COMM 1270
ANALYSIS OF ARGUMENT
Class Meetings
LECTURES
Section 1
LABS
Section 2
Section 3
Section 4
Section 5
11:50 -12:40
MON AND WED
1110 LNCO
11:50-12:40
12:55-1:45
11:50-12:40
10:45-11:35
FRIDAY
FRIDAY
FRIDAY
FRIDAY
103 OSH
107 OSH
231 OSH
138 OSH
Norm Elliott
Natalee Kasmiskie
Natalee Kasmiskie
Tiffany Dykstra
Tiffany Dykstra
Instructors
Norm Elliott
2524 LNCO
581-4377
Office Hours: 10:30-11:30 on Monday,
7:30-8:00 on Tuesday and Thursday and By Appointment
elliott@communication.utah.edu
Natalee Kasmiskie
2930 LNCO
Office Hours: 10:30-11:30 on Friday and By Appointment
n.kasmiskie@utah.edu
Tiffany Dykstra
2960 LNCO
Office Hours: 1:00-2:30 on Friday and By Appointment
tiffany.dykstra@utah.edu
Required Textbook
Rieke, Sillars & Peterson (2013). Eighth Edition, Argumentation and Critical Decision
Making. Boston: Allyn and Bacon.
Course Description
This course is an introduction to the formal study of argumentation. It is designed to
help students be more sensitive to the arguments that surround you in your everyday
life, develop greater skill in understanding and critically assessing those arguments and
to build competence in producing your own arguments. Ultimately, this course is
structured for you to develop skills, experiences and abilities aimed at increasing the
quality of the decisions you make. In many ways, this is a course in critical thinking.
Course Requirements
1.
2.
3.
Attend class regularly (Monday and Wednesday Lectures and your Friday Lab)
Complete textbook readings by Monday’s class each week
Complete all graded and non-graded activities and assignments on time that
occur within your Friday Lab group
4. Work to create a safe and openly-supportive learning environment for every
student in the class. This means both:
 Lecture (where you might feel more “invisible” and unrestrained), and
 Your Lab Group (where you might feel freer to dominate and try to make the
situation about you)
We are all here to learn. A part of that learning is that our choices in
communicating can help and facilitate everyone’s learning, including our own.
The course expectation is that each of us will communicate in ways that facilitate
every student’s freedom to participate and learn, while being true and authentic
to ourselves and our own learning.
5. Complete an in-class Midterm Examination on Wednesday, Feb 20 in 1110 LNCO.
6. Commit to an Argument Presentation Group on or before Friday’s Lab on March 1
7. Complete a 2-page Application paper by Friday March 22, due at the start of Lab
8. Participate in the Switch Sides Debate & Follow-up, February 4th and 6th.
9. Present a 3-minute arguments in Lab as scheduled (3/1, 3/8, 3/22).
10. Attend the Argument Presentation Workday (Wed March 20) and participate in
your Argument Group’s presentation in class when scheduled (April 1, 3, 8, 10).
11. Submit a 5-page Refutation Paper during Final Week (4/27) or Offer a 10-minute
argument to the class on April 15 or April 17.
Grades
For students who fulfill all the course requirements above on time, your final course
grade will be the average of 4 equally-weighted graded activities:
 Midterm Examination
25%
In-class exam on Wednesday February 20
From Chapters 1, 2, 3 and 6 and Lecture/Lab events 01/9-02/15

Argument Group Presentation

Refutation Paper or Individual Argument
25%
5-minute Group Argument Presentations, 4/1-4/12
25%
Due Friday of Finals Week, April 26 or as scheduled

Lab Grade
25%
Attendance, Contribution to class activities, 3-minute
Argument, Application Paper, Participation in other Assignments
For students who do not fulfill all the course requirements or fulfill them late without prior
arrangements with your instructor, your final course grade will also be based on the 4
graded activities above, but will also be lowered accordingly.
University Policies
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Americans with Disabilities Act: The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its
programs, services, and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodation
in this class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center for Disability Services,
162 Olpin Union Bldg, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make
arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made
available in an alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services.
The Drop/Withdrawal policy is available on the University’s web site and from Student
Services. Briefly, you may drop a course without tuition charges or notation on your transcript
(deadline to drop is Wednesday, January 16). After that, withdrawal is possible with tuition
forfeiture and transcript notation of “W” on or before Friday March 1.
The Student Code spells out specific rights of students in the classroom. The Code also
specifies proscribed conduct, including cheating on exams, collusion and plagiarism.
Plagiarism is submitting someone else’s work as your own. Students found guilty of plagiarism
or cheating on exams will receive an “E” for the course.
Reasonable accommodation will be given to students who provide prior or timely
documentation of their unique circumstances (U of U sanctioned events, medical
emergencies, etc.) which result in absence(s) or missed assignment(s). If you want
accommodation on any basis, please contact Dr. Elliott in the 1st week of class. More
detailed description of how accommodation will be made in this course is available in the
“Lab Policies” description which can be found below on page 5, right after the “Course
Schedule”
Course Schedule
WEEKS
1
DATES
DETAILS
READINGS
Jan 7-11
Finalize enrollment and Course Overview
Introduction to Argumentation
Attached: Lab Policies
Chap. 1
2
Jan 14-18
Argumentation and Reason
Attached: Black Death Exercise (for Lab)
Chap. 2
3
Jan 21-25
No Lecture Monday January 21 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
Exploring What is Reasonable: Criteria
Chap. 3
Attached: Group Process I (for Lab)
4
Jan 28-Feb 1
Understanding Arguments
Chap. 6
Attached: Application Paper Assignment
Attached: Toulmin Model, Types of Arguments Handout
5
Feb 4-8
Switch Sides Debate and Followup
Attached: Group Process II (for Lab)
6
Feb 11-15
Review for Midterm Examination (Study Guide)
Exam Review Q & A
Extra Review for Exam in Lab
7
Feb 18-22
No Lecture Monday February 18 (President’s Day)
Midterm Examination, Wednesday February 20
No Friday Labs, February 22
Attached: Assignment for Group Argument Presentation
8
Feb 25-Mar 1
Midterm Examination Follow-up
Methods of Analyzing Arguments
3-minute Arguments in Lab
9
Mar 4-8
Supporting Arguments: Evidence, Values, Credibility
3-minute Arguments in Lab
10
Mar 11-15
No Classes, Spring Break
11
Mar 18-22
Case Building
Argument Presentation Workday
3-minute Arguments in Lab
Chap. 5
12
Mar 25-29
Refutation
Fallacies
Chap. 10
Chap. 11
13
Apr 1-5
Group Argument Presentations
14
Apr 8-12
Group Argument Presentations
15
Apr 15-19
Individual Arguments
16
Apr 22-24
Summary and Closure
No Class Wednesday April 24
Chap. 4
Ch. 7, 8, 9
Refutation Papers Due by Noon on Friday April 26 Attached: Refutation Paper Assignment
Please submit papers to Norm in 2524 LNCO—If he’s not there, slide paper under the door.
No e-mailed or faxed papers will be accepted.
COMM 1270
Analysis of Argument
Spring 2013
LAB POLICIES
Attendance and Participation: You are expected to attend lab every week, to participate in
discussion and arguments, and to contribute to a positive learning environment. To do so, you
must complete any homework assignments for lab (including any assigned readings and
assignment rough drafts that are listed for that day of class). Failure to bring readings or rough
drafts to class will result in the loss of participation points for that day. I will evaluate participation
based on three criteria: 1) the regularity with which you complete the readings and bring them
with you to class, 2) the regularity with which you participate in class discussions and arguments,
and 3) the willingness you show to contribute to a positive learning environment.
Learning Environment: Over the course of the semester, we will do a lot of arguing and
debating in lab. By nature, these debates require that we disagree with one another. To be
productive, these disagreements must remain respectful of diverse perspectives in the
classroom and contribute to a positive learning environment. Though we may not see eye to
eye on everything, I expect you to maintain a civil tolerance to all perspectives in the class.
While I encourage you to voice your opinion, I ask that you do so in a manner that is respectful
of and responsive to the differences in the class. If you are unwilling to contribute to a positive
learning environment, I will ask you to leave the lab.
Assignment Due Dates: I have three general policies about assignment due dates: (1) I do not
accept late work; (2) All assignments must be turned in by you, in person, and during scheduled
lab times; (3) If you miss the due date/performance date of an assignment, you will be given a
zero on the assignment without the possibility of making it up.
Curriculum Accommodations: Curriculum accommodations take two forms: schedule
accommodations and content accommodations. The instructor can provide schedule
accommodations for those who have a conflict that involves religious/spiritual observances,
documented and University-sanctioned activities (including athletic participation demonstrated
at the beginning of the semester), and family or medical-related emergencies. If you anticipate
any scheduling conflict with this course, please speak with the instructor as soon as possible. In
every case, it is the student’s responsibility to arrange alternatives as soon as possible for any
assignment, presentation, or examination. Content accommodations will not be provided for
this course. All assignments, activities, and content are selected to achieve specific
pedagogical outcomes. Given the nature argumentation classes, we will engage difficult,
controversial subjects. However, civil tolerance of diverse perspectives is a requirement of
student conduct in our class. This class asks you to think critically about others’ and your own
positions. If you believe that you may experience a conflict with your sincerely-held ethical
commitments or religious beliefs as a result of this course’s readings, assignments, or activities—
and you are unclear about materials’ relevance to the class—you should speak with the
instructor immediately and decide whether this is a course you wish to take.
Personal Electronics: If the use of your cell phone or pager disrupts others, including the teacher,
you will be asked to leave class and marked as absent. To avoid this from happening, please
turn off or silence your electronics before class. If you need to answer an important call, put the
phone on vibrate and leave the room to answer. Use of Facebook or other social media during
class will also result in dismissal.
BLACK DEATH EXERCISE
Between 1347 and 1350 an epidemic called Black Death spread
throughout Europe, ultimately killing more than one-third of all the people
(Kagan, Ozment and Turner, pp. 346-7). Physicians of the time did not
know how the disease was transmitted, although today we believe it was
the result of infected fleas transported by rats and humans.
Project yourself back to that time and place, and consider what would
count as a good decision about what to do in the face of the Black Death.
Remember, your arguments cannot rely on support that was not available
then.
Those people believed the disease was caused by (1) corruption in the
atmosphere; (2) fumes released by earthquakes; or (3) God’s judgment.
The various solutions they chose included
 Using aromatic amulets to provide uncorrupted air
 Moderation and living a temperate life
 Flight from Europe and seclusion
 Self-flagellation as a form of ritual penance to bring diving intervention
 Attacking the Jews, who were often believed to be behind most evil
 Accepting the inevitable and engaging in debauchery while there was
still time.
Conduct a critical examination of these alternatives using what was known
and believed at that time. Engage in this critical examination with the
purpose of trying to describe the strengths and weaknesses of these
alternatives. Work to produce arguments that would have “made sense”
to you if you were those people living in Europe at that time. Be prepared
to say what you would decide to do, and why.
Analysis of Argument
COMM 1270
Elliott
GROUP PROCESS I
INDIVIDUAL WORKSHEET
COMPLETE THIS INDIVIDUAL WORKSHEET BEFORE YOU COME TO CLASS ON FRIDAY
So you can USE IT for the Exercise in your FRIDAY LAB
Write a CLAIM (any claim) that fits in EACH of the 5 social contexts below:
BUSINESS
FRIENDSHIP
EDUCATION
RELIGION
ENTERTAINMENT
THIS WORKSHEET WILL BE FILLED OUT AS PART OF THE FRIDAY LAB GROUP EXERCISE
GROUP WORKSHEET
1.
Major or Overall CLAIM #1
2.
What could you offer to support this claim?
A.
1st SUPPORT
This piece of support makes a secondary claim. What is it?
What could you offer to support this secondary claim?
B.
2nd SUPPORT
This piece of support makes a secondary claim. What is it?
What could you offer to support this secondary claim?
C.
3rdt SUPPORT
This piece of support makes a secondary claim. What is it?
What could you offer to support this secondary claim?
3.
Major or Overall CLAIM #2
4.
What could you offer to support this claim?
A.
1st SUPPORT
This piece of support makes a secondary claim. What is it?
What could you offer to support this secondary claim?
B.
2nd SUPPORT
This piece of support makes a secondary claim. What is it?
What could you offer to support this secondary claim?
C.
3rdt SUPPORT
This piece of support makes a secondary claim. What is it?
What could you offer to support this secondary claim?
COMM 1270
Analysis of Argument
Elliott
Assignment for APPLICATION PAPER
The purpose of this assignment is to allow each student to work with an argument within
one of the argumentative spheres presented in the “application” chapters at the end
of the book. Please review all of those 5 application chapters:
 Chapter 12: LAW
 Chapter 13: SCIENCE
 Chapter 14: RELIGION
 Chapter 15: BUSINESS
 Chapter 16: GOVERNMENT AND POLITICS
After reading these 5 chapters, you then will need to pick ONE of these 5 spheres of
argument for your application paper.
The task is to identify a real-world argument that occurs within that sphere and then
apply the concepts from the relevant chapter to this argument. Put another way, your
task is to describe how the form or content of the argument you identify is the way it is
because of the sphere within which it occurs.
NOTE: Your purpose is NOT to “make the argument.” What you are expected to do is
to briefly identify an argument to which you can apply the concepts from the relevant
chapter. You do not need to develop the argument you are using. Rather you need to
apply the concepts and ideas from the relevant Chapter to the argument as you
understand it.
Each paper should be no more than two-typewritten pages in length.
Papers are due at the beginning of Lab on March 22.
Analysis of Argument
COMM 1270
Elliott
Toulmin Model of an Argument
CLAIM:
A single statement advanced for the adherence of others
GROUNDS: A statement made about persons, conditions, events, or things
that says support is available to provide a reason for the claim
WARRANT: A general statement that justifies using the grounds as a basis for
the claim
BACKING: Any additional support that provides more specific data for the
grounds or the warrant
QUALIFIER: A statement that indicates the force of the argument (words like
certainly, possibly, probably, usually,or somewhat)
REBUTTAL: Statement of the basis on which the claim will be questioned by
another
RESERVATION: A limitation or qualification of the original claim that answers
the rebuttal
Types of Arguments
ARGUMENT BY…
GENERALIZATION: A series of similar instances are offered to show the existence of a
general principle.
CAUSE: Reasoning from cause to effect or from effect to cause.
SIGN: Conditions or observations are offered as an indication of a claim
ANALOGY: Comparison of 2 situations that allow you to reason that if a characteristic
exists in one situation then it is reasonable to expect it exists in the other situation.
AUTHORITY: Justifying a claim from its acceptance by a high credibility person
DEFINITION: Reasoning that a claim is valid by the nature of the meaning of a key
concept or interpretation of its meaning.
Analysis of Argument
Comm 1270
Elliott
GROUP PROCESS II Worksheet
Argument Number __________
Group Members _____________________________________________________________
GROUNDS
CLAIM
WARRANT
Analysis of Argument
COMM 1270-01
Spring 2013
ASSIGNMENT FOR GROUP ARGUMENT PRESENTATION
Each student will join a 5-person group to plan a presentation of a 5-minute argument
to be given to the class as a whole. It is expected that these argument presentations
will involve:
 Planning and research by everyone in the group
 Presentation of the argument in class by only one (or possibly two) group members
 Strict adherence to the 5-minute time limit
 The presentation will offer the audience a clear proposition which is supported and developed in
some justified way (evidence, values and/or credibility).
 The purpose of your group presentation is to gain the adherence of your audience. That means
offering the argument in some persuasive and attractive manner.
 As 5 minutes is very little time to present a coherent argument, use of media (video clips, etc.)
should be avoided.
Group Presentations of 5-minute arguments will occur in class on:
 Monday April 1
 Wednesday April 3
 Monday April 8
 Wednesday April 10
The presentation schedule to be distributed in class is firm.
A Presentation Work Day is scheduled during lecture time on Wednesday March 20.
Norm, Tiffany and Natalee will evaluate Presentations (NOT individuals) using 2 criteria:
 QUALITY (clarity, development, coherence, significance)
 PRESENTATION (clarity, preparation, engagement, appeal)
COMM 1270
ANALYSIS OF ARGUMENT
SPRING 2013
Assignment for Final Paper
This is a Refutation and Decision Making essay. The purpose of the assignment is to
allow each student to respond to one of the arguments given in class (other than your
own) by refuting the argument given and offering your readers an alternative basis for
making a critical decision that is different than the original argument presented. The
argument you chose to refute will come from one of the 3-minute arguments in Lab,
one of the 5-minute group arguments in Lecture, or one of the 10-minute arguments at
the end of the semester.
We are expecting your paper to:
 Identify the argument given in class that you are refuting,
 Build a Refutation of that argument, and
 Specify how, in light of your refutation, we should make a different Decision than the
original argument was leading us to make.
Remember, when we talked about refutation in class, we suggested that it was a
constructive process of argumentation. That is, your ultimate purpose is to give a basis
(with reasoning and support) for an alternative claim to the proposition that you are
refuting.
Pragmatics:




Papers are expected to be 3-5 pages in length (with conventional margins and font sizes)
Papers are due on or before Noon Friday April 26 (finals week)
Papers are to be turned in to Norm in class or at his office (2524 LNCO) by the due date.
If Norm is not in his office when you bring your paper, slide it under the office door.
No e-mailed or faxed papers will be accepted.