Arguments + Cards

Summary

In this video, Miss Trip introduces the Toolman model for constructing arguments, essential for all debate formats. She explains the four key components: claim, support, warrant, and impact. The claim states the position, support provides evidence like stats or expert testimony, the warrant connects support to the claim, and impact explains the argument's significance. Miss Trip also discusses 'cutting cards,' the process of condensing evidence into a debate-friendly format, and assigns viewers to cut cards on the economy's state.

Takeaways

• 📝 The Toolman model is an academic standard for constructing arguments, commonly taught in persuasion classes.
• 💄 An argument is composed of a claim, support, warrant, and impact.
• 💄 A claim is a basic statement of the argument or position one is taking.
• 📝 Support material is used to back up the claim and can include stats, surveys, expert testimony, examples, studies, personal experiences, analogies, or audio/visual aids.
• 💄 The warrant explains how the support material proves the claim, making the connection between the two explicit.
• 💄 The impact justifies the relevance and importance of the argument within the context of a debate.
• 📝 In debate rounds, arguments are often supported with 'cards', which are pieces of evidence presented in a structured format.
• 📝 A 'card' includes a tag (the claim), an oral citation, a full source citation, and the part to be read aloud during the debate.
• 💄 The process of cutting cards involves summarizing evidence into a concise format suitable for quick reference in a debate.
• 📝 The assignment given is to cut two cards: one arguing that the economy is improving and another that it is getting worse, focusing on steps one and two of argument construction.

Q & A

What is the Toolman model mentioned in the video?

The Toolman model is an academic standard for constructing an argument. It includes a claim, data, and a warrant or backing for the data. In debate, it is often simplified to just these components, with the addition of an impact.

What is the purpose of a claim in an argument?

A claim is a basic statement of the argument that states the position one is taking. It is the side of the argument that the person intends to prove, but it does not prove anything by itself.

How can one support their argument?

Support for an argument can come from various sources such as statistics, surveys, polls, expert testimony, examples, studies, personal experience, analogies, descriptions, explanations, or audio/visual aids.

What is the role of the warrant in an argument?

The warrant connects the claim and the support material. It explains how the chosen support material proves that the claim is true. It's a necessary part of the argument even if it seems obvious.

Why is the impact important in a debate argument?

The impact is important because it shows why the argument matters or why it is important. It helps to ensure that the argument is relevant to the debate round and convinces the judge why they should care about the argument.

What is meant by 'cutting cards' in the context of debate?

Cutting cards refers to the process of taking a piece of evidence, such as an article, and formatting it into a concise piece that can be used in a debate round. This includes a tag (the claim), an oral citation, and a source citation.

What does the term 'card' refer to in debate?

In debate, a 'card' is a piece of evidence used to support an argument. Historically, this was an index card with written information, but now it refers to any formatted piece of evidence, often digital.

How does the speaker suggest practicing argument construction?

The speaker suggests watching a video on how to cut cards and then practicing by cutting two cards: one arguing that the economy is improving and another arguing the opposite.

What are the different types of evidence that can be used to support an argument?

The different types of evidence include statistics, surveys, polls, expert testimony, examples, studies, personal experience, analogies, descriptions, explanations, and audio/visual aids.

What is the structure of a card in debate?

A card in debate typically includes a tag (the claim), an oral citation (to be read aloud during the debate), and a full source citation (for additional details). The card is designed to be concise and relevant to the argument being made.

What is the assignment given by the speaker at the end of the video?

The assignment is to watch a video on how to cut cards and then to cut two cards on one's own: one card arguing that the economy is improving and another arguing that the economy is getting worse.