Arguments of Evaluation

Review of Argumentation Tactics

What’s the purpose?

-Depends on definition

-Academic difference between “persuasion” and “argumentation”

Persuasion v. Argumentation

Aims to change a point-of-view

“Truth” already known to the writer

Aims to move others from conviction to action.

Aims to discover some form of “truth” using evidence and reasoning.

This truth may not already be known

Aims to lead to agreement that a claim is reasonable/desirable.

Big Tent of Arguments

Arguments to inform Arguments to convince Arguments to explore

Arguments to make decisions

Kinds of Arguments

Arguments of Fact—did something happen?

Arguments of Definition—What is the nature of a thing?

Arguments of Evaluation—What is the quality of a thing?

Proposal Arguments—What actions should be taken?

Appealing to Audiences

Pathos- emotional appeals or appeals to the heart.

Ethos- ethical appeals of appeals based on the writers authority and credibility

Logos- logical appeals or appeals to reason

Pathos

Attempts to relate to the intended audience

“Feel your pain” arguments (Save the Children)

Beware of being too heavy-handed. Pulling on heartstrings can backfire.

President Obama used this tactic in his “Change” campaign.

“Those stories about my intellectual capacity do get under my skin. You know, for a while I even thought my staff believed it. There on my schedule first thing every morning it said, ‘Intelligence briefing’” –G.W. Bush

Ethos

Make reasonable claims and back them up with evidence

Often addresses credibility issues of opponents

Often connects your own beliefs and core principles that are well established and respected.

Sen. John McCain used this tactic heavily in his political campaign.

Logos

Aristotle devised two proofs for Logos:

1. Hard evidence (inartistic appeals—facts, clues, stats., testimonies, witnesses).

2. Common Sense (artistic appeals)

“Figures lie and liars figure.”

Numbers can be interpreted. -unemployment at 10%. 90% have jobs. Sounds good.

-1 out of 10 workers can’t find work. Bad.

Using Reason & Common Sense

Formal logic:

All human beings are mortal.

Socrates is a human being.

Therefore, Socrates is mortal.

Common Sense:

-using cultural assumptions and values

Evaluations

We make evaluations every day. Whether they involve the simple or lead to

more profound decisions, they involve standards.

Criteria of Evaluation- the standards we judge anything by—whether art, a person, or a product. What is a living wage? What makes a film classic?

Reflection is a must!

When we examine our judgments on issues, we sometimes discover important ‘why’ questions that do unasked.

You may argue that Miss Alabama would have been better than Miss New York, but you don’t wonder whether such competitions make sense at all.

You argue passionately that a Republican Congress is better than a Democratic Congress, but you fail to ask why voters only get two realistic options.

Quantitative Evaluations

Who’s the tallest person in class? Who’s the loudest? We can measure these evaluations using science

and technology. Simple. Harder: Who’s the smartest? A quantitative

evaluation may rely on SAT scores to determine math and English skills. But what do they actually measure? Preparedness for college or intelligence?

What makes a movie great? Very few reviews would answer with a quantitative evaluation and say “length”. Box office receipts, maybe? Film ‘quotability’?

Animal House- 10.1%; Casablanca- 49.6%; The Godfather- 16%; Gone with the Wind- 10.9%; The Wizard of Oz- 13.4%

Qualitative Evaluation

Requires you to sometimes challenge conventional wisdom.

To determine best movie you might develop a list of criteria such as societal impact, cinematic technique, dramatic structures, casting, etc.

Evaluating “Taste”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP4lnWqQ-oA

Developing an Evaluative Argument

Claim: Citizen Kane is the finest film ever made by an American director…

Reason: …because it revolutionizes the way we see the world.

Warrant (criteria): Great films change viewers in fundamental ways.

Poor Claims

Claim: Dwarfs should not be allowed to be on television…

Reason: …because they are annoying and ridiculous.

Warrant: Whatever I find annoying or ridiculous must not be on TV.

Key Features of Evaluations

An evaluative claim that makes a judgment about a person, idea, or object

The criteria by which you’ll measure your subject

Evidence that the particular subject meets or falls short of the staged criteria.

Presenting Evidence

You will be conducting original research for this paper using MLA formatting.

Interviews and/or surveys must be included in your next paper.

How to cite an interview in a Works Cited Page

Person Interviewed. Type of Interview (personal, telephone, email, etc.). Date.

Ex) Nakamura, Michael. Personal interview. 23 July 2004.

How to Cite a Survey

Last name, First name. "Name of survey." Survey. DD Month YYYY.

Ex) Abilock, Damon. "Hot Lunch Options." Survey. 6 June 2009.

The survey, “Hot Lunch Options,” was conducted during the second semester at Gloucester County Institute of Technology. Participants, aged 16-18, were asked a myriad of questions focusing on…