What's in LaunchPad for Practical Argument?
Setting Up and Customizing Your LaunchPad Course
Types of Diagnostic and Summative Assessment Available in LaunchPad for Practical Argument
Creating and Using Video Assignments
Creating and Using Other LaunchPad Assignment Types
Recognizing Arguments
Defining Argument
Arguments in Real Life
Winning and Losing Arguments
The Rhetorical Situation
Logos, Pathos, and Ethos
The Rhetorical Triangle
Chapter 1: The Four Pillars of Argument
The Elements of Argument
Tuckson, Why Foreign-Language Study Should Be Required
Herman, Raise the Drinking Age to Twenty-Five
Is a College Education Worth the Money?
Leonhardt, Is College Worth it? Clearly, New Data Say
Nemko, We Send Too Many Students to College
Le, What Does It Mean to Be a College Grad?
Stephens, College Is a Waste of Time
Long, College Is Worth It—Some of the Time
Daly and Bengali, Is It Still Worth Going to College?
Template for Structuring an Argument
Chapter 1 Wrap Up Exercises
Brummel, Practical Experience Trumps Fancy Degrees
Chapter 2: Thinking and Reading Critically
Thinking Critically
Reading Critically
Becoming an Active Reader
Jones, Violent Media Is Good for Kids
Leo, When Life Imitates Video
Robbins, Don't Withhold Violent Games
APA, Violence in Mass Media
Writing a Critical Response
Choi, Response to “When Life Imitates Video”
Template for Writing a Critical Response
Chapter 2 Wrap Up Exercise
Chapter 3: Decoding Visual Arguments
Thinking Critically about Visual Arguments
Using Active Reading Strategies with Visual Arguments
Highlighting and Annotating Visuals
Responding Critically to Visual Arguments
Savona, Response to Grand Theft Auto IV
Template for Responding to Visual Arguments
Chapter 3 Wrap Up Exercise
Chapter 4: Writing a Rhetorical Analysis
What Is a Rhetorical Analysis?
Considering the Rhetorical Situation
Considering the Means of Persuasion: Logos, Pathos, Ethos
Considering the Writer’s Rhetorical Strategies
Assessing the Argument
Sample Rhetorical Analysis
Thomas, Terror's Purse Strings
Bilgutay, A Powerful Call to Action
Ravisankar, Sweatshop Oppression
Template for Writing a Rhetorical Analysis
Kristof, Where Sweatshops Are a Dream
Chapter 5: Understanding Logic and Recognizing Logical Fallacies
What Is Deductive Reasoning?
Constructing Sound Syllogisms
Recognizing Enthymemes
Writing Deductive Arguments
Sanchez, College Should Be for Everyone
What Is Inductive Reasoning?
Making Inferences
Constructing Strong Inductive Arguments
Writing Inductive Arguments
Saletan, Please Do Not Feed the Humans
Recognizing Logical Fallacies
Buchanan, Immigration Time-Out
How Free Should Free Speech Be?
Rosenbaum, Should Neo-Nazis Be Allowed Free Speech?
Stern, The Unfree Speech Movement
AAUP, On Freedom of Expression and Campus Speech Codes
Kaminer, Progressive Ideas Have Killed Free Speech on Campus
Shulevitz, In College and Hiding From Scary Ideas
Posner, Universities Are Right to Crack Down on Speech and Behavior
Template for Writing a Deductive Argument
Template for Writing an Inductive Argument
Chapter 5 Wrap Up Exercises
Chapter 6: Rogerian Argument, Toulmin Logic, and Oral Arguments
Understanding Rogerian Argument
Structuring Rogerian Arguments
Writing Rogerian Arguments
Kahn, Why Cell Phones Do Not Belong in the Classroom
Understanding Toulmin Logic
Constructing Toulmin Arguments
Writing Toulmin Arguments
Davis, Competitive Cheerleaders Are Athletes
Understanding Oral Arguments
Planning an Oral Argument
Delivering Oral Arguments
Composing an Oral Argument
Steele, An Argument in Support of the “Gap Year”
Is Online Education Better Than Classroom Education?
CollegeDegreeSearch.net, The Evolution of Online Schooling
Bustamante, The Risks and Rewards of Online Learning
Smith, Reliance on Online Materials Hinders Learning Potential for Students
Kadvany, Online Education Needs Connection
Crisp, Short Distance Learning
Newstok, A Plea for Close Learning
McNulty, Old Flames and New Beacons
Rorabaugh, Trading Classroom Authority for Online Community
Template for Writing a Rogerian Argument
Template for Writing a Toulmin Argument
Chapter 6 Wrap Up Exercises
Chapter 7: Planning, Drafting, and Revising an Argumentative Essay
Choosing a Topic
Thinking about Your Topic
Drafting a Thesis Statement
Understanding Your Purpose and Audience
Gathering Evidence
Refuting Opposing Arguments
Revising Your Thesis Statement
Structuring Your Essay
Establishing Credibility
Drafting Your Essay
Revising Your Essay
Polishing Your Essay
Holton, Going Green
Chapter 7 Wrap Up Exercise
Chapter 8: Finding and Evaluating Sources
Finding Sources
Evaluating Sources
Thompson, Bigger Brother: The Exponential Law of Privacy Loss
USA Today, Time to Enact “Do Not Track”
MacKinnon, Privacy and Facebook
Mahler, Who Spewed That Abuse? Anonymous Yik Yak App Isn't Telling
Golbeck, All Eyes on You
Desson, My Creepy Instagram Map Knows Where I Live
Jayson, Is Online Dating Safe?
Laird, Should Athletes Have Social Media Privacy? One Bill Says Yes
Chapter 9: Summarizing, Paraphrasing, Quoting, and Synthesizing Sources
Summarizing Sources
Paraphrasing Sources
Quoting Sources
Fralic, Don't Fall for the Myths about Online Privacy
Working Source Material into Your Argument
Synthesizing Sources
Chapter 10: Documenting Sources: MLA
Using Parenthetical References
Preparing the Works-Cited List
Blaine, Should Social-Networking Sites Be “Fair Game” for Employers?
Chapter 11: Using Sources Responsibly
Understanding Plagiarism
Austin American-Statesman, Cheaters Never Win
Revising to Eliminate Plagiarism
Where Should We Draw the Line with Plagiarism?
Shafer, Sidebar: Comparing the Copy
Hinman, How to Fight College Cheating
Gabriel, Plagiarism Lines Blur for Students in Digital Age
Minkel, Too Hard Not to Cheat in the Internet Age?
Posner, The Truth about Plagiarism
Byers, Plagiarism and BuzzFeed's Achilles' Heel
Balibalos, OK or Not?
Ariely, Essay Mills: A Coarse Lesson in Cheating
TermPaperWriter.org, Term Papers for Sale
Template for Writing an Argument about Plagiarism
Chapter 11 Wrap Up Exercises
Part 5: Strategies for Argument
Chapter 12: Definition Arguments
What Is a Definition Argument?
Developing Definitions
Structuring a Definition Argument
Kennedy, Why I Am a Nontraditional Student
Garr, Athlete vs. Role Model
Is Wikipedia a Legitimate Research Source?
Messer-Kruse, The “Undue Weight” of Truth on Wikipedia
Martinez, Why Citations Do Not Make Wikipedia Credible
Morris, After a Half-Decade, Massive Wikipedia Hoax Finally Exposed
Hudson, Stop Wikipedia Shaming
Kolbe, Debunking the “Accurate as Britannica” Myth
Stross, Anonymous Source Is Not the Same as Open Source
Wikipedia: About; Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, About the IEP
Waters, Wikiphobia: The Latest in Open Source
Template for Writing a Definition Argument
Chapter 12 Wrap Up Exercises
Chapter 13: Cause-and-Effect Arguments
What Is a Cause-and-Effect Argument?
Understanding Cause-and-Effect Relationships
Ephron, The Chicken Soup Chronicles
Structuring a Cause-and-Effect Argument
Mialki, Texting: A Boon, Not a Threat, to Language
Orenstein, Should the World of Toys Be Gender-Free?
Should Vaccination Be Required for All Children?
Haberman, A Discredited Vaccine Study's Continuing Impact
Stemwedel, Saying No to Vaccines
Vidula, Individual Rights vs. Public Health: The Vaccination Debate
Carson, Vaccinations Are for the Good of the Nation
Saunders, Pediatrician: Vaccinate Your Kids—or Get Out of My Office
Singer, Vaccination and Free Will
McCarthy, The Gray Area on Vaccines
Facts about the Measles
Template for Writing a Cause-and-Effect Argument
Chapter 13 Wrap Up Exercises
Chapter 14: Evaluation Arguments
What Is an Evaluation Argument?
Structuring an Evaluation Argument
Murphy, Evaluation of a Website: RateMyProfessors.com
Wiehe, Nothing Pretty in Child Pageants
Do the Benefits of Fracking Outweigh the Environmental Risks?
Kolbert, Burning Love
Lennon, Destroying Precious Land for Gas
Friedman, Get It Right on Gas
McNally, Water Contamination
Shale Gas Subcommittee, from Shale Gas Subcommittee 90-Day Report
USA Today, Fracking, with Care, Brings Big Benefits
Template for Writing an Evaluation Argument
Chapter 14 Wrap Up Exercises
Chapter 15: Proposal Arguments
What Is a Proposal Argument?
Stating the Problem
Proposing a Solution
Demonstrating That Your Solution Will Work
Establishing Feasibility
Discussing Benefits
Refuting Opposing Arguments
Engel, Teach Your Teachers Well
Structuring a Proposal Argument
Burrell, Colleges Need Honor Codes
Cohen, Self-Driving Cars Will Change the Rules of the Road
Should the Government Do More to Relieve the Student-Loan Burden?
Student Debt Crisis Solution
Vedder, Forgive Student Loans?
Carey, The U.S. Should Adopt Income-Based Loans Now
Taylor, A Strike against Student Debt
Siegel, Why I Defaulted on My Student Loans
Adolphsen, Don't Blame the Government
Template for Writing a Proposal Argument
Chapter 15 Wrap Up Exercises
Chapter 16: Ethical Arguments
What Is an Ethical Argument?
Stating an Ethical Principle
Ethics versus Law
Understanding Ethical Dilemmas
Pastan, Ethics
Structuring an Ethical Argument
Muñoz, Are Colleges Doing Enough for Nontraditional Students?
Suleiman, More Than “Moral Complicity” at Auschwitz
How Far Should Schools Go to Keep Students Safe?
Sokolow, How Not to Respond to Virginia Tech—II
Villahermosa, Guns Don't Belong in the Hands of Administrators, Professors, or Students
Wheeler, There's a Reason They Choose Schools
Hampikian, When May I Shoot a Student?
Frankel, Can We Invent Our Way Out of School Violence?
Schwarz, A Bid for Guns on Campuses to Deter Rape
Isothermal CC, Warning Signs: How You Can Help Prevent Campus Violence
Dion, Gone but Not Forgotten
Template for Writing an Ethical Argument
Chapter 16 Wrap Up Exercises
Part 5 Review: Combining Argumentative Strategies
Prieto, Get the Lead out of Hunting
Carey, Fulfill George Washington's Last Wish—a National University
Chapter 17: Are Helicopter Parents Ruining Their Children's Lives?
Aucoin, For Some, Helicopter Parenting Delivers Benefits
Levine, Raising Successful Children
Chapter 17 At Issue Questions
Chapter 18: Should Controversial Sports Mascots Be Replaced?
Shakely, Indian Mascots—You’re Out
Reynolds, Native Americans Have Become a Political Pawn
Chapter 18 At Issue Questions
Chapter 19: Under What Circumstances Do Bystanders Have an Ethical Obligation to Intervene?
Skenazy, How Kitty Genovese Destroyed Childhood
Nocera, It's Hard to Be a Hero
Chapter 19 At Issue Questions
Chapter 20: Should Bottled Water Be Banned on College Campuses?
Crimson Staff, Vote Yes on the Bottled Water Ban
Fishman, Bottled Water Is Silly—But So Is Banning It
Chapter 20 At Issue Questions
Chapter 21: Should Every American Go to College?
Hoover, College's Value Goes Deeper Than the Degree
Weston, When a Two-Year College Degree Pays Off
Murray, What's Wrong with Vocational School?
Pharinet, Is College for Everyone?
Chapter 21 At Issue Questions
Chapter 22: Should We Eat Meat?
Foer, Let Them Eat Dog
Niman, The Carnivore's Dilemma
Payne, Why You Should Eat “Humane” Meat
Taylor, Humane Meat? No Such Thing
Chapter 22 At Issue Questions
Chapter 23: Is America Safer Now Than Before 9/11?
Ashmawy, Ten Years after 9/11, We're Still in the Dark
Brandus, Remembering 9/11: How Safe Are We Today?
Rauch, Be Not Afraid
Elliott, The TSA Has Never Kept You Safe: Here's Why
Chapter 23 At Issue Questions
Chapter 24: Does It Pay to Study the Humanities?
Paxson, The Economic Case for Saving the Humanities
Carnevale, Major Differences: Why Undergraduate Majors Matter
Brooks, Is It Time to Kill the Liberal Arts Degree?
Frank, Course Corrections
Chapter 24 At Issue Questions
Chapter 25: Classic Arguments
Plato, The Allegory of the Cave
Marvell, To His Coy Mistress
Swift, A Modest Proposal
Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence
Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address
Stanton, Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions
Orwell, Politics and the English Language
Carson, The Obligation to Endure
Friedan, The Importance of Work
Baldwin, If Black English Isn't a Language, Then Tell Me, What Is?
Appendix A: Writing Literary Arguments
What Is a Literary Argument?
Stating an Argumentative Thesis
Choosing Evidence
Writing a Literary Argument
McGovern, Confessions of a Misunderstood Poem: An Analysis of “The Road Not Taken”
Martinez, Not Just a “Girl”
Appendix B: Documenting Sources: APA
Using Parenthetical References
Preparing a Reference List
Examples of APA Citations
Student Essay
Bilgutay, The High Cost of Cheap Counterfeit Goods