Essentials of Argument, 2nd Edition

More perspectives on argument than any other concise writing guide.  Best-selling argument author Nancy V. Wood offers a concise presentation of how to write persuasively.    

This efficient text provides instruction in reading, critical thinking, and writing about argumentative issues in a clear, student-friendly manner. Students will learn to identify topics of personal and social consequence, to read and form reactions and opinions of their own, to analyze a potential audience, and to write argument papers that express their individual view and perspective. Essentials of Argument, 2e, contains ten chapters, each accompanied by class exercises and writing assignments. Research methods are introduced early; students learn to locate, print, and evaluate online materials and avoid plagiarism. Appendices teach MLA and APA styles, summarize major ideas about argument, and provide a list of 100 potential topics for argument papers.

Brief Contents

 

PART I   Understanding Argument and Conducting Research  1

1  Recognizing Argument and Finding Issues   3

2  The Rhetorical Situation: Understanding Audience and Context   27

3  Learning More about Issues: Research, Reading, Thinking, Writing   45

4  Writing the Exploratory Paper   76

 

PART II   Using Argument Theory for Reading and Writing  101

5  The Toulmin Model of Argument: Understanding the Parts   103

6  The Types of Claims: Establishing Purpose and Organization   130

7  The Types of Proof: Supporting the Claim   148

8  Writing the Argument Analysis Paper: Review and Synthesis   176

 

PART III   Writing and Presenting Arguments  199

9  Writing the Rogerian Argument Paper   201

10  Writing the Researched Position Paper   219

11  Creating Visual and Oral Arguments   237

 

Color Portfolio of Visual Arguments and Questions for Discussion and Writing

  

APPENDIX 1: How to Document Sources Using MLA and APA Styles  265

APPENDIX 2: Summary Charts  319

APPENDIX 3: One Hundred Topics That Generate Issues  331

 

Contents

 

PART I   Understanding Argument and Conducting Research  1

1  Recognizing Argument and Finding Issues   3

A Definition of Argument   4

Why Study Argument   5

Recognizing Traditional and Consensual Argument   6

Evaluating Traditional and Consensual Argument   8

Distinguish Between Ethical and Unethical Argument   9

What Is Your Personal Style of Argument?   10

Under What Conditions Does Argument Work Best?    12

Under What Conditions Does Argument Fail?   15

Engaging with Issues   16

REVIEW QUESTIONS   21

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   21

ESSAY FOR ANALYSIS   21

CHRIS PIPER / “A” Is for “Absent”  24

A student argues against attendance policies in college that penalize students by lowering their grades for excessive absences.

 

2  The Rhetorical Situation: Understanding Audience and Context   27

Analyze the Rhetorical Situation When You Read an Argument   27

Example of an Analysis of a Rhetorical Situation From the Reader’s Point of View   27

Use the Rhetorical Situation When You Write an Argument   31

Conducting an Audience Analysis   35

Determine the Audience’s Initial Position and Consider How It Might Change   35

Analyze the Audience’s Discourse Community   36

Analyze and Adapt to a Familiar Audience   37

Construct an Unfamiliar Audience   37

REVIEW QUESTIONS   38

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   39

ESSAYS FOR ANALYSIS   39

BRENT STAPLES / Driving Down the Highway, Mourning the Death of American Radio   39

The author complains about modern commercial radio stations and says he is switching to CDs.

 

PRISNA VIRASIN / The Barbie Controversy 44

This student issue proposal examines the controversy associated with Barbie dolls.

 

3  Learning More about Issues: Research, Reading, Thinking, Writing   45

Why Integrate Reading, Thinking, and Writing?   46

Strategies That Combine Reading, Thinking, and Writing   47

Locating Sources for Research   50

Evaluate Both Print and Online Sources  55

Create a Bibliography   59

            Using a Computer   65

            Using Note Cards   67

Survey, Read, and Add Annotations to Your Bibliography   62

Develop a System for Taking and Organizing Your Notes   65

            Using a Computer  65

            Using Note Cards  67

Avoid Plagiarism   68

REVIEW QUESTIONS   70

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   71

ESSAY FOR ANALYSIS   72

ANGELA A. BOATWRIGHT / Human Cloning: An Annotated Bibliography

This is a student-written annotated bibliography about human cloning.

 

4  Writing the Exploratory Paper   76

How Do You Write Now?   76

Prewriting Strategies   77

            Get Organized to Write  77

            Analyze the Assignment and Allocate Time  78

            Identify an Issue and Do Some Reading and Writing  79

            Keep a Journal, Notebook, or Folder of Ideas  80

            Make an Extended List or Outline to Guide Your Writing  80

Writing the First Draft   81

Break Through Writer’s Block   82

Revise the Draft   82

            Look at Your Draft as a Whole  82

            Ask Revision Questions to Help You Locate Other Problems  83

            Check for Final Errors, Add or Adjust the Title, and Type or Print Your Paper  87

Organize Your Own Process for Reading, Thinking, and Writing About Issues   87

The Exploratory Paper   87

How to Write an Exploratory Paper   89

Submitting Your Paper for Peer Review   92

REVIEW QUESTIONS   92

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   93

ESSAYS FOR ANALYSIS   93

JEFF D. OPDYKE / Kids and Chores: All Work and No Pay?   93

This author considers different perspectives on how to pay children for doing the chores.

 

PRISNA VIRASIN / The Controversy behind Barbie   96

This student-written exploratory paper explains different perspectives on the Barbie doll controversy.

 

PART II  Using Argument Theory for Reading and Writing  101

5  The Toulmin Model of Argument: Understanding the Parts  103

The Parts of an Argument according to the Toulmin Model  103

Claim   106

Support   108

Warrants   111

Backing   114

Rebuttal   114

Qualifiers   115

Value of the Toulmin Model for Reading and Writing Argument  116

REVIEW QUESTIONS   117

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   117

ESSAYS FOR ANALYSIS   120

Military Advertisement   118

Practice finding the claim, support, and warrants in an advertisement for joining the military.

 

Cartoon: “The Price of Oranges”   119

Use the Toulmin model to analyze a cartoon.

 

Virginia Heffernan “Calling Blue: And on That Farm He Had a Cellphone”   120

Use the Toulmin model to analyze Review.

 

MOHAMED T. DIABY JR. / Toulmin Analysis of The Price of Oranges Cartoon   121

This represents a student example of a Toulmin analysis of a cartoon.

 

RICHARD D. RIEKE ANDMALCOLM O. SILLARS / American Value Systems  123

The authors argue that individuals have value systems that can be categorized and characterized and, thus, help with an understanding of value warrants.

 

 

6  The Types of Claims: Establishing Purpose and Organization   130

Five Types of Claims   130

Claims of Fact   131

Claims of Definition   132

Claims of Cause   133

Claims of Value   135

Claims of Policy   137

Mixed Claims   138

Claims and Argument in Real Life   139

Value of the Claims and the Claim Questions for Reading and Writing Argument   140

Some Other Preliminary Questions to Help You Develop Your Claim  141

REVIEW QUESTIONS   142

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   143

ESSAY FOR ANALYSIS   143

PEG TYRE / Bringing Up Adultolescents   143

This author asks, When should adult children start paying their own way?

 

7  The Types of Proof: Supporting the Claim   148

The Traditional Categories of Proof   148

Types of Logical Proof: Logos   150

A Mnemonic Device   150

Argument from Sign   151

Argument from Induction   151

Argument from Cause   152

Argument from Deduction   153

Argument from Historical, Literal, or Figurative Analogy   153

Argument from Definition   154

Argument from Statistics   155

Proof That Builds Credibility: Ethos   155

Argument from Authority   156

Types of Emotional Proof: Pathos   156

Motivational Proofs   157

Value Proofs   157

A Mnemonic Device   157

How to Recognize Fallacies   158

Fallacies in Logic   159

Fallacies That Affect Character or Ethos   161

Emotional Fallacies   161

Logos, Ethos, and Pathos Communicated through Language and Style   162

Language That Appeals to Logic   162

Language That Develops Ethos   163

Language That Appeals to Emotion   164

Ethics and Morality in Argument   166

Value of the Proofs for Reading and Writing Argument   168

REVIEW QUESTIONS   169

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   169

ESSAY FOR ANALYSIS   169

ANNA QUINDLEN / Undocumented, Indispensable   169

This essay addresses the issue of illegal immigration and undocumented workers in the United States.

 

RUSH LIMBAUGH / Sexual Harassment and the Feminist “Front”   172

This author gives his views on feminism and sexual harassment.

 

8  Writing the Argument Analysis Paper: Review and Synthesis   176

Reading for the Argument Analysis Paper   176

Writing the Argument Analysis Paper   177

Rhetorical Situation for “A Call for Unity: A Letter from Eight White Clergymen” and Martin

Luther King Jr.’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail”   178

Focus Topics to Help You Analyze the Letters   180

LETTERS FOR ANALYSIS   181

A Call for Unity: A Letter from Eight White Clergymen

This letter, written by eight white clergymen in Alabama, prompted Martin Luther King Jr’s famous response.

 

Martin Luther King Jr./ Letter from Birmingham Jail   179

This is the letter King wrote in jail, justifying his participation in the civil rights movement.

REVIEW QUESTIONS   197

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   197

 

PART III  Writing and Presenting Arguments   199

 

9  Writing the Rogerian Argument Paper   201

Achieving Common Ground in Rogerian Argument   203

Rogerian Argument as Strategy   204

Writing Rogerian Argument   206

Variations of Rogerian Argument   207

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Rogerian Argument   209

REVIEW QUESTIONS   210

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   210

ESSAYS FOR ANALYSIS   210

EDWARD O. WILSON / The Future of Life   210

The author describes how to find common ground between two groups who usually disagree.

 

ERIC HARTMAN / Let Those Who Ride Decide!   213

This student Rogerian argument explains the tensions between those who advocate wearing motorcycle helmets and those who resist such a ruling.

 

ELIZABETH NABHAN / Dear Boss  216

A student Rogerian argument written in letter form to her boss to try to improve her job-related duties and responsibilities.

 

10  Writing the Researched Position Paper   219

Classical Organization of Arguments   219

            The Six Parts of Classical Organization  220

Classical and Modern Organization   220

Use Organizational Patterns to Help You Think and Organize   221

Claim with Reasons (or Reasons Followed by Claim)   222

Cause and Effect (or Effect and Cause)   222

Applied Criteria   222

Problem—Solution   222

Chronology or Narrative   223

Deduction   223

Induction   223

Compare and Contrast   224

Incorporate Ideas from Your Exploratory Paper   224

How to Match Patterns and Support to Claims    224

Outline Your Paper and Cross-Reference Your Notes   225

Incorporating Research into Your First Draft   228

Clearly Identify Words and Ideas from Outside Sources to Avoid Plagiarism   230

Document Your Sources   231

Make Revisions and Prepare the Final Copy   232

REVIEW QUESTIONS   233

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   233

 

11  Creating Visual and Oral Arguments   237

Recognizing Visual and Oral Argument   237

Why Visual Argument Is Convincing:  Eight Special Features   238

Why Oral Argument Is Convincing:  Four Special Features  245

Using Argument Theory to Critique Visual and Oral Argument  247

Sample Analysis of a Visual Argument  248

Add Visual Argument to Support Written and Oral Argument  250

Create Visual Arguments That Stand Alone  254

REVIEW QUESTIONS   256

CLASS ACTIVITIES AND WRITING ASSIGNMENTS   257

VISUAL AND ORAL ARGUMENTS FOR ANALYSIS

EduGene Cloning Kit   258

A stand-alone visual argument that invites various interpretations.

 

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. / “I Have a Dream”   261

This classic speech was given in Washington, D.C., during the civil rights movement.

 

Color Portfolio of Visual Arguments and Questions for Discussion and Writing

            Plate 1:  The West Bank Barrier Built by Israel

            Plate 2:  Mexican Immigrants Crossing into the United States

            Plate 3:  Bringing Up Adultolescents

            Plate 4:  The Creation of Adam

            Plate 5:  Play Ball

            Plate 6:  Robot with Grappler Holding a Wounded Palestinian

            Plate 7:  Hands

            Plate 8:  Tree Near El Paso, Texas

            Plate 9:  Mountains of Rubbish Spread Cholera in Angola

            Plate 10:  Collage (student example of visual argument)

 

Appendix 1:  How to Document Sources Using MLA and APA Styles   265

How to Document Sources Using MLA Style   267

MLA: How to Cite Sources in the Body of the Text   267

MLA: How to Cite Sources in the Works Cited Page  273

Student Researched Position Paper in MLA Style   282

PRISNA VIRASIN / The Big Barbie Controversy  282

A researched position paper in MLA style that claims Barbie is neither good nor bad, only a scapegoat.

Questions on the Researched Position Paper, MLA Style   293

How to Document Sources Using APA Style   295

APA: How to Cite Sources in the Body of the Text   295

APA: How to Cite Sources in the References Page   299

Student Researched Position Paper in APA Style   308

DARRELL D. GREER / Alaskan Wolf Management  308

A researched position paper in APA style that argues in favor of exterminating wolves to preserve the caribou and moose herds.

Questions on the Researched Position Paper, APA Style   318

 

Appendix 2:  Summary Charts   319

The Rhetorical Situation   320

The Toulmin Model   321 

Types of Claims   322

Types of Proof and Tests of Validity   324

 

Appendix 3: One Hundred Topics That Generate Issues   331

Credits   334

Index   335