Toulmin System
Toulmin System’s Parts
Claim
the point or position you are trying to get your audience
to accept.
Stated reason
your because clause; your reasons are the subordinate claims
you make in support of your main claim
Grounds
the evidence (data, facts, testimony, statistics, examples)
supporting your stated reasons
Warrant
the originally unstated assumption behind your enthymeme,
the statement of belief, value, principle, and so on, that when accepted
by an audience, warrants or underwrites your argument
Backing
evidence or other argumentation supporting the warrant (
if the audience already accepts the warrant then backing is usually not
needed. But if the audience doubts the warrant, then backing is essential)
Conditions of Rebuttal
your acknowledgment of the limits of your claim-those conditions
under which it does not hold true, in anticipation of an adversary’s counterargument
against your reason and grounds or against your warrant and backing
Qualifier
words or phrases limiting the force of your claim.