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Making Logical Technical Arguments

Module by: The Cain Project in Engineering and Professional Communication

This PowerPoint file of 25 slides presents a thorough overview of the essentials of technical argument. Topics include:

  • The Types of Argument
  • Warrants, Reasons, and Evidence
  • Organizing your argument
  • Establishing and satisfying expectations

Engineering arguments often combine conceptual and action claims. Teams want their audiences to understand the problem they present, and to agree about what should be done about it. Moving an audience from comprehension to action is one of the essential elements of convincing logical argument.

In addition to outlining the types and parts of argument, slides cover how to express what your audience already accepts or knows, how to emphasize new information and evidence, what engineering readers expect, and how to allocate their attention.

Recognizing and presenting necessary background, understanding the essentials of agreement, and warranting claims and reasons will help teams to focus on where the audience does not yet agree and marshal opinion toward the solutions they propose.

Familiarity with basic argumentative strategies like beginning with old information before proceeding to new, making shared warrants explicit, and sending accessibility signals to assist your audience not only engender convincing arguments but also lead to conclusions that both inform and persuade.

Figure 1: Click the Play button to start the movie.
Figure 2: Please right click on the above link to download the PPT file
Download Version: Making Logical Technical Arguments
Media File: TechnicalArgument.ppt

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