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Humanities LibreTexts

11: Responding to an Argument

  • Page ID
    380522
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    Learning Outcomes

    • 11.1: The Beauty of Response Writing
      This page stresses the significance of expressing one's own voice in academic writing, advocating for personal opinions and experiences alongside the evaluation of existing arguments. It promotes academic writing as a means to amplify marginalized voices and encourages diverse interactions, relevant in academic, professional, and social contexts. The chapter offers strategies for engagement with arguments, asserting that improving response-writing skills is vital for effective communication.
    • 11.2: “Maybe. We need to know_______”- Call for More Information
      This page explains how to effectively engage with arguments by addressing uncertainties. It highlights the significance of seeking clarification on vague statements and encourages readers to ask writers to specify their terms and provide supporting evidence when faced with ambiguity or contradictions. The page also offers examples of how to articulate requests for clarity, guiding readers in their discussions of arguments.
    • 11.3: “Yes, if…”- Suggest a way to limit the argument
      This page highlights the significance of qualifying arguments to enhance their validity against counterarguments. It suggests specifying conditions for an argument's truth or acknowledging exceptions, providing phrases for this purpose. An exercise encourages readers to identify limits or exceptions in statements, reinforcing the application of these concepts.
    • 11.4: “Yes, and…”- Suggest a way to add to the argument
      This page emphasizes engaging with arguments by exploring implications and alternative perspectives rather than mere agreement. It encourages readers to suggest new ideas, articulate different reasons for their stance, and explain the significance of arguments. Techniques for effective communication, including specific phrases, are provided. Furthermore, it prompts readers to think about spreading recognized arguments to enhance awareness and motivate action.
    • 11.5: “Instead, I would argue _______”- Suggest a change to the argument
      This page emphasizes the importance of critical responses to arguments by presenting alternate claims and perspectives. It uses Anoush's critique of fashion industry diversity as an example, showing that even tentative ideas can provide new insights. The page includes phrases for introducing alternate claims and reframing issues, fostering more robust discussions. It concludes with exercises for applying these techniques to arguments about immigration.
    • 11.6: Common Response Phrases
      This page outlines common phrases for responding to arguments, categorized into calls for clarification, support, limitations, implications, alternative reasoning, underscoring importance, spreading awareness, presenting alternate claims, and reframing issues. Each category offers specific phrases to enhance critical engagement and promote deeper understanding and discussion of arguments.
    • 11.7: Sample Response Essays
    • 11.8: Brainstorming Tool for Response Writing
      A series of questions with sample phrases for different categories of response. The user writes answers they can later copy or download.

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    This page titled 11: Responding to an Argument is shared under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Anna Mills.