Toulmin Method

 Have you ever wished you had been more prepared in a heated argument? Made more organized points when trying to back up an opinion? Set up a more structured conversation? The Toulmin method actually breaks down arguments into six key components, providing a way to argue more effectively. 

The six parts of an argument in the Toulmin method are claim, grounds, qualifier, warrant, backing and rebuttal. Now, let's break these down. 

Claim: Describes the main point or assertion you are trying to make and prove. To make an effective claim, you should be clear and specific and use language that is easy for your audience to understand. 

Data:  This is the research-based evidence or facts that support your claim. Be sure to collect data from credible and reliable sources. Data is a key factor in making a convincing argument.

Warrant: The connection of the data to the claim. This will highlight the strength of your claim by providing your audience with reasoning. 

Backing: Additional support for the warrant that explains why the warrant has authority.

Qualifier: These are statements that provide boundaries to the claim or limit its strength. This adds balance to your argument to show your audience that you understand the depth of the issue and can see that there is more than one side to the argument. Qualifiers also expand the audience that this argument can relate to.

Rebuttal: This is a counterargument to your original claim. It challenges your main point and shows the flaws that accompany your claim. Similar to the qualifier, this shows your audience that you have thought about the issue through multiple lenses and perspectives. Maybe your rebuttal also offers a space for others to share their views and respond to your argument. Letting others add to the conversation will construct a productive and respectful discussion.

An argument that I think the Toulmin method could be used in is the discussion regarding adopting dogs and "shopping" for them. A strong claim for this argument could state that adopting dogs from shelters is more ethical than buying dogs from breeders. Data to back up your claim could include information about how many dogs end up in shelters every year and the amount of those dogs that are euthanized due to lack of space and resources. Following the data provided, your warrant could explain how by adopting dogs from shelters you are reducing the number of animals in shelters and therefore, the number of euthanasians. To further back up this warrant, you could explain that so many shelter dogs are well behaved and trained as well as the fact that a lot of shelters provide vaccinations, spay/neutering and microchipping before adoption. For the qualifier of your argument, you could bring up how although adopting is preferable, shelter dogs might not always be the right fit for certain individuals or families regarding temperament, or breed. After this, your rebuttal could be about how buying purebred dogs is favored for allergies or temperament. However, breed specific rescues do exist which provides a sort of compromise to those who want to adopt but are also looking for a specific breed of dog. 

While the Toulmin method might be very beneficial in the settings of a face-to-face conversation, online communication presents some flaws. With unlimited access to information, an individual might be overwhelmed with everything they see and not be able to decipher what information is accurate and what is not. Because of the algorithms present online, we start to see only information that we agree with or have interacted with. This can lead to echo-chambers that only show us what we "want" to see. Echo-chambers can be dangerous because you will start to only see information that reinforces your ideas or beliefs. Finally, individuals might be very passionate or emotional about certain topics of debate and be very fixed in their views which could prevent them from being able to see something from a different perspective. Ways to combat these challenges are to actively seek out diverse perspectives and information, focus on and find credible, unbiased sources, fact check information, and understand the limitations of your claims and views.

Critical thinking and information literacy both play large roles in effectively utilizing the Toulmin method. Critical thinking can help you analyze information and data you find and then identify any biases that may be present. Information literacy helps you locate credible data and resources as well as helps you use that information and data productively in your discussions. You can find a more in depth explanation of the Toulmin method and how to use it here.

That's all I have for you this week! Thanks for reading!