Note to Students xiii

1. An Overview of Key Terms 3

What Is Argument?, 3

How Should We Approach Argument? 3

What Are the Aims of Argument? 4

Arguing to Inquire 5

Arguing to Convince 6

Arguing to Persuade

8 Arguing to Negotiate

Comparing the Aims: A Summary 8

What Is P.hetoric? 9

2. Reading an Argument

Before You Read 11

Recalling Prior Knowledge 11

Considering the Rhetorical Context

As You Read 13

The First Reading 13

ANNA QUINDLEN, "Making the Mosaic"

The Second Reading 15

Analyzing Structure 15

Working through Difficult Passages 17

Reading Arguments Critically 20

The Third Reading

After You Read 22

3. Analyzing an Argument: A Simplified Toulmin Method

A Preliminary Critical Reading 23

WILLIAM F. MAY, "Rising to the Occasion of Our Death"

A Step-by-Step Demonstration of the Toulmin Method

Analyzing the Claim

Identify the Claim

Look for Qualifiers26

Find the Exceptions 27

Summarize the Claim 27

English