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Argument Analysis*
The following worksheet can be used to examine the level of
development in an
argumentative paper. Read the definitions below
and then attempt to fill in
the sections by drawing upon your own essay.
The Claim
What statement are you defending? This is the
core of your paper, the assertion you are trying to prove. It is modified by
any special qualifications or exceptions you wish to attach to make the
argument stronger and more complete.
Qualifiers
Is your claim absolute? Beware of absolutes; most claims are modified by
"usually," "often," "frequently," "in many cases," and so forth.
Exceptions
In which cases would you not defend your claim? Be sure to state these cases
clearly. Show your reader that you have thought through your claim from all
sides.
Reasons
What are the statements that support your claim? Ask two key
questions here:
- Are my reasons good?
- Are my reasons relevant to my claim?
Note that reasons, like claims, may be qualified.
You may print this screen and use the following lines as a worksheet to
evaluate your own writing. Three spaces for reasons have been provided, but
remember that there is no set rule about how few or how many reasons you
need to support a given claim.
*This help sheet has been adapted from the discussion of the Toulmin method
in: Crusius, Timothy W., and Carolyn E. Channell. The Aims of
Argument: A
Rhetoric and Reader. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield, 1995. 31-36.
Worksheet
Claim:
Qualifiers:
Exceptions:
Reason #1:
What makes this reason relevant?
What makes it good?
What evidence supports this reason?
Reason #2:
What makes this reason relevant?
What makes it good?
What evidence supports this reason?
Reason #3:
What makes this reason relevant?
What makes it good?
What evidence supports this reason?
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