Making Good Arguments

Making Good Arguments

Argument as Conversation: A research argument is like a conversation with your audience, where you present your claims and support them with reasons and evidence. It's important to anticipate questions and objections your audience might have and address them in your argument.  

Core Components: The core components of a research argument are:

• Claim: The main point or thesis you are arguing for.

• Reasons: Statements that support your claim and explain why your audience should believe it.

• Evidence: Data or information that backs up your reasons.  

Warrants: Warrants are general principles that connect your reasons to your claim. They explain the underlying logic of your argument. You may need to state your warrants explicitly if your audience is unfamiliar with them or might challenge your reasoning.  

Acknowledgments and Responses: Acknowledge and respond to potential questions, objections, and alternative perspectives that your audience might have. This strengthens your argument and shows that you have considered different viewpoints.  

Planning Your Argument: Plan your argument by outlining its structure and organising your claims, reasons, and evidence. Consider using visual aids like storyboards to help you visualise the connections between different parts of your argument.  

Ethos: Ethos refers to the credibility or character you project as a researcher. It's built by presenting a well-supported argument, acknowledging different perspectives, and communicating your ideas clearly and respectfully.

Example:

To do my research, I will construct a research argument that outlines my main claim and supporting reasons.  My primary claim might be that Klara's unique narrative voice, shaped by her artificiality and evolving understanding of the world, allows Ishiguro to explore the complexities of human emotions and relationships from an outsider's perspective.  I will support this claim with reasons such as: Klara's limited understanding of human behaviour leads to unique observations and interpretations; her outsider status allows her to question societal norms and expectations; and her unwavering empathy and compassion challenge readers to reconsider their own emotional responses.  I will anticipate potential objections, such as the argument that Klara's artificiality prevents her from truly understanding human emotions, and address them by examining the nuances of Ishiguro's character development and narrative techniques.  

Preparation Activity: Assembling a Research Argument

Reading: Chapter 5: Making Good Arguments

Instructions:

1. Core Argument: Based on your research question, problem, and preliminary source exploration, articulate the core components of your research argument:

   • Claim: State your main claim - the central argument you will be making in your thesis.

   • Reasons: Provide 2-3 main reasons that support your claim.

   • Evidence: For each reason, identify 1-2 pieces of evidence (from your sources or potential research) that you can use to support it.

2. Argument Structure: Visualise the structure of your argument using a method like the storyboard described in Chapter 5 of The Craft of Research. Outline the connections between your claim, reasons, and evidence.

3. Anticipate Questions and Challenges: Consider potential questions, objections, or alternative perspectives that your audience might raise in response to your argument. Briefly outline how you might address these challenges.

4. Refine and Expand: Based on your analysis, refine your claim, reasons, and evidence to strengthen your argument. Consider additional sources or research that might be needed to support your claims or address potential challenges.

5. Submission: A concise outline or storyboard visualising your research argument, along with brief explanations of your claim, reasons, and evidence.

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Class Outline: Making Good Arguments

Objectives:

• Guide students in constructing and organising their research arguments.

• Familiarise students with the core components of a research argument: claim, reasons, and evidence.

• Foster critical thinking and discussion around anticipating and addressing potential challenges to their arguments.

Activities:

Recap and Review

• Briefly review the concept of active engagement with sources from the previous week.

• Connect source engagement to the process of constructing a research argument.

Elements of a Research Argument 

• Introduce the core components of a research argument: claim, reasons, and evidence.

• Discuss the importance of clear and logical connections between these components.

• Provide examples of strong research arguments from various humanities disciplines.

Argument Construction 

• Divide students into small groups and provide them with a research question or problem.

• Each group collaborates to construct a research argument, including a claim, reasons, and supporting evidence.

• Groups share their arguments with the class and receive feedback.

Visualising Argument Structure

• Introduce methods for visualising argument structure, such as the storyboard.

• Students work individually or in pairs to create a visual representation of their own research argument.

• Professor circulates to provide guidance and feedback.

Wrap-up and Preview 

• Summarise key takeaways from the session, emphasizing the importance of a well-structured and supported argument.

• Preview the topics for the next class: "Making Claims."

Reading for Next Week: Chapter 6: Making Claims