Tuesday, March 17 2009 (St. Patrick’s Day)
January 10, 2009
Today’s Agenda
1) Welcome back from break
Let’s review what we covered last class, and what your homework was for today:
You had to read Chapter 6, and learn about what a Toulmin argument is, and then write a blog post about how you were going to transform your writing into a Toulmin argument:
Here are some examples of what you said. I have underlined the points that are particularly important right now:
Student 1:
The Toulmin strategy says the main parts are the claims and evidence. You begin your argument with a claim. This is the point you are trying to prove. Your claims depend of your audience or readers. Claims that are worth arguing are controversial. You have to support the claim with evidence. Also, you then use a warrant; informs readers your often unstated assumptions. A singular paragraph will have an introduction, then a quote supporting what the author is trying to say, then an explanation of what the author is trying to say.
Student 2:
When starting to transform my argument into a toulmin argument, I’m going to begin with using the claims that I’m trying to prove, by using direct quotes from Hertsgaard’s, D’Souza’s, and the other author of my choice’s article, to help back up the claims, and the argument that I’m trying to make. To help prove my argument I’m going to add more quotes to each paragraph so that each paragraph has two quotes at the minimum to support the claims. In the paragraphs as well, I’m going to use more than one autor’s quotes instead of using quotes from one author in each paragraph. Along with quotes, I’m going to put good specific evidence in my argument to back up, and support my claims, so when the reader questions my statement they will know that my evidence that I’m providing really supports the claim.
Student 3:
Rewriting my argument into Toulmin form will help make my argument more understandable, condensed, and less repetitive. The first step I would have to take to reach this would be to decide my claim. I also need o have a qualifier t limit the claim so it is not too large. After I decide the claim that I am going to make, I have to gather the evidence out of the papers I have written to support this claim. I have to then persuade using a warrant to link my claims to the reasons and data supporting it. This data can include my support from the other authors and articles I used in my synthesis section of my past paper. I may need to use more facts and quotes from the Hertsgaard argument and my two other arguments to really support my case. The more evidence I provide the more solid the claim. After I have provided all of my information and evidence I will end by stating how other people may view it in the conditions of rebuttal. After I do this, in my response, I will explain how to go about my claim without sounding too crazy.
Okay, now that we have thought a little bit about what a Toulmin argument is and how it works, let’s move on into what’s next:
1) Conferences: I am going to meet with each of you this week to go over your paper and discuss it with you. At that time, you will be given a grade on the paper. I will now hand out the conference sign-up sheet.
Today we are going to shift gears a bit. We have been discussing warrants, and how they connect your evidence to your claims. We need to be aware that some strategies are better than others for connecting claims and evidence
Claim:
You should wear a coat when you go outside
Evidence:
It is -30 degrees outside.
Warrant:
If you don’t wear a coat, you will die.
You should wear a coat because other people are wearing coats.
If you don’t wear a coat, you may also forget your hat and gloves.
You will need to wear a coat so that you do not get cold, as it is very cold outside.
Claim:
A University Degree is a worthy goal for anyone
Evidence:
People who get a University Degree make 1 million dollars more over the course of their lives than people who do not get a university degree.
Warrant:
People who university degrees are better than people who do not have university degrees
If you don’t get a university degree, you will live in poverty, as will your children.
If you don’t get a university degree, you are probably not very bright.
If you get a university degree, you are going to improve your chances of having the kind of job and work you want in life.
Claim:
Many Americans do not understand the foreign policies of the United States
Evidence:
When polled, only 20% of Americans claimed to follow the news on a regular basis
Warrant:
Only nerds and dweebs follow the news, so understanding it is not important to me, Mr. Regular Guy.
Because American’s do not follow the news, they can’t be held responsible for what their country does.
If people followed the news, they would have a better idea of what was going on in the world, and would be less ignorant of why other countries react to us the way they do.
—
Okay, as you can see, some kinds of warrants make more sense than others. You book does a very good job of laying out what are called “fallacies of argumentation” You book does a very good job of describing these.
Let’s open to chapter 17 and take some time to read the intro. After we have done that, let’s break into groups. Each group is going to be responsible for introducing one or more of these fallacies to the class,and also for providing examples of where and when you have encountered these fallacies in your life.
Now that we have talked about it as a class, I would like you to take some time and journal on this issue.
Pick one of the fallacies that was NOT addressed by your group and for the next 10 minutes I want you to journal on an example of this kind of argumentation that you have encountered before.
Share and discuss.
Okay, now I want to begin working on a document that you are going to start working on today, and will bring with you when you come to see me in my office. The title of this document is “Reality Check.”
The purpose of the reality check is to have you refresh your thinking about writing and who you are as a
writer at this point in the semester. I want you to describe to me how you have developed or grown as a writer so far this semester, what have you learned or how have you otherwise improved? I also want you to explain to me where it is you need to focus in your writing. What issues are you still having with writing? This is a two page typed document you will be turning into me when you come to my office.
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Factual Arguments
Kezzie Webber
Professor Adam Crowley
Factual argument’s are widely varied and have different standards of proof. Just like any type of argument, the whole point of factual arguments is to attempt to establish whether something is true or not. Most commonly, people who are making a factual argument have to do research and write a report. It’s very common to encounter this argument daily considering we encounter many arguments everyday as it is.
Recently I encountered a factual argument on a much less serious note. I was engaged in a conversation with one of my friends. We were discussing our favorite movies and what we liked the most about them. My friend then began talking about the Wizard of OZ and explained how she used to love it but doesn’t favor it quite as much now. Her reason was because a dwarf had killed himself during the musical scene of “Follow the yellow brick road”. She said you could see it on the original film because producers hadn’t noticed it before. I didn’t believe her for one second. I argued that a lot of people say they see things in certain movies and they don’t appear. Not only that but I found it impossible for film editors to not notice such a serious thing.
My friend began to say she actually saw it on the original film and wished she still had it because she would really prove it to me. I just figured she was trying to make her story more believable. After some time of trying to convince me and she realized I wasn’t going to believe her without actual proof she grabbed my laptop and proceeded to log into YouTube. She searched it and surprisingly proved me it was true. I had to have actual evidence which meant I had to see the original film over and over. Obviously this is not a major argument what so ever. But I feel it’s a good example because I was in such disbelief and something like that you need to see actual proof.
Factual arguments are used on much more serious levels such as money issues, political issues, and scientific study issues. Typically you will find that people stretch the truth, so going by someone’s word without actual proof isn’t always the best way to do it. A factual argument is the transmission of facts and is used to change a person’s belief. This form of argumentation is best believable because actual facts are presented and proved with actual evidence.
Factual Argument
People run into factual arguments everyday of there lives. One situation most people run into is should I do this or that, is this true or not true. In a factual argument you need to present your claim and back it up with evidence, that shows if your claims was right or wrong. For me getting a car was a factual argument to my dad and I.
It was the end of my sophomore year, I had had a job for almost five months and had money saved for a car. One stipulation my parents had for me to get a car was that, I need to have money saved, getting good grades in school, and a job. I had accomplished all of that in a very short time. I was eager to get my car, so that I wouldn’t have to use my parents cars when they weren’t. Since I was a little kid I always had wanted a Dodge Neon. I came to learn that wasn’t a great car to have.
A couple weeks later on a Saturday afternoon, my dad came to pick my up at my friends how and said “let’s go look around for a car”. I was ecstatic. There were a couple cars he picked out for me in Uncle Henrys. On the way there he told me, we were looking at a Honda Civic and a Volkswagen, Jetta. I was not happy with that, I had said I wanted nothing but a Doge Neon.
My dad pulled a paper out of his pocket. It was a car review. I knew little about cars, the review didn’t fit my dads standards. I read list of issues people have had, including bad transmissions, putting headgaskets in it continuously, and the body was built cheaply. He wouldn’t let me get the Dodge Neon because, it didn’t have high enough standards for him. My safety was his main priority.
This lead me to not getting a Doge Neon, even though I have wanted once since I was a little kid. I ended up getting a Honda Civic Ex. There were nothing but good reviews saying that they were reliable and safe. If it wasn’t for the facts that my dad have given me I wouldn’t of stopped arguing with him about getting a Dodge Neon. I would rather have a safe reliable car, than something that I wouldn’t be safe in.
Samantha Rivers
EH 124
Professor Crowley
March 22, 2009
Arguments Based on Fact
The first step to writing an argument based on fact is that you have to pick a topic. The great think about argument based on facts is that there are so many different topics to choose from. As long as you have evidence to back up your tropic, you can argue just about anything. As stated in the book, fact based arguments can be based on; a claim that is controversial or surprising, correcting an error of fact, or challenging societal myths. When I was a senior in high school I did a huge project on abusive relationships. In that project I had a fact based argument based on 1 and 3 kids will be in an abusive relationship before they leave high school. I thought that was very surprising at the time so I wanted to research it more.
After choosing a topic you must go research it because good evidence helps make the process so much easier. Since the argument is obviously based on fact, it is very important to use erodible sources to get the best information possible. The best places to look are the internet, textbooks, newspapers, and going into your library in search of what you need. When doing my abusive relationships project I had to do tons of research before even starting. I wanted to make sure I had all the correct data and that my information on relationships was correct. I cross checked all of my information with other sources. I even got in touch with women from R.E.A.C.H and Y.A.P.P to help me with my information. The research step is the most important step because the better you research your topic the less you will have to keep going back to check information or get new sources.
After choosing a topic and completing the research, you next have to form a hypothesis. The book suggested not rushing into a thesis when starting a project, but for a hypothesis that expresses your beliefs. To form a hypothesis you need to form a question. It is okay if you don’t know the answer to this question right away. In the case of my abusive relationship project my question was; since I have been in an abusive relationship without knowing it and so have many of my friends, does that mean the1 in 3 people to experience abuse during high school is accurate? After I formed my question my hypothesis was; 1 in 3 people will be in a abusive relationship before they leave high school, some are even in an abusive relationship without even knowing it.
After you have all that done, you are now ready to prepare a proposal. This is the time when you finally get to write and organize your information. In the book they suggest starting with organizing the information in Toulmin terms. In a Toulmin argument you present your facts by stating the claim, reasons, and warrants. You first state your claim and why this is important to examine. Then you give the reasons why your claim is true. Then finally you have your warrants connect the claim to the evidence to help the reader see why it makes sense. After your done writing then all you have to do is read through it, check for organization and grammatical errors.
Tiffany L.
Assistant Professor Crowley
Factual Arguments
3/23/09
Factual arguments, are arguments that tend to be guided by evidence, and perceptions. Factual arguments are used to try, and find out if something is accurate or not. We see these types of arguments in our everyday life, even though we may not realize it at the time.
I myself have encountered a factual argument recently. My family, and I recently found out that my sister is pregnant. We were all excited, and thrilled to be having a new edition join our family in a short 9 months. One day my sister was over for the day to spend some time with us. My mom, and I got talking about how far along she’ll be before we can hear the baby’s heart beat. My mom said that it would be about four months into her pregnancy, when we would be able to go to the doctors, and hear the baby’s heart beat. I didn’t believe her so I argued saying that you couldn’t hear it that early on. My mom had said that she had been through two pregnancies, and that she should know when you could hear the heartbeat. My mom, and I argued about it for a few days, until finally she told me to go online, and look it up for myself. While searching for how long into the pregnancy it was until we could hear the baby’s heartbeat, it said about four months right there in bold letters. My mom was right all along. I didn’t believe her at first, because I thought that you had to be further along then that. I had to look for evidence of when generally you can hear a baby’s heartbeat online, for me to believe what my mom was saying. Without evidence I wouldn’t have believed her, because sometimes when I hear things, the person who tells it to me is incorrect, so I like to see hard evidence before I start to believe what they are telling me.
Factual arguments are common arguments that we experience everyday, whether it be about money, technology, or insurance rates, we experience these types of arguments on a day to day basis. Usually when someone tells me something I don’t believe them until I have proof, because a lot of people like to exaggerate the truth about things, and factual arguments help to shift someone’s belief from not believing to believing in what someone is telling you. These types of arguments are the best arguments to use, because you have hard evidence of proof that are presented, and that uses facts to help back up what someone is trying to get someone else to believe in.
Julie R
Rhetoric and Composition
Professor Adam Crowley
3/24/09
Factual Argument
On a day to day basis, I encounter an argument called factual. When people discuss something (a claim) and it can be prove or disproved to back it up (with evidence). An example on page 1087 “The winter of 1998 was the warmest on record for the United States. This argument has a claim, that this winter was the warmest on record for the US. But is also something you can look up to prove.
A factual argument that I have had lately is weather to stay on campus or to move off campus. Why is this factual? Well there are many factors that play in to this decision. The main factor is the bottom line…or the price. I was already having problems finding a roommate with respect. So I asked my parents if I could live off campus. They said no way that would be way to expensive. Well I was always taught to not fight with my parents so I said, “if I could find it for cheaper would you be willing for me to move off” they replied “Julie this is your money you spend it how you please”. I went on a hunt. To find the facts, or evidence.
I began to search and search. Figuring out that living on campus is about 777.00 per month. Well that is easy to live under. As long as I do my shopping around I could be able to get a better deal than 777.00 a month. So I began to break it down. I had many things from the apartment Steve and I had this summer. So I could find a one bedroom apartment for 500.00 which means that I would have 277.00 left for my other living needs. 50.00 a week for groceries which is 200.00 a month 77.00 left for over I would be saving. Living by myself would save me 77.00 a month it is not much but it does add up to 385 for the second semester. This would pay for one credit of a summer class. Then I talked to my parents and explain why findings, then said that I could find someone to live with the next fall which would be even cheaper. They ended up agreeing and now I live on my own but little did they know that living off campus would be cheaper than living on campus.
After gathering information such as the claim, evidence and warrant the next step is to use it. You can plug it into the outline that is outlined on page 195 to 199. This causes your argument to be more believable, strong and understandable. Gaining organization makes the argument seem more reliable. You can not always go off from what you hear. Sometimes you have to research something you hear and want to believe.
Factual Arguments
Karina Durrell
Professor Adam Crowley
There are many varieties of factual arguments with different standards of proof. They all attempt to establish whether things exist or whether claims made about something are true. I have faced many factual arguments and one of them is about a situation that I have encountered with my parents recently.
My dad has always worked his whole life. At times, he worked multiple and he has never had a time when he did not have a job. My mom watches my little cousin so she did not have to be in daycare at such a young age, and my aunt thought that would be the best place for her little girl.
Over spring break when I went home, my parents were talking to me about new jobs. My dad’s doctor thought it would be best for him to get a new job and for my parents to move out of state. My mom also said that she was applying, and I just didn’t believe her because I never thought she would give up her time with my little cousin. She told me she was serious about them applying, and I kept thinking that they were giving me a hard time and just kidding with me.
After a long time of fighting with them, they finally showed me the applications. When I looked at the applications and saw that they were all filled out, I was in shock. I couldn’t believe that they were actually telling me the truth. I still had my doubts about how the doctor said that they should move out of state. I had an appointment though so I knew I could figure it out. When I went to the doctor’s I asked him about what my dad told me. The doctor told me that he did indeed say that.
I finally realized that everything that they were saying was the truth. I needed the facts though before I could believe it. I didn’t believe them when they were just talking about it but as soon as the facts were presented to me, that is all I could believe.
Matt Thebarge
3/24/09
Factual Argument
When it comes to the definition of a factual argument it is pretty easy to understand. A factual argument is an argument that is based on fact. There is evidence, most time a plentiful amount of it, to support whatever the topic is. With that being said, the more evidence that is present in an argument means the more believable the argument can appear. Not all arguments need the same amount of evidence to be proven right. The book gave a few examples of factual arguments such as the reappearing existence of an extinct bird known as the ivory-billed woodpecker. There needed to be a lot of evidence to prove this since the bird was believed to be extinct making this a good factual argument
I experienced a very good factual argument that right now, is currently still on going. The argument began in the first week of march when Terrell Owens, an outstanding future hall of fame wide receiver who brings a lot of “baggage” to teams he plays for, signed with my favorite football team, the Buffalo Bills. Instantly this was all over the media. Buffalo, which I felt is never talked about on ESPN is now always on it. Terrell attracts attention because of who he is. The argument I was dealing with on this subject was, will Terrell be able to preform and not be considered a “cancer” to the Bills like it has appeared he has for every other team he has played with.
The first thing I did was listen to what the media had to say. Although I felt that the media is very bias towards Terrell, because all they ever show him is resent, I figured I’d hear them out. There was an article at espn.com that was titled something along the lines of “Buffalo Bills and Terrell Owens, a Good Match?” As I proceeded to read it, it explained why Terrell will do well in Buffalo being the contract is only a one year deal. They supported this factual argument by presenting his first year numbers with every team he’s played for. All the numbers were extremely productive.
I was instantly satisfied with the signing but that led me to read another article. This article was about all the cold weather games T.O., Terrell Owens, had played in. His stats were not good at all when it came to preforming in cold weather. Buffalo, being a lake effect snow city located in western New York, doesn’t normally have that “sunny and 74″ weather like teams such as the Miami Dolphins may have. This article was also a factual argument because it used evidence to show why he won’t preform in Buffalo.
Both of the factual arguments presented had very good evidence behind their argument. What it really comes down to is who do I want to believe on how well my new Wide Receiver will preform. Since I am a pretty optimistic person I prefer to go with the first article. You always want to be positive about your favorite sports team, even if they haven’t made the playoffs in the past ten years.