Arguing on the Toulmin Model - New Essays in Argument
The Toulmin Method based on the works of Stephen Toulmin allows us to come up with argumentation and improve them through the use of logic and analysis. It also allows the reader to go beyond the cursory agreement or disagreement with the argument and allows the reader to learn the hows and whys of the argumentation. The Toulmin Method relies on logic and reasoning to test the arguments for its merit by dividing it into its various parts. Many writers find the Toulmin Method much easier to follow and most beginner writers don’t have to consult a free essay writer to help them with their argumentation, as the arguments using these methods are easier to construct part by part. If you're writing an analytical essay example about a piece of writing, you'll look into how the text was written and why the author chose to write it.
The Toulmin Method of argumentation divides the argumentation into three distinct parts:
The claims
The reasons
The evidence
By dividing the argument into these three parts it makes it easier for the writer and the reader to judge and evaluate the merit of the argument through logical analysis.
The Claim
The essay argument will have a claim or various claims that house under it an argument or various arguments. The claim can be a general statement put forward by the writer which the writer will present as the truth.
Once you have the idea that you want to pursue in your argumentation, you should present it as the best way you can so that it can lead to specific arguments. The best way to make sure of this is to include in your claim:
A qualifier
The qualifiers narrow down the subject matter and allow you to talk about a specific area of a wider subject. Qualifies are words such as ‘many’, ‘usually’, ‘some’, etc. that when added to a claim narrow down the subject that the argument targets.
An exception
Yet another way to put a parameter around the claim is adding an exception. This helps make the claim specific so that the readers can understand what the argument is about from the start.
The Reasoning
How well you back your claim depends on the strength of the reason that you provide to the reader. The reasoning should be fool-proof through-out the various arguments that are there defending the claim. To merit the reasoning of your argumentation and that of others you need to keep in mind two things:
Its relevance
The reasoning should target the claim of the argument. It can start from the general subject area and can narrow down on the specifics. It is best if you avoid jumping from one line of reasoning to the next.
Its effectiveness
The effectiveness of your reasoning is determined by providing the readers with something of value that they can agree upon or something they might be convinced about. Using qualifiers in your reasoning can narrow down the reasoning for you and make it effective for the reader.
The Evidence
The evidence in higher levels of argumentation should come from authoritative scholarly sources. Without the evidence to support your claims and back your reasoning, you won’t be able to fully convince your reader. The evidence should fulfill three requirements:
Credibility
Try to bring into your reasoning evidence that is from a credible source or one that is released by an expert in the field. This allows the reader to accept the evidence without second-guessing it.
The evidence should also be accurate in that the statistics or observations used should be easily verifiable through your references and citations. If you are assigned to write a persuasive essay examples you should have a complete understanding of it
Validity
Most of the information that you come across in the scholarly papers and articles tend to get updated or changed as more information comes about replacing, editing, and challenging the established research. Make sure that you use the data that is updated and valid.
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