Writing Assignment #3: Toulmin Model Argument
What Is a TOULMIN Argument?
The Toulmin Model of argumentation is named for Stephen Toulmin, a British Philosopher who studied hundreds of British court cases. He realized successful cases shared several features: claim, grounds, warrant, qualifier, rebuttal, and backing.
1. The claim is the author’s assertion, or what the writer hopes to prove. It is essentially the thesis statement. Ex. An owl is nearby.
2. The grounds are the evidence and facts that support the claim. I hear hooting in the distance, and it is evening.
3. The warrant (either implied or explicitly stated) is the assumption that links the grounds to the claim. Owls are animals that hoot in the evening and at night.
4. Backing is additional support for the warrant. I’ve seen owls in the evening and heard them hoot.
5. Qualifiers show that a claim may not be true in all cases. Chances are if I hear hooting, I’m probably hearing an owl.
6. The rebuttal is the acknowledgement of your opponents’ arguments. Admittedly, not all “hoots” come from owls; mockingbirds can make hooting sounds as can people, but most of the time, hoots come from owls.
Structuring a Toulmin Argument
(Be sure to recall the four pillars of argument that we discussed at the beginning of the semester.)
1. Begin with an introduction paragraph that presents your claim (thesis). Your claim takes a stand on an issue that you seek to prove. (analogous to pillar I)
2. Next, in several paragraphs, provide your grounds, the evidence and facts you use to support your claim. (analogous to pillar II)
3. The warrant, the backing, and the qualifiers might appear in their own paragraphs OR within individual body paragraphs, depending on how it makes the most sense to structure your argument.
4. Provide a rebuttal to your opponents’ claims. (analogous to pillar III)
5. Finally, end your argument with a conclusion paragraph wherein you restate your claim and end with a strong concluding comment. (analogous to pillar IV)
Directions:
Select one of the topics mentioned below. Then, write a Toulmin model argument whereby you take a stand on an issue. You will present your stand as an arguable thesis (claim). Support your claim with evidence from scholarly sources available from the Davis Memorial Library and from .gov and .edu sources. You may also use newspapers; online, they will appear as .com’s like www.nytimes.com.
The paper should follow APA format and be at least 4.5 pages long (of text). It will include a title page, an abstract, and a references page. The paper will be at least 7 pages long total.
Include 5-10 sources.
Your Rhetorical Situation
You are presenting an academic paper at a conference. You know your audience is varied. Some individuals are friendly to your position, others are indifferent, and others are hostile—these individuals are your opponents. Your goal is to persuade your audience to adopt your position. Especially work to persuade your opponents. Provide plenty of solid evidence, and be prepared to address any objections in your rebuttal.
Topics:
1. Health Care Costs—Some people want government rate-setting to lower healthcare costs; healthcare providers oppose government rate-setting because they fear government-rate setting will result in hospitals closing and providers going out of business. Take a stand. Assert which approach is the best and explain why.
2. Immigration—Some people want the government to be more flexible with immigration laws and to disband ICE. Others want the government to be tougher on immigration and to deport all immigrants currently living in the US illegally. Bring these two groups together in a compromise solution. Take a stand. Assert which approach is the best and explain why.
3. Gun Control—Some people want to ban all firearms or at least those firearms that are “responsible” for “mass” shootings (themselves problematic terms). Other people want to maintain all current firearms rights without making any changes to current firearms laws. Take a stand. Assert which approach is the best and explain why.
4. Abortion—Some people believe abortion is a woman’s health right and that she and her doctor should be able to decide if and when to abort a pregnancy. Other people believe that abortion infringes on the unborn’s right to life and that the unborn child must be protected since it can’t speak for itself. Bring these two groups together in a compromise solution. Take a stand. Assert which approach is the best and explain why.
5. Confederate Monuments—Some people find confederate monuments offensive and hurtful as a reminder of the slavery and racism that affected the US; these people think confederate monuments should be torn down. Other people support keeping the monuments in place; these people feel that the monuments are a part of history and that history can’t “be erased.” Bring these two groups together in a compromise solution. Take a stand. Assert which approach is the best and explain why.
6. Your choice! Just be sure to talk to me to get approval for a topic of your own.
See this simple diagram from Purdue’s OWL to get an idea of how a Toulmin model argument works.
Diagram 1: Toulmin Model Argument www.owl.purdue.edu 11-9-2019: 2024 – Online Assignment Homework Writing Help Service By Expert Research Writers
