHEL SYME, Selfie: The Revolutionary Potential of Your Own Face
BARACK OBAMA, Remarks at Memorial Service for Fallen Dallas Police Officers
Assignments for Language
11. Definition
The Purposes of Definition
Argument Essentials: Purposes of Definition
SUNNIVIE BRYDUM, The True Meaning of the Word “Cisgender”
*LUCAS WRIGHT, Twitter Bans Dehumanization
Defining the Terms in Your Argument
The Limitations of Dictionary Definitions
Stipulation and Negation: Stating What a Term Is and Is Not
Defining Vague and Ambiguous Terms
Research Skill: Using Encyclopedias to Find Definitions
Definition by Example
Argument Essentials: Defining the Terms in Your Argument
Extended Definitions
Strategies for Writing a Definition Essay
ISHMEAL BRADLEY, Conscientious Objection in Medicine: A Moral Dilemma
BRIAN WHITAKER, The Definition of Terrorism
Assignments for Definition
12. Logic
Induction
Argument Essentials: Induction
*STEVEN DOLOFF, Greta Garbo, Meet Joan Rivers . . . (Talk Amongst Yourselves)”
Deduction
Argument Essentials: Deduction
*SEAMUS O’MAHONY, Are We Living Too Long?
HILLARY CLINTON, Remarks at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Women and the Economy Summit
Common Fallacies
Research Skill: Structuring Your Research with Generalizations and Specifics
Hasty Generalization
Faulty Use of Authority
Post Hoc or Doubtful Cause
False Analogy
Ad Hominem
False Dilemma
Slippery Slope
Begging the Question
Straw Man
Red Herring
Two Wrongs Make a Right
Non Sequitur
Ad Populum
Strategies for Uncovering Logical Fallacies
Appeal to Tradition
CHRISTOPHER CALDWELL, Drivers Get Rolled
*JUSTICE HENRY BILLINGS BROWN, Plessy v. Ferguson: The Opinion of the Court
Assignments for Logic
PART FOUR Incorporating Research
13. Planning and Research
Finding an Appropriate Topic
Invention Strategies
Evaluating Possible Topics
Strategies for Identifying Effective Research Paper Topics
Initiating Research
Keeping Research on Track
Strategies for Keeping Your Research on Track
Research Skill: What Is Common Knowledge?
Sketching a Preliminary Outline
Types of Sources
Research Skill: Popular vs. Scholarly Articles
Finding Sources
Databases
Encyclopedias
Statistical Resources
Government Resources
Online Sources
Multimodal Sources
Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Sources for Relevance
Evaluating Sources for Reliability
Research Skill: Evaluating Multimodal Sources
Argument Essentials: Evaluating Sources
Taking Notes
Note Taking and Prewriting
Working with Your Outline
Managing and Documenting Sources
Argument Essentials: Taking Notes
*ALICIA OGLESBY, Safe Spaces
*MEGAN YEE, Why “Safe Spaces” Are Important for Mental Health — Especially on College Campuses
14. Drafting, Revising, and Presenting Arguments
Reviewing Your Research
Research Skill: Reviewing Your Research
Avoiding Plagiarism
Argument Essentials: Avoiding Plagiarism
Building an Effective Argument
Argument Essentials: Checklist for Effective Arguments
Using Sentence Forms to Write Arguments
Argument Essentials: Addressing Opposing Arguments Using Sentence Forms
Revising
Oral Arguments and Presentations
The Audience
Credibility
Organization
Language
Support
Presentation Aids
*JIMMY CARTER, Why I Believe the Mistreatment of Women Is the Number One Human Rights Abuse
KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, Remarks to Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute
15. Documenting Sources
MLA In-Text Citations
MLA Works Cited Entries
Directory of MLA Works Cited Entries
Print Sources
The Elements of Citation: Book (MLA)
Online Sources
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Website (MLA)
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Database (MLA)
Other Sources
MLA-Style Annotated Bibliography
MLA-Style Paper Format
MLA-Style Sample Research Paper
*ANNA HARVIN, The Place for Safe Space: Mental Health and the College Student Experience (student essay in MLA style)
APA In-Text Citations
APA List of References
Directory of APA Reference Entries
Print Sources
The Elements of Citation: Book (APA)
Online Sources
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Website (APA)
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Database (APA)
Other Sources
APA-Style Paper Format
APA-Style Sample Research Paper
*DANIEL M. WEINZAPFEL, The Economic Argument for Expanding GMO Regulation in America (student essay in APA style)
PART FIVE Debating the Issues
*16. The Anti-Vaxx Movement: What Values Are at Stake?
*ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., This Is the Chronic Disease Epidemic
*KATHLEEN KENNEDY TOWNSEND, JOSEPH P. KENNEDY II, AND MAEVE KENNEDY MCKEAN, RFK Jr., Is Our Brother and Uncle. He’s Tragically Wrong about Vaccines.
*17. Confederate Monuments: Where Is Their Place in Today’s America?
*GRACY OLMSTEAD, There Are Good Reasons to Consider Removing Confederate Memorials from Our Public Squares
*JOHN DANIEL DAVIDSON, Why We Should Keep the Confederate Monuments Right Where They Are
*18. Breed-Specific Legislation: Should Ownership of Aggressive Dogs Be Regulated?
*KENNETH M. PHILLIPS, Arguments For and Against Breed-Specific Laws
*AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (ASPCA), Position Statement on Breed-Specific Legislation
19. Gender Stereotypes: Is the “Princess” Phenomenon Detrimental to Girls’ Self-Image?
CALAH ALEXANDER, The Dangers of the Princess Culture
CRYSTAL LIECHTY, In Defense of Princess Culture
20. Economics and College Sports: Should College Athletes Be Paid?
PAUL MARX, Athlete’s New Day
WARREN HARTENSTINE, College Athletes Should Not Be Paid
PART SIX Multiple Viewpoints
21. Social Networking: What Are the Consequences of Becoming an Online Society?
ALFREDO LOPEZ, Social Networking and the Death of the Internet
*JASMINE GARSD, #BLESSED: Is Everyone Happier Than You on Social Media?
ISAAC GILMAN, Online Lives, Offline Consequences: Professionalism, Information Ethics, and Professional Students
*JOSH MOODY, Why Colleges Look at Students’’ Social Media
*GRETCHEN MCCULLOCH, Post Internet People
*22. Mass Shootings in America: Who Is to Blame? How Should We Respond?
*JILLIAN PETERSON AND JAMES DENSLEY, What We’ve Learned about Mass Shooters Since 1966
*ROXANNE DUNBAR-ORTIZ, Inside the Minds of American Mass Shooters
*ELLY VINTIADIS, Mass Shooting and the Myth of the Violent Mentally Ill
WAYNE LAPIERRE, What Should America Do about Gun Violence?
GRETCHEN BLYNT, Preparing Kids for School Shootings Damages Them, Too
ALEX MESOUDI, Mass Shootings and the Mass Media: Does Media Coverage of Mass Shootings Inspire Copycat Crimes?
23. Climate Change: It Exists. What Now?
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION, How Will Climate
Change Affect the World and Society?
*JOHN R. WENNERSTEN AND DENISE ROBBINS, Climate Refugees Are on the Verge of Becoming a Global Problem
*CHELSEY KIVLAND AND ANNE SOSIN, Why Climate Change Is Worsening Public Health Problems
REYNARD LOKI, 4 Reasons Climate Change Affects National Security
DIANA LIVERMAN AND AMY GLASMEIER, What Are the Economic Consequences of Climate Change?
*24. Diversity and Inclusion: Are Equality Initiatives Successful?
*DREW ALLEN AND GREGORY C. WOLNIAK, When College Tuition Goes Up, Campus Diversity Goes Down
*JULIE A. PETERSON AND LISA M. RUDGERS, The Attack on Affirmative Action Is Simple and Powerful — and Wrong
*BOBBY ALLYN, College Board Drops Its “Adversity Score” for Each Student after Backlash
*ANTHONY ABRAHAM JACK, I Was a Low-Income College Student. Classes Weren’t the Hard Part.
*NICK HANAUER, Better Schools Won’t Fix America
25. Freedom of Speech on Campus: Are Limitations on Our Rights Ever Justified?
*JAMES MCWILLIAMS, What Can We Learn from the Campus Free Speech Debates?
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, Speech on Campus
JANET NAPOLITANO, It’s Time to Free Speech on Campus Again
*EMMA KERR, College Students Want Free Speech — Sort Of
*JOAN WALLACH SCOTT, Freedom of Speech v. Civility
*26. Mistrust of the Media: How Much Should We Rely on Our Information Sources?
*JAMES CARSON, Fake News: What Exactly Is It — and How Can You Spot It?
*JEFFREY M. JONES, U.S. Media Trust Continues to Recover from 2016 Low
*HANS ROSLING, The Blame Instinct
*ALAN RUSBRIDGER, Journalism Has Changed in the Blink of an Eye
PART SEVEN Classic Arguments
JONATHAN SWIFT, A Modest Proposal
THOMAS JEFFERSON, The Declaration of Independence
HENRY DAVID THOREAU, Civil Disobedience
SOJOURNER TRUTH, Ain’t I a Woman?
RACHEL CARSON, The Obligation to Endure
NELSON MANDELA, Black Man in a White Man’s Court
THURGOOD MARSHALL, Reflections on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution
Glossary
Index
Product Updates
The ebook has been updated to give your students the latest guidance on documenting sources in MLA style and follows the guidelines set forth in the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (April 2021).
Thought-provoking selections on contemporary topics. Nearly half of the readings are new and invite students into conversations that affect the world they live in. Here are some highlights:
- Activist Greta Thunberg accuses the United Nations of negligence in the face of climate change in “How Dare You?”
- Poet Ocean Vuong examines the pitfalls of toxic gender norms in “Reimagining Masculinity”
- Professor of education Anthony Abraham Jack exposes the continuing inequities of inclusive college admissions in “I Was a Low-Income College Student. Classes Weren’t the Hard Part.”
Three new debates and two new "Multiple Viewpoints" casebooks. New anthology chapters tackle some of today’s controversial issues, including Confederate monuments, pet ownership and ethics, mass shootings in America, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and mistrust of the media.
A new Chapter 1, “What Is Argument?” An expanded introductory chapter provides a foundational vocabulary and context for argument and critical thinking in any argument course. Examples of argument in multiple genres invite students to resist one-dimensional thinking and to think critically about the multiple perspectives, purposes, ethics, and needs of argument in the world around them.
Additional support for connecting argument concepts with steps in the reading and writing process.
- New and updated Strategies boxes prompt students with guided questions about each element of argument.
- Approaches to argument (Aristotelian, Rogerian, Toulmin, and stasis questions) now appear in a dedicated chapter (Chapter 5) that bridges the gap between reading and writing arguments, emphasizing the variety of choices available to writers as they analyze and compose arguments.
Updated research coverage. To reflect how students currently consume and search for information, especially through online searches, a revised Part Three provides guidance on how to critically evaluate sources to detect bias or misleading sources. Citation models include more contemporary examples such as social media posts and online videos.
Fresh multimodal arguments. New podcast transcripts, ads, photographs, and website screenshots provide visual examples and opportunities for analysis.
Authors
-
Annette T. Rottenberg
Annette T. Rottenberg, formerly assistant director of the writing program at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, has taught composition and literature at Chicago City College, SUNY at Buffalo, Duke University, and schools abroad. She is the author of Elements of Argument and The Structure of Argument.
-
Donna Haisty Winchell
Donna Haisty Winchell has directed the Freshman Composition program and codirected Digital Portfolio Institutes at Clemson University, where she was Professor of English. She has edited several freshman writing anthologies—including Elements of Argument and The Structure of Argument for Bedford/St. Martin’s.
Table of Contents
An asterisk (*) indicates a new selection.
PART ONE Understanding Argument
*1. What Is Argument?
Why Study Argument?
Argument in the Twenty-First Century
*MEL BONDAR, The Financial Case for Trade School over College
The Purposes of Argument
The Elements of Argument
The Ethics of Argument
So, Why Write Arguments?
2. Critical Reading of Written Arguments
Prereading
Strategies for Prereading
*GRETA THUNBERG, How Dare You?
Reading with an Open Mind
*MARK R. LEVIN, News, Propaganda, and Pseudo-Events
Reading for Content and Structure
Strategies for Annotating a Text
CHRISTOPHER ELLIOTT, A Tale of Two Airlines
Summarizing
Research Skill: Using Summaries in Research
*OCEAN VUONG, Reimagining Masculinity
Evaluating
Strategies for Evaluating Arguments
BRUCE SCHNEIER, The Internet Is a Surveillance State
WHITNEY CRAMER, Giving Up Our Privacy: Is It Worth It? (student essay)
Argument Essentials: Examining Written Arguments
Assignments for Critical Reading of Written Arguments
3. Critical Reading of Multimodal Arguments
Visual Rhetoric
Photographs
*ERIK MCGREGOR, Candlelight Vigil for Mass Shooting Victims
*MICHAEL CAMPANELLA, Friday School Strikes, August 2018
*MARCO MERLINE, Fridays for the Future, Six Months Later
*NORMA JEAN GARGASZ, The View from the Other Side
*JOSEPH PREZIOSO, A Standoff over Immigration
*COURTENEY COKO MOORE, Little Boy Holds Hand of Crying Classmate
Argument Essentials: Visual Rhetoric
Print Advertisements
WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, Stop Climate Change before It Changes You
AD COUNCIL, It Only Takes a Moment to Make a Moment
*L’OREAL, My Future Is What I Make It
Political Cartoons
*FRAN, Citizenship Test Forum
*PETER STEINER, Understand the Ten Commandments
*CHIP BOK, Sorry, Sir, You’ve Been Red-Flagged
Graphics
THEWORLD.ORG, Tobacco’s Shifting Burden
UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS, Where Your Gas Money Goes
Audio and Audiovisual Rhetoric
Television Commercials
TOYOTA, Let’s Go Places
Podcasts
*LEFT, RIGHT, CENTER, Recession Fears, Immigration Rules, and “Electability”
*TOM BALDWIN and NINA SCHICK, INTELLIGENCE SQUARED, How the Information Age
Crashed Our Democracy
Argument Essentials: Audiovisual Rhetoric
ELIZABETH WARREN, Remarks at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate
Strategies for Critical Listening
Online Environments
Networking Sites
WILLIAM WHARTON, “Peaceful” Act of Compassion
Argument Essentials: Online Environments
Research Skill: Evaluating Online Sources
Interactive Websites
AD COUNCIL, embracerefugees.org
Assignments for Critical Reading of Multimodal Arguments
4. Writing Argument Analysis
Argument Essentials: Argument Analysis
Writing the Thesis (Main Claim)
Argument Essentials: Writing the Claim
Planning the Structure
Argument Essentials: Planning the Structure
Providing Support
Summarizing
Paraphrasing
Argument Essentials: Providing Support
Quoting
Research Skill: Incorporating Quotations into Your Text
Documenting Your Sources
Strategies for Documenting Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation
JAMES W. INGRAM III, Electoral College Is Best Way to Choose U.S. President
HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT, The Science Facts about Autism and Vaccines (infographic)
*STEFAN ANDREASSON, Fossil Fuel Divestment Will Increase Carbon Emissions, Not Lower Them
*BEN ADLER, Are Plastic-Bag Bans Good for the Climate?
*LESLEY WEXLER AND JENNIFER K. ROBBENNOLT, #MeToo and Restorative Justice: Realizing
Restoration for Victims and Offenders
*DESTINÉE MILLER, Restorative Justice and the #MeToo Movement (student essay)
*SABRA STAPLETON, How to Pick a President: Electoral College vs. National Popular Vote (student essay)
Assignments for Writing Argument Analysis
PART TWO Writing Argument
*5. Approaches to Argument
Aristotelian Rhetoric
Ethos
Logos
Pathos
Ancient Rhetoric Today
Argument Essentials: Aristotelian Rhetoric
*CHESLEY B. “SULLY” SULLENBERGER III, We Saved 155 Lives on the Hudson. Now Let’s Vote for Leaders Who’ll Protect Us All.
LIZA LONG, I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother
Rogerian Argument
Argument Essentials: Rogerian Argument
MALLORY SIMON, Gun Debate: Where Is the Middle Ground?
SARAH SELTZER, Teaching Trigger Warnings: What Pundits Don’t Understand about the Year’s Most Controversial Higher-Ed Debate
Stasis Theory
The Stasis Questions
Stasis Theory Claims
Research Skill: Narrowing Your Research
The Toulmin Model
The Claim
The Support
The Assumption
Toulmin and the Syllogism
Argument Essentials: The Toulmin Model
*ANGIRA PATEL, To Be a Good Doctor, Study the Humanities
STEVEN REINBERG, Embryo Selection May Help Prevent Some Inherited Disorders
Assignments for Approaches to Argument
6. Claims
Claims of Fact
Argument Essentials: Claims of Fact
Research Skill: Using Databases
*AMY FROIDE, Spinster, Old Maid, or Self-Partnered: Why Words for Single Women Have Changed through Time
DOMTAR PAPER, Paper Because (advertisement)
Claims of Value
Aesthetics
Morality
Argument Essentials: Claims of Value
SAMUEL CHI, The NFL’s Protest Crisis
*ODIE HENDERSON, Black Panther
Claims of Policy
Argument Essentials: Claims of Policy
ELISHA DOV HACK, College Life versus My Moral Code
*JESSICA ANDREWS, How to Avoid Cultural Appropriation at Coachella
Strategies for Reading and Writing Claims
Assignments for Claims
7. Support
Strategies for Reading and Writing Support
Evidence
Factual Evidence
Images
Research Skill: Evaluating Factual Evidence
Expert Opinion
Research Skill: Evaluating Expert Opinion
Argument Essentials: Evidence
KRISTEN WEINACKER, Safer? Tastier? More Nutritious? The Dubious Merits of Organic Foods (student essay)
SID KIRCHHEIMER, Are Sports Fans Happier?
Appeals to Needs and Values
Appeals to Needs
Argument Essentials: Appeals to Needs and Values
Appeals to Values
Strategies for Evaluating Appeals to Needs and Values
RONALD M. GREEN, Building Baby from the Genes Up
*SARAH GRIFFITHS, Why Having a Crush Is Good for You
Assignments for Support
8. Assumptions
General Principles
Widely Held Assumptions
Argument Essentials: Assumptions
Recognizing and Analyzing Unstated Assumptions
“Obvious” Assumptions
Intention to Deceive
Strategies for Recognizing Assumptions
*THOMAS R. WELLS, Let the Anti-Vaxxers Have Their Way
Research Skill: Focusing a Research Topic
MICHAEL LEVIN, The Case for Torture
ROBERT A. SIRICO, An Unjust Sacrifice
Assignments for Assumptions
9. Structuring the Argument
Organizing the Argument
Defending the Thesis
Refuting an Opposing View
Strategies for Refuting an Opposing View
SHARON ASTYK AND AARON NEWTON, The Rich Get Richer, the Poor Go Hungry
Finding the Middle Ground
Strategies for Finding the Middle Ground
*JACK BEYRER, Innovative Gun Control Idea Gains Support
Presenting the Stock Issues
JOHN R. KOZA, States Can Reform Electoral College — Here’s How to Empower Popular Vote
Argument Essentials: Organizing the Argument
Writing
Writing the Introduction
Writing the Conclusion
Assignments for Structuring Arguments
PART THREE Strengthening Argument
10. Language
The Power of Words
Emotive Language
STIHL, Consumer Confidence (advertisement)
*DONALD J. TRUMP, Remarks on the Shootings in El Paso, Texas, and Dayton, Ohio
PAMELA POWERS HANNLEY, Bathroom Politics: Preserving the Sanctity of the “Ladies’ Room”
Slanting
Research Skill: Evaluating Language in Sources
Figurative Language
W. E. B. DU BOIS, Of Our Spiritual Strivings
Concrete and Abstract Language
Shortcuts
Clichés
Slogans
Strategies for Evaluating Word Choice and Choosing Your Words Carefully
*RACHEL SYME, Selfie: The Revolutionary Potential of Your Own Face
BARACK OBAMA, Remarks at Memorial Service for Fallen Dallas Police Officers
Assignments for Language
11. Definition
The Purposes of Definition
Argument Essentials: Purposes of Definition
SUNNIVIE BRYDUM, The True Meaning of the Word “Cisgender”
*LUCAS WRIGHT, Twitter Bans Dehumanization
Defining the Terms in Your Argument
The Limitations of Dictionary Definitions
Stipulation and Negation: Stating What a Term Is and Is Not
Defining Vague and Ambiguous Terms
Research Skill: Using Encyclopedias to Find Definitions
Definition by Example
Argument Essentials: Defining the Terms in Your Argument
Extended Definitions
Strategies for Writing a Definition Essay
ISHMEAL BRADLEY, Conscientious Objection in Medicine: A Moral Dilemma
BRIAN WHITAKER, The Definition of Terrorism
Assignments for Definition
12. Logic
Induction
Argument Essentials: Induction
*STEVEN DOLOFF, Greta Garbo, Meet Joan Rivers . . . (Talk Amongst Yourselves)”
Deduction
Argument Essentials: Deduction
*SEAMUS O’MAHONY, Are We Living Too Long?
HILLARY CLINTON, Remarks at the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Women and the Economy Summit
Common Fallacies
Research Skill: Structuring Your Research with Generalizations and Specifics
Hasty Generalization
Faulty Use of Authority
Post Hoc or Doubtful Cause
False Analogy
Ad Hominem
False Dilemma
Slippery Slope
Begging the Question
Straw Man
Red Herring
Two Wrongs Make a Right
Non Sequitur
Ad Populum
Strategies for Uncovering Logical Fallacies
Appeal to Tradition
CHRISTOPHER CALDWELL, Drivers Get Rolled
*JUSTICE HENRY BILLINGS BROWN, Plessy v. Ferguson: The Opinion of the Court
Assignments for Logic
PART FOUR Incorporating Research
13. Planning and Research
Finding an Appropriate Topic
Invention Strategies
Evaluating Possible Topics
Strategies for Identifying Effective Research Paper Topics
Initiating Research
Keeping Research on Track
Strategies for Keeping Your Research on Track
Research Skill: What Is Common Knowledge?
Sketching a Preliminary Outline
Types of Sources
Research Skill: Popular vs. Scholarly Articles
Finding Sources
Databases
Encyclopedias
Statistical Resources
Government Resources
Online Sources
Multimodal Sources
Evaluating Sources
Evaluating Sources for Relevance
Evaluating Sources for Reliability
Research Skill: Evaluating Multimodal Sources
Argument Essentials: Evaluating Sources
Taking Notes
Note Taking and Prewriting
Working with Your Outline
Managing and Documenting Sources
Argument Essentials: Taking Notes
*ALICIA OGLESBY, Safe Spaces
*MEGAN YEE, Why “Safe Spaces” Are Important for Mental Health — Especially on College Campuses
14. Drafting, Revising, and Presenting Arguments
Reviewing Your Research
Research Skill: Reviewing Your Research
Avoiding Plagiarism
Argument Essentials: Avoiding Plagiarism
Building an Effective Argument
Argument Essentials: Checklist for Effective Arguments
Using Sentence Forms to Write Arguments
Argument Essentials: Addressing Opposing Arguments Using Sentence Forms
Revising
Oral Arguments and Presentations
The Audience
Credibility
Organization
Language
Support
Presentation Aids
*JIMMY CARTER, Why I Believe the Mistreatment of Women Is the Number One Human Rights Abuse
KATHLEEN SEBELIUS, Remarks to Georgetown University’s Public Policy Institute
15. Documenting Sources
MLA In-Text Citations
MLA Works Cited Entries
Directory of MLA Works Cited Entries
Print Sources
The Elements of Citation: Book (MLA)
Online Sources
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Website (MLA)
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Database (MLA)
Other Sources
MLA-Style Annotated Bibliography
MLA-Style Paper Format
MLA-Style Sample Research Paper
*ANNA HARVIN, The Place for Safe Space: Mental Health and the College Student Experience (student essay in MLA style)
APA In-Text Citations
APA List of References
Directory of APA Reference Entries
Print Sources
The Elements of Citation: Book (APA)
Online Sources
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Website (APA)
The Elements of Citation: Article from a Database (APA)
Other Sources
APA-Style Paper Format
APA-Style Sample Research Paper
*DANIEL M. WEINZAPFEL, The Economic Argument for Expanding GMO Regulation in America (student essay in APA style)
PART FIVE Debating the Issues
*16. The Anti-Vaxx Movement: What Values Are at Stake?
*ROBERT F. KENNEDY JR., This Is the Chronic Disease Epidemic
*KATHLEEN KENNEDY TOWNSEND, JOSEPH P. KENNEDY II, AND MAEVE KENNEDY MCKEAN, RFK Jr., Is Our Brother and Uncle. He’s Tragically Wrong about Vaccines.
*17. Confederate Monuments: Where Is Their Place in Today’s America?
*GRACY OLMSTEAD, There Are Good Reasons to Consider Removing Confederate Memorials from Our Public Squares
*JOHN DANIEL DAVIDSON, Why We Should Keep the Confederate Monuments Right Where They Are
*18. Breed-Specific Legislation: Should Ownership of Aggressive Dogs Be Regulated?
*KENNETH M. PHILLIPS, Arguments For and Against Breed-Specific Laws
*AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR THE PREVENTION OF CRUELTY TO ANIMALS (ASPCA), Position Statement on Breed-Specific Legislation
19. Gender Stereotypes: Is the “Princess” Phenomenon Detrimental to Girls’ Self-Image?
CALAH ALEXANDER, The Dangers of the Princess Culture
CRYSTAL LIECHTY, In Defense of Princess Culture
20. Economics and College Sports: Should College Athletes Be Paid?
PAUL MARX, Athlete’s New Day
WARREN HARTENSTINE, College Athletes Should Not Be Paid
PART SIX Multiple Viewpoints
21. Social Networking: What Are the Consequences of Becoming an Online Society?
ALFREDO LOPEZ, Social Networking and the Death of the Internet
*JASMINE GARSD, #BLESSED: Is Everyone Happier Than You on Social Media?
ISAAC GILMAN, Online Lives, Offline Consequences: Professionalism, Information Ethics, and Professional Students
*JOSH MOODY, Why Colleges Look at Students’’ Social Media
*GRETCHEN MCCULLOCH, Post Internet People
*22. Mass Shootings in America: Who Is to Blame? How Should We Respond?
*JILLIAN PETERSON AND JAMES DENSLEY, What We’ve Learned about Mass Shooters Since 1966
*ROXANNE DUNBAR-ORTIZ, Inside the Minds of American Mass Shooters
*ELLY VINTIADIS, Mass Shooting and the Myth of the Violent Mentally Ill
WAYNE LAPIERRE, What Should America Do about Gun Violence?
GRETCHEN BLYNT, Preparing Kids for School Shootings Damages Them, Too
ALEX MESOUDI, Mass Shootings and the Mass Media: Does Media Coverage of Mass Shootings Inspire Copycat Crimes?
23. Climate Change: It Exists. What Now?
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENCE EDUCATION, How Will Climate
Change Affect the World and Society?
*JOHN R. WENNERSTEN AND DENISE ROBBINS, Climate Refugees Are on the Verge of Becoming a Global Problem
*CHELSEY KIVLAND AND ANNE SOSIN, Why Climate Change Is Worsening Public Health Problems
REYNARD LOKI, 4 Reasons Climate Change Affects National Security
DIANA LIVERMAN AND AMY GLASMEIER, What Are the Economic Consequences of Climate Change?
*24. Diversity and Inclusion: Are Equality Initiatives Successful?
*DREW ALLEN AND GREGORY C. WOLNIAK, When College Tuition Goes Up, Campus Diversity Goes Down
*JULIE A. PETERSON AND LISA M. RUDGERS, The Attack on Affirmative Action Is Simple and Powerful — and Wrong
*BOBBY ALLYN, College Board Drops Its “Adversity Score” for Each Student after Backlash
*ANTHONY ABRAHAM JACK, I Was a Low-Income College Student. Classes Weren’t the Hard Part.
*NICK HANAUER, Better Schools Won’t Fix America
25. Freedom of Speech on Campus: Are Limitations on Our Rights Ever Justified?
*JAMES MCWILLIAMS, What Can We Learn from the Campus Free Speech Debates?
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION, Speech on Campus
JANET NAPOLITANO, It’s Time to Free Speech on Campus Again
*EMMA KERR, College Students Want Free Speech — Sort Of
*JOAN WALLACH SCOTT, Freedom of Speech v. Civility
*26. Mistrust of the Media: How Much Should We Rely on Our Information Sources?
*JAMES CARSON, Fake News: What Exactly Is It — and How Can You Spot It?
*JEFFREY M. JONES, U.S. Media Trust Continues to Recover from 2016 Low
*HANS ROSLING, The Blame Instinct
*ALAN RUSBRIDGER, Journalism Has Changed in the Blink of an Eye
PART SEVEN Classic Arguments
JONATHAN SWIFT, A Modest Proposal
THOMAS JEFFERSON, The Declaration of Independence
HENRY DAVID THOREAU, Civil Disobedience
SOJOURNER TRUTH, Ain’t I a Woman?
RACHEL CARSON, The Obligation to Endure
NELSON MANDELA, Black Man in a White Man’s Court
THURGOOD MARSHALL, Reflections on the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution
Glossary
Index
Product Updates
The ebook has been updated to give your students the latest guidance on documenting sources in MLA style and follows the guidelines set forth in the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (April 2021).
Thought-provoking selections on contemporary topics. Nearly half of the readings are new and invite students into conversations that affect the world they live in. Here are some highlights:
- Activist Greta Thunberg accuses the United Nations of negligence in the face of climate change in “How Dare You?”
- Poet Ocean Vuong examines the pitfalls of toxic gender norms in “Reimagining Masculinity”
- Professor of education Anthony Abraham Jack exposes the continuing inequities of inclusive college admissions in “I Was a Low-Income College Student. Classes Weren’t the Hard Part.”
Three new debates and two new "Multiple Viewpoints" casebooks. New anthology chapters tackle some of today’s controversial issues, including Confederate monuments, pet ownership and ethics, mass shootings in America, diversity and inclusion initiatives, and mistrust of the media.
A new Chapter 1, “What Is Argument?” An expanded introductory chapter provides a foundational vocabulary and context for argument and critical thinking in any argument course. Examples of argument in multiple genres invite students to resist one-dimensional thinking and to think critically about the multiple perspectives, purposes, ethics, and needs of argument in the world around them.
Additional support for connecting argument concepts with steps in the reading and writing process.
- New and updated Strategies boxes prompt students with guided questions about each element of argument.
- Approaches to argument (Aristotelian, Rogerian, Toulmin, and stasis questions) now appear in a dedicated chapter (Chapter 5) that bridges the gap between reading and writing arguments, emphasizing the variety of choices available to writers as they analyze and compose arguments.
Updated research coverage. To reflect how students currently consume and search for information, especially through online searches, a revised Part Three provides guidance on how to critically evaluate sources to detect bias or misleading sources. Citation models include more contemporary examples such as social media posts and online videos.
Fresh multimodal arguments. New podcast transcripts, ads, photographs, and website screenshots provide visual examples and opportunities for analysis.
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If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
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Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
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ISBN:9781319462888
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Are you a campus bookstore looking for ordering information?
MPS Order Search Tool (MOST) is a web-based purchase order tracking program that allows customers to view and track their purchases. No registration or special codes needed! Just enter your BILL-TO ACCT # and your ZIP CODE to track orders.
Canadian Stores: Please use only the first five digits/letters in your zip code on MOST.
Visit MOST, our online ordering system for booksellers: https://tracking.mpsvirginia.com/Login.aspx
Learn more about our Bookstore programs here: https://www.macmillanlearning.com/college/us/contact-us/booksellers
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Our courses currently integrate with Canvas, Blackboard (Learn and Ultra), Brightspace, D2L, and Moodle. Click on the support documentation below to find out more details about the integration with each LMS.
Integrate Macmillan courses with Blackboard
Integrate Macmillan courses with Canvas
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If you’re a verified instructor, you can request a free sample of our courseware, e-book, or print textbook to consider for use in your courses. Only registered and verified instructors can receive free print and digital samples, and they should not be sold to bookstores or book resellers. If you don't yet have an existing account with Macmillan Learning, it can take up to two business days to verify your status as an instructor. You can request a free sample from the right side of this product page by clicking on the "Request Instructor Sample" button or by contacting your rep. Learn more.
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Sometimes also referred to as a spiral-bound or binder-ready textbook, loose-leaf textbooks are available to purchase. This three-hole punched, unbound version of the book costs less than a hardcover or paperback book.
-
-
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We can help! Contact your representative to discuss your specific needs for your course. If our off-the-shelf course materials don’t quite hit the mark, we also offer custom solutions made to fit your needs.
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Elements of Argument with 2021 MLA Update
The ebook has been updated to give your students the latest guidance on documenting sources in MLA style and follows the guidelines set forth in the MLA Handbook, 9th edition (April 2021)
Elements of Argument offers a deep dive into the major components of argumentation — claims, support, assumptions, language, and logic — to explain concepts and integrate them with reading, writing, and research processes. This affordable text uses brief, accessible readings on current topics to carefully scaffold argumentation for students, first modeling analysis and critical reading, then supporting students through guided practice using argument approaches such as Toulmin, Aristotelian, and Rogerian models, as well as stasis questions.
The Thirteenth Edition strengthens the connection between the elements of argument and reading and writing practices with a clearer chapter organization and easy-to-use Strategies boxes. Robust research coverage is further updated to include more digital source types and reinforce the importance of evaluating sources (especially online) for bias, spin, and reliability. An anthology of debates and casebooks gives students an entry point to writing about contemporary and timeless topics. Elements of Argument is a complete argument resource that provides students with a foundational vocabulary and understanding of the building blocks of argument.
Achieve for Readers & Writers
Combining diagnostics with formative and summative assessments, Achieve for Readers & Writers is a quick, flexible solution for targeting instruction on critical reading, the writing process, grammar, mechanics, style, and punctuation to each individual student. New Achieve Writing Tools allow instructors and peer reviewers to easily comment on student writing, while fully editable writing assignments pair with powerful analytics to track student progress.
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