Get Logical!
Inductive/Deductive Reasoning
Objective: Students will be informed on both types of reasoning in order to be able to choose the correct type of reasoning for their speeches.
Materials: Each student must have a topic picked out.
Steps:
Day 1:
Step 1: Inform the class that you talked to a man named Tom who wore a toupee. Then tell them that you, through your reasoning, have decided that since Tom is a man, all men must wear toupees.
Step 2: Ask the boys in the class if this is true. Then ask them what makes this statement false.
Step 3: Begin explaining inductive reasoning and introduce syllogisms to the class. Allow some time for questions and discussion.
Step 4: Divide the class into small groups and have them come up with some syllogisms of their own. Walk around the class to make sure they have the gist of it.
Step 5: Collect the syllogisms at the end of class and then compile a handout with their own syllogisms on it to hand out the next day.
Day 2:
Step 1: Begin explaining deductive reasoning. Allow for questions and discussions.
Step 2: Now ask the students which kind of reasoning they would believe if it were used in a speech.
Step 3: Explain that while inductive reasoning makes conclusions based on generalization, deductive reasoning makes conclusions based on facts. Tell them to keep in mind that inductive reasoning is not bad, but illogical.
Step 4: Have the students individually brainstorm on their speeches. Have they inadvertently used inductive reasoning and made generalizations on their topics? What about their topics do they know to be fact?
Result: The students will know the difference between inductive and deductive reasoning, as well as know which is best to use in their speeches.
Summer 2005
Logos
Incorporating Hard Facts in Your Speeches
Objective: After a brief explanation, the students will be able to identify Aristotle’s concept of logos in a famous speech.
Materials: Copies of MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech to hand out to each student, highlighters, and five note cards for each student.
Steps:
1. Introduce the term logos by asking students what they think this word means in
terms of public speaking. If no one responds, use a prompt like, Q: What other word does the word logos sound like? A: Logic…could logos have something to do with logic???
2. Now define the word logos for the students. Advise them to write this definition down because it may come in handy later on in the semester.
Logos: is an appeal to logic. An author develops logos by offering credible facts and statistics related to the topic at hand, by using allusion, by using deductive and inductive reasoning, and by citing credible sources outside the work itself. The use of logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. Term coined by Aristotle.
Ask students why incorporating logos into their speeches is important (makes us seem more credible, etc).
3. Pair students up into groups of two and hand each group a copy of “I Have a Dream.” Instruct students to go through and highlight examples of logos within the speech. Walk around the room to make sure students understand the activity and are finding examples of logos. If students do not seem to be catching on, go through the text as a class.
Results: Students will be given five note cards and will be expected to come up with at five examples of logos that could be incorporated into their speech. The next class period students will share these examples with their speech buddy and will help each other pick out three striking statistics to use in their speech.
Danielle Helzer
Summer 2005
Persuade Lee!
Toulmin
Objective: The students create logical argument by using Toulmin’s theory.
Material: The teacher creates worksheets for activity.
Steps:
1. Introduction – The teacher talks about Stephen Toulmin.
2. Lecture: Six Elements of Argument – The teacher explains the following information by giving examples.
a. Claims — a thesis statement
b. Grounds — evidence supporting the thesis
c. Warrants — checking whether the grounds really support the claims and are not just a lot of irrelevant information having nothing to do with the claim
d. Backing — finding out the general body of information that is presupposed by the warrants
e. Modalities — the degree of certainty
f. Rebuttals — the extraordinary or exceptional circumstances that might undermine the force of the supporting arguments.
3. Exercise: Creating Logical Argument
a. Each student does this exercise with his/ her partner.
b. The teacher distributes the worksheets and reads the direction of exercise.
Direction: You and your friend Lee are walking. You suddenly say, pointing somewhere, “There’s a fire!” You don’t have a cell phone, so you ask Lee to call for fireman. However, he is a very rational person, so he doesn’t think your statement; “There’s a fire!” is persuasive. He starts asking questions. Fill in the following blanks.
You: There’s a fire! (Claims)
Call fireman and police!
Lee: Calm down! Why do you say there’s a fire?
You: __________. (Grounds)
Lee: So?
You: __________. (Warrants)
Lee: What other general information do you back up your trust in the particular warran?
You: __________. (Backing)
Lee: What’s your qualification?
You: __________. (Modality)
Lee: Mm…I think there are some exceptional circumstances.
What do you think?
You: Unless there’s a fire! (Rebuttals)
Lee: O.K. Let’s call fireman!
c. Some pairs present their arguments.
4. End
a. The teacher summarizes the class.
b. The students submit their worksheets.
c. The class is over.
Result: The students learn how to create logical argument.
Emi Nishimoto
Fall 2007
Back That Thing Up
Toulmin’s Construct
OBJECTIVE: Students will review the PowerPoint presentation on Toulmin’s Construct, identify the parts of the model by playing a quick game, and then apply their knowledge of Toulmin’s Construct by making an outline for their persuasive speeches.
Materials: PowerPoint software and the students should have decided upon a speech topic for their persuasive speeches.
Steps:
1. Walk the students through the PowerPoint presentation over Toulmin’s Construct. Explain anything that they do not understand. Also tell them that we use this method in everyday life whether we are tying to convince our parents to let us drive the car or to prove that our favorite sports team is the best.
2. After covering the first six slides ask the student to shout out the answers to the following four questions. (The answers are on the slide after the question.)
3. After the quick game ask the students to complete the homework assignment given on the last slide of the presentation. The assignment is due the next class period.
Results: Each student will complete an outline for their next persuasive speech following the Toulmin Model.