Everything's an Argument

104 pages • 3 hours read

Everything's an Argument

Nonfiction | Reference/Text Book | Adult | Published in 1998

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Introduction

Before Reading

During Reading

After Reading

During Reading

Reading Questions & Paired Texts

Reading Check and Short Answer Questions on key points are designed for guided reading assignments, in-class review, formative assessment, quizzes, and more.

PART 1, CHAPTERS 1-6

Reading Check

1. What kind of argument aims to get an audience to accept a proposition but does not ask them to act on it?

2. What kind of appeal targets the audience’s emotions?

3. What kind of appeal seeks to establish the author’s credibility?

4. What kind of appeal is based on facts and reason?

5. What kind of fallacy exaggerates negative consequences?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What do the authors believe should be the goal of engaging in an argument?

2. Why is it beneficial to concede that opposing arguments have merit?

3. How did Aristotle differentiate between “artistic” and “inartistic” proofs?

4. What is a “fallacy,” according to the authors?

5. What is rhetorical analysis?

Paired Resource

“Ethos, Pathos, & Logos: How to Use Persuasive Ad Techniques”

This 3-minute video from StudioBinder offers examples of the three classical rhetorical appeals in advertisements.
This resource relates to the theme of Arguments Are Everywhere.
Are the three rhetorical appeals easier or harder to identify in a visual form like a commercial? How do these commercials reinforce the main point of Everything’s an Argument?

“Pink Houses”

This 5-minute video features John Mellencamp singing “Pink Houses,” a song that makes an argument about Americans’ reactions to economic inequality. The lyrics can be found here.
This resource relates to the theme of Arguments Are Everywhere.
What argument is this song making about the way Americans respond to economic inequality? What kinds of appeals do you see in this song and its accompanying video? How does the music impact the audience’s reception of the argument?

PART 2, CHAPTERS 7-12

Reading Check

1. Which forms of argument focus on creating connections between opposed groups and exploring mutual solutions rather than persuading the opposed group?

2. What type of argument focuses on establishing truth and the most reasonable interpretation of information?

3. What type of definition defines things by their context or effect?

4. What is it called when, instead of trying to defend an absolute claim, an author makes a more moderate claim that is easier to defend?

5. What type of argument do the authors say drives many policy decisions?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What is the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning?

2. Besides concluding that the subject under discussion is or is not an example of a given definition, what are two other categories that an argument of definition might place a specific example in?

3. What preliminary step should an author take before offering an argument of evaluation?

4. What is the difference between sufficient and necessary causes?

5. What does an effective proposal contain?

Paired Resource

“Explaining Bad Policy Arguments”

This commentary from the Niskanen Center explores research into partisan divides and their impact on logical reasoning.
This resource relates to the theme of Argumentation and Society.
What qualifications or caveats might the author of this commentary offer regarding how to create effective proposals and arguments of fact, definition, evaluation, and causality? How does their perspective on argumentation and society differ from that of the authors of Everything’s an Argument?

PART 3, CHAPTERS 13-16

Reading Check

1. What is vocabulary specific to a particular field called?

2. What kind of rhetoric are films, t-shirts, and art?

3. What kind of formatting do the authors recommend for college papers?

4. What term describes the combination of purpose, audience, structure, content, and style?

5. What phrase describes the amplifying effect of similar groups of people only consuming and discussing media tailored to their particular worldview?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. What elements do the authors include in their definition of “style” in Chapter 13?

2. How does font choice influence how a message will be received?

3. What are four ways the authors characterize effective speakers in class discussions?

4. How can a speaker help an audience follow an oral presentation?

5. What elements do the authors suggest should be examined in evaluation of multimedia arguments?

Paired Resource

“Basic Film Analysis – Introduction to Film” and “The Death of Socrates: How To Read A Painting”

These 8-minute videos explore, respectively, the elements of film and art that contribute to their meaning.
These resources relate to the theme of Presentation Persuades.
How do the elements these creators discuss relate to the elements of visual argument in Everything’s an Argument? How effective is the creators’ presentation?

PART 4, CHAPTERS 17-22

Reading Check

1. Which of the three appeals do academic arguments generally not contain?

2. What kind of evidence do the authors suggest can engage an audience and enhance, but not support, an academic argument?

3. What kinds of sources contain biases, according to the authors?

4. What term describes the filtering and synthesizing of the copious amounts of online information?

5. Where do authors and creators share work that can be used without permission as long as it is credited?

Short Answer

Answer each question in at least 1 complete sentence. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.

1. How can authors of academic arguments convey authority and confidence through diction?

2. What is the authors’ purpose in including the anecdote about the Western businessman taking a bike ride with his Chinese supplier?

3. How do the authors suggest academic writers evaluate the accuracy of online sources?

4. What are the similarities and differences between paraphrasing and summarizing?

5. How does citation enhance the ethos of an argument?

Recommended Next Reads

Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion by Jay Heinrichs

This bestselling book offers a detailed analysis of effective argumentative rhetoric.
Shared themes include Presentation Persuades and Argumentation and Society.
Shared topics include elements of effective argument, the importance of audience, fallacious reasoning, and rhetorical devices.
Thank You for Arguing on SuperSummary

Writing with Style: Conversations on the Art of Writing by John Trimble

This handbook intended for student writers offers lessons about the way more experienced writers think about, construct, and edit their work.
Shared themes include Presentation Persuades.
Shared topics include academic writing, effective composition, and the writing process.
Writing with Style on SuperSummary

Reading Questions Answer Key

PART 1, CHAPTERS 1-6

Reading Check

1. Argument to convince (Chapter 1)

2. Pathos (Chapter 2)

3. Ethos (Chapter 3)

4. Logos (Chapter 4)

5. Slippery slope (Chapter 5)

Short Answer

1. The authors suggest that people should see arguments as a way to create solution-focused discussion, instead of viewing them as primarily about “winning.” (Chapter 1)

2. When an argument concedes to some aspects of an opposing argument, it demonstrates to the audience that the author has carefully considered all aspects of the topic and is reasonable and trustworthy. (Chapter 3)

3. According to Aristotle, an “artistic” proof relies on reasoning and common sense, while an “inartistic” proof relies on evidence like data, statistics, and documents. (Chapter 4)

4. A fallacy is an argumentative move that is inherently flawed because of its structure or nature. (Chapter 5)

5. Rhetorical analysis considers how a text functions by examining its constituent parts, context, and style. (Chapter 6)

PART 2, CHAPTERS 7-12

Reading Check

1. Rogerian and invitational arguments (Chapter 7)

2. Arguments of fact (Chapter 8)

3. Operational definitions (Chapter 9)

4. Qualifying a claim (Chapter 10)

5. Causal arguments (Chapter 11)

Short Answer

1. Inductive reasoning draws a larger conclusion from a series of specific examples, while deductive reasoning draws a conclusion in the opposite way, deriving a specific conclusion from its relationship to larger principles. (Chapter 7)

2. Some examples fall in between two classes or require an entirely new definition. (Chapter 9)

3. Before conducting an argument of evaluation, an author must establish the criteria against which they will judge the item under consideration. (Chapter 10)

4. Sufficient causes are enough to make something happen all by themselves, while necessary causes are circumstances that are required in order for something to happen. (Chapter 11)

5. A proposal defines a problem and then makes and defends a claim about how the problem can feasibly be solved or mitigated by a specific group undertaking a specific plan of action. (Chapter 12)

PART 3, CHAPTERS 13-16

Reading Check

1. Jargon (Chapter 13)

2. Visual rhetoric (Chapter 14)

3. Traditional formats like MLA and APA (Chapter 15)

4. Rhetorical situation (Chapter 15)

5. Echo chamber (Chapter 16)

Short Answer

1. They define style as the combination of sentence structure, formality, and diction. (Chapter 13)

2. The style of font impacts the audience. For instance, some fonts convey warmth—such as serif fonts—while others convey a more modern, objective tone. The size of a font can also influence how an audience receives a message, because the larger the font, the “louder” the message seems. (Chapter 14)

3. Effective speakers 1) consider the whole group’s understanding and participation, 2) are concise and specific, 3) ask questions, and 4) stay focused on the topic at hand. (Chapter 15)

4. It is helpful to have a clear organizational scheme and to preview that structure for the audience using signaling words like “next” or “finally.” (Chapter 15)

5. They suggest that creators, distributors, purpose, audience, content, medium, and design can all be considered in evaluating the craft and function of multimedia arguments. (Chapter 16)

PART 4, CHAPTERS 17-22

Reading Check

1. Pathos (Chapter 17)

2. Personal experience (Chapter 18)

3. All of them (Chapter 19)

4. Infotention (Chapter 20)

5. The Creative Commons (Chapter 21)

Short Answer

1. Authority and confidence can be conveyed through academic diction. This means using clear, concrete, objective, and relatively formal language, and—when relevant—using technical terms appropriate to the topic. (Chapter 17)

2. They include this anecdote to illustrate their point that different cultures have different expectations regarding how arguments are constructed. (Chapter 18)

3. They suggest making sure that at least three credible sources agree on the information. (Chapter 19)

4. Both summary and paraphrase involve rephrasing, but paraphrase preserves all of the content and organization of the original, while summarizing includes only the main points. (Chapter 20)

5. Citing borrowed ideas and language demonstrates awareness and acknowledgement of others in the field who have contributed to an argument. It also offers transparency so that the audience can examine related sources critically. (Chapter 21)