1/16/2026 5:14:53 PM	COMM 3 Course Outline as of Fall 2026	Changed Course
CATALOG INFORMATION
Discipline and Nbr:  COMM 3	Title:  INTRO TO ARGUMENTATION
Full Title:  Introduction to Argumentation
Last Reviewed:11/4/2024

Units		Course Hours per Week			Nbr of Weeks	Course Hours Total
Maximum	3.00	Lecture Scheduled	3.00		17.5 max.	Lecture Scheduled	52.50
Minimum	3.00	Lab Scheduled	0		4 min.	Lab Scheduled	0
		Contact DHR	0			Contact DHR	0
		Contact Total	3.00			Contact Total	52.50
		Non-contact DHR	0			Non-contact DHR Total	0

Total Out of Class Hours:  105.00

Total Student Learning Hours: 157.50

Title 5 Category:  AA Degree Applicable
Grading:  Grade or P/NP
Repeatability:  00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP
Also Listed As: 
Formerly:  SPCH 3A

Catalog Description:

During this course, students will focus on the essay form to build strong arguments in advance of an oral debate. Students will be instructed on how to employ solid argumentation, sound reasoning, current research, and expert evidence to write essays and construct debate arguments devoid of fallacious or misleading content. This course includes the study of argument analysis, refutation strategies, deductive versus inductive reasoning, cross-examination competence, speech delivery, and rebuttal techniques. Students will practice prior to and participate in live oral debates in front of live audiences.

Prerequisites/Corequisites:
Completion of ENGL C1000 OR EMLS 10 or higher

Recommended Preparation:

Limits on Enrollment:

Schedule of Classes Information
Description:

During this course, students will focus on the essay form to build strong arguments in advance of an oral debate. Students will be instructed on how to employ solid argumentation, sound reasoning, current research, and expert evidence to write essays and construct debate arguments devoid of fallacious or misleading content. This course includes the study of argument analysis, refutation strategies, deductive versus inductive reasoning, cross-examination competence, speech delivery, and rebuttal techniques. Students will practice prior to and participate in live oral debates in front of live audiences.

(Grade or P/NP)
Prerequisites:Completion of ENGL C1000 OR EMLS 10 or higher
Recommended:
Limits on Enrollment:
Transfer Credit:CSU;UC.
Repeatability:00 - Two Repeats if Grade was D, F, NC, or NP

ARTICULATION, MAJOR, and CERTIFICATION INFORMATION

Associate Degree:		Effective:	Fall 2025	Inactive:
Area:	B L1B	Communication and Analytical Thinking Oral Communication and Critical Thinking
CSU GE:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
	A3	Critical Thinking		Fall 1981
IGETC:	Transfer Area			Effective:	Inactive:
CSU Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
UC Transfer:	Transferable	Effective:	Fall 1981	Inactive:
C-ID:
CID Descriptor: COMM 120	Argumentation or Argumentation and Debate	SRJC Equivalent Course(s): COMM9 OR COMM3

Certificate/Major Applicable: Both Certificate and Major Applicable

COURSE CONTENT

Student Learning Outcomes:
At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Analyze the core elements of a proposition and develop relevant arguments for and against a debate proposition.

2. Engage in live oral debates utilizing sound reasoning, clear organization and effective delivery.

3. Critically evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of arguments raised for either side in a debate.

4. Compose well-organized and well-researched essays to defend during live oral debates.

 

Objectives:

At the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

 

1. Identify the basic logical precepts and traditions of argumentation in the Western rhetorical tradition.

2. Recognize, identify and construct the three traditional types of propositions of fact, value and policy.

3. List and explain the traditional prima facie elements for propositions of fact, value and policy.

4. List and explain the strategies for supporting and opposing debate resolutions.

5. List and explain the techniques of refutation and counter refutation.

6. Identify and utilize the principles of effective and efficient research in preparing arguments to support or oppose a debate resolution.

7. Identify different types of evidence that may be used to support arguments.

8. Compare and contrast inductive and deductive reasoning.

9. Compare and contrast different patterns of reasoning including example, analogy, causal and sign reasoning.

10. Recognize and identify logical fallacies.

11. Demonstrate the use of outlining to construct cases that support or oppose a debate resolution.

12. Participate in live oral debates which emphasize intercollegiate debate norms and apply sound argumentation principles.

13. Identify competing paradigms for evaluating a debate.

14. Critique a debate, either oral or written, and provide a ballot stating reasons for a decision in accordance with accepted evaluation standards.

15. Research, develop, outline, and write college-level essays on a variety of topics and defend those essays during live oral debates.

16. Analyze, critique, and refute essays of other students.

17. Analyze, criticize, and generate complex ideas.

18. Identify the enthymemes, warrants, or assumptions upon which conclusions depend.

19. Identify the components of sufficient proof.

20. Reflect critically on one's own thought processes.

21. Demonstrate appropriate use of texting, blogging, or influencing, with attention to the intended audience, purpose, and social context.

22. Identify knowledge versus belief.

23. Identify a fact versus a judgment.

24. Evaluate sources with respect to their relevance, reliability, and appropriateness to the rhetorical context.

25. Identify which kinds of arguments prove particularly open to cultural sensitivity and are respectful of a diversity of world views.

Topics and Scope

I. Introduction to the Course

    A. The relationship between argument and critical thinking

    B. The role of critical thinking in life, politics, professions, and education

    C. Argumentation and epistemology

    D. The roles and responsibilities of arguers

II. The Nature of Argumentation: From Arguing to Debating

    A. The meaning of argumentation

    B. The basic unit of rhetorical argument: the enthymeme

    C. The relationship of debate to argumentation

    D. The world of debate

III. The Reasonable Person Model: Addressing Our Rational Selves

    A. Defining the "reasonable person"

    B. The parties to a debate

    C. The role of debate in problem solving

    D. The ethics of debate

IV. The Resolution: The Focus of a Debate

    A. The burden of proof

    B. Presumption

    C. The standard of proof

    D. A burden of proof

    E. The burden of refutation/rejoinder

V. The Requirements for a Properly Constructed Debate Resolution

    A. One central idea

    B. Controversy

    C. Neutral terminology

    D. The burden of proof properly placed

VI. The Importance of Definitions

    A. Types of definitions

    B. Standards for evaluating competing definitions

VII. Traditional Prima Facie Requirements for Resolutions

    A. Resolutions of fact

    B. Resolutions of value

    C. Resolutions of policy

VIII. Affirmative Strategies in Debate

    A. Needs analysis

    B. Comparative advantage

    C. Alternative justification

    D. Goals/criteria

IX. Negative Strategies in Debate

    A. Topicality

    B. Defense of the status quo

    C. Minor repair

    D. Counter policies

    E. Reliance on presumption

    F. Disadvantages

X. Critical Thinking

    A. The Toulmin model

    B. Fallacies of reasoning

    C. Syllogisms

    D. Inductive reasoning

    E. Deductive reasoning

    F. Determining valid and invalid arguments

XI. The Role of Research in Support of Claims

    A. The need for evidence

    B. The evaluation of evidence

    C. The application of evidence

    D. Conducting basic research

XII. Evaluating The Debate

    A. The role of the critic

    B. Judging paradigms

    C. Providing constructive feedback

Assignments:

1. Regular reading assignments from course texts and supplementary materials (20-25 pages/week)

2. Homework assignments

    a. Creating your own debate resolutions based on guidelines for debate resolution construction

    b. Analysis and evaluation of arguments from a critical viewpoint

    c. Identifying and explaining fallacies

    d. Critiquing debates and saying who won the debate and why

3. Exams (2 - 20)

4. Writing assignments (minimum 5,000 total words) must include:

At least once during the semester, students will submit an extended argument in three stages. In between each stage, instructor feedback and peer review will occur. The first stage will be an annotated outline; the second stage a first draft with quoted expert research; and the third stage a polished final draft, using MLA Style Guidelines and a Works Cited page. During the research and writing of this extended argument, students will be expected to revise the first two drafts based on detailed feedback from their instructor and reviews from their peers.

 

Additional writing to meet the 5000 word requirement may include:

    a. Sequential writing on opposing viewpoints.  

    b. Essays emphasizing analysis and evaluation of arguments from a critical viewpoint

   c. Formal argumentative term papers that advocate for or against a policy change, value assessment, or factual determination on a significant contemporary issue

   d. Written peer responses, and other forms of informal writing which informs students' inquiry-driven research and writing processes

 

5. In-class work consists of:

    a. Skills demonstration: Minimum of two oral debates that demonstrate proficiency in constructing supportive arguments, refuting opposing arguments, asking and answering questions, utilizing evidence, avoiding and detecting fallacies, organizing ideas, managing time, and understanding and correctly applying appropriate debate theory.

    b. Group exercises & mock debates.

Methods of Evaluation/Basis of Grade.

Writing: Assessment tools that demonstrate writing skill and/or require students to select, organize and explain ideas in writing.		Writing 50 - 60%
Term papers, series of short essays, extended argument, minimum of 5000 words
Problem solving: Assessment tools, other than exams, that demonstrate competence in computational or non-computational problem solving skills.		Problem Solving 5 - 10%
Homework assignments
Skill Demonstrations: All skill-based and physical demonstrations used for assessment purposes including skill performance exams.		Skill Demonstrations 15 - 25%
Oral presentations/debates
Exams: All forms of formal testing, other than skill performance exams.		Exams 15 - 25%
Exams
Other: Includes any assessment tools that do not logically fit into the above categories.		Other Category 5 - 10%
Participation in discussions and group exercises

Representative Textbooks and Materials:

Arguing, Reasoning, and Thinking Well. Gass, Robert and Seiter, John. Routledge. 2019. (classic).

Argumentation and Debate. 13th ed. Freeley, Austin and Steinberg. David. Wadsworth Publishing. 2013. (classic).

Critical Thinking Through Debate. 3rd ed.  Nelson, Mark and Corcoran, Joseph. Kendall/Hunt. 2019. (classic).

Critical Thinking, Reading and Writing: A Brief Guide to Argument. 11th ed. Barnet, Sylvan and Bedau, Hugo and O'Hara, John. Bedford/St. Martins. 2022

Elements of Argument: A Text and Reader. 13th ed. Rottenberg, Annette and Winchell, Donna. MacMillan Learning. 2021

From Critical Thinking to Argument: A Portable Guide. 7th ed. Barnet, Sylvan and Bedau, Hugo and O'Hara, John. MacMillan Higher Ed. 2023

How Arguments Work - A Guide to Writing and Analyzing Texts in College. Mills. LibreTexts. https://human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Composition/Advanced_Composition/How_Arguments_Work_-_A_Guide_to_Writing_and_Analyzing_Texts_in_College_(Mills) .

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