First-Year Writing and Rhetoric

1. First-Year Writing and Rhetoric

2. Structuring Arguments

3. Structuring Arguments • Inductive Reasoning: gives specific examples. Then it draws a conclusion. It is all about going from the very specific to the more general. • Deductive Reasoning: the major premise is set out. Then it is applied to a minor premise (specific case). It is all about going from the more general to the very specific.

4. How to Construct an Argument? • Remember the acronym “IBLAC” • “I” stands for “introduction” in which you gain your audience’s interest and their willingness to listen. You also found your qualifications in this arena demonstrating that you are unbiased. At this stage, you establish and state your claim. • “B” stands for “background” in which you present your information and any personal narrative. • “L” stands for “lines of argument” in which you present your evidence and reasons to support your claim. This stage should also include logical and emotional appeals.

5. How to Construct an Argument? • “A” stands for “alternative argument” in which you scrutinize opposing points of view/arguments. State them fairly and understandably, attending to their advantages and disadvantages. In this stage, explanation of the superiority of your claim to theirs is a must. • “C” stands for “conclusion” in which you summarize your argument while elaborating on the implication of your claim. You need also to clarify what your audience should think or do.

6. How to Construct a Rogerian Argument? • This type of arguments adopts a non-confrontational approach, i.e., this type of arguments seeks a win-win outcome. In this regard, four fundamental components are adopted: • Introduction: the writer presents the issue at stake in a rich manner to demonstrate that she fully assimilates it and respects any alternative points of view. • Contexts: the writer discusses the context in which his/her opponents’ views may be valid. • Writer’s position: the writer presents his/her point of view and discusses the context in which it would be valid. • Benefits to opponent: the writer explicates to his/her opponents or rivals how they might benefit from embracing his/her point of view.

7. Toulmin Argument? • Let’s consider this sentence, “My claim is true, to a qualified degree, because of the following reasons, which make sense if you consider the warrant, backed by these additional reasons.” • What are the fundamental elements of Toulmin’s arguments? • Claim: what you wish to prove • Qualifier: a restriction placed on the claim stating that it may not always be true • Reasons/Evidence: support for the claim • Warrant: a general principle establishing a connection between the claim and its support • Backing: evidence attached to the warrant

8. Toulmin Argument? • Claim: “What is your point?” OR “where do you stand on that?” • Evidence: why is that? It should be attached to the claim • Warrant: “How do I exactly get from the data to the claim?” It is the “so what.”

9. Generating Thesis Statements • Attention! Attention!! Attention!!! It is the very requirement that each paper you write in this class HAVE a thesis statement. • What does this mean? This means that your paper must have a sentence or a group of sentences indicating the very major point of the argument that you are seeking to prove, analyze or explicate. • In this regard, Toulmin model of argumentation comes in handy.

10. The Toulmin Model of Argumentation Claim Reason “What” “Why” Warrant “So What” • A thesis statement adopting the Toulmin style adopts one of two forms: • Claim—Because (since, as a result of the fact…etc)—reason e.g., “I dislike my roommate because he is noisy and messy.” • Reason—SO (therefore, hence, for that reason…etc)—Claim e.g., “My roommate is noisy and messy, so I dislike him.”

11. Questions??????????