Week 2 Discussion: Humble yet Assertive? Agreeing with Opponents? Concession and Refutation, and Workshopping toward Your Week 2 Assignment
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:
Textbook: Chapter 3 and pp. 94-107, 295-297, and 306, 337-356
Lesson
Minimum of 1 scholarly source (within the past 5 years)
Instructions
ARGUMENT: Social media does/does not foster closer social relationships, making interpersonal communication easier/more difficult.
STANCE: Social media does not foster closer social relationships.
With your specific argument stance (thesis/claim) in mind, locate one scholarly source with opinions that do not agree with your own stance. Using Toulmin’s model, demonstrate the use of concession and refutation to rebut an opposing viewpoint, keeping in mind the importance of a humble yet assertive tone.
Steps: In 2 rich paragraphs, answer the following as related to your stance for your argument essay:
Locate a specific opposing point within the article: Note one point in this article that opposes your stance, using proper source integration and citation techniques.
Concession: Although the point is in opposition to your own stance, describe the merits of the point. What elements of the point do you see as valid? Who in your own audience might agree with this opposing source and why?
Refutation: Although you are able to find merits to the point and to see that some readers may agree with this opposing viewpoint, how will you refute the point? What might you say and do to convince readers that despite holding some merit, the viewpoint is not as valid or useful as your own stance on the issue? How will your approach to this opposing viewpoint influence your audience’s reaction to your essay? Remember to use correct quotation or paraphrasing techniques with correct APA in-text citation.
