Inventing Arguments

by John Mauk, John Metz

Organized around common rhetorical situations that occur all around us, INVENTING ARGUMENTS, Fourth Edition, shows students that argument is a living process rather than a form to be modeled. The text's prominent focus on invention teaches students to recognize the rhetorical elements of any argumentative situation and apply the tools of argument effectively in their own writing. Students are introduced to the basic layers of argument 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 (values, beliefs, ideology). By the time they finish Chapter 4, your students will have a thorough understanding of argument--which they can then apply to the invention projects in chapters 6-11.

896 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2005

Reviews

[Laura]

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]

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

[Landon]

Great book

[Landon]

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