argument,indicators

Argument Indicators What: Learn how to use argument indicators

How: Add indicator words to arguments to make the meaning more clear

Why: A useful tool in analysing arguments and adding clarity to your own arguments

Connection Activity‌.

Which are better arguments?

Even though it’s raining, don’t take an umbrella. It’s blowing a gale force wind and it’ll break easily. It’s a cheap one.

Even though it’s raining, don’t take an umbrella. Since it’s blowing a gale force wind, it’ll break easily because the umbrella’s a cheap one.

We haven’t had much exercise recently.

We should go for a walk. It’s a lovely day.

We haven’t had much exercise recently so we should go for a walk; especially because it’s a lovely day.

You should have good posture when you’re sitting down. Your chair ought to be at the right angle. Chairs that are too high make you slouch

You should have good posture when you’re sitting down. Therefore, your chair ought to be at the right angle. This is because chairs that are too high make you slouch

Grad students can start successful companies. The three big powers on the Internet now are Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft. Average age of their founders: 24. And if grad students can do it, why not undergrads?

The three big powers on the Internet now are Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft.

Average age of their founders: 24.

Together, these facts establish that grad students can start successful companies.

In conclusion, undergrads should be able to start successful companies

Activation

Argument Indicators • Provide clues as to the location of reasons and conclusions • This makes it easier for you to analyse arguments.

• It also makes it easier for people to see your point, which makes it more persuasive.

Exercise – Demonstration Here are two simple arguments It is raining (R). Take an umbrella (C).

Take an umbrella (C). It is raining (R).

When the order to arguments can change, indicators are very important.

It is raining. Therefore take an umbrella √ Therefore it is raining, take an umbrella x

Therefore is a conclusion indicator, because the argument makes sense when you put it in front of the conclusion

• On the next page is a list of conclusion and reason indicators.

Sort them into two columns in your notes.

• You can use the simple argument to test this – put the words in front of the reason and the conclusion and see which makes sense.

• Make your own sentences to help you.

Therefore

Because

Proves that

So

Since

Must/ should/ ought

For the reason that

As

Hence

Thus

For

On the ground that

Implies

May be (obtained) inferred/ derived/ deduced from

Proves/ demonstrates/ shows that/indicates

Given that

On the grounds that

Consequently

Accordingly

Indicated by

May be

Teacher summary‌..How did we do?

Reason Indicators

Conclusion Indicators

The Because Test and Therefore Test You can use the test you’ve been doing in reverse, to spot conclusions and reasons Add ‘therefore’ or ‘because’ in different parts of a passage to see if they make sense.

Question: Identify the reason and conclusion in the following argument: It is raining. Take an umbrella.

Because it is raining. Take an umbrella It is raining. Therefore take an umbrella.

These tests identify the reason and conclusion

Review/Evaluate One last thing…

Indicators provide clues, but you can’t ignore the meaning of the sentence. These reason and conclusion words can have other purposes in a sentence. For example, the word “since” can be a conclusion word, reason indicator or a time phrase. Make sure you understand the full meaning of the sentence.

‘I get lots of party invitations and people are always calling me. I guess that since I joined TGAW I’ve made a lot of friends’ Here, since refers to time. The full conclusion is ‘since I joined TGAW I’ve made a lot of friends’.

How are you so good at football?

Since (time) I have been practising my dribbling.