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Chapter Outline
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Following are the main learning objectives from the chapter.

  1. Students should understand the importance of, and be proficient in, the analysis of arguments. To this end, students should . . .
    1. Be proficient in diagramming short arguments. Further, students should be able to . . .
      1. recognize when premises provide independent support for a conclusion; and
      2. recognize when premises provide linked support (interdependent support) for a conclusion.
      3. Students should also be familiar with the following tips on diagramming arguments:
        1. Find the main conclusion first;
        2. Pay close attention to premises and conclusion indicators;
        3. Remember that sentences containing the word "and" often contain two or more separate statements;
        4. Treat conditional statements and disjunctive statements as single statements;
        5. Don't number or diagram anything that is not a statement;
        6. Don't diagram irrelevant statements; and
        7. Don't diagram redundant statements.
    2. Be proficient in summarizing longer arguments (pgs. 200-214) To this end, students should . . .
      1. Become adept in paraphrasing passages. Students should learn to . . .
        1. paraphrase passages accurately;
        2. paraphrase passages clearly;
        3. paraphrase passages concisely; and
        4. paraphrase passages charitably.
      2. Be able to recognize missing premises and conclusions (i.e. be able to complete enthymemes). Students should learn to . . .
        1. faithfully interpret arguers' intentions;
        2. charitably interpret arguers' intentions.
      3. Be proficient in the method of standardization for summarizing extended arguments. You should learn to . . .
        1. locate the main conclusion, subconclusions and other premises in the argument;
        2. omit unnecessary or irrelevant material;
        3. arrange the premises and conclusion in their logical order;
        4. fill in missing premises or conclusions;
        5. add parenthetical justifications for each conclusion in the argument; and
      4. Avoid the common mistakes in standardizing arguments. To this end it is important that you. . .
        1. avoid writing in incomplete sentences;
        2. do not include more than one statement per line;
        3. don't include anything that is not a statement; and
        4. do not include anything that is not a premise or a conclusion.







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