Argumentative Resources and Statistics

1
Argumentative Resourcesand Statistics

• Ready to Argue?

2
Argumentative Information

• Identify your topic
• State the position you will support
• Highlight points of your discussion
• Use information to support your position
• Pro/Con Materials
• Research Materials
• Opinion Polls
• Statistics

3
Helpful Keywords to Use

• Issue
• Controversy
• Statistic
• Ethical
• Rights
• Debate
• Attitude
• Trend
• Condition

Examples rights and abortion death penalty and
controversy household spending and trends
4
Different ways to look atPro vs. Con

• Objective vs. Biased
• Balanced vs. Unbalanced
• Two-sided vs. One-sided
• Indifferent vs. Persuasive
• Good vs. Bad
• Benefits vs. Drawbacks

5
Pro/Con Resources

• Book Series
• Contemporary Issues
• Opposing Viewpoints
• Reference Shelf
• Taking Sides

6
Pro/Con Resources

• CQ Researcher
• contains information on current and controversial
  issues concentric to the U.S. Government
• Issues and Controversies
• provides up-to-date, objective information on the
  most prominent and hotly debated issues of the day

7
Exercise

• Tame the Taboo
• Topics
• Corporate social responsibility
• Death penalty for teens
• Social networking websites
• Global warming and pollution
• Prescription drugs and obesity
• Affirmative action in the workplace

8
Opinion or Fact?

• Whales are mammals.
• Whales are superior to dolphins.
• Stephen King is talented.
• Stephen King is a prolific writer.
• Abraham Lincoln was the best president the United
  States has ever had.
• John Adams was the second president of the United
  States.

9
Opinions vs. Facts

• Pros (Strengths)
• A consensus of opinions are much stronger than a
  single opinion
• Reflects the culture and society that experience
  these issues and events (primary resource)
• Cons (Weaknesses)
• Less concrete
• A view formed by someones belief which can be
  biased
• Not necessarily the truth
• Opinions can differ widely

• Pros (Strengths)
• Very concrete
• Based in scientific/research methodology
• Data supports arguments
• Statistics helps determine the accuracy of
  information in the evaluation process
• Cons (Weaknesses)
• Data can be manipulated
• Unless data collection is a regular practice,
  data can become outdated and irrelevant

10
Opinion Resources

• Editorials on File
• Ref 070.43 Ed48
• Gallup Poll
• Ref 301.154 G13g
• http//www.gallup.com
• an organization studying human nature and
  behavior for more than 70 years through public
  surveys
• collects attitudes and opinions of individuals
  and key groups within the American population
  concerning national and international issues and
  events

11
Statistical Resources

• Reference Collection
• American Attitudes
• Americans at Play
• Education Statistics of the United States
• Sourcebook of Criminal Justice Statistics
• Statistical Handbook on the American Family
• World Almanac

12
http//www.swosu.edu/library/infoservices/govdocs/
gov.htm
13
Statistical Resources

• Government Information
• Provides statistical information directly from
  the U.S. Government and the agencies who collect
  the data.
• Google Unclesam www.google.com/unclesam

14
Online Surveys Reports

• Pew Research Center (Main Site)
• http//pewresearch.org
• Pew Global Attitudes Project
• http//pewglobal.org
• Pew Internet American Life Project
• http//www.pewinternet.org
• Pew Hispanic Center
• http//pewhispanic.org
• Pew Forum on Religion Public Life
• http//pewforum.org

15

• Ready to Argue Now?