Of course, the sources from which you get these support strategies also vary. Some common types of sources are: A speaker or author can structure their message in different ways – three common ways are deductive, inductive, and analog. In a deductive structure, the claim is presented at the beginning of the argument, with the remaining information in the form of supporting strategies and documents in support of that claim. In an inductive structure, the claim is presented at the end of the argument along with examples and other specific case argumentation strategies that lead to that claim. In a similar structure, the claim is usually presented towards the end of the argument, and the information takes the form of a comparison between two cases. In general, a deductive structure is most effective when the audience is inclined to agree with the author`s assertion, and an inductive structure is most effective when the audience is unlikely to agree. Testimonials: Communication from another person who supports a point Facts are among the best tools to involve the reader in reasoning. Since the facts are undeniable, the author automatically obtains the mutual consent of the reader by using them. A statement that read: “On January 28, 1986, the Shuttle Challenger exploded at launch” must be accepted by the reader, as it is a historical certainty. Facts are mainly used to get the reader to stick to the author`s level of reasoning.

For example, if an author wanted to argue that smoking is a harm to your health, he/she would start by citing factual information about the large number of people who die each year from smoking-related diseases. This would then force the reader to agree with the author on at least one point. Arguments are most interesting and compelling when a variety of support strategies are used. The most basic arguments consist of description and explanation. More demanding speakers and writers are looking for other ways to leverage a comprehensive repertoire of support strategies. The speaker or author must implement various supportive strategies to demonstrate their claim. Here is a list of common support strategies from Sellnow`s Confident Public Speaking (154-167): Affirmations are statements about what is true or good, or what should be done or believed. You can discuss the claims. “An education in the humanities better prepares students” is a statement, while “I didn`t like the book” is not. The rest of the world can`t really deny whether I liked the book or not, but they can discuss the benefits of the liberal arts. “I thought the movie was cool” is not a contentious statement, but “the movie was Paul Newman`s best” is because people can disagree and offer support for their different opinions.

Evidence supports the reasons offered and helps force the public to accept the claims. Evidence comes in different ways, and it tends to vary from one academic field or topic of reasoning to another. The scientific arguments about global warming require different evidence than Paul Newman`s films. The evidence responds to the challenge of the reasons invoked, and there are four main types of reasons: Reasons are statements in support of allegations that make these allegations more than just allegations. Reasons are statements in an argument that pass two tests: however, facts cannot support the entire argument. It is necessary that the author also uses judgments. These are assumptions that the author makes after careful consideration of the facts about his subject. For example, an author could start by presenting some facts about scientists` knowledge of the state of the Challenger before its launch. Based on these facts, the author concludes that the disaster could have been avoided if a few scientists had been willing to talk about disturbing results. This would be a verdict of the author. There is nothing in the history books or newspapers that could prove that this hypothesis is true. The success or failure of the entire argument depends on the author`s ability to use appropriate reasoning to arrive at correct judgments.

In this way, the author tries to convince the reader of his point of view on the subject or at least to show the reader a new perspective on the topic under discussion. However, if the author wants to move forward with an argument, he/she must be able to provide evidence to support the claims that the article will make. There are three broad categories of evidence that are essential to gaining public trust in the author`s claims. These categories are facts, judgment and testimony. Specific examples include examples, case studies, and stories. Anyone can be an effective mode to create media for a reason or claim. In a public speech, they offer the audience the opportunity to see an idea illustrated in a particular case. To be effective, some cases must be representative of the broader trend or idea they support. With an example as evidence, someone who opposes the use of seat belts might say, “Last year, my cousin crashed her car off a bridge and would have drowned if she had put on her seat belt” as evidence (the answer to the question “Why do you believe this?”).

An opponent might wonder if this example was representative: Certainly, there are many more car accidents that do not end up in water, so this case is not a fair measure of relative safety of not wearing a seat belt. Errors are the result of errors in the logic of an argument. These errors can be related to reasoning, evidence, emotions, or other dynamics. Seven common misconceptions are: ad hominem attacks (attacking your opponent`s character instead of responding to their argument), calls for pity (using strong emotional language to compensate for a lack of factual support), appeals to popular beliefs (assuming that because most people agree on something, this must be true), appeals to tradition (assuming that the only right way to do something is the way it has always been done), erroneous analogy (comparison of two things that are not really comparable), misuse of authority (invoking authorities whose expertise has nothing to do with the subject in question) and trivial objections (choosing unimportant parts of an opponent`s argument, instead of processing the ideas themselves). The last type of evidence used to write a persuasive argument is testimony. There are two types of testimony: 1) the account of an eyewitness and 2) the judgment of an expert who had the opportunity to investigate and interpret the facts. Both give validity to an argument. The eyewitness can provide important facts that the author can use, and the expert can provide valuable judgments to give strength to the argument.

For example, in the case of the Space Shuttle Challenger, the author could use the statement of one of the employees who was present at NASA meetings before launch. The author could also use the opinion of an astrophysicist to find out whether or not there was evidence before the launch that the shuttle was not safe to launch. Critical thinking means being able to make good arguments. Arguments are allegations supported by reasons supported by evidence. Argumentation is a social process in which two or more people advance arguments, react to each other – and not just repeat the same statements and reasons – and modify or defend their positions accordingly. This page explores the types of evidence used in reasoning. See also the page on logic and reasoning. Building on personal experience: Supporting a point with your own experience.

However, keep in mind that this is not the only or most convincing form your argument can take. The most common method – the basic argument – looks like this: Descriptions: creates an image in the mind of the reader Personal stories: individual stories that illustrate a point Surveys: Information from information-gathering tools Reasons can be linked to claims with the word because: Aristotle also delineated three types of evidence: ethos, pathos and logos. According to Aristotle, “For some [the evidence] lies in the character [ethos] of the speaker, and others in the disposition of the listener in one way or another [pathos], and others in the argument itself [logos]” (On Rhetoric 37). Ethos deals with the credibility or character of the speaker or writer; Pathos deals with values and emotions and how they are received by the audience; and Logos deals with a sense of logic in reasoning itself. All speakers and writers who want to convince their audience need to build credibility, stir up emotions, and apply logic. By Mark E. Huglen, PhD.Last edited in October 2016 by Allison Haas When reasons don`t make sense in the hypothetical challenge or “because” testing, there`s probably something wrong with the logic of the argument. However, the success of these tests does not guarantee that the arguments are valid and convincing. The structure and form of information has as much to do with persuasion as it does with information itself.

Six common organizational methods for persuasive writing and speaking are: basic argument, comparative advantages, inviting and motivated order, problem solving, and rebuttal (Sellnow 358-375). A speaker or writer must use the method or organization that best suits his claim, the availability to his audience and the model of his reasoning. In most articles, the author`s goal is to find a topic and make a statement about it. This statement is better known as the author`s argument. For many academic papers, especially in the humanities, the most important part of the work is your reasoning. Here, we`ll walk you through a few key terms to help you build and define your argument. .