Clay Spinuzzi's Courses

The Toulmin Structure describes the parts of the argument (see Everything's an Argument Ch.8; examples are from that chapter). It does the following:

- maps out the argument's structure
- makes you aware of "holes" or missing parts of the structure
- makes you aware of other possible avenues for making the argument

Claim: Your thesis; something that is in dispute and on which you are taking a stand.
NASA should launch a human expedition to Mars

Reason: A statement that supports your claim. It can be connected to the Claim with the word because. Different audiences will find different reasons to be persuasive.
NASA should launch a human expedition to Mars because Americans need a unifying national goal.

Warrant: The logical, persuasive connection between claim and reasons. The unstated assumption your audience has to buy into.
What unifies the nation ought to be a national priority.

Backing: The evidence that allows you to support a warrant.
Americans want to be part of something bigger than themselves.
A country as diverse as the U.S. needs common purposes and values to hold it together.
In the past, common enterprises enabled most Americans to work toward common goals.

Grounds: The evidence that allows you to support a reason.
The American people are politically divided.
A common challenge or problem often unites people to accomplish great things.

Qualifier: A way to limit the argument to recognize real-world uncertainties.
NASA should launch a human expedition to Mars because Americans usually need a unifying national goal.
Qualifiers include few, rarely, some, sometimes, in some cases.

Conditions for Rebuttal: An anticipation of reasonable objections.