Thinking Critically: Analyzing an Argument - Essay Example

This paper examines the article on Agile Modelling and Extreme Programming written by Scott W. Ambler in The article relates to software development methodologies, which include: Agile Modelling (AM) and Extreme Programming (XP), and explains how Agile Modelling can be applied to an Extreme Programming by starting from the misconceptions among the people regarding the AM. The paper presents a rationale on whether the article’s reasoning is deductive or inductive, as well as it highlights and discusses the fallacies made by the writer of the article. Ground Rules The referred article provides either deductive reasoning or inductive reasoning; therefore, it would be relevant within the framework of this research to explain both of the terms first. As per the course text, in the deductive reasoning the writer concludes the article’s result from a set of assertions or premises and if the premises relationship is valid, then the conclusion must also be correct (Maimon, Peritz, & Yancey, 2009). Moreover, in the deductive reasoning article, the writer explains the topic generically and moves towards the conclusion more specifically to achieve his results. On the other hand, in the inductive reasoning the writer does not state that the given arguments are true rather, if the facts, statistics, expert opinion etc. are true the results can be valid. Moreover, the in the inductive reasoning article, the approach used by the writer is bottom-up, means that the author explains the specific observation and moves towards the conclusion by providing generalizations and theories (Trochim, 2006). Now on the basis of these explanations, the document examines the referred article of the Ambler to determine either it provides deductive reasoning or inductive reasoning. In order to determine the type of reasoning of the article and analyzing the arguments provided by the author, a method has been explained in the course text known as Toulmin. In the method, the writer explained that there are three facets of a sentence include: claim, grounds and warrant. Claims are the assertions provided by the writer regarding the topic, the grounds are the reasons and evidences for his conclusion and the warrants are the relationship between the grounds and claims on the basis of hypothesis or principals. In this way, the arguments and statements of the Ambler’s article can be analyzed and examined to know the article’s strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, by applying the method of Toulmin, the paper classifies the fallacies made by the Ambler in the article of Agile Methodology and Extreme Programming. Whereas, a fallacy is a statement in which the premises provided by the writer for the results do not offer the required level of support. Modelling the Argument It is appropriate to examine whether the arguments provided by the Amber in the form of premises that lead to the logic conclusion or the conclusion is supported by a number of anecdotes. In the first case, only one fallacy in the article would be enough to negate the entire argument, on the other hand in the second case, it is necessary to examine all the grounds and warrants of the arguments made by the Ambler. The first heading “Setting the Record Straight” of the Ambler’s article put forth a claim according to which “there are several common misconceptions that people seem to have regarding modelling on an XP project”, to be precise there are three “most common misconceptions”. However, the next four paragraphs/bullet points give the reasons for the claim, whereas, the remaining upcoming arguments provide grounds and warrants that need to be examined keeping in view the ground rules. Article Analysis In the opening paragraph of the article, the author introduces the Agile Modelling and Extreme Programming. In the first heading the author claims that there are some misconceptions regarding Agile Modelling, and explains the grounds of misconceptions, and provides justifications and warrants in the arguments. As the writer used the word of ‘people’ without any further specifications, therefore, it has been assumed that the author talked about all the software engineers of beginner, intermediate and expert level. The writer started with general conceptions regarding the topic and moved further, therefore, it can be said that the arguments made by the Ambler is deductive. After providing the reasoning and correcting the misconceptions, the writer wrote towards the actual topic of how AM could be employed over the XP. The grounds used by the writer that ‘Modelling is the Part of the Extreme Programming’, there is always a process of documentation in the Extreme Programming, and how Unified Modern Language can be used in the Extreme Programming. In the first ground the Ambler explains the process of the Extreme Programming that the “User stories are a fundamental aspect of XP and artefacts such as Class Responsibility Collaborator (CRC) cards are common to XP efforts.” These are the facts used by the writer to prove his results, this is the inductive reasoning. However, the same process is used by the writer for the next ground. However, in the last ground, the writer referred to the other article, the expert opinion. This also supports that the arguments are inductive. In the heading point 2, the writer mentioned the practices of the Agile Modelling and how they can be applicable for the XP project. The writer provided the facts on which it can be said that the Agile Modelling can be used in the XP projects, this is another example of the inductive reasoning. Further, the writer developed a test bed and tested his opinions by the process of ‘Refactoring’. This is a sub-premise and a sub-conclusion, it can be said that this is a fallacy made by the writer of the article. The writer made a claim by mentioning ‘Which AM Practices to Adopt’, in the claim the writer has not provided any grounds and warrants. The writer concluded the article that the AM practices can be employed to the XP project and provided guidelines. In my opinion, it can be said that the article is a mixture of deductive and inductive reasoning; however, mostly the writer used the inductive reasoning except the structure of the document as provided by the Trochim in 2006. Moreover, mostly the writer provided the correct facts substantiated by warrants to validate his claim, however, in some cases there are fallacies arguments as well. References Maimon, E. P., Peritz, J. H., & Yancey, K. B. (2010). A writers resource: a handbook for writing and research. New York: McGraw-Hill. Toulmin, S. (1958). The uses of argument. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Trochim, W. (2006). Deduction and induction. Retrieved from: http://socialresearchmethods.net/kb/dedind.php Ambler, Scott W. (2012). Agile modelling and extreme programming. Retrieved from: http://www.agilemodeling.com/essays/agileModelingXP.htm Read More