Argumentation Understanding and Shaping Arguments

This highly regarded textbook explores the skillsclear thinking critical listening and careful analysisthat are vital to rational democratic discourse and that todays citizens and professionals need to make and evaluate arguments in real-life contexts. Drawing on classical and contemporary theory it explores the structure of arguments; the criteria of evidence validity and linguistic clarity; common types of arguments and fallacies; and issues in adapting arguments to audiences. Abundant examples and exercises illustrate principles in terms of students personal professional and civic lives. The new edition is updated to reflect current theory and public concerns including issues that arise with rapidly expanding internet resources and digital media. FEATURES focus on argument in students own lives with examples from a wide array of current issues and contexts emphasis on ethical responsibility and audience-centered argument substantive clear engaging explanations of concepts principles and guidelines thorough step-by-step approach to understanding and analyzing arguments FEATURES OF THE NEW EDITION updated examples and exercises reflecting current events issues and media forms expanded updated discussions of visual evidence and arguments (Chapters 6 and 17) new discussion of conspiracy theories and critical evaluation of evidence (Chapter 6) expanded discussion of internet resources and discourse with a new section on podcasts (Chapter 7) INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES key terms at the beginning of each chapter with a glossary at the end of the book abundant exercises following each chapter epigrams pull quotes and figures highlighting salient points photographs illustrating visual arguments and the pervasiveness of argument in our lives