CHAPTER 6: CASE BUILDING
Case building is a crucial part of learning about argumentation. Students need to see that a collection of
well-supported arguments is not enough. An important part of argumentative analysis is developing an
overall plan to make the best case. The organization of the arguments to make them link to one another
and smoothly develop the proposition is essential to gaining adherence.
Some instructors use an assignment where students (frequently in groups) build at least a part of a brief so
careful preparation is emphasized. Particularly in courses with a strong pre-law emphasis the brief will be
quite important. Others believe that, because of limited time, students should not concentrate on briefing
but should learn to build cases for specific decision makers. Whether or not you make a specific
assignment around a brief is up to you, but the concept is important in any case because students must
understand that there are many arguments from which they may choose. Equally important is that students
understand that advancing a convincing vision or narrative for the proposition cannot be overlooked.
If time permits, students can be assigned to debate a proposition for which they will prepare cases. To
reduce the use of class time, the class can be divided into teams of about six students each, and they can
do some of the preparation and even debating outside class.
MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. In building a case, the best procedure is to
2. “The preoccupation of the ground, which implies that it must stand good till some sufficient reason is
adduced against it,” is Whately’s definition of
3. The responsibility to initiate argument and set out a case sufficient in argumentative strength and
breadth
to bring decision makers to a state of doubt is called
4. A case that provides sufficient argument to justify adherence to its proposition if no counterargument
occurs is said to be
5. Reducing much information into an outline of essential argumentative elements of the proposition,
including possible counter-arguments, is called preparing a
7. Branham says that debaters must articulate
8. According to Lake, the prevailing perception of Native Americans by the majority in the U.S. is
9. Starting points for argument and appropriate forms of support
10. The more deliberation will be given to a decision, and the more time that will pass between advocacy
ESSAY QUESTIONS
1. Define and discuss the concepts presumption, burden of proof, and prima facie case.
2. What are the basic elements in a brief? Give a short example of each.
EXERCISES/PROJECTS
1. Prepare a case for or against any proposition. This can be selected from a local, campus-based
2. Exchange your case with another student, and prepare a critique. How does the case seem to work well;
3. Volunteer to work with a service learning project, a public-interest campaign, or a political campaign.
Keep a journal on the ways arguments were put together, how they were judged, and how decisions were
4. Take a narrative statement of a position on any issue. See how many different ways the information
could be structured into a case, using the various sequences presented in the text: chain of reasoning,