Week 4 - The Classical Structure for Argument
Overview
This week's focus will be on the classical structure for argument, a structure so sensible it's been around since Cicero in the first century B.C.E.
[This statue of Cicero is located in Rome, Italy, in front of the courthouse.]
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You should consider this structure not as a straitjacket but as a heuristic. That is, use it to brainstorm and develop material for your demonstrative argument.
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The classical structure has 6 parts:
- Introduction or Exordium (Introduces the argument and interests the audience)
- Narration (States background and facts)
- Division (Identifies points of agreement and disagreement)
- Confirmation or Proof (Makes the argument with positive proofs, identifying reasons and support)
- Refutation (Identifies opposing views and then refutes)
- Conclusion or peroration (Restates best points, perhaps getting emotional)
Heinrichs connects the three persuasive appeals to the structure this way:
[E]thos first. Then logos. Then pathos. (p. 305)
Below is an editorial about Robinson Auditorium from 2013 that demonstrates the classical structure. It is a good example of how demonstrative and deliberative rhetoric can overlap. Overall it is a piece of deliberative or political rhetoric in that they are urging voters to vote for the bond issue. But everything they write in support of this position is demonstrative: they are talking about how wonderful Robinson Auditorium is. It is clear they love Robinson and love Little Rock and want their audience to feel that love and go vote.
Reading and Videos
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Activities
1. Online only: Participate in a check-in Tuesday discussion in Bb.
2. For both sections: Complete a quiz on Chapter 9, 10, and 26 in Thank You. The online section will complete the quiz in Bb by Thursday, February 14, and the on-campus section will complete in class on Wednesday, Feb. 13.
3. For both sections: Complete an in-process draft of a demonstrative argument and share it as a Google Doc with Dr. Matson by Sunday, February 17, 2019, 11:59 pm. Remember to include a cover memo about the context and about what you think you should work on.
4. For both sections: Sign up for a conference time. Sign-up sheets will be sent through Blackboard.