Concession and Refutation


Powerpoint

Another PowerPoint & Handout

 

TEMPLATES FOR DEALING WITH OPPOSING VIEWS 

(THANKS TO THEY SAY, I SAY & Alex Sterling from Los Medanos College)

 

ENTERTAINING OBJECTIONS

 

NAMING YOUR NAYSAYERS

􀂾 Here many feminists would probably object that __________.

􀂾 But social Darwinists would certainly take issue with the argument that __________.

􀂾 Biologists, of course, may want to dispute my claim that __________.

􀂾 Nevertheless, both followers and critics of Malcolm X will probably dispute my claim that __________.

􀂾 Although not all Christians think alike, some of them will probably dispute my claim that __________.

􀂾 Non-native English speakers are so diverse in their views that it’s hard to generalize about them, but some are likely to object on the grounds that __________.

 

MAKING CONCESSIONS WHILE STILL STANDING YOUR GROUND

􀂾 Although I grant that __________, I still maintain that __________.

􀂾 Proponents of X are right to argue that __________. But they exaggerate when they claim that __________.

􀂾 While it is true that __________, it does not necessarily follow that __________.

􀂾 On the one hand, I agree with X that __________. But on the other hand, I still insist that __________.

 

DISAGREEING, WITH REASONS

􀂾 I think X is mistaken because she overlooks __________.

􀂾 X’s claim that __________ rests upon the questionable assumption that __________.

􀂾 I disagree with X’s view that __________ because, as recent research has shown, __________.

􀂾 X contradicts himself. On the one hand, he argues __________. But on the other hand, he also says __________.

􀂾 By focusing on __________, X overlooks the deeper problem of __________.

 

Dealing with the opposing side: 5 models

A.    Rebuttals all in one part

Thesis: ____________________________________________________________

  1. I.             Reason 1
  2. II.            Reason 2
  3. III.           Reason 3
  4. IV.          The opposing view: summarize, concede (maybe), rebut

                         a.

                         b.

                         c.  

 

B.   Respond as you go

Thesis: ____________________________________________________________ 

I.                Reason 1

                   a.   My evidence

                   b.  Respond to opposing side about topic 1

II.             Reason 2

                   a.   My evidence

                   b.   Respond to opposing side about topic 2

III.           Reason 3

       a.   My evidence

       b.   Respond to opposing side about topic 3 

IV.            Reason 4

      a.   My evidence

      b.   Respond to opposing side about topic 4

 

C.    All rebuttals

Thesis: ____________________________________________________________

  1. The opposing side says 1. They are wrong because_________________________.
  2. The opposing side says 2. They are wrong because_________________________.
  3. The opposing side says 3. They are wrong because_________________________.
  4. The opposing side says 4. They are wrong because_________________________.
  5. The opposing side says 5. They are wrong because_________________________.

 

D.  The in-between thesis / agree partly with both sides

Thesis: _________________Part  I_________________________________;

however,____________________Part II____________________________.

I. _______________________________________________________

a.       

b.       

c.        

 

II.  However, _______________________________________________________

a.       

b.       

c.        

 

E.   The in-between thesis / agree partly with both sides

Thesis: _________________ _________________________________; however,____________________ ____________________________.

Topic sentence 1: ___________________________.

a.     ________________________________

b.     However, _____________________________________

 

Topic sentence 2: ___________________________.

a.     ________________________________

b.     However, _____________________________________

 

Topic sentence 3: ___________________________.

a.     ________________________________

b.     However, _____________________________________

 

Topic sentence 4: ___________________________.

a.     ________________________________

b.     However, _____________________________________

 

Topic sentence 5: ___________________________.

a.     ________________________________

b.     However, _____________________________________

 

SAMPLE ROGERIAN PARAGRAPHone way of handling the opposing side.

The author:

 

 

     My call for amnesty for undocumented immigrants will be highly objectionable to some readers. They say amnesty rewards lawbreakers like Vargas and many others who have used false documents to get jobs in the United States, jobs that should be going to citizens and legal residents. They correctly point out that in some industries, such as chicken processing plants in the South, low-income American workers have been replaced by an illegal workforce. I have great sympathy for this view; an immigration policy that hurts the most disadvantaged Americans should not be supported. This suggests a place where the two sides share common ground: we are concerned for those struggling to overcome poverty. The needs of all low-income people, both native and foreign-born, should be taken into account. How can we do this if the interests of low-income Americans conflict with those of Mexican and other migrants seeking a better life? This problem is not easy to solve.

However, a carefully crafted amnesty program can help….

 

SAMPLE CLASSICAL ARGUMENT ECONOMIC ESSAY CONCESSION AND REFUTATION- another way of handling the opposing side.

While you are researching and forecasting what you anticipate, you are also taking a position. For example:

 

THIS is what I am claiming may happen in the future economically: blah blah blah. Some people may argue (opposing side here)that despite these economic trends, however, the conditions of economic uncertainty and the unequal distribution of wealth in this country, these predictions are unlikely. (Concession here) While this is true, and the economic policies of this administration do indeed favor the corporations and the top 1%, (refutation here) there are still avenues provided for those who are able to blah blah blah and then blah blah blah.