The elements of an argumentative
essay.
According to Stephen Toulmin, arguments
are composed of three main elements:
Ω Claims
Ω Data/Evidence
Ω Warrants
• He was born in England
in 1922.
• He was a philosopher
and rhetorical theorist.
• He taught at USC from
1993-2009.
• In 1958, he offered his
model of argumentation:
a way to compare
“truths.”
Ω First of all, what it is not. It is not a fight. Although
you may, and probably should , feel passionate about
your topic, arguments are supposed to be intellectual
activities not shouting matches.
Ω However, an argument does involve two opposing
points of view. This means that you must include the
opposing side, even if only briefly.
Ω Claim, data, warrant (CDW) is a formal and
logical writing style.
Ω CDW helps you PROVE your thoughts in a logical
way using evidence.
Ω It also can be used for answering open response
questions, discussion questions, or writing paragraphs
& essays.
Ω You can use it in any class.
It is what you already know how to do with
writing:
Ω Claim – a thesis about a topic
Ω Data – the support (evidence) about a topic
Ω Warrant – a general, unspoken rule that
most people would agree upon
• When a prompt
asks you to
support, refute,
or qualify a
statement, use
this method.
• This is the main point of
the argument. What you
are trying to prove.
• Example:
The school lunch program
contributes to childhood
obesity.
Ω Includes facts, statistics, authorities, SOLID opinion, and
examples all usually from source material depending on the claim.
Example:
On October 5, Mesa Public Schools served two options for lunch:
pizza and burritos. The pizza contained 21 grams of fat, and the
burrito contained 15 grams of fat. A healthy meal should contain
no more than 7 grams of fat (Donovan 3).
Ω An assumption/rule which shows the connection between the
claim and the evidence.
Example:
Feeding students lunches with wit high fat contents will cause
students to acquire extra pounds.
NOTE: The warrant must be widely accepted or believed to be
true by the majority of the public.
Ω Sometimes it helps to create a diagram of the claim, data, and
warrant that looks like the example below.
Claim----------------------------------------------Data
Lunch program is bad
Pizza/burritos have high fat content
Warrant: Fatty lunches cause obesity.
Definition: A claim states your position on the issue/topic you have
chosen to write about. It answers the questions:
Ω What point will your essay or paragraph try to make?
AND
Ω What belief or opinion will you be defending?
Ω What you are claiming is true.
Ω Your clear and provable opinion about the subject.
Ω Called the Main Claim in the introduction.
Ω Called a Sub-Claim when the topic sentence of a
body paragraph
Ω A good claim is logical; it emerges from the reasonable
consideration of evidence.
Ω A good claim is debatable. Claims that are purely factual,
and claims that are only opinion fail this requirement. You cannot
argue mattes of personal taste.
Fact: There are many homeless people in the US.
Taste: Comedies are better than dramas.
Ω A good claim is not obvious. Why bother proving a point with
which nobody could disagree?
Ω A good claim is engaging. Consider your audience’s attention
span and make an interesting claim which points out new ideas:
teach the reader something new.
Ω A good claim is not overly vague. It is specific. Attacking
enormous issues leads only to generalizations and vague
assertions.
Definition: The evidence which you cite to
support your claim. Like a lawyer presenting
evidence to a jury, you must support your claim
with facts; and unsupported claim is merely an
opinion.
Facts or Statistics: a point of evidence that
claims some objective
Expert Testimony: a stated opinion be a
person experienced in the field
Case Study: a study based on facts and
statistics that explains a point
Ω Examples to support your claim
Ω Cited quotes from the text to support your
claim
Ω Cited references to the text to support your
claim
Ω Cited statistics to support your claim
Ω Content specific vocabulary that supports your
claim
Given the following claim, choose the
evidence that would most effectively
support the claim.
Claim: Social networking websites are
detrimental to society.
1. According to the 2007 National School Boards Report, teens spend
an average of 9 hours per week on social networking sites.
2. A 2009 study found that 17.3% of middle school students have been
victims of cyberbullying.
3. My mom hates Facebook because I am on it all the time.
4. A 2009 study found that 2/3 of workers with Facebook accounts
access the site during work hours.
5. A friend of mine posted pictures of a teen party showing teenagers
participating in illicit activities and clearly breaking the law.
6. One out of every five students admits to posting bad things on a
social media network.
7. I have been cyberbullied several times including people posting
pictures of me.
Definition: The warrant interprets the evidence and
shows how it connects to the claim. It is a general
assumption that most people agree upon or believe
to be true.
In other words, the warrant/rule explains why the
evidence proves the claim. It is the most important
part. If it is not strong and logical, it will ruin your
argument. It is probably the most difficult part to
write.
Ω The explanation of how the evidence support
the claim.
Ω Explains how the example, statistic, quote, or
reference supports the claim.
Ω Explains the significance of the evidence.
Ω A good warrant will be a reasonable
explanation of facts..
Ω A good warrant will not make unreasonable
explanation or leaps. It is logical.
Ω A good warrant may consider and respond to
possible counter-arguments.
Ω Sometimes it helps to create a diagram of the claim, data, and
warrant that looks like the example below.
Claim----------------------------------------------Data
Smoking is bad
It can cause diseases.
Warrant: Smoking can cause lung cancer.
Claim: People should not eat that
mushroom.
Data/Evidence: The mushroom is poisonous.
Warrant/Rule: Eating poisonous foods is
dangerous.
Claim: The seniors should not elect Mike to
be class president.
Data/Evidence: Mike is way too laid back.
Warrant/Rule: Laid back people do not
make good class presidents.
Ω A claim is made.
Ω Evidence is produced in the form of
logical facts.
Ω The Warrant connects the Evidence/Data
to the Claim.
Students are not going to do well on the test
Very few students studied. Most of the time,
when students don’t study, their grades
suffer.
Since it is raining today, Jane should take
her umbrella. The umbrella will keep her
dry.
1. Claim
2. Introduce first piece of evidence (cite if
needed)
3. Warrant
4. Transition and second pieces of evidence
(cite if needed)
5. Warrant
6. More evidence or conclusion