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isbn:
9781891136177
304 pages paperback
IM:
9781891136191
2007

Argumentation
Understanding and Shaping Arguments

third edition

James A. Herrick
Hope College

Consulting editor:
Robert Iltis, Oregon State University

This highly acclaimed textbook explores the concepts and principles of clear thinking, critical listening, and careful analysis that active citizens and professionals need to evaluate and make arguments effectively. Professors who use the book have praised its emphasis on real-life argument--the political discourse and the social, professional, and personal contexts where students encounter and make arguments in their own lives.

Drawing on classical and contemporary theory and principles, Dr. Herrick explores the structure of arguments; relationships between reasons and conclusions; the criteria of evidence, validity, and definitional clarity; common types of arguments and fallacies; and issues of adapting arguments to audiences.

To see the table of contents, please click on this line.

To see comments from professors, please click on this line.

FEATURES

• Clear, practical explanations of major principles and guidelines.

• Strong foundation in classical and contemporary theory.

• Examples from a wide array of social, professional, civic, and political contexts, reflecting students' own lives and experiences.

• An emphasis on ethics and on the qualities of reasonable people and arguments.

• A focus on audience-centered argument.

FEATURES OF THE THIRD EDITION

• Expanded explanations of central concepts.

• Many new examples and exercises, reflecting current issues and events.

• Expanded discussion of the Internet as a source of evidence.

• Expanded discussion of audience adaptation.

• New chapter divisions with shorter chapters, for greater flexibility.

INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES

• Abundant exercises following each chapter.

• Key terms at the beginning of each chapter; glossary at the end of the book.

• Epigrams, pull quotes, figures, photos to highlight salient points, add visual interest.

• Instructor's manual (expanded in this edition) with many additional exercises and other teaching resources.

COMMENTS FROM PROFESSORS

"Herrick is a good writer, and I like the disciplined, no nonsense approach that he takes here. I also sense that this is written by someone who has a solid command of the philosophy of argumentation. . . . Textbooks reflect their fields, and I think this one speaks well of the communication discipline."
Thomas Lessl
University of Georgia

"Students responded favorably and non-honors students not only kept pace but excelled. I attribute their success to the direct, concrete, and concise nature of Herrick's prose-and to the high utility and heurism of the exercises following each chapter."
Robert Greenstreet
East Central University

"Herrick consistently connects his discussion back to ideals and traditions of civic discourse and the practical dimension of rhetorical argument. These themes recur throughout the text and form another of the main strengths of the book."
James M. Farrell
University of New Hampshire

"[T]he explanations provided in the text are clear; the examples and exercises assist the students in applying the relevant theoretical material."
Margaret Michels
Pennsylvania State University

"The students seemed to both like it and learn from it."
Beth Brunk-Chavez
University of Texas at El Paso

On the new edition

"It builds upon established strength and further improves the book as a text for undergraduate courses in general argumentation."
David Zarefsky
Northwestern University

"This revision actually improves a text which already fits my needs much better than I anticipated . . . . I am very likely to adopt the new edition, as it represents an improved version of the current text (more thorough explanation without a lot more girth)."
Robert Greenstreet
East Central University

"I find the more detailed discussion and use of additional explanatory examples very helpful."
Margaret Michels
Pennsylvania State University

"The proposed second edition will meet my needs as well or better than the current edition."
Frank O'Mara
State University of New York at Oneonta

On the focus on ethics and reasonable arguments

"I am pleased to see a concern for ethics."
Karen Lee
University of Nebraska, Lincoln

"I find especially important the discussion of argument ethics and the focus on 'reasonable' arguments and 'reasonable' people as crucial to the process of argumentation."
Diane Blair
California State University, Fresno

"Another major strength of the text is the emphasis on ethics and the related discussion of the qualities or virtues of 'reasonable' people."
James M. Farrell
University of New Hampshire

"One of the things that attracted me to this book was its more extensive discussion of the role of ethics in argument. Most books of this kind have what I regard as a superficial treatment of 'communication ethics,' but they don't really reflect on the value issues that underlie ethics."
Thomas Lessl
University of Georgia

On the explanations and examples

"Nicely accessible."
Erica Hollander
Metropolitan State College, Denver

"I appreciate the range of examples-from the everyday, academic, political, to pop culture. . . . The examples are numerous and varied. If one doesn't make sense in a student's mind, another one will."
Beth Brunk-Chavez
University of Texas at El Paso

"The examples are well chosen and to the point."
David Zarefsky
Northwestern University

"I appreciate Herrick's clear and concise writing style."
Diane Blair
California State University, Fresno

"The Herrick text is thorough without developing the unnecessary detailed refinements that many unsophisticated, younger students find obfuscatory."
Dennis Wignall
Dixie State College

"[I]ts greatest strengths are detailed discussions of different kinds of arguments and how to analyze them, as well as the exercises."
Beth Innocenti Manolescu
University of Kansas

"Good definitions and examples are provided."
David Moss
Crafton Hills and Mount San Jacinto College

On the instructor's manual

"[The instructors' manual] looks incredibly useful,. . . . everything in the manual is very helpful and I will certainly make good use of it."
Beth Brunk-Chavez
University of Texas at El Paso

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

James A. Herrick received his B.A. from California State University, Fresno; his M.A. from the University of California, Davis; and his Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He is the Guy Vander Jagt Professor of Communication at Hope College in Holland, Michigan, where he was department chair for ten years.

Herrick is the author of five books, on topics ranging from the history of rhetoric to the religious discourse of Enlightenment England. He teaches courses in argumentation, critical thinking, and the history of rhetoric.

Professor Herrick sits on the editorial boards of several scholarly journals and is a founding member of the Baylor University Press series in rhetoric and religion. He is the 2007 recipient of the John and Ruth Reed Faculty Achievement Award for excellence in teaching and research.