Table of Contents

Preface
Acknowledgments
Part I: A Framework for Argumentation and Debate
Chapter 1: Introduction to Argumentation and Debate
Argument, Debate, and Controversy
Why Study Argumentation?
Audiences and Co-Arguers
Spheres of Argument
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 2: The Debate Situation
Arguments
A Proposition
Issues
The Debate Situation
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 3: Argumentation Ethics & Stances
Argumentation and Debate Ethics
Argumentation Stances
Summary
Application Exercises
Part II: Constructing Arguments
Chapter 4: Understanding Argument Structures
Formal Logic vs. Everyday Argumentation
Strategies for Identifying Arguments
Strategies for Understanding Arguments
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 5: Effectively Supporting Claims
The Allure of “Evidence” and the Significance of “Support”
Gathering and Testing Information
Types of Support
Strategies for Using Support
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 6: Common Argument Types
Applying the Types of Argument to Everyday Life
Argument from Classification
Argument from Generalization
Argument from Cause and Consequence
Argument from Sign
Argument from Analogy
Argument from Authority
Additional Argument Types
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 7: Building Effective Cases
Debating Fact Propositions
Debating Value Propositions
Debating Policy Propositions
Summary
Application Exercises
Part III: Contesting Arguments
Chapter 8: Generating Productive Clash
A Productive Posture for Clash
Anticipation
Refutation
Ending Productively
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 9: Evaluating Arguments & Cases
The A Condition: Acceptability
The R Condition: Relevance
The G Condition: Sufficient Grounds
Applying the ARG Conditions through Refutation
Argument Fallacies & The ARG Conditions
Evaluating Cases and Controversies with the ARG Conditions
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 10: Evaluating Argument Types
Evaluating Argument from Classification
Evaluating Argument from Generalization
Evaluating Argument from Cause and Consequence
Evaluating Argument from Sign
Evaluating Argument from Analogy
Evaluating Argument from Authority
Uncovering the ARG Conditions in Everyday Argumentations
Summary
Application Exercises
Part IV: Applied Argumentation And Debate
Chapter 11: Crafting Verbal and Oral Arguments
Audience Analysis and Adaptation
Style
Oral Delivery
Summary
Application Exercises
Chapter 12: Formats for Everyday Public Argumentation
Op-Eds and Letters to the Editor
Public Online Argumentation
Public Deliberation
Summary
Application Exercises
APPENDICES
Appendix I: Formats for Academic and Competitive Debate
Parliamentary Debate
Policy Debate
A Note about Notetaking (or “Flowing”)
Moot Court
Appendix II: Answers to Build Your Skill Prompts
Appendix III: Glossary
Index
About the author

About the Author

Jeffrey P. Mehltretter Drury (PhD, University of Wisconsin-Madison; MA and BA, Northern Illinois University) is an Associate Professor of Rhetoric at Wabash College, an all-male liberal arts college in Crawfordsville, Indiana. As an undergraduate student, Drury competed in intercollegiate policy debate for four years before coaching the team as a master’s student. Since 2003, Drury has taught courses in argumentation and debate at four different institutions. His research, which considers representations of self and others in political argumentation, has appeared in journals such as the Western Journal of Communication, the Journal of Contemporary Rhetoric, and Voices of Democracy. In 2014, he authored Speaking with the People’s Voice (Texas A&M University Press), an analysis of the argumentative forms modern U.S. presidents use when they invoke public opinion in their nationally televised speeches.

Reviews

"A good option that might provide students more direct support in crafting arguments."
*Susan P. Millsap*

"Good coverage of concepts with understandable explanations of theory. Very user friendly with exercises to use in and out of class. Connects well with other communication classes through the application of other communication concepts to argumentation."
*Christopher Leland*