The Craft of Argument (2nd Edition) [Paperback]

Joseph M. Williams (Author), Gregory G. Colomb (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0321101472 | ISBN-13: 978-0321101471 | Publication Date: July 25, 2002 | Edition: 2

Written by the authors of such successful composition titles as Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace (AWL) and The Craft of Research (Chicago UP), The Craft of Argument, Second Edition is an argument rhetoric based on a new, more teachable version of the Toulmin model of argument. The Craft of Argument, Second Edition offers an updated and revised version of the Toulmin model, making it the most accessible and teachable presentation of Toulmin available. With a focus on argument as civic conversation, this text addresses problem finding and problem solving as the heart of planning, drafting, and revising written arguments. The writing process sections have been enhanced to offer more strategies to writing effective arguments, providing students the opportunity to practice what they've learned in each chapter The first eleven chapters explain the nature of argument, how to develop an argument, and how to think about argument, using the revised Toulmin model. Chapters 12 and 13 discuss the language of argument, including a discussion on some of the basic elements of style.Part V includes a selection of high interest readings that are also effective models of argument, many of which are discussed in boxes that appear in the rhetoric (In the Readings).

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

This is the top argument rhetoric guide on using the Toulmin system of argument. Written by the authors of such successful composition titles as Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace (AWL) and The Craft of Research (Chicago UP), The Craft of Argument is an argument rhetoric worth looking at! The Craft of Argument is based on the Toulmin system of argument and has a brief selection of readings. Reviewers have raved about the modifications to Toulmin that Williams and Colomb have made, where the authors have streamlined the Toulmin system further than any other book while retaining its fundamental insights, and power. The book also consists of seventeen thoughtfully selected readings, as well as useful writing instructions. A checklist of questions for planning and revising is located in a special section tabbed halfway through the book. This checklist will help readers build stronger arguments by asking them general and detailed (sentence-specific) questions regarding their arguments. Two significant appendices are included for reference: 1) logical fallacies to recognize and avoid, and 2) bibliographic citations (both MLA and APA). For anyone interested in leaning how to construct and write arguments very well. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Product Details

• Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Longman; 2 edition (July 25, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0321101472
• ISBN-13: 978-0321101471
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,262,503 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crafty Guide to Analyzing Arguments, February 24, 2002

By 

Albert Jaeger (Bethesda, MD USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Craft of Argument (Paperback)

A superb addition to the rapidly expanding "informal logic" textbook market. The book tries to familiarize the reader with a (rather original) interpretation of the so-called "Toulmin scheme" for analyzing arguments and combines this approach with a judicious dose of advice on "how to write arguments gracefully," the latter echoing Joseph Williams's well-known textbook (Style: Ten Lessons in Clarity and Grace). I liked in particular the book's easygoing tone (people writing on argumentation often come across as rather highbrow) and the excellent selection of readings. If this kind of stuff interests you, this book, perhaps combined with David Zarefsky's recently released (Teaching Company) course on "Argument: The Study of Effective Reasoning," could put you in the fast lane.