Class Schedule

Theoretical Frameworks

Week 1

Aug. 23: introduction to the course, assignments and requirements

the nature of argument

Week 2

Aug 30: the nature of argument-continued

Reading: Brockriede, "Where is Argument?"

Reading: Ehninger, "Argument as Method: Its Nature, Its Limitations, and Its Uses"

Reading: Jacobs, Allen, Jackson, & Petrel, "Can Ordinary Arguers Recognize a Valid Conclusion if It Walks Up and Bites Them on the Butt?"

Week 3

Sept. 6: Labor Day (no class)

Week 4

Sept. 13: Stephen Toulmin

Reading: Toulmin, "Rhetoric as a Way of Knowing: Stephen Toulmin and the Nature of Argument"

Reading: Ehninger & Brockriede, "Toulmin on argument: An interpretation and application"

Optional Reading: Foss, Foss, & Trapp, "Stephen Toulmin"

Week 5:

Sept. 20: Chaim Perelman

Reading: Perelman, "Rhetoric as a way of Knowing: Chaim Perelman and Practical Reasoning"

Reading: Gross, "A Theory of the Rhetorical Audience: Reflections on Chaim Perelman"

Ethics of Arguing

Week 6

Sep. 27: Wayne Brockriede's view of argument

Reading: Brockriede, "Arguers as Lovers"

Arguing and Relationships

Week 7

Oct. 4: argumentativeness and verbal aggressiveness

Reading: Infante, Ch. 1, Ch. 2

Reading: Benoit & Benoit, "To Argue or Not to Argue?"

Reading: Hample, et al., "Naive Theories of Argument: Avoiding Interpersonal Arguments or Cutting Them Short"

Reading: Infante, Ch. 7

Week 8

Oct. 11: class reports, round 1

review for midterm exam

Week 9

Oct. 18: midterm exam

Substance and Structure of Arguments

Week 10

Oct. 25: evidence ands proof, quality versus quantity of arguments, statistical versus anecdotal evidence, logical versus emotional appeals

Reading: Reinard, "The role of evidence in argumentative communication"

Reading: Infante, Ch. 3, 4

Reading: Randall Reuchelle, "An Experimental Study of Audience Recognition of Emotional and Intellectual Appeals in Persuasion"

Reading: Boster, et al., "Persuasive Effects of Statistical Versus Anecdotal Evidence"

Reasoning and Refutation

Week 11

Nov 2: types of reasoning

Reading: Rybecki & Rybecki, "How Do I Reason with My Audience?"

Reading: Bruschke, "What Makes an Argument a Good Argument?"

Week 12

Nov. 8: fallacies in reasoning

Reading: Max Shulman, "Love is a Fallacy"

Week 13

Nov. 15: fallacies in reasoning--continued

Week 14

Nov. 22: Thanksgiving Recess (no class)

Reading: Infante, Ch. 9

Week 15

Nov: 29: class reports, round 2

Due: fallacy collection

Week 16

Dec. 6: refutation, argument fields

review for final exam

Reading: Infante, Ch. 5, 6

Week 17

Dec. 13: final exam, Monday, 5:00-6:50 PM