Methods of Argumentation

WRD104: Composition & Rhetoric II Winter 2014

In-C ass Writing:

Aristot e !e ie"e ethos is the most important of the

C assica Appea s !ecause if #e trust a spea$er% #e tend to !e ie"e them &242'(

What do )ou fee #i !e the most important Appea in )our

*ersuasi"e pro+ect and #h),

Identif):
Who )our readers are What )ou #ant )our readers to do -he !est reason )ou can gi"e for )our reader for doing #hat

)ou

#ant them to do

Methods of Argumentation
C assica .ration
/sed to #in an de!ate

-ou min Method

/sed to con"ince & persuade

Rogerian Method
/sed to identif) a compromise

0orma 1ogic
Inducti"e Reasoning:
2enera i3ing a conc usion !ased on a num!er of specific e4amp es( 5ottom-up ogic: 6A the artic es #e ha"e read in WRD104 are

!oring% therefore a reading is !oring7

Deducti"e Reasoning:
Reaching a conc usion !) assuming a genera princip e and

app )ing it to a specific e4amp e

8) ogism

Ma+or *remise: 6A men are morta 7 Minor *remise: 6A 2ree$s are men7 Conc usion: 6A 2ree$s are morta 7

C assica .ration
/sed in Ancient 2reece to present cases in

courts or to ma$e speeches to a senate(

9mphasi3ed a de!ate ha"ing a #inner and a oser Common ) used #hen constructing :-paragraph essa)s:
Introduction 5ac$ground 1ines of Argument A ternati"e Arguments Conc usion

C assica .ration
-raditiona C assica .ration is comprised of ; parts:
94ordium: Writer attempts to #in attention & good#i of an audience #hi e

introducing a su!+ect<pro! em &Introduction'

=arratio: Writer presents the facts of the case > p aces argument in conte4t

*artitio: Writer di"ides the su!+ect% e4p aining

What the c aim is What the $e) issues are What order the su!+ect #i !e treated

C assica .ration
; *arts of C assica .ration continued:
Confirmatio: Writer offers detai ed support for the c aim% using !oth

ogica reasoning and factua e"idence

Refutatio: Writer ac$no# edges and then refutes opposing c aims or

e"idence &Counterargument & refutation'

*eroratio: Writer summari3es the case and mo"es the audience to

action &Conc usion'

-he -ou min Method

8tephen -ou min% 1?:@
0a"ored !ecause it ac$no# edges the

comp ications of ife > not e"er)thing fits neat ) into a s) ogismA
/ses Bua if)ing anguage:
8ometimes

.ften /n ess

-he -ou min Method

-he C aim:
Identif) the C aim: is it contro"ersia and de!ata! e,

1oo$ for Cua ifiers: a"oid a!so ute c aims

0ind the 94ceptions: ac$no# edge the counter-argument

8ummari3e the C aimA Cua ifier% c aim% e4ception(

-he -ou min Method

Ana )3ing the Reasons:
1ist the Reasons
Do# can the) !e organi3ed, Cua ified,

94amine the Reasons

Are the) good reasons, What are the "a ues imp ied !) )our reasons, Are the reasons relevant to the thesis,

-he -ou min Method

Warrants:
-he ogica and persuasi"e connection !et#een a

c aim and the reasons and data supporting it(

/sua ) a genera princip e or "a ue )ou share #ith

)our reader &the ma+or premise of 8) ogisms'

-he -ou min Method

Warrants:
What is the Warrant, Is the e4amp e 6good7,
0 at ta4es are fairer than progressi"e ta4es !ecause the) treat a ta4

pa)ers the same #a)(

2rades in co ege shou d !e a!o ished !ecause I donEt i$e them(

8mo$ing causes serious diseases in smo$ers and endangers non-

smo$ers as #e % so the federa go"ernment shou d !an smo$ing(

-he -ou min Method

Ana )3ing the 9"idence:
1ist the 9"idence:
Anecdotes, Data, Case studies,

94amine the 9"idence:

Is it sufficient% credi! e and accurate, Is it re e"ant to the c aim it supports,

-he -ou min Method

=oting Refutations:
What are the a ternati"e stances,
Are )ou fair ) addressing this stance, =o 8tra# Men(

What is a strong re!utta to that stance,

-he -ou min Method

8ummari3ing Four Ana )sis
What is the resu t of )our argument,

8ummari3ing in a paragraph or t#o #i reinforce

)our stance and c ear ) dra# together a e ements of the argument

-he Rogerian Method

De"e oped !) rhetoricians Richard 9( Foung%

A ton 1 5ec$er and Genneth 1 *i$e

5ased on American ps)cho ogist Car RogersE

methods of conf ict reso ution > see$s compromise &as opposed to the C assica .rationEs goa of esta! ishing #inners and osers'

-he Rogerian Method

Introduction: Writer descri!es an issue<pro! em<conf ict demonstrating

!oth understanding and respect for a positions

Conte4ts: Writer descri!es the conte4ts in #hich a ternati"e positions

ma) !e "a id or egitimate

WriterEs *osition: Writer presents his<her position on the issue and

presents the circumstances in #hich that opinion #ou d !e "a id

5enefits to .pponent: Writer e4p ains to opponents ho# the) #ou d

!enefit from adopting his<her position(

Dome#or$:
Read St Martins Handbook Chapters 24 &pp(

:02-:04'% 2: &pp( :0?-:14'% and ;; &pp( @?0@?2' &.n ) ? pages tota '
Write a 2:0-#ord response to ho# )ou might

app ) these concepts to )our research pro+ect(