Recognizing Arguments In this assignment, you will apply key concepts covered in the module readings. You will identify the component parts of arguments and differentiate between various types of arguments such as strict, loose, inductive, and deductive. You will then construct specific, original arguments. There are two parts to the assignment. Complete both parts. Part 1 1a: Identify Components of Arguments Identify the component parts of the argument, premises and conclusion, for the following passages. Where applicable, highlight key words or phrases that identify a claim as a premise or a conclusion. Refer to the following example: “All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal.” All men are mortal. Premise Socrates is a man. Premise Therefore , Socrates is mortal. Conclusion “Therefore” is a key word indicating the claim is the conclusion. 1. Sue is pregnant and will give birth to one child. We know already this child has no genetic anomalies. If Sue’s baby is a boy, he will be named Mark. If Sue’s baby is a girl, she will be named Margaret. Sue will have either a boy or a girl. So we know Sue’s baby will be named Mark or Margaret. 2. If the library has The Lord of the Rings, you won’t find it on the first floor. This is because all fantasy novels are fiction and all works of fiction are housed on the second floor of the library. Of course, I am assuming that all the books are properly shelved at this time. 3. “After a year, brain scans showed that among the walkers, the hippocampus had increased in volume by about 2 percent on average; in the others, it had declined by about 1.4 percent. Since such a decline is normal in older adults, ’a 2 percent increase is fairly significant,’ said the lead author, Kirk Erickson, a psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh. Both groups also improved on a test of spatial memory, but the walkers improved more. While it is hard to generalize from this study to other populations, the researchers were delighted to learn that the hippocampus might expand with exercise” (Span, 2011). Reference Span, P. (2011, February 7). Fitness: A walk to remember? Study says yes. The New York Times . Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/health/research/08fitness.html?src=me&ref=general 1b: Identify Arguments as Strict or Loose Identify the arguments as strict or loose for the following passages: 1. I was late for class because my car ran out of gas and I could not find a gas station. 2. It’s a good idea to drink more cranberry juice. It’s a good source of vitamin C and they say it helps keep the kidneys healthy. 3. “Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have found that less than an hour of cell phone use can speed up brain activity in the area closest to the phone antenna, raising new questions about the health effects of low levels of radiation emitted from cell phones.

1. Recognizing Arguments
In this assignment, you will apply key concepts covered in the
module readings. You will identify the component parts of
arguments and differentiate between various types of arguments
such as strict, loose, inductive, and deductive. You will then
construct specific, original arguments.
There are
two
parts to the assignment. Complete both parts.
Part 1
1a: Identify Components of Arguments
Identify the component parts of the argument, premises and
conclusion, for the following passages. Where applicable,
highlight key words or phrases that identify a claim as a
premise or a conclusion.
Refer to the following example:
“All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is
mortal.”
All men are mortal.
Premise

2. Socrates is a man.
Premise
Therefore
, Socrates is mortal.
Conclusion
“Therefore” is a key word indicating the claim is the
conclusion.
1.
Sue is pregnant and will give birth to one child. We know
already this child has no genetic anomalies. If Sue’s baby is a
boy, he will be named Mark. If Sue’s baby is a girl, she will be
named Margaret. Sue will have either a boy or a girl. So we
know Sue’s baby will be named Mark or Margaret.
2.
If the library has

3. The
Lord of the Rings,
you won’t find it on the first floor. This is because all fantasy
novels are fiction and all works of fiction are housed on the
second floor of the library. Of course, I am assuming that all the
books are properly shelved at this time.
3.
“After a year, brain scans showed that among the walkers, the
hippocampus had increased in volume by about 2 percent on
average; in the others, it had declined by about 1.4 percent.
Since such a decline is normal in older adults, ’a 2 percent
increase is fairly significant,’ said the lead author, Kirk
Erickson, a psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh. Both
groups also improved on a test of spatial memory, but the
walkers improved more. While it is hard to generalize from this
study to other populations, the researchers were delighted to
learn that the hippocampus might expand with exercise” (Span,
2011).

4. Reference
Span, P. (2011, February 7). Fitness: A walk to remember?
Study says yes.
The New York Times
. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/08/health/research/08fitness.h
tml?src=me&ref=general
1b: Identify Arguments as Strict or Loose
Identify the arguments as strict or loose for the following
passages:
1.
I was late for class because my car ran out of gas and I could
not find a gas station.

5. 2.
It’s a good idea to drink more cranberry juice. It’s a good
source of vitamin C and they say it helps keep the kidneys
healthy.
3.
“Researchers from the National Institutes of Health have found
that less than an hour of cell phone use can speed up brain
activity in the area closest to the phone antenna, raising new
questions about the health effects of low levels of radiation
emitted from cell phones” (Parker-Pope, 2011).

6. 4.
She argued that despite my wealth of personal experience and
knowledge, I should not attempt to help my cousin with
preparing her divorce paper. “That would constitute
impersonating a lawyer,” she said, “which is a crime.”
Reference
Parker-Pope, T. (2011, February 22). Cellphone use tied to
changes in brain activity.
The New York Times
. Retrieved from
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/22/cellphone-use-tied-to-
changes-in-brain-activity/?src=me&ref=general
1c: Identify Arguments as Inductive or Deductive
Identify the arguments as inductive or deductive for the
following passages:

7. 1.
Because Una has circles under her eyes, is yawning, and looks
tired, I’m certain she didn't get much sleep last night.
2.
Grace concluded that psychotherapists caused indigestion,
because every time she had a session, she left with a horrible
stomachache.
3.
If a bug is a spider, it must have eight legs. A daddy-long-legs
has six legs, consequently, a daddy-long-legs is not a spider.

8. Part 2
2a:
Argument Analysis and Diagram
Research the list and diagram structure using your textbook
readings for the module. Apply the method to (a) outline and (b)
diagram the arguments in the following longer text passages.
Model your answers on the examples of diagramed arguments in
the textbook and the sample diagrams provided.
Refer to the following argument outline components:
The issue here is:
__________________________________________
The author concludes that:

9. __________________________________
The reasons for making the argument are:
_____________________
Refer to the following argument diagram structure:
Issue
1.
“You say many women at the most elite colleges intend to ‘put
aside their careers in favor of raising children.’ But why
shouldn't the raising of children be considered a career as well?
Few would deny that being a stay-at-home parent is a
terrifically demanding job, requiring unlimited 'people skills'
and a total commitment to a workweek that recognizes no
concept of overtime, not to mention a paycheck. The term
'working mother' is a redundancy. No woman need feel any guilt
for opting to fill her days with whichever activities give her the
greatest joy and fulfillment” (English, 2005).
The issue here is:
__________________________________________

10. The author concludes that:
__________________________________
The reasons for making the argument are:
_____________________
Conclusion:
Issue:
2.
“The attorney general does not merely head up the Justice
Department. He is responsible for ensuring that America is a
nation in which justice prevails. Mr. Gonzales's record makes
him unqualified to take on this role or to represent the American
justice system to the rest of the world. The Senate should reject
his nomination” (
The New York Times,

11. Editorial, 2005).
The issue here is:
__________________________________________
The author concludes that:
__________________________________
The reasons for making the argument are:
_____________________
Conclusion:
Issue:
References
Editorial: The wrong Attorney General [Editorial]. (2005,
January 26).
The New York Times.
http://query.nytimes.com/sgst/fullpage.html?res=9D0DE7DE163

12. BF935A15752C0A9639C8B63
English, D. (2005, September 20). A revived debate: Babies,
careers, 'Having it all.’ [Letter to the
editor
].
The New York Times
. Retrieved from
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/22/opinion/l22women.html?pa
gewanted=print
2b: Constructing Original Arguments
Complete the following:
Construct one original inductive argument and address the
following:
Identify the conclusion and the supporting reasons within the
argument.
Offer a brief explanation or justification for why the argument
is an inductive argument.

13. Construct one original deductive argument and address the
following:
Identify the conclusion and the supporting reasons within the
argument.
Offer a brief explanation or justification for why the argument
is a deductive argument.
2c:
Finding Alternative Argument Examples or Finding Inductive or
Deductive Argument Examples
Find one example of either an inductive or a deductive argument
from contemporary media. Complete all the following tasks:

14. Identify the type of argument (inductive or deductive).
Include/reproduce the original passage of the argument and
provide a complete citation for the source.
Identify/paraphrase the conclusion(s).
Identify/explain how you know or why you think the argument
is an inductive/deductive one.