CLUES FOR BREAKING DOWN AN ARGUMENTThe claim is the thesis or conclusion of an argument. The claim is synonymous with "proposition" or "assertion." Claims answer questions such as, "What is your point?" or "So what?" Claims are usually explicit,
rather than implicit, in an argument.
Claims typically follow words like "therefore...," "hence...," or "thus..." There are three basic types of
claims: fact, judgment (value), and policy.
CLUES TO IDENTIFYING GROUNDS The grounds constitute the proof or evidence for an argument. Grounds can consist of reasoning, facts, statistics, testimony or quotations, physical evidence, or any other form of support. Grounds typically answer questions such as, "How come?" or "How do you know?" Grounds are usually explicit, rather than implicit, in an argument. Grounds typically follow words
like "because..." or "since..."
CLUES TO IDENTIFYING WARRANTS The warrant serves as the "inferential leap" in an argument. The warrant is filled in or completed by the recipient of an argument. The warrant allows the recipient to make a mental connection between the claim and the grounds. The warrant is usually the most difficult part of an argument to identify because: a) warrants are usually implicit or unstated, and b) warrants operate at a low level of awareness. It can be difficult to articulate the warrant, even when an argument is readily understood. Warrants are often based on patterns of reasoning (cause-effect, sign reasoning, analogy, generalization, example). Warrants are often based on value
premises (freedom, fairness, privacy, etc.).
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