A brief overview of the Classical Oration model and Toulmin Argumentation, from chapters 1 and 7 of Everything's an Argument

1. What are these things?
• Classical Ora1on
• Toulmin Argumenta1on
• Warrants

2. The Five‐Paragraph Essay:
• Intro:
– Hook
– Thesis
– Roadmap (proof 1, proof 2,
proof 3)
• Body (3 paragraphs)
• Conclusion
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3. For example:
Intro:
S1ll have your brains? Then chances are you
have never been subject to a zombie aQack.
Zombies should be classified as the most ruthless
supernatural predator due to their plague‐like
method of propaga1on, their extreme
endurance, and their characteris1c roUng/
creepy appearance.
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4. Weaknesses:
• Shallowness
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5. Weaknesses:
• Shallowness
• Lack of connec1on
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6. Weaknesses:
• Shallowness
• Lack of connec1on
• Rigidity
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7. The classical ora1on:

8. The classical ora1on:
• Exordium: hook, intro

9. The classical ora1on:
• Exordium: hook, intro
• Narra+o: background, facts, and context

10. The classical ora1on:
• Exordium: hook, intro
• Narra+o: background, facts, and context
• Par++o: claim and roadmap

11. The classical ora1on:
• Exordium: hook, intro
• Narra+o: background, facts, and context
• Par++o: claim and roadmap
• Confirma+o: presenta1on of evidence

12. The classical ora1on:
• Exordium: hook, intro
• Narra+o: background, facts, and context
• Par++o: claim and roadmap
• Confirma+o: presenta1on of evidence
• Refuta+o: counterarguments, alterna1ves

13. The classical ora1on:
• Exordium: hook, intro
• Narra+o: background, facts, and context
• Par++o: claim and roadmap
• Confirma+o: presenta1on of evidence
• Refuta+o: counterarguments, alterna1ves
• Perora+o: summary, conclusion

14. A modern version:

15. A modern version:
• Intro: Hook, Qualifica1ons, Common Ground,
Claim, Roadmap

16. A modern version:
• Intro: Hook, Qualifica1ons, Common Ground,
Claim, Roadmap
• Background: Necessary facts, history,
defini1ons, context, narra1ve, et cetera

17. A modern version:
• Intro: Hook, Qualifica1ons, Common Ground,
Claim, Roadmap
• Background: Necessary facts, history,
defini1ons, context, narra1ve, et cetera
• Argument: Reasons (logos and occasionally
pathos) in support of your claim

18. A modern version:
• Intro: Hook, Qualifica1ons, Common Ground,
Claim, Roadmap
• Background: Necessary facts, history,
defini1ons, context, narra1ve, et cetera
• Argument: Reasons (logos and occasionally
pathos) in support of your claim
• Alterna1ves: Note and explain other
perspec1ves, no1ng why yours is s1ll strongest

19. A modern version:
• Intro: Hook, Qualifica1ons, Common Ground,
Claim, Roadmap
• Background: Necessary facts, history,
defini1ons, context, narra1ve, et cetera
• Argument: Reasons (logos and occasionally
pathos) in support of your claim
• Alterna1ves: Note and explain other
perspec1ves, no1ng why yours is s1ll strongest
• Conclusion: Summarizes, elaborates further
implica1ons, perhaps proposal or pathos

20. Toulmin Arguments:

21. The Toulmin Model:
• Claims: controversial and debatable: answers
the ques1on, “So what’s your point?”

22. The Toulmin Model:
• Claims: controversial and debatable: answers
the ques1on, “So what’s your point?”
• Evidence/Reasons: Logos.

23. The Toulmin Model:
• Claims: controversial and debatable: answers
the ques1on, “So what’s your point?”
• Evidence/Reasons: Logos.
• Warrants: Logical bridge between the claim
and the evidence.

24. The Toulmin Model:
• Claims: controversial and debatable: answers
the ques1on, “So what’s your point?”
• Evidence/Reasons: Logos.
• Warrants: Logical bridge between the claim
and the evidence.
• Backing: Further support for the arguments of
the warrant itself.

25. The Toulmin Model:
• Claims: controversial and debatable: answers the
ques1on, “So what’s your point?”
• Evidence/Reasons: Logos.
• Warrants: Logical bridge between the claim and
the evidence.
• Backing: Further support for the arguments of the
warrant itself.
• Qualifiers: Limit the scope of the claim
• Condi1ons of rebuQal: Counterarguments

26. Kelp is low in So, in It would be a healthy and
calories and rich most nutritious addition to most
in vitamins and cases, American diets.
minerals Since
Unless
Most Americans are
seeking to reduce their One is seeking to reduce
calorie consumption and sodium in the diet / is worried
increase their intake of about the effects of excess
vitamins and minerals iodine on the thyroid / is actively
As shown by: seeking to gain weight...
The following respected
authorities on nutrition and
American eating habits... Find the following above:
Claim • Evidence • Warrant •
Qualifier • Backing • Conditions of
Rebuttal
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27. Kelp is low in So, in It would be a healthy and
calories and rich most nutritious addition to most
in vitamins and cases, American diets.
minerals Since
Most Americans are
Unless
Claim
seeking to reduce their One is seeking to reduce
calorie consumption and sodium in the diet / is worried
increase their intake of about the effects of excess
vitamins and minerals iodine on the thyroid / is actively
As shown by: seeking to gain weight...
The following respected
authorities on nutrition and
American eating habits... Find the following above:
Claim • Evidence • Warrant •
Qualifier • Backing • Conditions of
Rebuttal
27

28. Kelp is low in
Evidence
So, in It would be a healthy and
calories and rich most nutritious addition to most
in vitamins and cases, American diets.
minerals Since
Unless
Most Americans are
seeking to reduce their One is seeking to reduce
calorie consumption and sodium in the diet / is worried
increase their intake of about the effects of excess
vitamins and minerals iodine on the thyroid / is actively
As shown by: seeking to gain weight...
The following respected
authorities on nutrition and
American eating habits... Find the following above:
Claim • Evidence • Warrant •
Qualifier • Backing • Conditions of
Rebuttal
28

29. Kelp is low in So, in It would be a healthy and
calories and rich most nutritious addition to most
in vitamins and cases, American diets.
minerals Since Warrant
Unless
Most Americans are
seeking to reduce their One is seeking to reduce
calorie consumption and sodium in the diet / is worried
increase their intake of about the effects of excess
vitamins and minerals iodine on the thyroid / is actively
As shown by: seeking to gain weight...
The following respected
authorities on nutrition and
American eating habits... Find the following above:
Claim • Evidence • Warrant •
Qualifier • Backing • Conditions of
Rebuttal
29

30. Kelp is low in So, in It would be a healthy and
calories and rich most nutritious addition to most
in vitamins and cases, American diets.
minerals Since
Unless Qualifier
Most Americans are
seeking to reduce their One is seeking to reduce
calorie consumption and sodium in the diet / is worried
increase their intake of about the effects of excess
vitamins and minerals iodine on the thyroid / is actively
As shown by: seeking to gain weight...
The following respected
authorities on nutrition and
American eating habits... Find the following above:
Claim • Evidence • Warrant •
Qualifier • Backing • Conditions of
Rebuttal
30

31. Kelp is low in So, in It would be a healthy and
calories and rich most nutritious addition to most
in vitamins and cases, American diets.
minerals Since
Unless
Most Americans are
seeking to reduce their One is seeking to reduce
calorie consumption and sodium in the diet / is worried
increase their intake of about the effects of excess
vitamins and minerals iodine on the thyroid / is actively
As shown by: seeking to gain weight...
The following respected
authorities on nutrition and
American eating habits... Find the following above:
Claim • Evidence • Warrant •
Qualifier • Backing • Conditions of
Backing Rebuttal
31

32. Kelp is low in So, in It would be a healthy and
calories and rich most nutritious addition to most
in vitamins and cases, American diets.
minerals Since
Unless
Most Americans are
Qal
seeking to reduce their One is seeking to reduce
bu
f Re
calorie consumption and sodium in the diet / is worried
ns o
increase their intake of about the effects of excess
o
ndi1
vitamins and minerals iodine on the thyroid / is actively
As shown by: Co
seeking to gain weight...
The following respected
authorities on nutrition and
American eating habits... Find the following above:
Claim • Evidence • Warrant •
Qualifier • Backing • Conditions of
Rebuttal
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33. Give it a go: Formulate a full Toulmin argument
about one of the following recent events. Remember that
arguments can be complex and nuanced.
Japan’s Fukushima
plant has been
forced to release
11,500 tons of
radioac1ve water
into the Pacific.
Plant operators say
the radia1on does
not pose a threat.
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34. Give it a go: Formulate a full Toulmin argument
about one of the following recent events.
Aier being fired from Two and
a Half Men, Charlie Sheen
planned a na1onwide
“complaint tour” en1tled
Charlie Sheen’s Violent Torpedo
of Truth Defeat Is Not an Op+on
Tour 2011. Sheen broke the
Guinness World Record for
“reaching 1 million TwiQer
followers the fastest.” Most of
the tour’s dates sold out within
minutes.
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35. Give it a go: Formulate a full Toulmin argument
about one of the following recent events.
Since Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolu1on saw the ouster of President Zine El
Abidine Ben Ali from power in January of 2011, several countries in
the Middle East and North Africa have seen massive pro‐democracy
protests. In Libya, Col. Muammar el‐Qaddafi responded with violence;
in retalia1on, the United Na1ons established a no‐fly zone over
several areas of the country, using airstrikes for enforcement.
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