The Toulmin Model: How we will approach reading, analyzing and writing this year

Stephen E. Toulmin

philosopher and rhetorical theorist

born in England in 1922 received his Bachelor’s

degree at King’s College and his Master of Arts and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Cambridge

More on Toulmin

Toulmin taught at the University of Southern California from 1993 - 2009

In 1958, Toulmin offered his model of argumentation: a way to compare “truths”

Claim

Toulmin’s Model

Toulmin Model has three main parts:

Data

Warrant

Toulmin Model, cont.

Simply:A Claim is made.Data is provided in the form of

supporting facts.The Warrant connects the Data to the

Claim.

Example #1

“I am an American.” (Claim) “My mother was an American citizen

when I was born.” (Data) Anyone born of an American citizen is a

legal American citizen. (Warrant)

Toulmin says that the Claim and the Data cannot hold without a sufficiently strong Warrant, or, the weakest argument is the one with the weakest warrant.

Example #2

The U.S. Postal service is wasteful and inefficient. The proposed new mail distribution agency will be wasteful and inefficient.

Claim: The proposed new mail distribution agency will be wasteful and inefficient.

Data: The U.S. Postal service is wasteful and inefficient.

Warrant: the two situations are similar (Reasoning by analogy)

Let's try one together

This is the coldest winter since 2000. My heating bills are going to be outrageous.

Claim: Data: Warrant:

And another one together

I work hard in class, do my homework every night and study for tests. I am going to ace Ms. Rohde's class!

Claim: Data: Warrant:

Types of Claims

fact: claims that have historical backing

judgment/value: claims involving opinions and attitudes

policy: claims advocating courses of action that should be undertaken

Types of Data

Fact or Statistic: a point of data that claims some objective

Expert Testimony: a stated opinion by a person experienced in the field

Personal Anecdote: personal experience gained from time in the related field

Connecting the Claim and Data

underline a claim, warrant (if it states one) and data in the article

create a diagram of the claim, warrant, and data that looks like the example below

Claim: ------------------ Data: Smoking is bad It causes lung

cancer

Warrant: Lung cancer is bad.

Observation 1 Inherency

SPS tech exists, but it needs money

Claim: ------------------ Data:

SPS exists, but no $$ R&D makes tech better -

Warrant: if we had invested money, SPS wouldalready work now.

Observation 2 Harm

Global Warming is happening now because of humans

Claim: ------------------ Data:

Warming now - 2000 was warmest year ever - coal and fossil fuel use by humans trap heat.

- natural causes couldn’t have caused all the temp rise

Warrant: if we had invested money, SPS wouldalready work now.

Observation 2 Harm

Global Warming will destroy the planet

Claim: ------------------ Data:

Warming -> destroy planet

Warrant:

Observation 3 Solvency

SPS will solve warming before too late – break the dependence on fossil fuel

Claim: ------------------ Data:

Warrant:

Observation 3 Solvency

SPS best Alt energy source

Claim: ------------------ Data:

Warrant:

Observation 3 Solvency

SPS cheap, work well, and possible

Claim: ------------------ Data:

Warrant: