Home Guides Toulmin Method Is the Argument Compelling to You?

Introduction

Definition of the Toulmin Method

Why Use the Toulmin Method?

Parts of an Argument

The Claim

The Reasons

The Evidence

Anticipated Objections and Rebuttal

Drawing Conclusions

Toulmin Worksheet

Toulmin Demonstration

Read Example Student Argument

Analyze the Claim

Analyze the Reasons

Analyze the Evidence

Analyze the Anticipated Objections and Rebuttal

Draw Conclusions from a Toulmin Analysis

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Authors & Contributors

Is the Argument Compelling to You?

The first question you might ask yourself when "interpreting" the results of your analysis is a very general (and emotionally-based) question: Does this argument appeal to me? If it does appeal, then why and how does it appeal? In other words, how do the responses we made about the claim, reasons, evidence, etc. reinforce (or contradict) our "gut-level" response to the argument we have read? In the case of our example argument, we might say that the essay seems immediately compelling for a number of reasons (style, use of examples, the attractive color photo, etc.); then we might note that our overall response to and analysis of the parts of the argument supports this gut-level response.