Claims and Warrants

Argument Who is Toulmin and What Is His Method? HOW WHY

DEFINITIONS

Argument: a series of statements or propositions that support an overall conclusion. “What’s the point of looking at your side of the argument when it’s wrong?”

Argument: A series of statements or propositions that support an overall conclusion. Claim: The overall thesis the writer will argue for. (Types: fact, value, policy) Reasons/Warrants (Bridge): Explanation of why or how the data supports the claim, connects your data to your claim. Evidence: Supports the claim. (Facts, comparisons, statistics, anecdotes, examples, etc.) Concessions (Counterclaims & Rebuttals): A claim that disagrees with or negates the claim. Drawing Conclusions: Overall statement about effectiveness of the claim. DEFINITIONS Elements of a Good “Toulmin” Argument

Fact or Definition: Are the facts really true? “What some people refer to as global warming is actually nothing more than normal, long-term cycles of climate change.” Cause and Effect: Is this really the reason why? “The popularity of SUV's in America has caused pollution to increase.” Value: Is it important or worth discussing? “Global warming is the most pressing challenge facing the world today.” Solutions or Policies: Will this solution or policy really work? “Instead of drilling for oil in Alaska we should be focusing on ways to reduce oil consumption, such as researching renewable energy sources.” Types of Claims

Logical Debatable Narrow Topic Use qualifiers to make your claim reasonable! Then you don’t have to prove that your claim is true in every case. Qualifiers: typically, usually, for the most part, some, several, few, and sometimes. Absolute Claims

Reasons/Warrants/Bridges Well thought out reasoning that connects the claim and the support is essential. If you present data to your audience without explaining how it supports your thesis they may not make a connection, or they may draw different conclusions; derived from their our cultural experiences and personal observations. Warrants may be based on logos, ethos, pathos, or values that are assumed to be shared with the reader.

Evidence

At least 2 evidences for each reason Must be: Sufficient Credible – current, applicable Accurate Evidence

Concessions (Counterclaims & Rebuttals) Concession- acknowledging a part of the opposing argument that cannot be refuted. Conceding that an opposing point is valid and then building upon it to further one's own claim allows a writer to make the audience feel appreciated without giving up her or his own position. Include the opposing side as a counterclaim. Students should find out what the other side is saying and respond to it within their own argument. It makes students look more credible because they appear to be knowledgeable about the entirety of the debate rather than just being biased or uniformed.

Conclusion All claims, reasons/warrants, evidence, concessions and rebuttals – ALL lead to the logical conclusion Confirm your claim Call to action

Example Claim: Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution. Data/Evidence 1: Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity. Warrant 1: Because cars are the largest source of private, as opposed to industry produced, air pollution switching to hybrid cars should have an impact on fighting pollution. Data/Evidence 2: Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years. Warrant 2: Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a long-term impact on pollution levels. Data/Evidence 3: Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery- powered electric motor. Warrant 3: This combination of technologies means that less pollution is produced. According to ineedtoknow.org "the hybrid engine of the Prius, made by Toyota, produces 90 percent fewer harmful emissions than a comparable gasoline engine." Counterclaim: Instead of focusing on cars, which still encourages a culture of driving even if it cuts down on pollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging use of mass transit systems. Conclusion: Confirm your claim and call to action

Key Points to Remember 1) A well thought out warrant or bridge is essential. Explain how it supports the thesis, making a connection between the data and the conclusion. 2) Students must include the opposing side as a counterclaim. This is important so that the audience is not swayed by weak, but unrefuted, arguments. It also makes students look more credible because they appear to be knowledgeable about the entirety of the debate rather than just being biased or uniformed. 3) Everything is driven by the conclusion – the claim, evidence, warrants, concessions, rebuttals, etc.

Thank you!