Preface
Note to Students
About the Authors
Brief Contents
Boxes by Type
PART ONE RESOURCES FOR READING AND WRITING ARGUMENTS
Chapter 1 Understanding Argument
What Is Argument?What Is Rhetoric?An Example of Argument “You Also Have the Right to Tell a Bigot What You Think,” LEONARD PITTS Discussion of “You Also Have the Right…” Pitts’s Reasoning Other Appeals in Pitts’s ArgumentFour Criteria of Mature Reasoning Mature Reasoners Are Well Informed Mature Reasoners Are Self-Critical and Open to Constructive Criticism from Others Mature Reasoners Argue with Their Audiences or Readers in Mind Mature Reasoners Know Their Arguments’ ContextsWhat Are the Aims of Argument? Arguing to Inquire Arguing to Convince Arguing to Persuade Arguing to MediateA Good Tool for Understanding and Writing Arguments: The Writer’s Notebook Why Keep a Notebook?
Chapter 2 Reading an Argument
The First Encounter: Seeing the Text in Context Considering the Climate of Opinion Considering the Rhetorical ContextAn Argument for Critical Reading “On Teenagers and Tattoos,” ANDRES MARTINThe Second Encounter: Reading and Analyzing the Text Wrestling with Difficult Passages Unfamiliar Contexts Contrasting Voices and Views Allusions Specialized Vocabulary Missing Persons Passive Voice Using Paraphrase to Aid Comprehension Analyzing the Reasoning of an Argument Reading Martin’s Essay Finding Parts Using Context Identifying the Claim and ReasonsThe Third Encounter: Responding Critically to an Argument Annotation Is Key Sample AnnotationsWriting Assignment: A Critical Response to a Single Argument In Part One In Part Two Other Advice for Both PartsStudent Sample Essay: Critical Response to a Single Argument “The Decorated Body,” FRANCE BORELA Sample Student Response: Analysis of “The Decorated Body,” KATIE LAHEY
Chapter 3 Analyzing Arguments: A Simplified Toulmin Method
A Preliminary Critical Reading “Rising to the Occasion of Our Death,” WILLIAM F. MAYA Step-by-Step Demonstration of the Toulmin Method Analyzing the Claim Identify the Claim Look for Qualifiers Find the Exceptions Summarize the Claim Analyzing the Reasons List the Reasons Examine the Reasons Analyzing the Evidence List the Evidence Examine the Evidence Noting Refutations Summarizing Your AnalysisStudent Sample: An Argument for Analysis“Capital Punishment: Society’s Self-Defense,” AMBER YOUNGA Final Note about Logical Analysis
Chapter 4 Reading and Writing about Visual Arguments
Understanding Visual Arguments“Reading” ImagesAnalysis: Five Common Types of Visual Argument Advertisements Editorial Cartoons Public Sculpture News Photographs Graphics *“The Rise of Renewable Energy,” DANIEL M. KAMMEN Understanding Kammen’s GraphicsWriting Assignments Assignment 1: Analyzing an Advertisement or Editorial Cartoon Student Sample: Analysis of Visual Rhetoric, “A Mother’s Treat,” KELLY WILLIAMS Assignment 2: Analyzing and Creating Posters or Flyers Assignment 3: Using Visual Rhetoric to Promote Your School Assignment 4: Analyzing Your Own Visual Rhetoric Assignment 5: Writing to Convince Assignment 6: Using Graphics to Supplement Your Own Writing or Other Texts Assignment 7: Presenting Information Using PowerPoint
Chapter 5 Writing Research-Based Arguments
Finding an Issue Understand the Difference between a Topic and an Issue Find Issues in the News and Commentary on the News The Internet Magazines and Newspapers Lectures, Panel Discussions, Class Discussions, Conversations Personal Observations Student Example: Finding an Issue on the Topic of Global WarmingFinding Sources Keep a Research Log Make Complete Photocopies and Printouts Field Research Observations Questionnaires and Surveys Interviews Library and Internet Research Kinds of Sources
Books
Periodicals
Newspapers
Audio-Visual Materials
Websites
Blogs, Listservs, Usenet Groups, Message Boards Choose the Best Search Terms
Use Phrase Searching
Start with General Words
Think of Synonyms
Use Unique or Specific Words and Phrases
Use Boolean Searching Searching Your Library Your Library’s Online Catalogue
Finding Reference Books through Your School’s Library Your Library’s Online Resources (the Deep Web) Licensed Databases
Examples of Searching Licensed Databases Internet Research Domains
Commercial (.com)
Nonprofit Organizations (.org)
Educational Institutions (.edu)
Government Agencies (.gov) Advanced Features for Searching the Web
Advanced Searches
Google Specialized Searches
Google Book
Google Scholar Subject Directories to the Web Other Web Resources: Blogs, Listservs, Message Boards, and Chat GroupsEvaluating Sources Eliminate Inappropriate Sources Carefully Record Complete Bibliographic Information Read the Source Critically Who Is the Writer, and What Is His or Her Bias? How Reliable Is the Source When Was This Source Written? Where Did This Source Appear? Why Was the Book or Article Written? What Is the Author’s Aim? How Is the Source Organized? Special Help with Evaluating WebsitesUsing Sources *“Battling Teardowns, Saving Neighborhoods,” RICHARD MOE Ways of “Writing-in-the-Middle” to Gain Mastery over Your Sources 1. Annotate the Source 2. Respond to the Source in Your Notebook 3. Paraphrase Important Ideas from the Source
Examples of Adequate and Inadequate Paraphrasing 4. Write Summaries of Portions of a Source 5. Write Capsule Summaries of Entire Sources 6. Dialogue about SourcesIncorporating and Documenting Source Material Instructions for Using MLA and APA Styles for In-Text Citations MLA Style APA Style Direct Quotations MLA Style APA Style Altering Direct Quotations with Ellipses and Square Brackets Using Block Quotations
MLA Style
APA Style In-Text References to Electronic SourcesCreating Works Cited and Reference Lists Books Books by One Author Book by Two or Three Authors Book by Four or More Authors Book Prepared by an Editor or Editors Work in an Edited Collection Translated Book Periodicals Article in a Journal with Continuous Pagination Article in a Journal Paginated by Issue Article in a Magazine Anonymous Article in a Newspaper Nonprint Sources Interview Sound Recording Film Electronic Sources MLA Style: Citing Internet Sources APA Style: Citing Internet Sources Online Book World Wide Website Document 0on a Website Article in an Electronic Journal Encyclopedia Article on CD-ROM Encyclopedia Article Online E-Mail, Listserv, and Newsgroup Citations *Student Example: “Why Residential Construction Needs to Get a Conscience,” JULIE ROSS
Chapter 6 Ethical Writing and Plagiarism
Why Ethics MatterWhat Plagiarism IsThe Ethics of Using Sources When Opinions Coincide The Ethics of Giving and Receiving Help with Your WritingEthical Writing and Good Study Habits Works Cited
PART TWO THE AIMS OF ARGUMENT
Chapter 7 Looking for Some Truth: Arguing to Inquire
Inquiry and Interpretation in Academic WritingThe Writing Project: Part 1 Step 1: Choosing a Topic for Inquiry Step 2: Finding an Issue Step 3: Stating Your Initial Opinions Student Sample: Exploratory Essay, Part 1—Lauren’s Initial Opinions Step 4: Exploring an IssueConversation and Dialogue in Inquiry An Example Conversation “Moving beyond the Blame Game,” JONATHAN ALTER, MODERATOR Analysis of “Moving beyond the Blame Game Step 5: Engaging in a Dialogue about Your Initial Opinions Student Sample: Example Dialogue for Analysis—Matt’s Initial Opinions Student Sample: Example Dialogue between Matt and Lauren Step 6: Engaging in Dialogue with a Reading Example Dialogue with a Reading “Hollow Claims about Fantasy Violence,” RICHARD RHODES
A Dialogue with Rhodes Following Through Another Example of Dialogue with a Reading
“Media Literacy,” SISSELA BOK
Possibilities for Dialogue with “Media Literacy”Inquiry Again: Digging Deeper When Experts Disagree An Example of Experts Disagreeing
“Violence in the Mass Media and Violence in Society: The Link Is Unproven,” JONATHAN L. FREEDMAN
“Media Violence: A Demonstrated Public Health Threat to Children,” L. ROWELL HUESMANN AND JESSICA MOISE Commentary on the Expert’s DisagreementThe Writing Project: Part 2The Writing Project: Part 3After Drafting Your Essay Student Sample: An Exploratory EssayInquiry: Summing Up the Aim
Chapter 8 Making Your Case: Arguing to Convince
The Nature of Convincing: Structure and Strategy Case Structure Case Strategy Thinking about Audience Formulating the Thesis Choosing Reasons “Arrested Development: The Conservative Case against Racial Profiling,” JAMES FORMAN, JR. Arranging Reasons Using Evidence Introducing and Concluding the Argument
The Introduction
The ConclusionWriting a Convincing Argument Preparing a Brief Working toward a Position
Student Sample: Working toward a Position Analyzing the Audience
Student Sample: Analyzing the Audience Developing a Thesis
Student Sample: Developing a Thesis Analyzing the Thesis
Student Sample: Analyzing the Thesis Finding Reasons
The Audience’s Belief System
Special Rules or Principles
Expert Opinions and Hard Evidence
Tradition
Comparison
The Probable or Likely
Cause and Effect
Definition
Student Sample: Finding Reasons
Selecting and Ordering Reasons
Student Sample: Selecting and Ordering Reasons Using Evidence
What Counts as Evidence?
What Kind of Evidence Is Best?
How Much Evidence Is Needed?
Student Sample: Using Evidence From Brief to Draft The Introduction
Student Sample: The Introduction The Body: Presenting Reasons and Evidence
Student Sample: Presenting Reasons and Evidence The Conclusion
Student Sample: The Conclusion Revising the Draft Reading Your Own Writing Critically
Read for Structure
Read for Rhetorical Context
Inquire into Your Own Writing Getting Feedback from Other Readers Editing and Proofreading Student Sample: An Essay Arguing to Convince, “Who Should Have the Right to Marry?” JUSTIN SPIDEL
Chapter 9 Motivating Action: Arguing to Persuade
When to Convince and When to Persuade: A Matter of EmphasisAnalyzing Your readers Who Is the Audience, and How Do They View the Topic?Reading a Persuasive Essay Background “Letter from Birmingham Jail,” MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. King’s Analysis of His Audience: Identification and Overcoming Difference Assumptions Principles Hierarchy of Values Ends and Means Interpretation Implications or ConsequencesUsing the Forms of Appeal The Appeal to Reason The Appeal to Character The Appeal to Emotion The Appeal through StyleDrafting a Persuasive Essay Conceiving Need Conceiving a Readership Need and Audience, a Student Example Discovering the Resources of Appeal Student Sample: Baxley’s Brief Appealing through Character Appealing to Emotion Strategies of Appeal in “Be a Parent” Appealing through Style *Student Sample: “Be a Parent, Not a Friend,” ELISABETH BAXLEY
Chapter 10 Resolving Conflict: Arguing to Mediate
Mediation and the Other Aims of ArgumentThe Process of MediationMediation and Rogerian Argument A Conflict to Mediate Understanding the Positions “Institutionalizing Our Demise: America vs. Multiculturalism,” ROGER KIMBALL “Reinventing ‘America’: Call for a New National Identity,” ELIZABETH MARTINEZ Analysis of the Writers’ Positions
Kimball’s Position
Martinez’s Position Locating the Areas of Agreement and Disagreement Differences over Facts Differences over Interests, Values, and Interpretations
Is the Difference a Matter of Assumptions?
Is the Difference a Matter of Principle?
Is the Difference a Matter of Values or Priorities?
Is the Difference a Matter of Ends or Means?
Is the Difference a Matter of Implications or Consequences?
Is the Difference a Matter of Interpretation?
Is the Difference a Matter of Personal Background, Basic Human Needs, or Emotions? Finding Creative Solutions: Exploring Common Ground Exploring Common Ground in the Debate over National IdentityThe Mediatory Essay “Beyond Multiculturalism,” BHARATI MUKHERJEE Analyzing Mukherjee’s Essay Ethos: Earning the Respect of Both Sides Pathos: Using Emotion to Appeal to Both Sides Logos: Integrating the Values of Both Sides Writing a Mediatory Essay Prewriting Drafting Revising Student Sample: An Essay Arguing to Mediate
Appendix A A Short Guide to Editing and ProofreadingAppendix B Fallacies—and Critical Thinking GlossaryCreditsIndex
Aims of Argument
