Inventing Arguments

by John Mauk, John Metz

Organized around common rhetorical situations that occur all around us, INVENTING ARGUMENTS shows you that argument is a living process rather than a form to be modeled. Through the text's prominent focus on invention, you will learn to recognize the rhetorical elements of any argumentative situation and apply the tools of argument effectively in your own writing. The basic layers of argument are introduced in early chapters, with material arranged into increasingly sophisticated topics beginning with the most obvious or explicit layers (claims) and moving to more implied or "hidden" layers (assumptions, values, beliefs, ideology). By the time you finish Part 1, you will have a thorough understanding of argument, which you can then apply not just to the invention projects in Chapters 7-12 but also to your writing for other college courses and beyond.

638 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This text is one of the best argument books I've used. Besides a wide range of readings, it has a handy section in the back explaining all of the major terms of argument.

On the downside, it does focus most exclusively on the Toulmin model of argument. It also does not contain many long texts.

Still, it does contain a section of Mein Kampf, and what argument text is complete without a little Hitler?

[Anthony Salazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a pretty good textbook for beginning college composition classes but I don't think I'd assign this to my students.

[Landon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book

[Landon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this for one of my class. I enjoyed this book.