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Chapter 12: Reading Arguments

Chapter 12: Reading Arguments. Active Reading Skills , 2/e Kathleen McWhorter Brette McWhorter Sember PowerPoint by Gretchen Starks-Martin. What is an Argument?. An argument always presents logical reasons and evidence to support a viewpoint. Parts of an Argument.

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Chapter 12: Reading Arguments

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  1. Chapter 12:Reading Arguments Active Reading Skills, 2/eKathleen McWhorter Brette McWhorter Sember PowerPoint by Gretchen Starks-Martin

  2. What is an Argument? • An argument always presents logical reasons and evidence to support a viewpoint.

  3. Parts of an Argument The Issue – the problem or controversy The Claim – the position on an issue The Support – reasons and evidence The Refutation (sometimes)

  4. Support through Evidence • Evidence consists of • Facts • Personal experience • Examples • Statistics • Comparisons and analogies that demonstrate why the claim is valid.

  5. Questions for Evaluating Arguments • Is the Evidence Relevant? Does it apply specifically to the issue at hand? • Is the Evidence Sufficient? Is there enough detail? • Does the Author Recognize and Refute Opposing Viewpoints? • Does the Author Use Emotional Appeals and Are They Used Unfairly?

  6. Emotional Appeals • Emotionally Charged or Biased Language.Example: an ad for an automobile that used phrases such as “animal sleekness.” • False Authority.Example: athletes endorsing athletic shoes. • Association.Example: an ad for a product with a speaker standing in front of the American flag.

  7. Emotional Appeals 4. Appeal to “Common Folk.” Example: You sell a product by indicating that it is used in the average household. • Ad hominem. (Attacks the holder of the viewpoint, not the viewpoint itself.) Example: How could someone who does not have a college degree criticize a judicial decision? • “Join the Crowd” Appeal.Example: Everyone else is buying it; so you should too.

  8. Errors in Logical Reasoning • Circular Reasoning • Hasty Generalization • Non Sequitur (“It Does Not Follow”) • False Cause • Either-Or Fallacy

  9. Circular Reasoning • Also known as begging the question, this error involves using part of the conclusion as evidence to support it. • Example: Female police officers should not be sent to crime scenes because apprehending criminals is a man’s job.

  10. Hasty Generalization • The conclusion is derived from insufficient evidence. • Example: By observing one performance of a musical group, you conclude the group is unfit to perform.

  11. Non Sequitur (It Does Not Follow”) • False establishment of cause-effect. • Example: “Because my doctor is young, I am sure he will be a good doctor.”

  12. False Cause • The incorrect assumption that two events that follow each other in time are causally related. • Example: You opened an umbrella and tripped on the sidewalk. If you said you tripped because of the umbrella, it would be false cause.

  13. Either-Or Fallacy • This assumes that an issue is only two sided, or that there are only two choices or alternatives for a particular situation. • Example: Violence on TV must be either allowed or banned. (Does not recognize alternatives.)

  14. Arguments in Academic Writing • Textbook authors often take a position on pertinent topics within their discipline. • Example: A psychology textbook author may argue that compulsive shopping should be officially declared a mental illness.

  15. Evaluating Your Progress Use the “Critical Thinking-American Southwest” module in the Reading Skills section on the MyReadingLab Web site at http://www.ablongman.com/myreadinglab.

  16. For more practice visit the Companion Web site. http://www.ablongman.com/mcwhorter

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