-- 10 -- Argument

TFY C8 Argument

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The skills of analyzing and writing arguments require some knowledge of every chapter concept studied this far.   At this point you will be asked to integrate this learning while reviewing the structure of arguments and standards for judging arguments.  Exercises in this chapter entail guidelines for analyzing arguments, distinguishing arguments from reports, separating reasons from conclusions, recognizing missing and false information.  Writing applications challenge you to put all this knowledge together in a short persuasive argument.  You will also begin your preparations for writing a final research paper.  Final reading selections present different arguments on the issue of job outsourcing.

Glossary Chapter 8 Argument An argument offers reasons to support a conclusion with the intent to be persuasive. Conclusion A clear statement of what an argument intends to prove or has proven. Consistency Consistency refers to standards of logical coherence as well as constancy. Contradiction A contradiction refers to a part or parts inconsistent with, or illogical to, other parts. Debate question A debate question is a neutrally stated question designed to provide a neutral focus for opposing positions on an issue. Discrepancy A discrepancy, like an incongruity, is something that diverges from an expected standard. False Information False information refers to information that can be proven to be untrue. Implied conclusion A conclusion understood but not explicitly stated. Irreconcilable Irreconcilable are conflicting ideas, beliefs, or information that cannot coexist, such as contradictions. Issue An issue is a controversial topic that arouses debate. Missing Information Missing information refers to essential information purposefully or inadvertently omitted from an argument or report. Reason A statement offered to explain, justify, or support the conclusion. Report A report offers objective accounts of events and objective information. Topic A topic is a subject that is written or spoken about.

Argument Topics
Argument Analysis

Argument Article

• Argument: Strong Argument Video
• Argument Quiz -- Jon Young

Argument - Premises, Fact, Opinion Video

Argument Quiz -- Jon Young

For each of the following, indicate the premise that will make the argument valid.  Do not worry too much at this point about the plausibility of the premise or the conclusion, just identify the premise that, when combined with the given premise, will make the argument valid.  Remember an argument is valid if it is impossible for the premises to be true and the conclusion false at the same time.  (Or, if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true.)

Sample:

A hurricane hit the coast.

The resort owners on the coast have lost much money.

Which of the following makes this a valid argument?

1. The resort owners are hurt financially by hurricanes.
2. The hurricane destroyed many buildings.
3. Anytime the resort owners lose a great deal of money, it's because there was a hurricane.
4. Every time a hurricane hits the coast, the resort owners lose much money.
5. None of the above.

Answer D is correct, because if taken with the premise, "A hurricane hit the coast," and if both premises are true, then it is impossible for it to false that the resort owners on the coast have lost much money.

Check only one answer.

1. Barbara earned a 3.5 GPA in her first semester.  Barbara is a good student.Which of the following makes this argument valid?  (Click in the box.) No good student earns less than a 3.0 GPA. Good students earn high GPAs. All students who earn GPAs of 3.5 in the first semester are good students. Usually good students earn earn 3.5 GPA or better. None of the above.

2. Young's daughters went shopping on Saturday.  Therefore, Young has no money now. If Young has no money, then his daughters have been shopping. If Young's daughters have been shopping, then he has no money now. Whenever Young's daughters go shopping, they spend a lot of money. Often when Young has no money, it's because his daughters have been shopping. None of the above.

3. Andrew made the U.S. Olympic team.  He must be a good athlete. All good athletes in the U.S. are on the U.S. Olympic Team Anyone who makes the U.S. Olympic team must be a good athlete. Nearly all good athletes make the U.S. Olympic team. Very few people who make the U.S. Olympic Team are poor athletes. None of the above.

4. Premise:  Max barks.  Conclusion:  Therefore, Max is a dog. All dogs bark. Anything that barks is a dog. If something is a dog, then it will bark. Most dogs bark None of the above.

5.  Matthew Sampson is an ultra -liberal in his political views.   He doen't have a chance of being elected governor of this state. No governor elected in this state has ever been so liberal. The people in this state are very liberal. Most people elected governor are not ultra liberals. No person with ultra-liberal views has a chance of being elected governor of this state. None of the above.

6.  Fido is barking.  Someone must be in the front yard. Fido always barks when someone is in the front yard. Fido is a very good watch dog. The only time Fido barks is when someone is in the front yard. Fido often barks when someone is in the front yard. None of the above.

7.   Premises:  Gregory is not in class.  Conclusion:   Therefore it is Thursday. Gregory always misses class on Thursday. If it's Thursday, Gregory is not in class. If Gregory is not in class, then it is Thursday. Gregory has to work at his job all day on Thursday. None of the above.

8. Melinda graduated from Julliard School of Music.  She must be a great pianist. All great pianists studied at Julliard School of Music. Julliard School of Music is one of the best in the country. Few graduates of Jullliard School of Music are poor pianists. Any graduate of Julliard School of Music is a great pianist. None of the above.

9. Saundra is divorced.  Therefore Saundra has been married at least one time. No divorced person has ever been married. Anyone who is divorced must have been married at least once. The divorce rate has increased over the past several years. Some married people get divorces. None of the above.

10. Eddie and Annette had no food left over from their party.  Their party must have been great. All great parties have no leftovers. If the food at a party is good, then the party will be great. If a party has no leftovers, then it must have been great. Every great party has great food. None of the above.

CT Skills Video -- Jon Young

Organization Methods

METHODS OF ORGANIZATION  

Paragraph 1

It is evident that a tremendous amount of change has occurred in education since online courses were first introduced. Without online courses, students would be restricted to the traditional classroom, onsite courses, which meet at specific times, on specific days.  Although online courses aren’t for everyone, students who prefer this format say that it has allowed them to access an education that might not have been possible, otherwise.  Many students say that they have to work during the times that their courses are usually offered, or they are homebound for a number of reasons.   Because online courses have become so popular, it has caused colleges and universities to rethink the way that they offer instruction.  As a result, many colleges and universities have significantly increased the number of online courses over the last five years.

Paragraph 2

Online courses have many qualities that make them desirable, although they are not for everyone.  They are convenient.  If the weather is inclement, you don’t have to leave your home.  And, you can study as early or as late as you’d like; some students prefer working at 3:00 A.M.  Many single parents find this method of instruction more economical.  They save a lot of money by not having to use daycare services which can be very expensive.  Also, online courses allow students to learn at a rate that’s comfortable for them.  Some students may need more or less time to complete assignments.  Online courses are more flexible with the amount of time needed for course work.

Paragraph 3

For years, some students have been home-schooled for their entire K-12 education.  Many thought that the quality of education would suffer if students weren’t attending school everyday, five days a week.  But, this isn’t so.  Studies have shown that home-schooled children are doing very well in post-secondary institutions and are keeping up or doing better than traditionally schooled children.  Online courses, like home-schooling, are sharing similar results.  Many students learn just as effectively at home as those students who attend structured courses on campus.   Also like home-schooled students, online students can create their own schedules.    Unlike home-schooled children, students who take online courses, will be expected to interact with other students in the courses. And, instead of talking and listening to your instructor and fellow students, they will be typing and reading.  Finally, a significant difference is the discipline required for online courses.  Online students don’t have anyone reminding them to do their work; it’s very easy for students who aren’t self directed and motivated to slip behind.

Paragraph 4

Enrolling in online classes is very easy when you follow several easy steps.  First, you need to complete the Admissions Form, which may be done online.  Second, you will need to submit

METHODS OF ORG. chapter opener material (continUED)

ACT or SAT scores; or, you will be required to take a Placement Test.  If you need to take a Placement Test, it will be necessary to take the test on campus.  Third, you will need to connect with a counselor, which can be done online, or in person. He or she will access your test scores and Admissions Form, and will help you to select appropriate courses.  The counselor will also create a college plan for you, so you will have an outline of your required classes.  The college will assist you in creating achievable goals.  Fourth, once you have “met” with a counselor, you are able to register for your courses through the college’s Web program.  Finally, the college will email verification of courses and payment to you.  Your verification will also include an invitation to attend an orientation, which is optional.

Paragraph 5

For students who are self-directed, there are many advantages to taking online courses.  First, they are very convenient.  You can establish your own schedule for most of the course work.  Second, you don’t have to worry about inclement weather.  If it is snowing or raining, you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home.  Third, you don’t have to worry about parking your car on campus, which means that you save money by not having to purchase a parking permit or extra gasoline. Finally, many students say that they don’t feel as inhibited and tend to ask more questions.  As a result, these students say that they develop more meaningful relationships with online instructors and feel more engaged in the learning process. 

Paragraph 6

An online course is a course that is taught completely via the Internet with definite start and end dates.  It can be taken “anytime, anyplace.”  It is not meant to be an independent study class though.  It is a course option that provides students who may not otherwise be able to come to campus to take courses or who find on-campus courses inconvenient due to work and family schedules.

Point of View in Critical Thinking Video

Semantic Matrix

Semantic Matrix

	A   Who People Description	B   What Things Description	C   When Times Narration	D   Where Places Description	E   Why Reasons Argumentation	F   How Processes Explication
1   Who People Society and Culture	1A   People, Family, Groups	1B   People and their things	1C   People and times	1D   People and Places	1E   People and values and beliefs	1F   People and work, hobbies
2   What Things Science and Technology	2A   Things people need or want	2B   Favorite things	2C	2D	2E	2F
3   When Times History	3A Times people do things Traditions	3B	3C   Time and time again History	3D	3E	3F
4   Where Places Nature and Ecology	4A   Places people live, come from	4B	4C	4D	4E	4F
5   Why Reasons Ideas Philosophy	5A   Ideas people hold Why people are the way they are	5B   Ideas about things Why things are good or bad	5C   Ideas about time Why time is or is not appropriate	5D   Ideas about different places	5E   Ideas about why all is the way it is Ideas about thinking	5F   Ideas about how to think
6   How Processes Art, Craft, Music	6A   How to get along with people	6B   How to appreciate things	6C	6D	6E	6F

Basic semantic categories

Journalistic interrogatives

Vocabulary in Context

Notional functional vocabulary

Think about it

People Places Things Time Ideas Processes

Units and sections

3-6 sections per week

Positive Negative Neutral

Formal Informal Technical

Levels

Domain

Registers

Matrix, general to specific

Visuals, Audio, Video

Song lyrics

Stories

Poems

Essays

Page 2 of 2

Connotations

From Evernote:

Connotation

Connotation

 

In addition to literal, dictionary meanings, words often have implied, emotional meanings known as connotations. These connotations play a big role in the search for the "right word" because they sometimes clash with a writer's intended meaning or view.

For example, in the following sentence, the word pushy conflicts with the meaning in the rest of the sentence:

 

The pushy citizen patiently waited for his turn at the microphone before confidently expressing his concerns about the city council's recent decision to staff the fire station with volunteers.

A pushy individual probably wouldn't have waited patiently for his turn to speak, but rather would have barged in whenever he felt emotionally led to do so. Perhaps, a more appropriate descriptive word for an individual who "patiently waited" before "confidently expressing his concerns" might be assertive.

Words with similar dictionary meanings often have different connotations, so it is very important for a writer to choose words carefully. Consider the following table. Each row contains a list of words with similar dictionary meanings but different shades of feeling.

 

 

 

 

	Favorable	Neutral	Unfavorable
1.	relaxed	inactive	lazy
2.	prudent	timid	cowardly
3.	modest	shy	mousy
4.	time-tested	old	out-of-date
5.	dignified	reserved	stiff-necked
6.	persevering	persistent	stubborn
7.	up-to-date	new	newfangled
8.	thrifty	conservative	miserly
9.	self-confident	proud	conceited
10.	inquisitive	curious	nosy

 

 

More on connotations...

Each of the following sentences includes a pair of words with similar dictionary definitions but different connotations. One of the words is more appropriate based on the context of the sentence. That word appears in the right-hand column.

 

 

 

Sentence Examples	Appropriate Word Choice
As snakes continue to grow, they (junk, shed) the protective keratinous layer on the surface of their bodies because it does not expand.	shed
Oblivious to those around him, the father tenderly (smiled, smirked) at his newborn baby through the window of the hospital nursery.	smiled
During rush hour traffic in a metropolis, cars creep along at agonizingly slow (velocities, speeds).	speeds
Even the coolest star in the night skies is unbelievably (sultry, hot) according to astronomers.	hot
The local newspaper's front-page story indicated that $50,000 was (stolen, pilfered) from the town's largest bank during the night.	stolen
The pack of wild horses (loped, sprinted) alongside the train at top speed for more than 200 yards.	sprinted
Although many Americans purchase meat at their local grocery stores, some farmers still (butcher, execute) livestock to feed their families.	butcher
The French are (noted, notorious) for their fine food.