What is the Toulmin Method? According to Julia Green on page 316 of, "Communicating Online, " the Toulmin Method was created by Stephan Toulmin in order to being able to describe arguments as having a list of steps (Claim, Reason, Warrant). What a warrant is, according to Toulmin, is the link between claim and grounds. An example of this method is (claim: teachers should allow students to work on assignment through a computer, rather than writing every assignment down on paper), (ground: more students from another class are started turning in more assignment, since they had switched to computers rather than papers), (warrant: students are supposed to do homework). However, according to Julia Green on page 324 of, "Communicating Online," there are rebuttals of counterarguments of the Toulmin Method. For example, your rebuttal could be that the students in the other class are teacher assistants (rather than "actual students.") You can also have a "backing" for your warrant, for example, your teacher friend is getting more assignment submitted since she had switched to computers.
In the link that I had provided is the photo credit that is shown above, it also describes more information about the Toulmin Method (describing each of the steps and its purpose). Why do we need to use the Toulmin Method? The reason is so that people can backup their arguments (make it more persuasive) as well as allows people to be able to create supporting evidence for their ideas (also making it easier for other people to identify reasonings). In the link that I had provided below goes into detail about the method as well as provide a detail example of how the method works.
Warrant: What make the claim relevant/important.
Claim: The main focus of the argument.
Ground: What make the claim trustworthy.
Qualifier: Used if the claim is not one hundred percent true.
Rebuttal: Another view of the claim.
Backing: What is used to support the warrant.
Example of Toulmin Argument:
Claim: Libraries should allow people to drink coffee inside.
Ground: People will be more focused on homework.
Warrant: Coffee leads students to focus more on school.
Backing: Studies show that students are willing to go to libraries that allow outside drinks.
Rebuttal: Students would be spending more time getting coffee than staying at the library.
One of the ways that the Toulmin Method is uses online is by student discussion boards. In the link that I had provided below provides a research article that describes about how Toulmin's Method is used in schools. Another way that the method is used is how people discuss to one another online. When someone had an opinion that they disagree with, they should be able to back up their reasonings as well as know any counter arguments that may occur. Having the ground, warrant, backing and rebuttal for your conversations will allow you to see other peoples reasoning as well. The more you use this method, the more you will be able to support your ideas and opinions. Not only can this work for school or online classes, but it can work for you job and personal life as well.
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