Writing Arguments

Elements of Argument
    

Thesis Body Counterargument Organizing Checklist

Index

Thesis

Body/CSW

Counter

Organizing

Checklist

Writing is the act of saying . . . listen to me, see it my way, change your mind.
Joan Didion journalist

To argue:
 

Take a stand. Make your case:

present evidence support it with CSW

(ClaimSupportWarrant) laim upport

Acknowledge your opponents view and counterargue.

Overview

Take a stand


A thesis is a statement that others may agree or disagree with.

Take a Stand

Fact vs. Thesis

Fact (not arguable):

Hybrid cars use less gasoline than traditional cars.

Take a Stand

Fact vs. Thesis

 Fact (not arguable):


Hybrid cars use less gasoline than traditional cars. Thesis (arguable):

The federal government should encourage the development of alternative fuels.

Take a Stand

Developing a Thesis
 

Possible thesis This paper will describe a V-chip and Vexamine the uses of the V-chip in VAmericanAmerican-made television sets. Your reaction?

Yawn.
Why should I read this? Take a Stand

Developing a Thesis
 Parents, often too busy to watch
television with their families, can use the V-chip Vto monitor their childrens viewing habits.

Hmm.
And this matters because.?

Take a Stand

Developing a Thesis


The most important feature of the family television is not the big screen or the remote control: it is the V-chip, which helps parents monitor what their children watch. So thats what youre trying to proveand it matters because it protects children.

Take a Stand

Toulmin Arguments: CSW

Claim Support Warrant

Index

Thesis

Body/CSW

Counter

Organizing

Checklist

Toulmin Arguments: CSW CLAIMpoint youre trying to prove

 

What point is the paper trying to make? What belief or opinion is the author defending?

Support

Toulmin Arguments: CSW CS

SUPPORTevidence for the claim
 

Why should readers believe the claim? What proof is given?

Support

Toulmin Arguments: CSW CSW

WARRANTexplains how/why
the evidence proves the point How are the claim and the evidence related? What does this evidence prove?

Support

Example of Toulmin argument

ClaimMcDonalds built a fast-food empire by Claim fastdelivering the same experience in every store, whether its in Albuquerque or Akron. Support SupportEach job is broken down into routines. For example, diagrams show exactly where to place each pickle on a burger. Wait! Ive Warrant had burgers that WarrantThis routinization ensures that didnt have built and in every bite! hamburgers are a pickleserved the same way at all McDonalds franchises.

Example of Toulmin argument



Your readers will also be thinking of objections. Good writers anticipate and answer readers objections. Counterarguments are one way to meet objections.

Warrant WarrantThis routinization ensures that hamburgers are built and served the same way at all McDonalds franchises. Not in my experience!

Why a warrant?
Evidence doesnt speak for itself.

Support

Why a warrant?
The same fact may be given two different interpretations: McDonalds jobs are broken down into standardized routines. Jim: Boring!!!! Dwight: Clear path to advancement
Support

TiVO: yes!
For the last fifteen years, television and radio advertising has become so overblown, so in-your-face, and so LOUD, in-yourthat my senses have revolted. Thats why I like the TiVo box my father has hasI can watch and record my favorite shows and zap through the commercials. Heaven.
Brian Evankovich Magic City Morning Star

Support

TiVO: no!
. Turner Broadcasting CEO Jaime Kellner . . . said it best: Your contract with the network when you get the show is youre going to watch the spots. Any time you skip a commercial, youre actually stealing the programming.
Brian Evankovich Magic City Morning Star

Support

TiVO example
TiVO allows viewers to skip commercials. commercials. Consumer: Heaven!!!! TV exec: Ill sue!

Support

Case Study: Hate Speech Codes

A Pennsylvania school district banned ''unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct which offends, denigrates or belittles an individual.''

Support

Case Study: Hate Speech Codes

A Pennsylvania school district banned ''unwelcome verbal, written or physical conduct which offends, denigrates or belittles an individual. PROS? CONS?

Support

What to avoid
Hate speech codes can prohibit the expression
of hate speech but they can not change the attitudes that lead to that expression. The effect is to send hate underground where it is less likely to be challenged (Smethers, 1993, p 19). In every case where hate speech codes have Back-toBack-to- have been challenged, the courtsback criticized the quotations signal text of the codes forlazy writing and overbroad. being vague Hate speech codes have been found consistently unconstitutional by the courts (Black, 1994, p. 13).
Support

Use CSW for argument body

Claim: A hate speech code should not be adopted because it would not reduce hate.
Huh?

Support: Smether (1993) argues that stopping people from saying hateful things does nothing to change hateful attitudes. Warrant: Paradoxically, hate speech codes can actually strengthen prejudice by driving it underground where it escapes challenge.
Which means?

Support

Find the CSW

C A hate speech code should not be adopted at
MU because it will be struck down by the court system. In every case where hate speech codes have been challenged, the courts have S criticized the text of the codes for being vague and overbroad. Hate speech codes have been found consistently unconstitutional by the courts (Black, 1994, p. 13). Adopting a hate speech code that will be thrown out of court is a waste of W time and money.
Support

Supply the C and W

Claim:


Supporting Material: The music industry slapped [Princeton student Daniel Peng] with a lawsuit seeking potentially billions of dollars in damages for distributing copyrighted works. His site was shut down and his life thrown into chaos. Warrant:

Supply the C and W

Claim: Commercials are the best/worst entertainment on TV.


Supporting Material: Warrant:

Support

Concede and Counterargue

  

Establish common ground. Show awareness of both sides. Acknowledge and counter the strongest objection to your arguments.

Index

Thesis

Body/CSW

Counter

Organizing

Checklist

Concede and Counterargue



Why establish common ground?

Counter

Concede and Counterargue

Why establish common ground?  Enhance credibility  Make it easier for readers to listen by acknowledging their point of view  Remind readers that they share values with the writer

Counter

Counterargument in Action
Son: I dont need a helmet when skateboarding. PU: OK, if you write a paper proving its safe. Evidence favors the Parental Unit:  50,000 skateboarders visit ER each year  1,500 have serious, even fatal head injuries  Most seriously injured werent wearing helmets

Counter

Summarize, then Counter



Glenn Reynolds argues that a heavily armed citizenry benefits society. This claim rests on very fragile evidence, evidence, as Prof. Philip J. Cookand I demonstrated in a 2003 study.
Jens Ludwig
professor of public policy, Georgetown University, in Letter to the Editor, NY Times

Counter

Yes, butHere s why

 

Glenn Reynolds argues that a heavily armed citizenry benefits society. The evidence [he] cites is selective. selective. [He] doesnt mention the only well-controlled wellstudy linking firearm prevalence to burglary, which found that counties with higher rates of household gun ownership have higher, not lower, burglary rates. Matthew Miller
deputy director, Harvard Injury Control Research Center

Counter

To rebut or refute:
 

Prove that opponents logic is faulty Show that their evidence doesnt really prove the claim Attack the warrant

Counter

To refute:


It has been argued that children who attend daycare at an early age miss out on important early learning that occurs in parent-child interactions. In parentreality.

Counter

To refute:
 

Many people believeThe truth is believe is Some maintain thatThe evidence does that not support this claim.

Counter

To refute:
Dr. Evans, who claimed to be a Fellow of the American College of Emergency Physicians and a member of the AMA, has not been a Fellow of ACEP since 1984. His last year of membership in AMA was in 199010 years before his 1990 testimony. testimony.

Counter

To refute:


 

A 2002 study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that chocolate had health benefits, like antioxidants and flavinoids. The study had only 23 subjects. Funding came from the American Cocoa Research Institute.

Counter

To refute:
 

Fruits are a better source of antioxidants. Unfortunately for chocolate lovers, chocolates high content of stearic acid puts it in the same category of risk of coronary disease as milk and butter. Chocolate is a terrific food, but it isnt a health food. Dr. Jay Cohen

Counter

Concede what you can t rebut



A 1980 study by A. V. Harrell and P. W. Wirtz found that, among those students who worked at least 25 hours per week while in school, their unemployment rate four years later was half that of those who did not work.

Counter

Concede what you can t rebut



A 1980 study by A. V. Harrell and P. W. Wirtz found that, among those students who worked at least 25 hours per week while in school, their unemployment rate four years later was half that of those who did not work. This is an impressive statistic. It must be seen, though, together with the finding that many . . . drop out and are gobbled up in the world of lowlowskill jobs. (see St. Martins Guide, p. 360, 10) Martin s
Counter

Concede what you can t rebut



Ernest Evans (2005) concedes that terroristic violence is so horrible that people tend to instinctively believe that terrorists are both sociopathic and irrational (p. 1). However, he believes that most terrorists are rational people with tactical goals.

Counter

Why counterargue?


Conceding that an opposing point is valid and then building upon it to further one's own claim allows a writer to make the audience feel appreciated without giving up her or his own position.
Terms in a Toulmin Argument http://www.winthrop.edu/wcenter/wcenter/toulmin.htm

Counter

Where do I counterargue?
You may choose to  build each of your main points as a contrast to oppositional claims.  offer a counterargument after you have articulated your main claims.
Organizing Your Argument Purdue University Writing Lab

Index

Thesis

Body/CSW

Counter

Organizing

Checklist

Counter Strategy 1
Introduction CON PROfirst argument CON PROsecond argument CON PROthird argument Conclusion Counter

Counter Strategy 1Example 1

Thesis: Snowmobiles should be banned in Yellowstone National Park. CON It may be hard to imagine that 1,100 snowmobiles a day could cause an air pollution problem in a park the size of Connecticut, but they can. PROThe air pollution at park entrances has already become so bad that . . . park rangers have been forced to wear respirators.

Counter

Counter Strategy 2
PRO: Snowmobiles pollute. PRO: Snowmobiles are noisy. PRO: Snowmobiles are costly to police and park funds are limited. CON: Opponents of a ban say. . . but

Counter

Counter Strategy 2Example 2

PRO PROpollution PRO PROnoise ban PRO PROcost CON CONOpponents of a ban argue that a central mission of the park is to provide access [to all, not just the physically fit]. Admittedly, winter access is important, but ordinary people can enjoy the park by means other than snowmobiles.

Counter

Words for counterarguments



 

Language to show youre aware of opposing opinions http://www.eslplanet.com/teachertools/arguew eb/2bothsds.htm - langsum Model papers: http://word-crafter.net/CompII/argument.html http://word-

Counter

Organizing an Argument
to strongest OR  Strongest to weakest
 Weakest

Index

Thesis

Body/CSW

Counter

Organizing

Checklist

Organizing an Argument
to strongest (if you expect audience to agree)  Strongest to weakest (if you have to convince audience)
 Weakest

Counter

Adding Counterarguments
Pro; Pro; Pro  Pro; Pro; Pro; Con  ConPro; ConPro; ConPro Con Con Con
 Con;

Counter

Adding Other Sections

Introduction (Background) Body  Con; Pro; Pro; Pro Con;  Pro; Pro; Pro; Con  ConPro; ConPro; ConPro Con Con Con (Solution; predictions about future.) future.) Conclusion

Counter

Specialized Structures


The SetUp/Reject Model

http://atc.bentley.edu/courses/resources/ lweinstein/24-1setupl.htm

The Comparison Model

http://atc.bentley.edu/courses/resources/ lweinstein/24-1compare.htm

Hybrids (combinations)
http://atc.bentley.edu/courses/resources/ lweinstein/24-1hybrids.htm

Counter

Argument Checklist

Introduction

Is my thesis arguable? Have I given readers a reason to care? Have I used Claim-Support-Warrant? Claim-SupportDoes my evidence really support my argument? Do I acknowledge other views and counterargue? Have I summarized my position and why it matters?
Thesis Body/CSW Counter Organizing Checklist

Body

Conclusion

Index

Summary

Further Resources

Chapter 11 (thesis statement & blueprint) Chapter 23 (supporting evidence) infotrac.thomsonlearning.com/ infowrite/critical.html (fallacies) bedfordstmartins.com/ online/cite6.html (integrating quotations) www.wordwww.word-crafter.net/CompII (argument)
Summary