Sprachpraxis II: The Craft of Argument I

This course is designed to help students understand, analyse and produce written argumentative discourse in English. It introduces students to the fundamental principles and models of argumentation and enables them to practise and enhance their critical thinking and writing abilities. Students will learn how to develop central claims (thesis statements) and support them with logical, focused and progressive argumentation. They will also learn how to find evidence and other forms of proof and organise ideas in written discourse. Students will also learn how to adapt their arguments to particular communication situations by considering the intended audience and the problem that the text is intended to solve. While examining a variety of argumentative genres in English, such as newspaper editorials, advertisements and academic papers, the course will primarily focus on the deliberative essay.