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last.updated 10.15.13

 

Argumentative Strategies

Purpose

During today's lesson the instructor will help you understand some common strategies that we use to persuade people to do something or think a certain way.

Lecture I: How We Persuade

As a class, we will discuss the following questions about the readings:

  • How will you arrive at the thesis of your IMRAD essay?
  • What type of evidence will you use? What is the purpose of the textual research?
  • After watching the following anti-smoking ad, identify the...
    • claim
    • data
    • warrant
    • backing
    • counterclaim
    • rebuttal
  • What are logos, ethos, and pathos? Using the same ad, identify if and how these three appeals are being used.

Activity I: Come on, Persuade me!

You will be divided into five groups. In these groups, you will have the rest of the class to start working on this activity; it will be due at the beginning of the next class. For this activity, you will...

  • Open your own Google document that you will share with your group and the instructor (one document per group).
  • At the beginning of this document answer the following questions...
    • Develop an argument that your group wants to make about how the class should changed or different. At this point just write a sentence or two (i.e., the thesis).
    • What type of appeals do you want to use? Why do you think these appeals will be most successful? What logical fallacies do you have to avoid while making this argument?
    • What evidence will you use to support your case? Why? How will you organize the argument (see Toulmin)?
    • What are the five elements of a rhetorical situation (based upon the Purdue OWL readings for Wednesday)? In your own words define these elements. What questions do you have about the readings regarding the rhetorical situation?
  • After your group has answered these questions, use your answers to develop a 500-word argument to the instructor.
  • Then write a 100-word response in which your group explains why you think the argument will be successful; use the terminology from the two days of reading to make your case.
  • To do this work outside of class, the group can 1) work together at a set time, 2) divide and conquer, or 3) a combination of these.