Evaluating an Argument

Evaluating an author's argument

R Smith

How do we evaluate a writer's argument?

Evaluate means to judge or to assess something and to decide if it is good or bad.

Steps to evaluating a writer's argument

• Identify the author's claim

• Outline the reasons that are used to support that claim

• Identify the type of reasons that are used

• Evaluate to determine if the reasons are valid or not valid

Multiple Choice

What does the word EVALUATE mean?

• To judge or assess something

• To argue a point

• To correct something

• To outline an argument

Multiple Choice

Which of these is NOT a step in evaluating an arugment?

• Find the claim

• Identify the reasons

• Write a counterclaim

• Outline the reasons

Identify the claim in this paragraph...

Everyone recognizes the familiar khaki pants and polo shirts.  Although they may be a good idea for elementary schools, school uniforms should never be required for high schools students. Uniforms crush the individuality of students, they can be expensive for families, and uniforms have a negative impact on a student's self image.

Multiple Choice

A claim or thesis statement is always ...

• a full explanation

• a statement

• a question

• none of these answers

How many reasons does the author give in this argument? Is this typical?

Everyone recognizes the familiar khaki pants and polo shirts. Although they may be a good idea for elementary schools, school uniforms should never be required for high schools students. Uniforms crush the individuality of students, they can be expensive for families, and uniforms have a negative impact on a student's self image. 

Looking at the reasons...

After the reader finds and outlines the reasons a writer uses to support his argument, the next step begins....

EVALUATING THE REASONS

What type of reasons does the author use and are they going to help him win the argument?

In the end, will the writer be a winner or a loser?

Multiple Choice

After the reader finds the writer's reasons for his argument, it is time to...

• Pop some popcorn and watch the argument

• Identify the claim

• Identify the type of reasons used

• Present the counterclaim

Poll

Do you believe school uniforms would be a good idea for our school?

• When donkeys fly!

• Let's go for the plaid with a tie.

• Yes, if the uniforms are jeans and t shirts.

• What is a uniform?

The most common types of reasons are

• Ethos

• Logos

• Pathos

Ethos

Ethos has to do with the credentials of the person who first presented that reason.

Example: The manager of a Circle K would not be a respected authority on the impact of uniforms on the self esteem of a teenager. However, a psychologist or a doctor with a PhD in High School Education would have the credentials. Therefore, they would be BELIEVABLE.

In other words, ETHOS has to do with credibility!

Multiple Choice

Which of these would be an example of ETHOS or credibility...

• A truck driver arguing that penicillin should be used to treat cancer in kids.

• The Chief of Staff of a leading Cancer treatment hospital arguing that their nurses should have special training when working with child cancer patients.

PATHOS refers to appealing to emotion in order to win an argument.

example: Thousands of dogs die all alone on the streets of big cities every year. They die cold, hungry and sad. Give to The American Humane Society and help us save a life.

Multiple Choice

Which is an example of PATHOS in an argument?

• I need to color my hair purple because all the kids at school do that for pep rallies. I will feel like a total fool if I don't have purple hair, too!

• Dr Karl Max of the Cleveland Clinic says that teenagers need 8 hours of sleep a night.

LOGOS is the use of reason or logic to win an argument.

Example: Seniors should be allowed to have shorter schedules because so many of them have jobs and they need to get to work on time. They also need time to get their homework done before work.

Multiple Choice

Which of these is an example of LOGOS used in an argument.

• The United States Declaration of Independence argues that the U.S. had to break away from Britain because the King of England had no legal right to tax the colonies in America.

• Homeless U.S. Veterans should be given a place to live because they fought to protect our country and it feels like we betray our soldiers when they come home and have no home to go to.