The Structure of Argument

PART ONE Understanding Argument

 

*1.  What Is Argument?  

Why Study Argument?  

Argument in the Twenty-First Century 

DREW ALLEN AND GREGORY C. WOLNIAK, When College Tuition Goes Up, Campus Diversity Goes Down

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 

KATHLEEN KENNEDY TOWNSEND, JOSEPH P. KENNEDY II, AND MAEVE KENNEDY MCKEAN, RFK Jr. Is Our Brother and Uncle. He’s Tragically Wrong about Vaccines.

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 

*AIMEE PICCHI, More Kids Are Working Dangerous Jobs amid Weaker Labor Laws, Child Migration          

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  

*DMITRY KOSTYUKOV, A Homeless Man and His Dog

JOSEPH PREZIOSO, A Standoff over Immigration 

*COURTENEY COKO MOORE, Little Boy Holds Hand of Crying Classmate 

             Print Advertisements 

            Argument Essentials: Visual Rhetoric 

*WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, You Can Help. Stop Global Warming.

*AD COUNCIL, It Only Takes a Moment to Make a Moment   

Political Cartoons 

*MATT WUERKER, Critical Race Theory 

*PETER KUPER, Justice Weighs Truth 

             Graphics 

THEWORLD.ORG, Tobacco’s Shifting Burden    

GUTTMACHER INSTITUTE, Monthly Abortion Provision Study  

Audio and Audiovisual Rhetoric 

             Television Commercials 

*JEEP, Dents  

             Podcasts

Speeches and Debates

             Argument Essentials: Audiovisual Rhetoric 

ELIZABETH WARREN, Remarks at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate

             Strategies for Critical Listening 

Online Environments 

             Social Media 

WILLIAM WHARTON, “Peaceful” Act of Compassion 

             Argument Essentials: Online Environments 

             Research Skill: Evaluating Online Sources 

             Interactive Websites 

*AD COUNCIL, End Family Fire  

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 for Analysis 

Planning the Structure 

Argument Essentials: Planning the Structure 

Providing Support 

             Summarizing 

             Paraphrasing 

Argument Essentials: Providing Support 

             Quoting 

             Research Skill: Incorporating Quotations into Your Text

Integrating Your Sources  

             Strategies for Summary, Paraphrase, and Quotation

Reading and Practicing Argument Analysis 

JAMES W. INGRAM III, Electoral College Is Best Way to Choose U.S. President 

HEALTHCARE MANAGEMENT, The Science Facts about Autism and Vaccines (infographic)

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 

*DEVORAH HEITNER, The Very Common, Very Harmful Thing Well-Meaning Parents Do 

             *ANN HORNADAY, Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” Is a Supersize Masterpiece 

Claims of Policy 

             Argument Essentials: Claims of Policy 

JILLIAN PETERSON AND JAMES DENSLEY, What We’ve Learned about Mass Shooters Since 1966

*SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, Executive Order To Eliminate Woke, Anti-Women Words From State Government And Respect Women

             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) 

 *JOAN E. SOLSMAN, Movie Theaters Didn’t Die, but They’ll Never Be the Same Again

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 

Introductions and Conclusions 

             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) 

CHARLES PIERCE, CONSERVATIVE POLITICAL RHETORIC NOW HAS AN OFFICIAL BODY COUNT

Connotation 

Slanting 

Figurative Language 

W. E. B. DU BOIS, Of Our Spiritual Strivings 

Concrete and Abstract Language 

Shortcuts 

             Clichés 

             Slogans

Argument Essentials: Evaluating Language 

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 

             Appeal to Tradition

Strategies for Uncovering Logical Fallacies

CHRISTOPHER CALDWELL, Drivers Get Rolled 

WAYNE LAPIERRE, What Should America Do about Gun Violence?

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

Research Skill: What Is Common Knowledge?

Sketching a Preliminary Outline 

Strategies for Keeping Your Research on Track 

             Types of Sources 

             Research Skill: Popular vs. Scholarly Articles 

Finding Sources 

             Databases 

             Encyclopedias 

             Statistical Resources 

             Government Resources 

             Other Online Sources 

             Multimodal Sources 

Evaluating Sources 

             Relevance 

             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            

 

15.  Documenting Sources 

MLA In-Text Citations 

MLA Works Cited Entries

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

APA-Style Paper Format

APA-Style Sample Research Paper

ANGELA MATHERS, The Controversy over Women in Combat (student essay)