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Introduction to Argument
Every work contains messages. Sometimes the message is intended by the author.
However, most often, a message can be discovered through what the author does
not explicitly tell. Messages in the text are also called arguments. The
following information is paraphrased from For Argument’s Sake.
- Argument: The process of establishing a claim with the use of evidence. (p1)
- The objective is to gain agreement about a point through the use of evidence.
(p2)
- Evidence means support in the form of a quote from the text.
- Important: An argument is different from an opinion because an argument
requires evidence. (p2)
Classes of Arguments:
- Factual arguments try to convince an audience that a certain condition or
event actually exists or has existed. (p3)
- Causal arguments often are found in economics and history papers. They try to
convince readers that one event or condition caused another event, or is likely
to cause another event. (p3)
- Evaluation arguments make value judgments. (p3) (Ex. Siskel & Ebert)
- Recommendation arguments try to get readers to do something, to follow a
suggested course of action. (p3)
To Form an Argument:
- Forming an argument requires you to identify an audience then discover or
invent a point to be argued. (p5)
- Make a claim.
- After you make a claim, collect quotes from the text to support your ideas.
Crafting an argument is regarded as a process. Claims are part of the process.
Claims support argument, quotes support claims.
GEW 101/ Spring
Perales
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