5: Step 3 (Support Your Ideas

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US Air Force
US Department of Defense

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This chapter covers:

The Logic of Arguments: Fundamentals
Evidence: Proving Your Point
Characteristics of Good Supporting Evidence
Logical Errors: Flawed Arguments
Arguments, Truth and Persuasion

Once you’ve researched your topic and collected information, you need to figure out how to use what you’ve found to meet your communication goals. If you’re dealing with a controversial question or pro blem, throwing facts at your audience won’t be enough-you’ll need to assemble it into a logical argument that can stand up to critical attack. This chapter will give you some helpful pointers on how to build an argument and support your ideas.

Logical arguments are instruments of power. They’re how you make things happen. It’s worth the effort to understand some basics, even if some of this chapter makes your head hurt.

A moment’s thought would have shown him. But a moment is a long time and thought is a painful process.
-A.E. Housman