Arguments Use Support

Support makes an argument convincing – support backs or justifies the claims made. You start out with facts or data, and you present them carefully (emphasizing some data, or illustrating them, for example) to support your claims. Here the ad claims that Black & Decker standard drill is one of the most useful of all electronic tools. The data is that the drill is portable, that it functions as a drill press, and that it has multiple uses. The support connects the data with the claim – so for this ad, the support suggests that being portable, working as a drill press, and having multiple uses make an electric tool very useful. The support for this ad depends on examples, but there are many other ways to support your argument.

Appeals to ethos support an argument by focusing on the arguer – his or her character or other personal attributes. The claim that “every second counts” is particularly effective coming from Lance Armstrong because he’s won so many Tour de France bike races (where every second counted) and because, we can assume, he has a special appreciation for life, having survived testicular cancer.

Appeals to logos support an argument by drawing your attention to objective information from outside sources, such as facts, statistics, or independent studies. This cereal box supports its claim that Cheerios may lower your risk of heart disease with American Medical Association research on diets that include whole grain foods, such as Cheerios.

Appeals to pathos support an argument by targeting your emotions Appeals to pathos support an argument by targeting your emotions. This road sign tries to get you to share the concern of parents in the area – they worry about their kids getting hurt while playing, just as you would worry about your own children.

Authorities support an argument by adding credibility Authorities support an argument by adding credibility. We would probably take this poster’s message more seriously than any other because we know it’s issued by the Center for Disease Control, a government health agency, displayed by their logo.

Jesse Jackson at Democratic National Convention 1984 Our flag is red, white and blue, but our nation is a rainbow -- red, yellow, brown, black and white -- and we're all precious in God's sight. America is not like a blanket -- one piece of unbroken cloth, the same color, the same texture, the same size. America is more like a quilt: many patches, many pieces, many colors, many sizes, all woven and held together by a common thread. The white, the Hispanic, the black, the Arab, the Jew, the woman, the native American, the small farmer, the businessperson, the environmentalist, the peace activist, the young, the old, the lesbian, the gay, and the disabled make up the American quilt. Analogies support an argument through favorable or unfavorable comparisons. In this speech, Jesse Jackson supports his argument for equality with an analogy, comparing this country to a quilt – the many patches and colors add beauty and interest, suggesting that diversity is a good thing.

Anecdotes support an argument by adding an element of real-life experience. This poster’s claim, that every business should have a plan, is supported by Jason Warren’s personal account. Although his company’s offices were destroyed by a tornado, they were open again in three days because they had a plan.

Maps, statistics, figures, and tables all support an argument by suggesting that objective evidence exists. For example, these maps and their accompanying key support National Geographic’s discussion about Mar’s water content – we see how much hydrogen (symbolized by the blue areas) is near the planet’s equator.

Evaluate if the Support is Weak or Strong Support not only takes different forms, but it also has varying strengths – for each argument, some support is weaker and some is stronger. Most of the time, you won’t just accept someone’s word for something, so the support offered is crucial. There are some basic questions you can ask yourself when evaluating support for an argument: Is the support relevant to the claim (s) made? Is the support strong enough to warrant the conclusions or assumptions? Is the support representative of all cases? Have other, possibly conflicting, examples been ignored or overlooked? Are the right authorities being consulted? Could any be biased? Is the support up to date?

The support for this poster’s claim depends on the anecdote given The support for this poster’s claim depends on the anecdote given. The support is much weaker if the real-life experience described doesn’t seem representative of most people. How helpful is a plan if, for example, your business is a craft shop? If all of your crafts are destroyed in a natural disaster, a plan won’t have you back in business in three days.

The support for this ad’s claim depends on the examples given The support for this ad’s claim depends on the examples given. The support is much weaker if people don’t care that the drill can serve as a drill press – the examples given may not be enough to justify the claim. Or, if the drill – though a multi-use tool – doesn’t have enough power to complete difficult drilling jobs, then some conflicting examples may be overlooked. Those difficult drilling jobs could be the most common uses for a drill.

Class Activity You have been asked to return to your high school and talk to the students about why they should continue their education and go to college. As you compose your argument for these students, integrate two visual supports to strengthen your argument from the handout and answer the following two questions: Why did you choose the supports you chose? How do they make your argument stronger?