Dialectic

Dialectic is the process of reasoned dialog and logical analysis. Argument is a form of dialect. Synonyms: Debate, Rational Discourse, Legal Analysis, Scholarship as a Conversation People engage in dialectics (spoken dialog or written dialog with others) Dialectics is sometimes referred to as the ceaseless debate–a recurring cycle of interpretation and reinterpretation. Legal discourse is built ...

Grounds

Grounds are evidence Grounds is a term that Stephen T

Medium, Media

Medium is a method of communication a communication channel a tool, a material, used to communicate the processes writers, speakers, knowledge workers . . . engage in to transmit, receive and archive messages The plural for Medium is Media. Synonyms: Communication Channel; Materials, Writing Tools; Writing Spaces Medium (or Media) is a broad term that ...

Golden Gate Bridge under clear skies, supported by exaggerated beams, with cars crossing over.

Backing

Backing is a key part of building a strong argument, as defined by Stephen Toulmin in his model of argumentation. It’s the additional evidence or reasoning that supports the warrant, which is the logical link connecting your evidence to your main point or claim. In simpler terms, if your claim is what you’re trying to ...

Post-Positivism

Post-positivists assume that any attempt to ground knowledge outside human consciousness is futile. While post-positivists do not, of course, deny the existence of a physical world, they argue that all knowledge about that world is constructed by human consciousness through language. Related Concepts: Epistemology Why Does Post-Positivism Matter? Post-positivism is an important philosophical perspective that ...

Research Communities

Definition Methodological Communities are Related Concepts Audience Awareness; Discourse Community; Epistemology; Research; Rhetorical Analysis Why are Research Communities Important? Just as people with similar religious beliefs, political loyalties, or cultural practices can be said to make up a community—even though they have never met—those who share research methods and philosophies of knowledge–ways of knowing–may also ...

Positivism

What is Positivism? Positivism is a philosophical and scientific approach that emphasizes the use of empirical evidence and observable facts to develop and evaluate knowledge. Positivists assume Positivists conduct observational studies to uncover these regular, nonrandom patterns and the relationships among the patterns. Working collaboratively and inductively, positivists sort through a multitude of relationships, seeking ...

Rhetorical Analysis–Image

How do images convey a message? How should students and scholars alike evaluate the effectiveness of a visual text? As a composer and analyzer of texts, it is important to keep in mind that authors often choose to use visual images to convey ideas. Whether composing or analyzing an image, consider how each of these ...

Discourse Community – Community of Practice

What is a Discourse Community? A discourse community refers to a group of people who are in conversation with one another. Members of a discourse community share interests, goals, or fields of study. They share language practices, employing jargon, genres, rhetorical appeals, rhetorical moves, and discourse conventions. For instance, the field of medicine serves as ...

Research Question

What is a Research Question? The Research Question is the question the author is exploring. Related Concepts: Organizational Schema Research Question A research question is a guiding question that an author uses to guide his or her research while gathering information for a project. Research questions typically appear in an annotated bibliography or other summary ...