| Chapter Outline (See related pages)
Following are the main learning objectives from the chapter.
- Students should understand the importance of, and be proficient in, the analysis of arguments. To this end, students should . . .
- Be proficient in diagramming short arguments. Further, students should be able to . . .
- recognize when premises provide independent support for a conclusion; and
- recognize when premises provide linked support (interdependent support) for a conclusion.
- Students should also be familiar with the following tips on diagramming arguments:
- Find the main conclusion first;
- Pay close attention to premises and conclusion indicators;
- Remember that sentences containing the word "and" often contain two or more separate statements;
- Treat conditional statements and disjunctive statements as single statements;
- Don't number or diagram anything that is not a statement;
- Don't diagram irrelevant statements; and
- Don't diagram redundant statements.
- Be proficient in summarizing longer arguments (pgs. 200-214) To this end, students should . . .
- Become adept in paraphrasing passages. Students should learn to . . .
- paraphrase passages accurately;
- paraphrase passages clearly;
- paraphrase passages concisely; and
- paraphrase passages charitably.
- Be able to recognize missing premises and conclusions (i.e. be able to complete enthymemes). Students should learn to . . .
- faithfully interpret arguers' intentions;
- charitably interpret arguers' intentions.
- Be proficient in the method of standardization for summarizing extended arguments. You should learn to . . .
- locate the main conclusion, subconclusions and other premises in the argument;
- omit unnecessary or irrelevant material;
- arrange the premises and conclusion in their logical order;
- fill in missing premises or conclusions;
- add parenthetical justifications for each conclusion in the argument; and
- Avoid the common mistakes in standardizing arguments. To this end it is important that you. . .
- avoid writing in incomplete sentences;
- do not include more than one statement per line;
- don't include anything that is not a statement; and
- do not include anything that is not a premise or a conclusion.
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