Argumentation 15 Marks

Preparation for the exercise: Read pages 33 - 41 and 57 – 71 of the reader ‘Academic
writing skills’.

Exercises
1. Indicate whether the following argumentation is valid or not. If not, describe which
mistake is made. 3 Marks
a. ‘Everybody knows that women have better language abilities than men.’
b. ‘A study by Muris et al. (2013) shows that differences in content between normal
and abnormal obsessions are small.’
c. ‘President Reagan was a great communicator because he was able to talk
effectively to the people.'
ANS.
a. Not valid, because this way of supporting the proposition is too suggestive and
unscientific.
b. Not valid, because this is called ‘authority argument’
c. Valid
2. Signal words are used to clarify the relation between different elements in the text.
There are signal words for summaries, contradictions, and comparisons; you can also
use signal words to introduce arguments. By using these words, you can make it clear
to the reader that you are providing an argument. Identify the signal words in the
following paragraph by highlighting: 5 Marks

“Because language plays such an important role in teaching, Bellack and his
colleagues chose to examine in some detail the "language game" in the classroom.
They contended that teaching is similar to most games in at least two respects. It is a
form of social activity in which the players (teachers and students) fill different but
complementary roles. Furthermore, teaching is governed by certain ground rules that
guide the actions or moves made by the participants. By studying the language game,
then, Bellack et al. intended to identify the various types of verbal moves made by
teachers and students and the rules they followed in making these moves. As a result,
 they could investigate the functions these verbal moves served and examine the
meanings that were being communicated.”

3. Read the following text and indicate which conclusion (a, b, c, or d, next page) follows
from the passage by highlighting the option. 1 Mark

“For some time now, computers and cell phones have helped teenagers build and
maintain relationships with their peers. However, many young people are also using
these technological tools to become "cyberbullies." Through e-mail messages,
weblogs, and instant messaging, they pursue peers they dislike into the schoolyard and
beyond, attacking them through insults, name calling, and gossip. Because many
adolescents forward their instant messages to their cell phones, some young people
are being subjected to constant harassment, no matter where they go. According to
psychologists, this form of online taunting is particularly vicious because of the
distance between bully and victim. With advanced technology, bullies can humiliate,
embarrass, or inflict pain upon their prey without being forced to see the
consequences. Add to the mix teenagers' characteristic impulsiveness, and the result is
an increased and more brutal level of electronic attacks. According to Rosalind
Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabees, online bullying is especially
attractive to young girls. Wiseman believes that girls, more than boys, like to inflict
emotional wounds while avoiding direct confrontation.” (Source of information: Amy
Harmon, "Internet Gives Teenage Bullies Weapons to Wound From Afar," The New
York Times, August 26, 2004, www.nytimes.com)

a. If Cyberbullying teenagers would be forced to witness the consequences of their

b. Among teenagers, technological tools like computers and cell phones do more harm
than good.

c. Cyberbullying often leads to an increase in traditional, physical bullying.

d. Rosalind Wiseman would say that girls are as likely as boys to start fist fights with
their adversaries.
4. Read the following text and indicate which conclusion (a, b, c, or d) follows from the
passage by highlighting the option. 1 Mark.

“Adults in France routinely eat dishes loaded with high-fat cream, butter, cheese, and
meat. They don't count calories or carbohydrates, and they don't spend hours in the
gym working out. Yet, only 10 percent of French people are obese, compared to 33
percent of Americans. Ironically, the French also live longer and have lower death
rates from heart disease. What is behind this "French paradox," as it has been called?
Anne Barone, author of Chic and Slim: How Those French Women Eat all that Rich
Food and Still Stay Slim, says that sense of personal style keeps French women svelte.
While they don't restrict their food choices, they do consciously limit how much they
eat because they want to look good in sexy lingerie and fashionable clothing. Of
course, it helps that French portion sizes in restaurants are smaller. One study, for
example, found that French meals are only 75 percent the size of meals served in
Philadelphia restaurants. In the United States, a hot dog is 63 percent larger than a
hot dog in France, and a croissant made in America is 100 percent larger than one
made in France. Psychologist Paul Rozin says, "People tend to consume what is put in
front of them, and [they] generally consume more when offered more food." Others,
however, believe that the root of the French paradox is the overall attitude about
eating that pervades French culture. The French don't gulp food on the go, eat at their
desks, or take their meals in front of the television. They sit down to regular meals,
usually with family members or friends. The French are also inclined to eat slowly,
savoring the experience of good food combined with good company. Thus researchers
at the University of Pennsylvania found that the French take much longer to eat than
Americans do. Yet even though a lunch might last two hours, the French still manage
to eat less than Americans do in a rushed, 15-minute mid-day meal. Plus, unlike
Americans, the French do not snack between meals.” (Source of information: Mimi
Spencer, "Let Them Eat Cake," The Observer, November 7, 2004,
http://observer.guardian.co.uk/foodmonthly/story/0,9950,1342296,00.html)
 a. Anne Barone would agree with Paul Rozin's claim that people mindlessly eat
whatever is put in front of them.
b. If Americans ate out more in good restaurants, they would probably be a lot
slimmer.
c. University of Pennsylvania researchers would agree that high-calorie, high-fat
fast food restaurant meals are a major cause of obesity in America.
d. If Americans sat down to eat more home-cooked meals with their families, their
obesity rate might decrease.

5. Read the following statements. For every statement, write at least one argument
against it. 5 Marks
a. ‘People with autism are usually very intelligent, because most of them have savant
abilities.’
b. ‘The attendance requirement in the Bachelor Clinical Psychology should be
abolished.’
c. ‘Psychology is not a science.’
d. ‘The increasing use of social media like Facebook is decreasing genuine contact
between people.’
e. ‘Medication is the most effective way to treat children with ADHD.’
ANS.
a. ‘People with autism have social impairments, because most of them have lack of
intuition about others.’
b. ‘The attendance requirement in the Bachelor Clinical Psychology is very
important, so it should be mandatory.’
c. ‘Psychology is a relatively young science, because it only exists as a science since
1875, when Wilhelm Wundt and William James started investigating
psychological phenomena in their labs.’
d. ‘Nowadays social media is useful to all category of people, because it has brought
a lot of advantages for the society.’
e. ‘Medication is the most effective way to treat children with ADHD, but it is not
the only treatment option available, also natural ADHD remedies involve nutrition
and lifestyle changes.’