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TOULMIN ARGUMENT MODEL 1. CLAIM statement, point you are trying to make, assertion.

2. EVIDENCE (Supporting Material) proof you use to substantiate the claim (can take several forms: statistics, analogies, facts, examples, and testimony).

3. WARRANT explains how the evidence substantiates your point and demonstrates that making the mental leap from one to another is rational.

4. EVIDENCE CREDIBILITY brief statements that establish the quality of the information you are using to support your ideas.

5. QUALIFIER admits exceptions, demonstrates that argumentation is not an exact science and that issues are rarely discussible in absolute terms.

6. REBUTTAL requires the speaker to anticipate the counterarguments and answer them ahead of time and attacks them directly.

Adapted from the Com110 Illinois State University Spiral Book

Sample Argument Text: Low-Carbohydrate Diets Despite what the media tells you, low-carbohydrate diets should not be used (CLAIM). Dieters are looking for a way to improve their health, when in fact low-carbohydrate diets lead to many undesirable effects (WARRANT). These diets produce an abundance of medical problems that stem from the drastically reduced daily intake of carbohydrates. Stated on the Fad Diets: Low Carbohydrate Diet Summaries Web site provided by the Registered Dietitians at the University of Michigan Cardiovascular Center (EVIDENCE CREDIBILITY STATEMENT) and accessed November 10, 2004, potential longterm health concerns caused by low-carb diets include bone loss, kidney stress, and increased risk of some cancers. Lack of vitamins, osteoporosis, and heart disease are also common side effects (EVIDENCE). It is true that some doctors suggest temporary low-carbohydrate diets. In fact, there is an abundance of literature, some even written by Dr. Atkins himself, claiming that the Atkins diet and other low-carb diets are safe and effective (REBUTTAL). These arguments about safety leave out important facts. It must be recognized that even if an individual loses weight, that person may be damaging his or her long-term health even further. For instance, pounds may be traded for higher cholesterol levels. According to Alleged Atkins Diet Victim Files Suit Web site filed by James Green and Daniel Kinburn (EVIDENCE CREDIBILITY STATEMENT) and accessed November 18, 2004, Two recent studies funded by the Atkins Center for Complementary Medicine showed that approximately 30 percent of participants had increased LDL (bad) cholesterol (EVIDENCE). There are rare occasions when doctors and their patients weigh the costs and decide that the negative health concerns associated with low-carb dieting are more favorable than the side effects of obesity (QUALIFIER).

Adapted from the Com110 Illinois State University Spiral Book

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