Toulmin Flashcards

Paste the following enthymemes on notecards and cut out the warrants and place them on the back of the cards, creating Toulmin ‘Flashcards’!

Dogs are perfect pets because they are loving companions.

Warrant: An important attribute of a pet is that they provide companionship and love.

Cats are good pets because they are independent and require little maintenance.

Warrant: An important attribute of a pet is that they are independent and require little maintenance.

Blue is the best color because it is pretty.

Warrant: Prettiness should be the determining factor in color preference.

Pizza is good food because it is tasty.

            Warrant: Taste quality is an important factor in determining good food.

The Gap produces great clothes because they are cheap and comfortable.

Warrant: Cheapness and comfort are major factors in determining great clothes.

Children are cute because they are small.

            Warrant: Size is a factor in determining cuteness.

Harry Potter books are excellent because they are exciting.

            Warrant: A desirable quality in a book is excitement.

Anime is an art form because it is highly detailed.

            Warrant: The level of detail is a valuable attribute in art.

My instructor is brilliant because he designed the ‘Toulmin Game’.

            Warrant: The design of the ‘Toulmin Game’ is evidence of intelligence.

People should like Jessica Simpson because she is a good singer.

            Warrant: Singing talent is something to be valued and admired.

People should like Bryan Adams because he is Canadian.

            Warrant: Canadian nationality is something to be valued and admired.

We should plant more trees because they help us breathe.

            Warrant: Breathing is valuable for humans. 

You should drink more water because it is healthy.

            Warrant: Health is an important quality of life.

Blondes have more fun because Marilyn Monroe was blonde.

Warrant: Marilyn Monroe had a large amount of fun due directly to her blondeness.  

European people are very exotic because they speak a different language.

Warrant: People who speak a different language are different and exciting.

Football is a good sport to watch because there is lots of violence.

            Warrant: Violence is a valued attribute in spectator sports.

Everyone should be a vegetarian because livestock animals are treated badly.

Warrant: Animal treatment is an important factor in determining what people should eat.

Yogurt should be a daily staple because it balances your stomach acids.

            Warrant: Balanced stomach acids are valuable.

Americans should be allowed to vote at any age because everyone is affected by democracy. 

Warrant: Every American citizen who is affected by democracy regardless of age has a right to shape it.

OU should be a dry campus because alcohol is dangerous.

            Warrant: Drinking alcohol promotes dangerous behavior.

OU should allow alcohol as it always has because it is a social campus.

            Warrant: Drinking alcohol promotes social behavior.

Ceramic cups are better then paper ones because they can be re-used.

            Warrant: Recycling is preferable to waste.

Students should get paid for attending university because they make society better.

            Warrant: Intelligence should be valued for the greater good.

The internet has improved human relationships because people can communicate faster and more efficiently.

Warrant: Fast and efficient technological communication enhances the way humans communicate with one another.