Analyzing an Argument

A weak argument is

• supported by facts

• appeals to the listener

• provides a counterclaim

• is very general instead of specific

A strong argument is

• supported by facts

• appeals to the listener

• provides a counterclaim

• has all of these characteristics

When an ad or commercial uses statistics and facts...it is appealing to

• your sense of reason

• your emotions

• your memory

the strength of an argument relies on

• the content of initial claim

• the support or evidence defending the claim

Is this a reason or evidence: 92% of users are happy with the product.

• reason

• evidence

• claim

Is this a reason or evidence: I believe that the death penalty is wrong because I do not feel it is my right to decide if someone else should live or die.

• reason

• evidence

• claim

Is this a reason or evidence: Approximately 42-45% of marriages in the United States end in divorce.

• reason

• evidence

• claim

The purpose of this ad is to

• persuade, it appeals to emotions

• share information, it shows statistics

• persuade, it appeals to reason by using facts

• share information, it shows a real-life example

an argument made to answer likely objections (being one step ahead..."I know you're going to say this_ _ _, BUT_ _ _"

• support

• claim

• evidence

• counterargument

What does it mean to "trace" an argument? 

• to take a pencil and physically ouline the text

• to decide whether it is convincing or not

• to reread it

• to follow the reasoning of the argument