CHAPTER 4: THE NATURE OF ARGUMENTS
You will probably want to spend more time on chapter 4 than on any other chapter. Here the students will
be learning the parts of an argument, to differentiate one kind of argument from another, and see where
potential weaknesses may occur in an argument.
Hypothetical examples of arguments are easy to construct. Students frequently have difficulty, however,
in going from neat hypothetical examples to constructing or analyzing real ones. Our advice is to work
with real examples as soon as you have introduced the model and its basic terms. To make the real
examples more effective, emphasize the “characteristics of arguments” on pp. 68 and the “guidelines for
analyzing arguments” on pp. 69
Examples of arguments are found in a variety of places: speeches, newspaper editorials, university
memos, pamphlets, etc. Of course, the Internet is a cornucopia of examples of argument, particularly
businesses trying to sell something. Have the students copy and paste examples, and then break them
down according to who is trying to sell what by using which type of argument. For example:
APPLE SELLING I-PADSUSING ANALOGIES/COMPARISON-CONTRAST
(PUT DETAILES OF VARIOUS APPLE ARGUMENTS UNDER THE HEADINGS)
In two or three preview sessions you can identify many examples of short compact arguments (not to
mention fallacies). Then students’ examples can be put together to make a slide show that can be shared
by the entire class.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. Statements made about persons, conditions, events, or things that say support is available to provide a
reason are called.
2. A general statement that justifies using the grounds as the basis for a claim is called
3. An argument where a series of like instances are assembled to show the existence of a general principle
is
called
4. Argument from circumstantial evidence is the legal term for argument from
5. The difference between cause and sign arguments is
6. An argument comparing two situations that you believe have the same essential characteristics, and so
a
specific characteristic of one situation also exists in the other situation is an argument from
7. To argue that a particular claim is justified because it is held by a credible person, is an argument from
8. In the analysis of arguments, the first step is to identify the
9. In the analysis of arguments, the part most frequently omitted is the
10. You evaluate the quality of an argument by asking
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Identify the elements in the model of an argument, give an example.
2. Define and give at least one example of argument by generalization.
EXERCISES/PROJECTS
1. Record commercials. Choose two or three about similar products (e.g. automobiles, breakfast cereal,
laundry soap, toothpaste). Write a short (no more than three-page paper in which you compare the nature
2. In class, engage in direct-clash debates in which one person advances a specific argument and another
responds to it. What are the main disagreements? What problems does each person identify in the other’s
3. Prepare a short speech (a minute or two) in which you support a single claim of fact or value. Use at
4. Find a short argument (a letter to the editor is usually a good example) and follow the eight steps to
analyze the arguments in it. Be prepared to explain the argument by relating its parts to the Toulmin