7.3 Claims/Warrants Exercise
Objectives: Apply appropriate levels of critical thinking and analysis in a writing assignment; demonstrate building knowledge of argument terms, specifically claims and warrants.
Time to Complete: 2 Hours
Points: 10/Online Assignment
Deadline: Sunday night (by 11:30 p.m.), Week 7
Overview:
Argument exists everywhere. Writers can choose to explicitly or implicitly state their views. It’s valuable to be able to identify a writer’s claim, and the type of claim, for any given piece so that we can understand how the evidence included works, too.
In this activity, you’ll read two pieces explaining claims and warrants, find a recent review, and then evaluate its claims and warrants in writing before submitting a paper to me.
Before you Begin:
You may want to refer to the Toulmin Reading from the first module as you make your way through. The language of Claims, Warrants, and Evidence resides within Toulmin’s model.
Instructions:
Read this brief explanation, with examples, from the Purdue OWL about Claims, Warrants, and Data/Evidence.
Locate a recent, opinionated review published in a reputable source. Examples would include film/movie reviews, reviews of recent technology, album reviews, book reviews, concert reviews, painting or sculpture exhibit reviews, graphic novel reviews, spoken word performance reviews, or other opinion- and fact-based reviews done by writers with the authority to speak on this time.
- Note: Reviews posted on sale sites (like Amazon.com) generally won’t work for this assignment.
Evaluate the review’s major claim (or claims) using the Claims reading as a starting point. Then, write a paragraph where you discuss what the writer’s claim is, what type of claim (or claims) the writer is making, and why she or he holds this opinion.
You should choose one of the following types of claims:
Claim about Fact (Definition): If someone is writing a review of a widget and declares that widget to be the fastest widget on the market, they have a claim about fact (something we can easily test and prove).
Claim about Cause and Effect: If someone reviews a product and says that purchasing the product will make your life better/worse or change the way we all do something, they have a claim about cause and effect.
Claim about Policy or Solution (Action): If a review asks readers to do something, it may have a claim about Policy. For example, if, after reviewing a video game, a reviewer suggests that warning labels should be placed on games like this to keep young children from playing, then that’s a call for action or change in policy.
Claim about Values: If a review relies on the writer’s aesthetic view (their own personal interpretation of things or their own values of beauty, quality, etc.), then they have a claim about values. For instance, if I read a review of a new movie that claims it’s the best yet representation of a certain story and that all other stories should take cues from it about how to go forward, then I’m reading a claim about values (that we should all value this movie).
Now, let’s move to Reasoning (Inductive vs. Deductive). This is one of the most complex and yet common pieces of argument to understand. The way that an argument is reasoned has an effect on the audience and also on how an author constructs it.
Complete this reading on inductive and deductive reasoning. For background, you can click “previous” at the bottom of the page if you see unfamiliar terms.
Complete this reading on diagramming an argument. It will help you outline what you’ve read.
Now, evaluate the review that you’ve chosen and identify whether it uses inductive or deductive reasoning.
Write a short paragraph identifying the evidence used, the premise of the argument, and whether the argument uses inductive or deductive reasoning to reach its conclusion.
Bonus points: Identify the types of claim/evidence (ethical, logical, or emotional) being applied.
Include a citation for the review that you’re using at the bottom of your paper.
Do not be shy about asking for help on this exercise! Contact me directly with questions or post in the Help Forum to get further assistance from your peers.
Please turn in your document here by the end of Week 7. You may upload any kind of document that is readable.