Lesson Plan: Brief Introduction to Argument
(9/4/07, 75 minutes)
Courtney S. Danforth
Goal: define “argument.”
1. Quiz: [10 minutes]
a. Name two reasons that argument classes are taught in college (EA 5).
i. Read
ii. Think critically
iii. Write/speak about significant issues
b. What is the difference between “traditional” and “consensual” argument? (EA 7)
i. Traditional argument emphasizes winning
ii. Consensual argument emphasizes agreement
c. At its most simple, an argument does which of these? (CR 5, EA 4-5)
i. Makes a claim
ii. Voices a “knee-jerk” reaction
iii. Gives reasons to agree
2. Group Activity: [15 minutes]
a. Look at the checklist on EA 21. Everybody take the quiz and determine which
kind of argument style you have. [5 minutes]
b. Poll the room on how many are traditional and how many consensual.
c. Pair off and have pairs discuss reasons why they may prefer the style they
identified (EA 10-11). [5 minutes]
d. Come back to a single group and report findings.
e. Wood suggests that gender, race, culture, and nationality may influence
argument style. Agree? Disagree? What else might influence style? [5 minutes]
3. Discussion: “Recipe for a good argument” (EA 11-14) [25 minutes]
a. Issue: define term “issue” and solicit issue ideas from class—write suggestions
on board
b. Arguer: looking at issues on board, discuss whom we’ve seen argue for some of
the listed issues and whether they were successful
c. Audience: looking at issues on board, discuss who might be the best/worst
audience for some of the listed issues
d. Common ground: referencing listed issues, guess where the common ground
may be found between arguer and audience
e. Forum: where do we usually see arguments for these issues? Where else might
the same argument be made? See how many forums we can cite for one or two
listed issues.
4. Discovery: (Cook, CR 6) [20 minutes]
a. Cook says MySpace/Facebook demonstrate arguments.
b. Pull up someone’s page (smart-ass heckler, friend of instructor, instructor, local
celebrity, consumer product)
c. Ask students what arguments they see
d. Do those arguments include al the “ingredients” for a good argument that we just
discussed (issue, audience, common ground, etc.)?
e. What arguments are implicit in even HAVING a page? (I’m cool. I’m worth
knowing. I’m popular. You should buy me. I’m quirky.)
f. How can studying rhetoric and argument make your page better? (expect blank
stares)
5. Wrap-up and homework
a. Suggest that classmates “friend” each other so they can <insert sarcasm> use
rhetorical methods to improve their pages.