Chapter 16

This chapter from the book Everything’s an Argument was about what does and doesn’t count as proper evidence. People use all kinds of evidence to support a claim. It is often argued that the quality of evidence may not be accurate. The three important things to consider when looking at evidence is who collected it, how it was collected and for what purpose it was collected. Another important thing to look at when considering evidence is if the time and place of the information is relevant to what is being proved in your argument.

This idea of the accuracy of evidence brings me to the lesson I recently learned in my Human Development class. As we were discussing the topic of death and dying, we talked about the Kübler-Ross model. This model provides the Five Stages of Greif when someone finds out they, or someone they know is dying. These stages include denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. We learned how this method has not only been applied to death, but in today’s time, it has also been applied to many other aspects of life. It wasn’t until after we learned about this model that we learned that many other professionals of thanatology disagree with Kübler-Ross. Looking at her research, she never actually followed any specific personal through the entire cycle of the stages. And she could never prove that someone would experience these stages in any certain order, or even at all. This just goes to show how it is important to consider the source and research before including certain evidence in your argument because you want information that is concrete and that will support your ideas.

The book then goes on to talk about the various types of evidence. It talks about Firsthand Evidence and Research. These types of evidence include interviews, observations, surveys and questionnaires, experiments, and personal experiences. The various types of Secondhand Evidence include things like library sources, online sources, and other impersonal databases.

Chapter Nine

            Definitional arguments "don't just appear out of the blue; they evolve out of the occasions and conversations of daily life" is how the next section of our book describes this topic. Chapter Nine discusses arguments of definition. The book describes that because words have various definitions, there are multiple ways of writing arguments based on definitions. Formal definitions are the descriptions of words that can be found in the dictionary. Operational definitions identify something based on its functions or what conditions create it. Definitions by example are ways of defining something, like a class or species, by listing individual members. There are also other various types of definitions that aren’t considered to be part of such defining topics.

            The next part of this chapter begins to talk about how the first step in composing a definitional argument is formulating a claim. Basically, this means that you come up with your overall opinion on the word, and state your basic definition of that word. They used many examples such as defining volunteers and political bias.

            The paragraphs following the claim formulation go on to explain the formulation of an argument. People are always going to question what you believe, this means that it is really important to show your credibility and make them believe you. This is related to what we learned about in chapter three, and the importance of ethos.

            The last step in the process of forming definitional arguments is considering the design and visuals that will make the argument work. This can definitely add to your credibility and make the argument more powerful.

            This is what our second writing project was based off of. I did my writing project on defining the term “discrimination”. I reported a long history of how discrimination in America has come to be formed and how it is a consistently changing term, involving various issues that are constantly piling up.

This chapter was really helpful in teaching me about formulating a proper definitional argument, not only in my writing project, but in other aspects of my life, 

Chapter Three

            In the reading from chapter three, we learned about arguments based on character, pertaining to ethical appeals. These arguments are commonly known as based on "ethos". Because of the sense of trust that comes along with it, arguments require strong, ethical appeals. We often find appeals or arguments about character presented in three ways. 1. A person/group does/doesn’t have the authority to speak to this issue 2. A person/group is/isn’t trustworthy or credible on this issue 3. A person/group does/doesn’t have good motives for addressing this subject. These are the three most common ways we see character turn on claims.

            When reading, our book says we have the right to ponder the authority of the author. Our book then goes on to explain how a certain level of education or degree often grants people the necessary authority to be writing on such a subject. Another way of insisting you are credible is by mentioning occupation/employers and how many years of experience you have.

            Whether you are a renowned Nobel Prize winner or a bagger at Walmart, my opinion is… If you are going to make a claim, or comment, be able to back yourself up. This often comes up at my house during family discussions after holidays or gatherings. My family is full of big mouth New Yorkers who all want their opinion to be heard. Whether we are discussing politics, religion, or the appropriateness of my sister’s dress for mass, I believe if you are going to put your “two cents” in, I want to specifically know why, or how you come to that understanding. I have family members who barely have their high school degree, and then I have aunts and uncles who are doctors and lawyers. When it comes to certain discussions, I personally don’t care what level of degree you have, I care about how you are able to back up your claims, and where you are obtaining your information.After reading this chapter, the same can be said for any argument or claim that you are reading.