Developing an Argument in Writings - Essay Example

Evaluation Argument Writing Argument According to the book, the indicates that developing an argument is the only way that an individual can confirm their own position. It is also a way for individuals to build their cases. What the author suggests in the chapter is that for a successful building of argument, the individual needs to use empirical evidence with both facts and statistics which can be able to sustain claims that. The argument should be in a position to appeal to the audience that one is targeting and such argument should have logical and rational thinking. The author points that, it is such evidence that would enable one to assert authority in their argument. Some of the factors that the author has outlined as significant starting point in evaluative argument are when an individual lists down the weaknesses and the strengths that they have. In each position that one takes, the one must identify the weaknesses and the strengths of such position. The best approach through which one would be able to take off after identifying the strengths and the weaknesses would be to decide on the three top most weaknesses and strengths. One thus need to appreciate the role of techniques that would allow for the development of the content ideas such as association, clustering and journalistic questions. After development of such a list, the author suggests that people need to center their understanding on those items they have identified. It is important that one evaluate each of the items they have in the list while also looking for how to develop support for each of them. The only way to achieve success on this is by providing details, by giving reasons, by providing example as well as using evidence in the argument. At this stage, one needs to prioritize again the list of the weaknesses they have by keenly noting the areas in which they need to work further as far as supporting evidence is concerned. This is the stage of evaluative argument where everything needs to be treated with care and anything used should be kept for the purposes of references Evaluative Arguments It is important for people realize that when developing ideas, they are supposed to present them in a fair-minded and rational manner, which puts into consideration that the targeted audiences have intelligence; insight and experience that would enable them evaluate the arguments presented and see the presented point of view. There are several techniques that the author has identified to have ability of appealing to the readers. The success of the argument presented will highly depend on the skills which have been developed in order to convince the audience through persuasion, sound reasoning as well as the evidence presented in the argument. The three main techniques that have been noted to have ability to appeal in argument are emotion, reason and ethics. The writer needs to weed these three appeal skills in the arguments that they present in a way that is seen to be sensible. To this end, evaluation of reason, ethics and emotion would be important. To begin with, reason presents the clear thinking the demands that one states their claims and support such claim with specific and concrete facts. The author reveals that when this approach is followed, then it appeals successfully to the common sense as well as rational thinking. This kind of thinking may also be referred to as deductive and inductive reasoning. According to the author, an inductive reasoning would be realized when the logical thinking presents certain facts and subsequently allows for drawing of a generalization and conclusion. This kind of argument allows for the examination of certain facts that associate it with the conclusion that has been arrived at. An inductive thinking asks the question of whether the conclusion is supported by the evidence presented. The author also illustrates on the deductive reasoning. In deductive reasoning, generalization forms the starting point of the logical reasoning. This is because such argument applies generalization to a given situation. The main objective of this kind of reasoning is to allow us to examine specific premise to validate the generalization that was made previously. To prove that a certain generalization is real, one needs to present such argument in a certain situation and see if it would work successfully. The second skill that has been presented exhaustively is the ethics. This may also be referred to as a force of the speaker’s character as they have presented it in the writings as well as the oration. Usually the writer or the person presenting the argument appeals to the reader’s good will and their common sense. In the case the author presents an argument that does not support ethics, and then the writer may lose the open-minded stance of the argument. In some cases, the unethical evidences that may be used by the author would not necessarily be intentional, but sometime may be intentional through the misrepresentation of facts and experts with the intension of hurting groups or individuals. Unintentional misrepresentation of evidence may occur when the author does not put in consideration a thorough research before using such evidence to support their arguments. The final aspect of appeal in an argument is the emotion. When emotion is used to support argument, the audience tend mistrust such kid of argument. A successful use of emotion in appeal requires observation of discretion and restraint. The examples that are use in such case should be able to portray fairness. From the works of the author and the sample arguments that have been presented, it is obviously clear that the readings have tried to present the importance of good and valid arguments. From all perspectives ranging from deductive to inductive reasoning, it is evident that establishment of fact, organizing those identified facts and using the facts in appropriate manner will eventually determine the validity of the arguments. In the process of presenting the arguments, use of skills that appeal to the audience eventually determine the reaction of the audience to the argument that is presented. While developing arguments, to avoid misrepresentation of facts, it is important that one conducts good research that will ensure that the audience understand and resonate with such evidence. The author has been able to present an in-depth understanding of the steps that need to be followed by the writers when developing arguments. In the process, clarity has been brought on making effective arguments such as effective visual design, effective research as well as effective oral presentation. Several options of arguments have also been presented that allows the reader to understand causal arguments, evaluative argument, narrative arguments, rebuttal arguments, proposal argument as well as putting it all together. Work cited Faigley, Lester, and Jack Selzer. Good reasons : Designing and Writing effective arguments. 2nd ed. New York: Longman, 2004. Print. Read More