1. COVERS THE BASICS Argument in Context provides basic argument principles such as the Toulmin Model of Argument, Sound reasoning, Logical fallacies, Spheres of Argument, etc.

2. COVERS ARGUMENT IN PRACTICE Argument in Context provides instruction in argumentation in a multitude of contexts: Political campaigning, Legal arguments, Internet argumentation, and many other contexts.

3. LOW PRICE Argument in Context is dramatically lower priced. The textbook costs $5 per student with a minimum order of 12.

4. EASY TO ACCESS Argument in Context is provided electronically. You and all of your students can access the textbook immediately using a PDF reader.

5. DEBATE INSTRUCTION Argument in Context provides access to comprehensive instruction in academic debate (Policy and Parliamentary formats).

6. TEACHING MATERIALS Argument in Context provides Teacher Materials including lecture notes and suggested syllabus. Provided in MS Word format for easy editing.

7. LATEST THEORIES Argument in Context covers contemporary challenges to argument such as power relations, gender studies, sociality, and post-structuralism.

HOW DO I PURCHASE IT?

West Coast Publishing, in business for nearly 20 years providing speech and debate materials, makes purchasing and accessing the Textbook easy. www.wcdebate.com

STUDENTS BUY DIRECT WAY TO PURCHASE

1. You’ll provide numbers of students in your class (teachers and teacher assistants receive access free with orders of 12 or more).

2. You collect money from students and mail it to West Coast Publishing.

3. Each time your purchase, you are guaranteed the same rate ($5 per student) for 4 years (for you and your school) unless we note that a price increase will go into effect 4 years from the last time you purchased. We do not plan any significant price increases—we want this to be an affordable text.

4. West Coast Publishing provides you an access code via email; just give that to your students and they are ready to go. Students type in the username and password and then have access to the textbook—no further codes or other restrictions.

BOOKSTORE WAY TO PURCHASE

1. Have your bookstore contact us at wcdebate@aol.com or fax us at 1-877-781-5058 or mail us at West Coast Publishing; PO Box 8066; Fountain Valley CA 92728-8066.

2. We will provide purchase cards with access codes to the textbook.

3. Students then, just go to the bookstore and purchase the access code card and they are ready to go.

We expect that you will not order the textbook just once and then keep using it without compensating us the $5 per student fee that is expected. That would not be fair to the thousands of dollars and hundreds and hundreds of hours that we have (and will) put into this textbook.

Email Jim Hanson if you have any questions. hansonjb@gmail.com

CAN I SEE PREVIEWS OF THE TEXTBOOK?

Yes. Sample of the Book

Sample of the Teacher Materials

If you want to see more and you are genuinely interested in using the text for your class or own use:

Email Jim at hansonjb@gmail.com

WHEN WILL IT BE AVAILABLE?

1. You can order the textbook now at www.wcdebate.com

2. You can begin using Argument in Context now.

SECTION 1 WAS POSTED MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 and updated SEPT 7, 2011.

SECTION 2 WAS POSTED SUNDAY, AUGUST 29, 2010.

SECTION 3, WAS POSTED SEPT 7, 2011.

NEW TEACHING MATERIALS AND POWERPOINTS ARE PLANNED FOR 2012.

WHAT IS IN THE TEXTBOOK?

This is an outline of what is included in the Textbook.

Also note: You have access to Breaking Down Barriers: How to Debate (Policy and Parli Debating)—which provides basic and more advanced instruction in academic debating—along with the comprehensive Dictionary of Forensics (approximately 700 pages of materials).

SECTION 1: KEY CONCEPTS OF ARGUMENT

1-1 INTRO TO ARGUMENT

Definition of Argument

Benefits of Argumentation

Supporting Arguments

Argument Type 1, 2, and 0

Supporting your Argument Type 0: Constructing Arguments

Supporting your Argument Type 1: Logos, Pathos, Ethos

Supporting your Argument Type 2: Responding to Arguments

Perspectives on argument: logic, dialectic and rhetoric

Argument comes in diverse forms

1-2 FORMAL LOGIC

What Formal Logic Seeks

The Syllogism

Syllogisms – Truth Testing

Syllogisms - Validity Testing

Parts of a Syllogism

Five Tests of Validity

Examples of Testing

1-3 RHETORICAL LOGIC

Values, Arguers, Spheres

Formal Logic versus Rhetorical Arg

Argument and Persuasion

The Enthymeme

Toulmin Model of Argument

Argument Fields, Communities, and Spheres

Perelman and Audiences

The Narrative Paradigm

1-4 DIALECTICAL LOGIC

Dialectical Questioning

Dialectical Point and Counterpoint

Pragma –Dialectics

Common Ground

Imre Lakatos’ Refutational Process

Casuistry

The Rational and the Reasonable

1-5 PREPARING GOOD ARGUMENTS

Preparing Good Arguments

Consider your Audience

Adjust to your Audience

Consider Opposing Arguments

Research an Argument

Organizing an Argument

Relevance (The Because Test)

Lists of Reasons For

Ill, Blame, Cure, Cost

Criteria

Chronology

Narrative

Monroe’s Motivated Sequence

Interpretive argument

Consider how you will Present your Argument

Conclusion

1-6 MAKING WELL SUPPORTED ARGUMENTS

Types of Support

Evidence Support

Interest Support

Using Pictures and Videos and Physical Movement for Argument

Making Your Support Effective

Being Vivid

Developing your Logos

Developing your Ethos

Developing your Pathos

Using Effective Language

Reworking An Argument

1-7: ENGAGING IN ARGUMENT

The Burdens in an Argument

Presumption

Burden of Proof

Burden of Rejoinder

Burden of Rebuttal

Responding to Arguments

Rebuilding Arguments

Rebuttal

Distinguishing versus Combining

Comparisons

1-8 MAKING DECISIONS ABOUT ARGUMENTS

Decisionmaking Paradigms

Costs and Benefits

Hypothesis Testing

Gamesplayer

Narrative Paradigm

Skepticism toward Arguments

Tabula Rasa

Critic Of Argument

Assessor

Punishment

Overall Skepticism towards Arguments

Presentational Style

Style Emphasis

Issues Emphasis

Arguments Emphasis

The Role of Ethos in Deciding

Morality

Aesthetics

Sincere Advocacy

Consequentialist versus Principled Thinking

Consequentialist Thinking

Thinking based on Principles

Deciding how to decide

Articulating and Justifying a Decision

1-9 USING GOOD REASONING AND AVOIDING FALLACIES

Reasoning

Causal reasoning

Sign Reasoning

Inductive Reasoning

Deductive Reasoning

Reasoning from Analogy

Argument from Authority

Argument from Definition

Logical Fallacies

How to show that an argument is not well supported

Arguments that lack adequate proof:

Arguments that rest on faulty proofs:

Point out that the source of the evidence is poor:

How to prove that an argument isn’t important:

How to prove that an argument actually helps your case

Tip: Point out Logical Fallacies accurately

Conclusion

1-10 ETHICAL ARGUMENT

Ethics in Preparing Arguments

Enhancing Human Dignity

Arguers as Lovers

Rapists

Seducers

Harrassers

Lovers

The Ideal Speech Situation

Impartial Rational Standpoint

Conclusion

SECTION 2: ARGUMENT IN PRACTICE

Chapter 1 VALUE ARGUMENT

Understanding your Argument

Selecting a Value

Criteria

Defining Terms

Weighing Values

Value A Has Wider Implications than Value B

Value A Is More Justified By the Situation than Value B

Value A Is More Universal Than Value B

Value A Is Instrumental To Value B

Value A Is More Specific Than Value B

Value A Is More Morally Justified Than Value B

Casuistry

Relation to Ethics

Conclusion

Chapter 2 PUBLIC POLICY ARGUMENT

Policy Advocacy, the Fundamentals

The Proposal

Advantages

Responses to the Advantages

Developing an Advantage for a Proposal

Responding to an Advantage:

PLAN DISADVANTAGES

Links

Impacts

Responding to a Disadvantage

Advocating a Counter-Proposal

Choose your Counter Proposal

Get supporting material for the Counter Proposal

Responding to a Counter-Proposal

KRITIKS

Prepare a Kritik

Responding to Kritikal Arguments

WEIGHING ISSUES

Congressional Argumentation

Committee Argumentation

Bargaining and Compromising

Activist Argumentation

Conclusion

Chapter 3 Political Campaign Argument

Campaign Argumentation

Positive and Negative Campaign Ads

Positive Ads

Negative Ads

Candidate Character

Political Debates: Before, During, and After

Political Stump Speeches

Conclusion

CHAPTER 2-04: LEGAL ARGUMENT

Writing Legal Briefs

What is a Legal Brief?

Tone of the Brief

Format of the Brief

Argument

Oral Argument

Preparing for Oral Argument

Preparing for Questioning

Cross-Examination

Responding to Objections

Making Decisions in Law

Reasoning by Example

Legal Formalism

Legal Realism

Political Capital / Political Legitimacy Model

Writing the Decision

CHAPTER 2-05: ARGUMENT IN RELIGION

Some Key Elements of Religious Argument

Argument in Christianity

Personal Faith

Argumentation in Judaism

Argumentation in Buddhism and Hinduism

Argumentation in Islam

Sunni argumentation

Shiite argumentation

Philosophical Arguments for Religion

Scientific arguments for religion

Agnosticism and Atheism

CHAPTER 2-06: SCIENCE AND MATH ARGUMENT

Scientific Argument

Arguing Science in an Academic Environment

Background Research

Developing a Hypothesis

Demonstrating Plausibility

Defining Terms

Arguing through Observable Results: The Scientific Method

Arguing Science in Conversation

Demonstrating Knowledge in the Field

Speaking to the Audience

Mathematic Argument

Mathematical Logic

Mathematical Language and Notation: Important Concepts

Conclusion

CHAPTER 2-07: ACADEMIC ARGUMENT

What Makes an Academic Argument?

Academic Argumentative Writing

Academic Presentations

What are Academic Presentations

How to Make Academic Presentations Effective

Teaching as Argument

Teaching as a Collaborative Activity

Practical Application of Teaching as Argument

Using Argument in Teaching

CHAPTER 2-08: DISCUSSION/GROUP ARGUMENT

Composing an Argument

Engaging in Argument in the Group

Leadership Styles

Staying on Topic

Giving Relevant Reasons

Conclusion

CHAPTER 2-09: CASUAL ARGUMENT

The matter at hand

Why are we arguing?

Keeping things personal

Keeping things civil

Getting through to a stubborn friend

Arguing in groups

Remember: Have Fun

CHAPTER 2- 10: ARGUING ON THE INTERNET (BLOGS, WIKIS, CHAT SESSIONS, ETC.)

Don’t Get Lost

Keeping Focused

Contributing Constructively

The Question of Anonymity

Incorporating other sources

Specific online venues

Blogs

News Commentary

Wikis

Forums/Message Boards

Chat Sessions

SECTION 3: ARGUMENT THEORY IN CONTEMPORARY CONTEXTS

Chapter 3-1 SOCIALITY AND ARGUMENT

Identification and Division

The Guilt Purification Cycle:

Argument as Unification

Argument as Performance

Content versus Community

Chapter 3-2 DEMOCRACY IN ARGUMENT

Traditional Models of Participation

Alternatives to Specialization

Fisher’s Narrative Paradigm

Raj Patel’s Approach

Friere’s Approach

Chapter 3-3 METAPHOR IN ARGUMENT

Metaphor as a Social Necessity

Metaphor Shapes our Understanding of Argument

Analysis of Metaphor’s Arguments

Cold War and Terrorism Argument Metaphors

Cold War Rhetoric Today

Metaphorical Framework Implications

Chapter 3-4 GENDER CHALLENGES TO ARGUMENT

Masculine Conceptions of Argument:

Gender Awareness in Argument:

Argument as Compromise and Collaboration:

Advancing Gendered Conceptions of Argument

Butler

Spivak

Chapter 3-5 POWER IN ARGUMENT

Power Relationships

Surveillance and Biopower

Discourse, Power, and Knowledge

The Rhetorical Situation

Critical Rhetoric

The First, Second and Third Personas

Chapter 3-6 ARGUMENT AND PSCYHOANALYSIS

What is Psychoanalysis?

Lacan’s Subject

Lacan and Argument

Argument and Jouissance

Zizek’s Interpretation of Argument

Liberatory Argument

Chapter 3-7 POST STRUCTURAL CHALLENGES TO ARGUMENT

Ethics and Subjectivity

Simulations and hyperreality

Rhizomes and desire

APPENDIX: RESEARCHING ARGUMENTS

Using the Library

Using the Internet

Contacting Experts

CO-AUTHORS

Ali Edwards

Eric Chalfant

John Henry Heckendorn

William James Taylor

Kathryn Starkey

Luke Sanford

Mike Meredith

Nigel Ramoz-Leslie

Tom Friedenbach.