China Debate Education Network

Combining Arguments Coherently

Combining Claims

• A case can be a single claim, but more likely, it is a series of claims.

• Even a single primary claim ordinarily is supported by a series of sub-claims.

• The extent to which sub-claims are combined into a coherent whole is an indication of the argument’s strength and persuasiveness.

Developing a Concrete Pattern for Combining Claims

• Having a pattern that can be used to combine sub-claims into primary claims is useful.

• This lesson presents one such pattern. • Our recommendation is that debaters

internalize this pattern, then they can go on to develop patterns which suit them.

The Basic Pattern

• Describe or Define

• Associate

• Evaluate

The Pattern Explained

• Define or describe. – What person, institution, or policy is going to be evaluated? – What are the features of that person, institution, or policy?

• Associate– Create an association between those features and some value,

principle, or consequence. – Cause and effect association or association by similarity.

• Evaluate– Create an explicit evaluation of the feature of the person,

institution, or policy– Explicit evaluation gives the argument more power

Primary Claim of Value Using Consequences

Example: Claim of Value Using Consequences

Primary Claim of Policy Using Consequences

Example: Claim of Policy Using Consequences

Value Claim Using Principles

Example: Value Claim Using Principles

Policy Claim Using Principles

Example: Policy Claim Using Principles