Toulmin worksheet version 2 Key PDF

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Toulmin's Model of Reasoning Worksheet

____Key___________________________ Name

Work through the examples in Part I by identifying which part of the Toulmin model each statement represents grounds, verifier, warrant, backing for warrant, Conclusion/Claim or reservation. In the second part of the exercise, write out your own arguments and label the parts of the argument using the Toulmin framework. The worksheet is due in class on Thursday, January 28.

Example There are thousands of sightings of UFOs around the world every year. Many of these sightings are by knowledgeable and credible sources such as military pilots and even a President of the United States. The frequency and worldwide distribution of the sightings to date provides a reliable body of evidence for making inferences about the existence of UFOs. In other areas, new animal species have been "discovered" on the basis of less evidence than currently exists for the reality of UFOs.; Intelligent aliens from other worlds are most likely visiting the earth and observing us. Unless the sightings are of secret military technologies that utilize stealth technologies.

Name Argument Element Grounds Verifier Warrant Backing for Warrant Claim/Conclusion Reservation

Argument 1 Unless you are prepared to go without applying for credit for 7 years. I declared bankruptcy five years ago and it created havoc in my life. My experience provides a reliable indicator of what the results will be in your case. My case was similar to your case in all essential respects. You have the same sort of business set up and personal circumstances that I had. You shouldn’t apply for bankruptcy.

Name Argument Element Reservation Grounds Warrant

Argument 2 John should do well on his Chemistry exam this week He has studied Chemistry two hours a day for the last week. I saw John in his room studying. He didn't just tell me that he had studied this much. Students who study a subject several hours a day ordinarily do well on their exams. There are many studies that show that there is a consistent positive correlation between the amount of time that a student studies and their overall scholastic performance. Unless John decides to go out partying the night before the exam.

Name Argument Element Claim Grounds Verifier

Backing for Warrant Claim

Warrant Backing for Warrant

Reservation

Argument 3

Name Argument Element

It takes 60 votes to cut a filibuster in the United States Senate. If a bill's sponsor can't find sixty votes to cut off a filibuster, a bill will fail. The Democrats' health reform bill that is currently being considered in Congress is going to fail. Unless the bill can be amended to attract at least one Republican vote in the Senate. The election of Scott Brown in the Massachusetts special Senate election gives the Republicans enough votes to sustain a filibuster against the health care bill.

Warrant

Argument 4

Name Argument Element Claim Warrant

John is an environmental activist. If a person puts a bumper sticker for an environmental cause on his or her car, it is a reliable indicator that the person is an environmental activist. I know a fair number of people who have environmental stickers on their automobile. Every one of them is an environmental activist. John has a “Save the Whales” bumper sticker” on his car. Argument 5 Fifty years of electoral results provide a good basis for projecting what is likely to happen in an upcoming midterm election. Over the last 50 years, the President's party has lost seats in the House and Senate in every midterm election. The Democrats are likely to lose seats in the House and the Senate in the upcoming midterm elections in November. The only event that might prevent this from happening is if the United States is attacked by a terrorist incident again and the country immediately rallies around the President and his party.

Claim Reservation Warrant

Backing for Warrant Grounds Name Argument Element Warramt Grounds Claim Reservation

Argument 6 A recent comparative shopping test by an independent research firm found that Walmart had lower prices than Target on more than 80% of the items that were compared. Everyone wants to save money. You should shop at Walmart for your daily needs rather than Target. Unless Walmart doesn't stock the item you want to buy.

Name Argument Element Grounds

Argument 7 The cost of the light rail system that Indianapolis installed last year had cost overruns of more than 300 million dollars, due to unexpected delays.

Name Argument Element Grounds

Warrant Claim Reservation

The cost overruns have been documented in an ongoing investigation by the Indianapolis Star newspaper. The experience of Indianapolis is provides good basis for projecting what will happen with a light rail system in Louisville. The kind of system of light rail system that Louisville plans to build is very similar to the system that Indianapolis has already built. If the city of Louisville builds a light rail system, the real cost of building a light rail system is likely to far exceed the estimated costs. Unless there is a significant decrease in the cost of construction materials over the next two years of construction.

Verifier Warrant Backing for Warrant Claim Reservation

Name Argument Element During the last recession the crime rate in the city fell dramatically. However, Grounds the city's crime rate climbed back to its normal levels once the economic recession ended. If an outcome decreases after following a major change and then the outcome Warrant increases back to its original levels when the change is reversed, then the change was probably the cause of the change in the outcome. The economic recession caused the city's crime rate to decrease. Claim

Argument 8

Argument 9 Charm, the latest reality show, doesn't have the backstabbing that most reality shows have. I have watched the first three episodes of the show and to date the participants have not conspired against each other. People will not watch a reality show unless it has a lot of backstabbing in it. All of the successful reality shows in the past two years have all had a lot of backstabbing and interpersonal intrigue in them. Charm will be a ratings failure. Unless viewers have completely changed their tastes in the last couple of months.

Argument 10 Several independent studies have found that people who get at least 8 hours of sleep an night are 50% less likely to get a cold than people who get six hours of less of sleep. Research results that have been replicated provide an excellent basis for making inferences about the effectiveness of a health practice. If you sleep at least eight hours a night, you will minimize your chances of getting a cold. This might not occur, however, if you are under a great deal of stress at work because high levels of stress can cause you to get sick no matter what else you do.

Part II: Map Your Own Arguments

Name Argument Element Grounds Verifier Warrant Backing for Warrant Claim Reservation

Name Argument Element Grounds

Warrant Claim Reservation

This section reverses the process. Please map statements of a larger argument that correspond to each of the argument elements on the right below. You should map one complete argument in each part below. You can map arguments that you have encountered recently, map arguments from editorials or advertisements, or make up your own arguments. Please fill in statements for each of the requested elements below.

Argument 1: Argument Statements

Argument Element Grounds Verifier Warrant Backing for Warrant Claim Reservation

Argument 2:-Provide at least four statements in this constructed argument-then label each part. Argument Statements

Argument Element...