BB 25: Ch.

16 Using Argumentative Strategies

Considering the other sides of an argument or when having an argument are something
every arguer should always do. When we do not consider the other side or when we fail to
willingly consider the other sides of the argument, we absolutely turn out to have ineffective
arguments. Also, when having an argument, the arguer must or should have evidences that prove
facts and also back up the claims at the same time. Failure to do this will cause the argument to
be totally irrelevant because where will readers get references from when there are no evidences
to back up claims?! Arguments are not necessarily about proving other people or the opposing
positions wrong. Instead, they are more of challenging the opposing positions in order to
persuade the readers that one side is superior to the other side or sides. Strategies for becoming
more effective at argument include developing an arguable claim, identifying the source of the
arguable claim, finding reason-based evidence to back up claims, locating authoritative evidence
to back up the claims, using emotional evidence to back up the claims, countering the claims of
the opposing view, and last, avoiding logical fallacies.
An arguable claim is a statement that exits between personal judgments and proven facts.
In other words, it is a claim that others will to dispute. For example, Water is colorless,
odorless, and tasteless is an argument no one would ever want to dispute because we all know
for a fact that water has no color, scent, or taste even a first grader can agree to this statement.
Instead, arguable claim could be like President Barack Obama has completely destroyed the
United States of America. This arguable because to some people, all the things the president has
done for the nation in the past years up till now are completely senseless and irrelevant, whiles
others think that he has done great jobs serving his terms. With such a claim, the entire argument
will be a lot more fun because both or all sides can prove points from very different perspectives.

Arguers can sharpen their claims by figuring out what kind of issue they are arguing about, using
the four types of issues: issues of definition, causation, evaluation, and recommendation.
To back up claims, arguers must use reasoning (logos) that consists of logical statement
and examples to support their arguments. For example, the statement Immigrants come from all
places in the world the US to better their lives would be a very good logic to back up claims
because it is true that people come from all parts of the world to the US to seek free opportunities
like getting good education in order to have betters lives in the near future. But, saying that
UTEP has the best school facilities in the nation is not entirely true because there are a lot of
colleges in the US that have so much better school facilities than UTEP does, even though the
school is far better than other colleges in the US. Evidences can also be based on real life
examples; those are the things that have actually happened to the arguers. This could include
emotional evidences (pathos); they could be sadness, happiness, annoyance, anger, patience, fear,
braveness, etc.
Last but definitely not the least, arguers can look for logical fallacies in their argument
and locate them in the opposing positions arguments. A logical fallacy is weak spot that should
be addressed in the arguers own work and can be exploited as he or she counter the opposing
sides arguments. For instance, saying that the president of the United States has done lot for the
US serving his terms, just because he is black like myself is a very weak argument because just
because someone has the same thing as I do or just because someone and I have something in
common does not necessarily mean that person is actually doing the right. Instead, I should argue
about the things he has done for the entire nation, that have had great impacts on everyone else in
the nation, no matter what race the person belongs to that make the president stands out a true
servant of the United States of America.