Toulmin Model and Campus Gun Control?
I'm getting really confused about this. I need to break down an article according to the toulmin model within the next few hours. It's about gun control on campuses. So far I've got:
Claim: Guns should be allowed on campuses because they would stop or deter school shootings.
The article goes on to talk about how no one was able to stop recent school shootings (VT, NIU) so obviously the current no guns allowed policy on campuses isn't working. It says that guns in the hands of good guys acts as a deterrent to the bad guys, and if any of the students or professors (the "good guys") had been carrying guns they probably would have been able to stop the perpetrator. What data, warrant, and backing can I draw from this?
* Claim: Allowing guns on campus stops or deters school shootings.
* Data: Recent school shootings (45 since '96) weren't stopped and no one else had a gun.
* Warrant: If guns were allowed someone probably would have shot the perpetrators.
* Backing: none
Am I even close on this? I'm so confused!
To break down the article according to the Toulmin model, you need to identify specific elements within the article that correspond to the various components of the model.
1. Claim: Guns should be allowed on campuses because they would stop or deter school shootings.
2. Data: Look for the evidence or data provided in the article that supports the claim. In this case, the article mentions recent school shootings at Virginia Tech (VT) and Northern Illinois University (NIU) as examples where no one could stop the shootings because guns were not allowed on campuses.
3. Warrant: Identify the underlying assumption or reasoning that connects the data to the claim. In this case, the article implies that if guns were allowed on campuses, individuals (students or professors) who possess guns could potentially stop or deter school shootings.
4. Backing: Look for additional evidence or support that strengthens the warrant. In this case, the backing could include examples of incidents where armed individuals successfully stopped or prevented similar attacks, or statistical evidence showing a lower occurrence of school shootings in places where guns are allowed.
To break it down more specifically:
Data: The article mentions specific examples of recent school shootings where no one was able to stop the perpetrator because guns were not allowed on campus (such as the incidents at Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University).
Warrant: The implied reasoning is that if guns were allowed on campuses, individuals who possess guns (students, professors, or other "good guys") would have the potential to stop or deter school shootings.
Backing: Look for additional evidence or support within the article or external research that strengthens the warrant. This could include examples of incidents where an armed individual successfully stopped or prevented a similar attack, or statistical evidence showing a lower occurrence of school shootings in places where guns are allowed.
By carefully analyzing the article, you can identify the specific data, warrant, and backing elements that support the claim made in the Toulmin model.