Understanding Arguments: Level One

Politicians, advertisers, journalists, corporation executives, clergy, and community activists—a great many people are trying to influence what we think and do. These efforts often take the form of arguments aimed at persuading us to believe one thing rather than another. Being able to understand how arguments about public and community service are put together and whether their claims are well supported is a basic analytic skill. It is important for the development of critical consciousness and for full participation in society, as well as for virtually all academic and professional work.

 

This competency focuses on developing both a broad awareness of the range of arguments we encounter in our everyday lives and an understanding of strategies of persuasion. It requires close, critical reading of texts. It requires the ability to separate your point of view from those you have read. It also requires a knowledge of how to recognize when someone is “selling you a line” rather than making a legitimate case for a claim. Mastering these specific skills will provide a foundation for analysis and evaluation of more complex theoretical and ideological arguments. It will also give you the building blocks to construct sound arguments of your own as you progress through the curriculum.