Chapter 9 : TFY : Argument: What's Good Argument?

Critical Reading of Arguments

What an argument first needs is an objective reading or hearing. Afterwards criticism can begin with five questions.

What Viewpoint Is the Source of This Argument?

Arguments represent the bias, internet and objectives of a viewpoint.

What Is the Issue of Controversy?

To assess an argument, we first must determine the issue.

Argument : offering reasons to support a conclusion with the intent to persuade.

Issue: a problem of public concern that is subject to dispute or debate.

Debate question: a question that states an issue, providing a focus for pro and con positions on that issue. Debate questions are expressed in neutral terms, often beginning with such words as "should"

Is it an Argument or a Report?

Arguments and reports are each structured differently and have different objectives. We cannot analyze one according to the standards of the other.

How is the Argument Structured in Terms of Reason and Conclusions?

A quick method for analyzing an argument is to disassemble its structure, first identifying its conclusion and then separating that statement from the reasons offered to support it.

Conclusion: A clear statement of what an argument intends to prove. This statement serves as the argument's thesis, final opinion, or judgment. It clearly shows the author's position on an issue.

Reason: Statements offered to explain, justify, or support the conclusion of an argument. Reason can take the form of statements of facts, statistics, evidence, or reasoning. Any number of reasons can be offered to support one conclusion.

Identifying the Conclusion of an Argument

conclusion is generally understood as a final summary statement in an argument, the conclusion functions more like the thesis of a composition, which something appears first.

Identifying Reason

Reasons are statements of opinion, propositions, premises, or statements of evidence offered to explain, justify, or support conclusion.

More on Distinguishing Reasons from Conclusions

Implied Conclusions

Conclusions in a series

Conclusion at the Beginning

Conclusion in the Middle

Is Any Information False, Contradictory, or Irreconcilable?

Although we may not be able to prove falsehoods, we can pay attention to such warning signs as discrepancies, contradictions, incongruities and inconsistencies.

Discrepancy: Something diverges from what we expect; an inconsistency, as between facts and claims.

Incongruity: Something that does not meet our expectations about what is correct, appropriate, logical, or standard. The word means not in agreement.

Consistency: Something that is consistent has constancy and therefore dependability. The term means to stand. Something that is inconsistent lacks constancy or logical coherence and may contain contradictions.

Contradiction: To make claims that cannot both be true or both be false at the same time, to do or say something, then deny it was done or said; to say one thing but do the opposite.

Irreconcilable: Conflicting ideas, beliefs, or information that cannot be fully explained or resolved.

Conclusion indicator words include therefore, so, in fact, the truth of the matter is, in short, it follows that, indicates that, suggests that, proves that, we may deduce that, points to the conclusion that, in my opinion, and the most obvious explanation is.

Reason indicator words include because, first...second, since, for, for one thing, in view of the fact that, for the reason that, is supported by, for example, also.