Persuasive Persuasive ArgumentArgumentPersuasive Persuasive ArgumentArgument

Formal argument requires a Formal argument requires a claim, convincing evidence, and claim, convincing evidence, and

a warrant.a warrant.

What is an Argument?What is an Argument?

• Although you should feel passionate about your topic, arguments are supposed to be intellectual activities not dog fights.

• However, an argument does involve two opposing points of view.

• This means that you must include the opposing side, even if only briefly.

Elements of an Elements of an ArgumentArgument

Arguments are composed of three Arguments are composed of three main elements:main elements:

– ClaimsClaims– Data/EvidenceData/Evidence– WarrantsWarrants

What’s a good claim?What’s a good claim?Definition: Definition: A claim states your position A claim states your position on the issue you have chosen to write on the issue you have chosen to write about. about. •A good claim is A good claim is not too obviousnot too obvious.  Why bother .  Why bother proving a point nobody could disagree with? proving a point nobody could disagree with? •A good claim is A good claim is engagingengaging.  Consider your .  Consider your audience's attention span and make audience's attention span and make interesting claims which point out new ideas: interesting claims which point out new ideas: teach the reader something new. teach the reader something new. •A good claim is A good claim is not overly vaguenot overly vague.  Attacking .  Attacking enormous issues whole leads only to enormous issues whole leads only to generalizations and vague assertions; refrain generalizations and vague assertions; refrain from making a book-size claim. from making a book-size claim.

Good claims are logical, Good claims are logical, debatable, and complex.debatable, and complex.

• A good claim is A good claim is logicallogical; it emerges from ; it emerges from a reasonable consideration of evidence. a reasonable consideration of evidence.

• A good claim is A good claim is debatabledebatable.  Claims that .  Claims that are purely factual and claims that are are purely factual and claims that are only opinion fail this requirement. You only opinion fail this requirement. You cannot argue matters of taste: e.g. Coca-cannot argue matters of taste: e.g. Coca-Cola tastes better than Pepsi-Cola. Cola tastes better than Pepsi-Cola.

• A good claim is A good claim is complexcomplex enough to use enough to use subordinate clauses.  Simple sentences subordinate clauses.  Simple sentences rarely comprehend enough complexity to rarely comprehend enough complexity to do justice to a well-conceived opiniondo justice to a well-conceived opinion. .

Which claim is the Which claim is the best?best?

•Teachers are posed with many problems Teachers are posed with many problems today.today.•Polls show that today more minorities Polls show that today more minorities own businesses than ever before.own businesses than ever before.•Ophelia is my favorite character in Ophelia is my favorite character in Hamlet because she is the most Hamlet because she is the most interesting.interesting.•Though they seem innocuous, Hollywood Though they seem innocuous, Hollywood movies are partially responsible for movies are partially responsible for reinforcing cultural stereotypes in reinforcing cultural stereotypes in America.America.

What is data or evidence?What is data or evidence?DefinitionDefinition: the evidence which you cite to : the evidence which you cite to support your claim.  Like a lawyer presenting support your claim.  Like a lawyer presenting evidence to a jury, you must support your claim evidence to a jury, you must support your claim with facts; an unsupported claim is merely an with facts; an unsupported claim is merely an assertion.assertion. Data can include the following:•Facts or statistics: objectively determined data about your topic. (Note: just what constitutes "objective" may be open to debate.) •Expert opinion: the media and our essays are full of learned opinions which you should cite frequently, both to support your argument and to disagree with.  Authors must be quoted and properly cited in your paper.

Data/EvidenceData/Evidence• Personal anecdotesPersonal anecdotes: the most difficult kind of : the most difficult kind of

data to use well, for doing so requires a data to use well, for doing so requires a persuasive argument that your own persuasive argument that your own experience is objectively grasped and is not experience is objectively grasped and is not unique to you. unique to you.

• Personal experience can, however, help bring Personal experience can, however, help bring an argument to life.an argument to life.

What is a warrant?What is a warrant?Definition: the warrant interprets the data and shows how it supports your claim.  •The warrant, in other words, explains why the data proves the claim. In trials, lawyers for opposing sides often agree on the data but hotly dispute the warrants. •And a defense attorney's failure to offer strong warrants may result in a warrant for the defendant's arrest.•A philosopher would say that the warrant helps to answer the question, "What else must be true for this proposition to hold?"

What’s in the warrant?What’s in the warrant?•A good warrant will be a reasonable interpretation of facts.

•A good warrant will not make illogical interpretive leaps.

•A good warrant will not assume more than the evidence supports.

•A good warrant may consider and respond to possible counter-arguments.

Which warrant is Which warrant is better?better?

ClaimClaim: President XYZ should be : President XYZ should be applauded for his policies on minority applauded for his policies on minority owned businesses. owned businesses. DataData: The NYT reports that more : The NYT reports that more minorities own businesses today than ever minorities own businesses today than ever before. before. WarrantWarrant: :

ClaimClaim: Any American can grow up to be : Any American can grow up to be the President. the President. Data:Data: Joe Blow came from a poor town in Joe Blow came from a poor town in a poor state to become president. a poor state to become president. WarrantWarrant::

Warrant ExerciseWarrant ExerciseFind warrants which will interpret the Find warrants which will interpret the data to support the claim in the following data to support the claim in the following passage: passage:

ClaimClaim: The school system itself promotes : The school system itself promotes racial tension in its effort to provide racial tension in its effort to provide America's children with a good education. America's children with a good education. DataData: There's a lot of racial tension in : There's a lot of racial tension in many schools these days. many schools these days. Warrant:Warrant: