Argumentation: Critical Thinking in Action

Argumentation: Critical Thinking in Action explores a wide variety of issues and concepts connected to making arguments, responding to the arguments of others, and using good critical thinking skills to analyze persuasive communication.Based on feedback from users and instructors, the new fifth edition of David Lapakko's Argumentation: Critical Thinking in Action: promotes civil discourse through expanded emphasis on sender/receiver ethics. integrates updated examples – includes 2020 election, COVID, and racial issues in police practices. includes ethical issues in argumentation – unlike any other book on the market. features new coverage of visual evidence of argumentation. fuses practical examples with Spotlight on Scholarship vignettes in each chapter that include coverage of academic studies/articles of the content provided. has been completely reformatted with a stronger emphasis on visual design. is easy to adopt!  Adopting instructors receive access to a large test bank and PowerPoint presentation for each chapter.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1 Orientation to Argumentation Why study argument? Matters of definition Three elements always present in argument Critical thinking and argument Bloom's taxonomy Traits associated with good critical thinking The single most important critical thinking skill The "free marketplace" assumption Ethical issues in argumentationChapter 2 Fundamental concepts of argument Presumption Burden of proof Stock issues Stock issues for policy propositions Stock issues for value propositions Stock issues for factual propositions The Toulmin model of argumentChapter 3 Categories and types of evidence General categories of evidence Specific types of evidence General tests for all types of evidenceChapter 4 Issues in the use of statistical evidence Not all concepts can be readily quantified A more precise number is not necessarily a "better" number Survey samples must be truly representative There are at least three different ways to define "average" Comparing percentages is often misleading and unwarranted Absolute percentages and relative percentages can be quite different Statistical correlation is not the same as causation Statistical predictions of the future must be based on certain assumptions How a graph is constructed can be misleading A statistically significant difference defies random chanceChapter 5 Types of reasoning Inductive reasoning Deductive reasoning Reasoning by analogy Sign reasoning Causal reasoning The "SI jinx": A case studyChapter 6 Fallacies in reasoning Fallacies in Inductive Reasoning Fallacies in Deductive Reasoning Fallacy in Causal Reasoning Fallacies Involving the Burden of Proof Other FallaciesChapter 7 The use of language in argument Words have no intrinsic meaning There's more than one way to define a word, and the "dictionary definition" is not always the best way Language is not static—the meanings of words change over time Sometimes arguers will try to be clear with their use of words; but sometimes they will be intentionally vague or unclear Sometimes arguers use words that are designed to get us emotionally worked up; but sometimes they will use words to get us to calm down There are a variety of types of language that can be regarded as misleading or "loaded." Language can be more concrete or more abstract; arguers and critical thinkers must be mindful of the difference Metaphors raise some of the most interesting issues, and they affect the way we thinkChapter 8 Narratives as Argument Dramatism in a Nutshell Burke's Pentad Bormann's Symbolic Convergence Theory Jensen's HeuristicChapter 9 Constructing a case for change Advantages of Advocating Change Advantages of Opposing Change Realism Vs. Idealism The Issue of "Should" Versus "Would" Organizational Formats The Need to Structure the Solution The Need to Be ExplicitChapter 10 Refutation Steps in Refutation The Four Main Refutational Responses Other Types of Refutational Responses Debate Judging ParadigmsChapter 11 Spheres of Argument The Scientific Sphere The Legal Sphere The Business Sphere The Religious Sphere The Political Sphere An Additional Editorial Comment on Religion and Politics For All Spheres U.S. Culture as a Sphere of ArgumentChapter 12 Effective oral delivery and written presentation Oral Presentation Skills Writing Skills Issues Involving Grammar / Usage Issues Involving Punctuation Issues Involving Spelling Issues Involving StyleGlossary Index