1. Writing the Argumentative Essay
By Caryl Bishop

2. Argumentation
“. . . the art of influencing others, through the medium of reasoned discourse, to believe or act as we wish them to believe or act.”

3. Structure of Argument Claim Support Warrant Proposition Evidence
Motivational Appeals
Warrant
Assumption(s) that have been taken for granted

4. Features of Argumentation
Writer
Develop your own ETHOS or borrow from established authority
Audience
Know your audience and be sensitive to their views
Text
Use the language to make your point, but be careful not to misuse language

5. The Writer Ethos Your own Borrow from authority
You must look like you know what you’re talking about
Educate yourself on the issue(s) before writing
Borrow from authority
Be sure to give appropriate credit where due

6. The Audience Who is your audience?
Qualities you should presume of your audience:
Assume they are as knowledgeable about your topic as you are.
Assume they are aware of common knowledge.
Assume they could be fundamentally opposed to your argument and be sensitive to their prejudices –
Don’t Alienate Your Audience

7. The Text Argue from logic and reason Avoid fallacious logic
Do NOT base your entire argument on:
Emotion
Religious Conviction
Tradition
Avoid fallacious logic
There are a multitude of formal errors in logic, known as FALLACIES

8. Some Common Fallacies Hasty Generalization Faulty Use of Authority
Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
False Analogy
Ad Hominem
False Dilemma
Slippery Slope

9. Hasty Generalization Black or White thinking Prejudice
Drawing Hasty Conclusions
Insufficient Evidence

10. Faulty Use of Authority
Misuse of a source
Misquoting
Fitting the quotation to your own needs
If four out of five dentists prefer Colgate, don’t use the one dentist who prefers Crest as your authority!

11. Post Hoc, Ergo Propter Hoc
“After this, therefore because of this”
Faulty Cause and Effect Reasoning

12. False Analogy
Faulty Connection Between Two Things Being Compared

13. Ad Hominem “Against the Man”
Attacking the person rather than attacking an issue.
If you don’t like this administration’s policies, and want to see them changed, don’t attack the President, address the issues you want changed.

14. False Dilemma “Black or White Fallacy”
There are only two alternatives, no room for compromise and no grey areas.
Nearly every issue has at least two sides, and somewhere, someone has determined that the OTHER side is the only legitimate approach.
Nothing is black and white; there are shades of grey everywhere!

15. Slippery Slope The assumption that “A” will inevitably lead to “B”
Then “B” will inevitably lead to “C”
And so on…

16. More Common Fallacies Begging the Question The Straw Man Fallacy
“Two Wrongs Make a Right”
Non-Sequitur
Ad Populum
Appeal to Tradition
Faulty Emotional Appeal

17. Begging the Question Circular Reasoning
The statement being argued actually assumes the issue has already been proven true.
An argument that assumes itself
Circular Reasoning

18. Straw Man Fallacy
Set up a slightly different problem and attack it, rather than the problem at issue
Diverts attention away from the real issue
“Wag the Dog”

19. “Two Wrongs Make A Right”
“But all my friends are doing it…”
Diverts attention away from the question at issue

20. Non-Sequitur “It does not follow” Erroneous Cause and Effect Reasoning
Uses irrelevant information to back of a claim

21. Ad Populum Appeals to the prejudices of the people
Appeals to popular opinion
Appeals to what you believe your teacher wants to hear

22. Appeal to Tradition “But we’ve always done it that way before…”
Just because it has always been that way doesn’t make it right

23. Faulty Emotional Appeals
Don’t base your whole claim on an appeal to emotion
Don’t use emotional appeals that are
Irrelevant to the argument
Draw attention away from the real issue
Appear to conceal another purpose