THE ARGUMENT
ESSAY
Journal Activity
In your journal, please respond to the following
question:
Do you know someone who is skilled at
arguing? What qualities do they have?
What makes them successful?
Time to Discuss
We often think of argument as something
negative and personal, but of course,
argument is everywhere.
Go to the discussion board titled “Discuss:
Argument in Action.”
The Appeals
To understand argument, you should
understand the different ways argument is
used.
We talk about argument in much the same way
Aristotle did. He submitted the following
“appeals:”
1 - The Pathetic Appeal
(pathos)
Writer/speaker appeals to reader’s emotions,
values, or attitudes ; chooses examples
readers will favor or support
sound clip
Some of these might include: family, patriotism,
human love, loyalty, old fashioned values,
beauty, etc.
The Pathetic Appeal, cont’d.
Click here: Ranch
Click here: Coke
Notice that Hidden Valley is
using different pathetic
appeals in this ad:
Notice that Coke is using also
using pathetic appeals to
sell their product:
 Using the slogan “open
happiness.” (We all want to
be happy, so that means
buying Coke?)\
 Showing young people (we all
desire to look/feel young)
 Using excitement to generate
a feeling that we then
associate with their product
 Using children (everyone
loves children, right?)
 Using vegetables/health
(which means Hidden Valley
must want you to be healthy,
right?)
The Pathetic Appeal, cont’d.
Take a look at the following web sites. Do you
see the pathetic appeals?
Ford trucks - click here
Notice the background—who is the potential buyer? What
is Ford saying about their product?
Johnson & Johnson - click here
What is this company trying to say about their
products? How might this persuade a buyer?
2 - The Logical Appeal
(logos)
Appeals to reason by using:
 Logic
 Data
 Sound support of thesis
sound clip
The Logical Appeal, cont’d.
Click here: Bayer
Click here: Powerbar
Notice the way the makers
of Bayer Aspirin use
logical appeals:
 Telling the viewer that
Bayer Aspirin has been
around for 100 years.
 Telling the viewer that no
other medicine has ever
been proven to be more
effective.
Notice the different logical
appeals on this site:
 2nd place Ironman winner
uses Powerbar (so
shouldn’t you buy a
Powerbar?)
 Notice there is an entire
section dedicated to
“athletes” (claiming their
product is a tool, not just
an energy bar)
The Logical Appeal (logos)
Take a look at the following web sites. Do you see
the logical appeals?
Clorox - click here
How is Clorox trying to convince consumers that
this product is necessary?
Total Cereal - click here
How does Total use facts and data? Is it
convincing?
3 - The Ethical Appeal
(ethos)
With this appeal, the writer (or speaker) argues
from their own credibility or authority.
Sound clip
For example, let’s say a man named George writes
a letter to the local paper complaining about
privacy rights. He closes the letter with “by the
way, I’m a rocket scientist.” Why would George
mention this? What does George want his reader
to realize?
The Ethical Appeal, cont’d.
George wants his reader to understand that he
is intelligent. And, if George is intelligent, it
must mean that his ideas are correct—right?
Of course not! But George is using an ethical
appeal to make his ideas seem more credible.
The Ethical Appeal (ethos)
Take a look at the following web sites. Do you see
the ethical appeals?
Crest - click here
How is this company establishing its credibility?
Land Rover - click here
And this one?
Click to read an interesting article on the
appeals: Article
Now that you’ve seen the types of arguments
we use, let’s move on and talk about what
makes a successful argument.
FEATURES OF GOOD
ARGUMENT
Features of Good Argument
1. Doesn’t alienate the reader
Have you ever felt insulted by someone who is
trying to persuade you? Were you open to their
ideas?
Sound clip
Features of Good Argument:
Doesn’t Alienate
Ways you might alienate your reader:
 Name calling
 Condescending tone
 Speaking from anger
 Falling into emotional traps
 Ignoring your audience (if you’re a Republican and
you’re speaking to Democrats, doesn’t that change
how you choose your words?)
Features of Good Argument:
Don’t Alienate
I recently read a student essay focusing on
immigration. As an instructor, I feel it’s
important that I am open to all kinds of ideas.
However, as I read the student’s essay, it became
clear (through derogatory slang, comments and
other hate-filled rhetoric) that the author was
simply full of hate. This alienated me as a
reader—so after just a few minutes, I had
“closed” my mind. I was no longer open to
listening to what the author had to say.
Features of Good Argument
2. Uses different types of appeals
An argument that only uses facts, or an argument
that only uses emotion, is a one dimensional
argument. For a strong, well-supported
argument, try to incorporate all of the appeals.
Notice that a good politician is quite good at this.
He/she may talk about “family values” in one
breath, but quote demographic data in the next.
Features of Good Argument
3. Avoids logical fallacies
sound clip
Fallacies are poor argument, and we hear them
all the time. One example is “the bandwagon
fallacy.” This is the fallacy that claims
everyone is doing it, and you should too!
Features of Good Argument
Time to discuss!
Sound clip
Do an online search for “argument fallacies.”
Post one to our discussion board called
“Discuss: Share a Fallacy.” Give an example
to help everyone understand the fallacy.
CHOOSING A TOPIC
Topics
 Make sure it’s a narrow topic (gun control,
abortion, and immigration are too large!)
 Avoid topics you don’t think you can discuss
rationally (things you won’t compromise on, topics
that make you too emotional, etc. . . . )
 Avoid these topics (my taboo list): abortion,
smoking, euthanasia
Topic ideas – look everywhere!
From History
Should we have dropped the “A” bomb?
Should we have repealed prohibition?
Should we have given up the Panama Canal?
Was the French Revolution preventable?
The truth behind a “conspiracy” (Pearl Harbor, moon
landing, the Holocaust, Jimmy Hoffa’s death, Marylyn
Monroe’s death, etc.)
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From Government Issues
Reasons to get rid of the electoral college
Reasons the economic bail out plan is a bad
idea/good idea
Why a specific law should be changed or amended
Arguing for/against a specific policy
From Local Issues
Arguing for changes to the Brazos Mall
Arguing for/against X in your city
Arguing for speed limit change, etc.
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From Interests
Do the Hell’s Angels deserve their reputation?
Reasons why The Red Hot Chili Peppers deserve a
lifetime achievement award
Reasons why Paris Hilton doesn’t deserve her fame
Reasons why X movie should/shouldn’t receive an
Oscar
Arguing that Ford Motors should change their
business strategy
Arguing that X person should have won the reality
show Project Runway
Arguing that current red snapper laws are unfair
Etc.!
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From Current Events
Arguing that O.J. Simpson did/didn’t get a fair trail
with his kidnapping charge
Arguing that Madonna should/shouldn’t be allowed
to adopt more children
Arguing that the US should/should not leave the
Middle East
Arguing that the “balloon boy’s” parents are
guilty/not guilty of contributing to the delinquency
of a minor.
Arguing that HPV vaccinations should/shouldn’t be
required for all young girls
Arguing that “Swine Flu” is not truly an epidemic
Etc.
Use your imagination to find interesting,
controversial topics. Check web sites, talk to
others, think about your interests, journal,
and observe everything as you think: could
this be a topic?
The Assignment
 Page Length: 5-6 pages
 Sources: 5 minimum
 Other: works cited page
The Assignment
Should be your best work
 Few errors
 Few MLA issues
 Superior reasoning/logic
 Research should include plenty of
“expert” sources
The Assignment
Formality Level: Professional
 Use 3rd person exclusively (you may use 1st person
in the introduction and conclusion if necessary)
 Keep it rational
 Avoid slang
 Avoid “filler words” (“you know,” “and so on,” etc.)