The Argumentative Modes

Overview

Identifying the argumentative modes that an author uses enables you to focus on how the author put the argument together—specifically what method of organization or structure they used.  In this way, the modes provide a vocabulary that you can use to describe what an author is doing, which is very helpful when executing a rhetorical analysis.  

In addition, being able to identify the organization or structure of a text can often be very helpful in improving reading comprehension. Below are general definitions of some of the most  commonly used modes; however, keep in mind that you may find an author doing things that don’t fit neatly into the categories below. In that case, don’t be afraid to come up with your own description of what the author is doing. While many of the argumentative modes will be familiar to you, some may not make sense until you see them in action in a text.

The Argumentative Modes

Description The act of capturing people, places, events, objects, and feelings in words so that a reader can visualize and respond to them. The writer uses the senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, sound) to place the reader in the environment of the essay. The writing can be objective (simply discussing the situation) or subjective (attempting to persuade the reader by the impact of the described situation).

Narration The act of telling a story, often based on the author's or a key interviewee's personal experience, that illustrates some aspect of the argument. Narration usually incorporates descriptive elements—senses, metaphors, and similes--which are used to get the reader to identify with the writer (or whoever the story is about) on some level, and thereby ultimately agree with the writer.

Example Example arguments provides concrete and/or specific details to support abstract ideas or generalizations. Good examples help the writer "show" rather than "tell," and strong essays use good examples as support for the thesis to convince or persuade the reader.  Often writers provide multiple different examples to prove a particular point.

Definition   The process of explaining a word, object, or idea in such a way that the reader knows precisely what the writer means. A good definition focuses on the special qualities of a word or phrase in the context of the author’s specific topic. Definitions also often give the reader and writer a mutual starting point.

Rebuttal   Rebuttal arguments present the ideas of a specific person or group, or commonly held ideas, and then identifies the flaws or errors in those ideas. Frequently, the author  might begin with a rebuttall—setting up their own argument by explaining the flaws in the arguments of others.

Division/Classification   Division takes a general concept or topic and creates smaller subcategories. Classification takes individual examples and groups them based on common traits. Division is important because it breaks a complex subject into parts that are easy for a reader to grasp. Classification is important because it organizes a large amount of material for the reader.

Comparison/Contrast   Comparison discovers likenesses between two things, and Contrast discovers differences between two things. They work hand-in-hand, allowing the reader and writer to understand one subject by putting it next to another.

Cause/Effect   This mode looks for connections between different elements and analyzes the reasons for those connections. In working with Causes, the writer searches for any circumstances from the past that may have caused a single event. In looking for Effects, the writer seeks occurrences that took place after a particular event and resulted from that event.

Use the Modes as Another Form of Note-taking

As you read, begin to identify the argumentative modes when you see them being used in a text. For example, if an author tells a story, you can write “narrative” in the margin. If they define or re-define a word or concept, you can write “definition” in the margin. The purpose here is to get a sense of how the text was put together, how the different components of the text relate to one another, and what its method of organization is. Being able to notice these characteristics of a text will then help with reading comprehension, writing summaries, and detailed analysis of a text.

The basic descriptions of the modes were taken from the CSU Bakersfield website: http://www.csub.edu/~rhewett/english100/rmodes.htm