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Argumentation across the Curriculum

Argumentation across the Curriculum. A guide with explanations and recommendations. What We’re Doing. Teaching argumentation, not persuasion Teaching logic, not emotion Teaching deep learning, not shallow recollection Teaching organization, not randomness

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Argumentation across the Curriculum

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  1. Argumentationacross theCurriculum A guide with explanations and recommendations

  2. What We’re Doing Teaching argumentation, not persuasion Teaching logic, not emotion Teaching deep learning, not shallow recollection Teaching organization, not randomness Teaching recognition of the complexity of information, not a pile of facts

  3. Why We’re Doing It Argumentation should be an integral part of every subject and every course Argumentation addresses CCSS Argumentation is a set of skills that are useful in all lines of work Argumentation is useful constantly in life

  4. The Basic Parts • Claim • So what you’re saying is. . . • Reasons • So your reasons are. . . • Evidence • And your proof is. . .

  5. Extra Parts • Counterclaim • What would someone who disagrees with you say? • Dismissal • So how would you respond?

  6. The Claim • Must be related to the assigned topic • Must be accurate • Must be arguable • Must be worth arguing about • Must be an idea with more than one side

  7. The Reasons At least two (more are better up to a point) Must be accurate Must reflect understanding Must be logical Logos and ethos but not pathos

  8. The Evidence • At least two pieces for each reason • Quotations are better • From lecture • From text • From student research • Correctly cited • Accurate

  9. The Counterclaim • The claim most oppositional to the original claim • Related but different side of the argument • Like the initial claim • Must be related to the assigned topic • Must be accurate • Must be arguable • Must be worth arguing about • Must be an idea with more than one side

  10. The Reasons and Evidencefor the Counterclaim • Same as for the initial claim • At least two (more are better up to a point) • Must be accurate • Must reflect understanding • Must be logical • Logos and ethos but not pathos • I don’t always require evidence

  11. The Dismissal Why the counterclaim is weak, flawed, etc. Why the initial claim is more powerful, persuasive, etc. Can function as a transition

  12. What Students Produce Without a counterclaim, students write seven sentences. Add a conclusion and a couple of transitions, and you have a paragraph. With or without a counterclaim, students can develop the reasons in more detail, put each reason into its own paragraph, and produce an essay. Where the counterclaim and dismissal go depends on what the student wants or what the teacher assigns. Generally, it will make up the first body paragraph.

  13. A Checklist for Students _____ Clear Claim _____ Reasons to support my claim _____ Finding evidence to support my reasons _____ Finding a counterargument _____ Responding to a counterargument _____ Organization of the essay _____ Avoiding plagiarism when using evidence _____ Writing voice appropriate for audience _____ Wrapping it up my argument – conclusion

  14. Examples of Flawed Claims Many pioneers traveled west in Conestoga wagons. Baseball is the greatest sport. John Cage’s “4:33” is musically identical to Part 2 of Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. My favorite president is Millard Fillmore.

  15. Examples of Useful Claims • Cold fusion is a viable solution to the world’s energy problems. • More than three dimensions exist. • “A poem should not mean  / But be.” Archibald MacLeish World War 2, not Roosevelt’s domestic policies, brought about the end of the Great Depression.

  16. Recommendations Introduce argumentation Demonstrate argumentation Plan for argumentation Reiterate argumentation Assign argumentation Grade and return argumentation with at least one friendly and/or helpful comment

  17. More Recommendations • Vary what the students produce • Seven sentences for the claim this time, full paragraph next time • Seven sentences for the claim, swap with neighbor and write his/her counterclaim • Seven sentences for the claim, two (or even three!) counterclaims • Seven sentences for the claim, seven sentences for the counterclaim • Turn the claim/counterclaim into a formal essay and/or research assignment • Turn the seven sentences into an infographic or other graphic representation, diagram, or chart

  18. Even More Recommendations Begin with the end in mind—tell students at the beginning of the unit that they will be producing arguments throughout the unit and as a summative activity

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