1. Rhetorical Argument

2. Stephen E. Toulmin  philosopher and rhetorical theorist.  born in England in 1922  received his Bachelor’s degree at King’s College. After World War II he obtained his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Cambridge.

3. Toulmin cont.  Toulmin taught at the University of Southern California starting 1993 - 2009  gave the Jefferson Lecture for the National Endowment for the Humanities in 1997.  In 1958, Toulmin offered his model of argumentation that differed from the classical, Platonic absolutism. In other words, he created a system for comparing “truths.”

4. Claim Toulmin’s Model  Toulmin’s model provides that there are three essential aspects to rhetorical argument: Data Warrant

5. Toulmin’s Model, cont.  Simply:  A Claim is made.  Data is provided in the form of supporting facts.  The Warrant connects the Data to the Claim.  For example:

6. Toulmin’s Model cont.  “I am an American.” (Claim)  “My mother was an American citizen when I was born.” (Data)  Anyone born of an American citizen is a legal American citizen. (Warrant)  Toulmin says that the Claim and the Data cannot hold without a sufficiently strong Warrant, or, the weakest argument is the one with the weakest warrant.

7.  The U.S. Postal service is wasteful and inefficient. The proposed new mail distribution agency will be wasteful and inefficient.  Claim: The proposed new mail distribution agency will be wasteful and inefficient.  Data: The U.S. Postal service is wasteful and inefficient.  Warrant: the two situations are similar (Reasoning by analogy)

8.  This is the coldest winter since 2000. My heating bills are going to be outrageous.  Claim:  Data:  Warrant:

9.  The United States has the strongest military, a lot of international clout, and friends in the region. US intervention in Liberia would stop the fighting there.  Claim:  Data:  Warrant:

10. “My Cousin Vinny”  Establishing expertise  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= hvotE-beoaI&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= hvotE-beoaI&feature=related  Claim, data, warrants  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= Y-L_bJAJA-E http://www.youtube.com/watch?v= Y-L_bJAJA-E

11. Types of Claims  fact: claims which focus on empirically verifiable phenomena  judgment/value: claims involving opinions, attitudes, and subjective evaluations of things  policy: claims advocating courses of action that should be undertaken

12. Types of Data Fact or Statistic: a point of data that claims some objective Expert Testimony: a stated opinion by a person experienced in the field Personal Anecdote: personal experience gained from time in the related field.

13.  underline a claim, warrant (if it states one) and data in the article.  create a diagram of the claim, warrant, and data that looks like the example below. Claim: ------------------ Data: Smoking is bad It causes lung cancer Warrant: Lung cancer is bad.

14. Using these articles, divide up CDW  http://www.northjersey.com/news/educat ion/listenupb0309.html http://www.northjersey.com/news/educat ion/listenupb0309.html  http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/20 10/02/21/social-networking-sites- doubleedged-sword.html http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/20 10/02/21/social-networking-sites- doubleedged-sword.html  http://charlotte.floridaweekly.com/news/ 2010-02- 18/Business_News/Social_networking_gai ns_credibility_with_businesse.html http://charlotte.floridaweekly.com/news/ 2010-02- 18/Business_News/Social_networking_gai ns_credibility_with_businesse.html  http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4864 http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=4864