Tag : opinions

Vijay Garg  Student working on argument mapping We’re in an age when people form opinions as quickly as they can read a headline. For this reason and others, it’s more essential than ever that educators teach students not what to think, but how to think. Critical, mindful thinking is a skill that ushers students through college and sticks with them through all their pursuits in life. Argument mapping is a great way to challenge students to show their thinking and arrive at conclusions in a logical, reasoned manner. In this article, we’ll look at what argument mapping is, the benefits and drawbacks of it, and how to use it in the classroom. Argument Mapping Defined Especially when dealing with complex or controversial issues, it can be difficult to think clearly and logically. Argument mapping gives students a visual way to break down and clarify their thoughts to see if they’re coming to the best conclusion. According to ReasoningLab.comopens in new window: Argument maps are box-and-line diagrams that lay out visually reasoning and evidence for and against a statement or claim. A good map clarifies and organizes thinking by showing the logical relationships between thoughts that are expressed simply and precisely. Argument maps are driven by asking, “Should I believe that? Why or why not?” Similar to mind mapping, students begin an argument map with a central idea, or contention, and then draw branches off that contention to show why their argument is valid. Here are the different parts of an argument map in more detail: Contention: The central argument, idea, or position the student is examining. Also sometimes called the conclusion, argument, or claim. Reasons: The foundational ideas supporting the contention. Also sometimes ...