[Hoot]
You might be able to teach dogs more tricks than cats, but if you're looking
to go viral in 2019, there is no competing with our feline
friends. I'm Libby from the OWL, and that thing you just heard? That's an argument
(and a controversial one at that). Today, we're going to define argument and talk
about how to argue for fun and profit. Future videos in this series will
explore some of the models that we have historically used for organizing our
arguments. For our purposes, we're going to define an argument as something that
does three things: first, it conveys an idea or position; second, it advances one
or more clear claims based on this idea or position or offers a counterclaim
that attacks someone else's argument; and third, it uses reasons and evidence to
support its claims. For example, the sentence "I like cats" is not an argument.
It's a statement of fact. It just conveys a personal position. Saying that I think
cats are better than dogs? Well, that's a claim--it's something that's not proven
yet, but it might be provable. Getting closer, but we're still missing two key
ingredients: reasons and evidence. I think cats are better than dogs because they
can better help me go viral. Well, now we have an argument! If we can give evidence
that supports our reasoning, (perhaps a study comparing the popularity of dog
and cat videos on social media), we can make our argument even stronger--maybe
even strong enough to convince those dog people for good. By following this basic
pattern--expressing a claim, backing it up with reasons, and providing evidence that
those reasons are correct--we can build a huge range of arguments. Some may be
longer than an encyclopedia, some may be no longer than a single tweet. It's
all just a matter of how many claims, how many reasons, and how much evidence. So
when you hear the word argument, you might see scenes of conflicts right?
Raised voices, clenched fists, anger, hurt feelings? Well, it is true that arguments
can sometimes play out like brawls. For example, if we were making that earlier
argument about cats during a debate with a devoted dog lover, we might expect to
receive vigorous counter arguments. However, the art of argument isn't only
about conflict. In fact, good arguers know that arguments are nifty tools for
dealing with a wide range of challenges. For instance, thoughtful, careful
arguments can help you peacefully work out disagreements, compromise with your
peers, and weigh difficult decisions. We writers have a special love for argument
because it actually helps us plan our writing. For example, forming arguments on
our own for an imagined audience or versus an imagined opponent is a great
way to generate new perspectives on writing topics, to judge how strong a
piece of evidence is, to find connections among ideas through clash or agreement,
and to find inconsistencies in your viewpoint that point to other paths
forward. The act of one, finding the claims in our writing, and then two,
finding supporting reasons and evidence, forces us to think about what exactly
our writing is doing. This is why it can be helpful to think about all kinds of
writing assignments in terms of argumentation. Let's now walk through a
few steps that'll set your arguments up for success no matter what you're
arguing about. Here, for simplicity's sake, we're assuming a one-on-one argument in
front of an audience. So, before you'll start, you'll want to really brush up on
all the latest information on your topic. Being well-informed allows you to take
positions based on firm knowledge and not mere guesswork. It's wise to research
your topic like someone who has a neutral or objective viewpoint, even if
you already have strong feelings about it. This means reading a lot of different
kinds of sources, including those that disagree with you. It won't always change
your mind, but it will help you understand how others think. It can also
help you question your own assumptions and find those weak spots in your
argument. For example, if I'm arguing that cats are better pets than dogs,
I might start by reading about how affectionate the two pets are, or maybe
what it would cost for me to take care of them. If I'm smart, this would include
reading pro-dog sources like the American Kennel Club. When I find
information that challenges my main assumption that cats are better, I'll be
forced to either change my assumption or clarify exactly what it means to be a
good pet. Maybe I'll argue that in 2019, part of
being a good pet is helping your owner go viral.
Maybe I'm right. If you're arguing against someone who's also making smart,
well-supported claims, your audience may not immediately recognize your genius
and crown you the victor, so plan to help the audience decide which arguments
matter. You want to define the grounds to the debate in terms that are favorable
to your own argument. This will give you the edge in a close contest. For example,
let's say you anticipate your opponent might counter your argument by pointing
to a famous viral video that features a dog. In this case you could prepare to
argue that, while it's possible to go viral with a dog, cats can help you go
viral for less effort than dogs because they need less attention. Now instead of
being only about virality, the argument is also about efficiency, which favors
low-maintenance cats. Before you argue, think about how you can express your
main claim in a way that the audience will easily remember. We call this a
position statement. If your statement is succinct, and if it appeals to the
audience's sense of right and wrong, that is great. If it clearly relates to the
evidence you provide, even better. Your audience will have an easy time making
the mental connection between the two. Try to deliver your position segment
near the beginning of the argument so that it gives context and organization
to everything that follows. You can even repeat it later to drive the message
home. For example, we've decided that we're going to argue that cats are the
superior pet because they can go viral with greater efficiency than dogs.
We might be sure to include a memorable, succinct position statement early on
that goes a little like this: a cat may have nine lives, but because they can go
viral much more efficiently than the competition, they can touch millions of
lives. Now, that's a doggone good start to your argument. We're all out of time for
today, but in the next videos in this series we're going to look at some of
the ways writers from history have built their arguments. We also promise to give
our dog-loving viewers a little bit of a break. Thanks for watching.
[Hoot]