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Critical Thinking: Analysing Arguments

This document describes an in-class activity to analyze arguments that takes approximately 30 minutes. Students are given a pre-read newspaper article or other piece that presents an argument. They are divided into small groups to evaluate each paragraph, labeling whether it presents a good argument, poor argument, counterargument, or no argument. The groups then discuss what makes an argument good or poor. Finally, the activity links analyzing arguments to writing argumentative essays by considering elements like evidence quality, audience, logical structure, and opposing views.

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Naymau Suarez
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72 views4 pages

Critical Thinking: Analysing Arguments

This document describes an in-class activity to analyze arguments that takes approximately 30 minutes. Students are given a pre-read newspaper article or other piece that presents an argument. They are divided into small groups to evaluate each paragraph, labeling whether it presents a good argument, poor argument, counterargument, or no argument. The groups then discuss what makes an argument good or poor. Finally, the activity links analyzing arguments to writing argumentative essays by considering elements like evidence quality, audience, logical structure, and opposing views.

Uploaded by

Naymau Suarez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

www.graduateskills.edu.

au 1

Critical Thinking
Analysing Arguments

Description Analysing arguments

Task Type In-class activity or tutorial. Works best with pre-reading.

Time 30 minutes

Level Introductory

Class Size Small or large class

Student should be able to:

Learning Outcomes
Demonstrate an understanding of the good and poor
arguments
Evaluate an argument and counterargument

Method
Choose a newspaper article that presents an argument (can also be
used with a specially written piece). Make sure the argument includes
good arguments and ones that are poorly justified in some way. An
example is given in the article under additional materials.

Give the article to the students as pre-reading if possible. If it is


short then they can read it in class.

Divide the students into groups of 3 or 4 and ask them to mark in the
margins next to each paragraph: G = good argument, P = poor
argument, C = counter argument, N = no argument.
www.graduateskills.edu.au 2

Go through the article with the students and discuss what makes a good
or poor argument.
www.graduateskills.edu.au 3

Link this back to writing an argumentative essay. Issues to address


might be:

Concluding Activity Ensuring good quality of supporting evidence


Who is your audience?
Presenting argument logically and clearly
Avoid emotional language
Consider apposing arguments
Referencing and plagiarism

Choice of the article is very important. It may be appropriate to


write your own to demonstrate this effectively.

Tips
Theoretical underpinnings should include theory on writing an
argument and on flawed arguments. The concluding activity is very
important to make the link between this and writing an essay for
university.

Read the article. What is the point that the author is trying to make?

For each paragraph decide whether the paragraph decide whether it is


a good argument, poor argument, counter argument or no argument.
Student Instructions
Put a letter in the margin as follows:

G = good argument, P = poor argument, C = counter argument, N = no


argument.

Additional Material
Sample articles:

Gross, D. (2008). Subprime Suspects: The right blames the credit


crisis on poor minority homeowners. This is not merely offensive,
but entirely wrong. [Link]

Additional materials on writing of arguments can be found at: Chubb, J.


www.graduateskills.edu.au 4

(no date). Critical Thinking for business and human resource


development. [Link]

Empire State College (no date). Using evidence to prove your point in
Business Writing. [Link]

Support for this resource has been provided by the Australian Learning and
Teaching Council Ltd, an initiative of the Australian Government Department of
Education, Employment and Workplace Relations. The views expressed in this
(report/publication/activity) do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian
Learning and Teaching Council.

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