Unit 2 blog: Responding to Writing Arguments

When presenting an argument I never considered using different techniques to try and win over my audience. After reading Writing arguments I have discovered many different tools that will enable me to be more persuasive to my particular audience. The rhetorical triangle helps make an argument more effective by considering three different points. You must consider the message, writer/speaker, and the audience when arguing (Ramage, John, and Johnson 75). This allows you to create a more persuasive argument that will be more productive and credible. One important point that the text explains is to understand the difference between an issue question and an information question (Ramage, John, and Johnson 77). In an argument the question is more likely going to be an issue question that offers different viewpoints and may be controversial. Another point that I found extremely useful is that you have to be careful about making certain assumptions when you are arguing. For example, if you say abortion is wrong because it kills a life, then you must understand that the opposition may not agree that a fetus is in fact a life. These kinds of unstated assumptions have been labeled enthymeme by the famous Greek philosopher Aristotle (Ramage, John, and Johnson 88). Stephen Toulmin took the idea of the enthymeme further by coming up with the term warrant, which changes the enthymeme into a whole logical form (Ramage, John, and Johnson 91). I have noticed in political arguments especially, the mistake of beginning an appeal with an unstated assumption that the opposition may not necessarily agree with, therefore the argument fails immediately. Another very important part of arguing effectively is verifying the source of the evidence you use to back up your claim. Your use of evidence lends your argument credibility. Using outdated or badly sourced evidence can destroy your message. Appealing to the ethos, pathos, and logos of your audience is important but it is also essential to consider its kairos. According to the text, the kairos of an argument is, “its timing, and its appropriateness for the occasion” (Ramage, John, and Johnson 129). For example, when writing a response to an argument like a newspaper article, you only have a short time to respond in order for your appeal to have the greatest persuasiveness. Using imagery, metaphors and similes, as well as short narratives, can make an argument more compelling. It is also very useful to accommodate your audience when you are arguing. It is very easy to have a one-sided argument and not consider the objections of those who would disagree with you. If you wish to be persuasive it is essential that be willing to concede to certain opposition and to summarize and address opposing viewpoints (Ramage, John, and Johnson 149). The text goes into further detail about how to make your argument more convincing. A resemblance argument is when you compare something to another hoping that you can relocate your audience’s feeling or understanding from one thing to another (Ramage, John, and Johnson 271). I have noticed that I often use resemblance when arguing about a complex situation. My oldest son has Asperger’s syndrome and in my arguments for mandated health insurance I often use him as an example of the type of people that would be affected by the new law that I am advocating. Lastly, the text talks about the importance of understanding critical differences in sources. When doing research it is important that you look at the source with rhetorical awareness. In order to read your source rhetorically you should ask yourself two questions: “What was the source author’s purpose in writing this piece? And what might be my purpose in using this piece?” (Ramage, John, and Johnson376). It is so easy to get caught up in your argument that you start to use sources that are only convincing to those that are already convinced. Not only are understanding your source rhetorically important, but the citing and documentation of the sources you choose to use is crucial. You can use attributive tags to help shape your reader’s response to a particular source (Ramage, John, and Johnson 390). For example, if you are using a source that you agree with you can use positive words to help shape your audience’s attitude toward the source. The last chapter of the assigned reading also goes into detail about how to cite sources using MLA and APA style. I hope to incorporate many of the tools and techniques discussed in these chapters to make my writing more persuasive and confident.

Works Cited
Ramage, J., B. John, and J. Johnson. Writing Arguments A Rhetoric with Readings. 7th ed. United States: Pearson Education, Inc., 2007. 75-387. Print.