Riddle: What’s Going on Here?
Wield Your Statistics
Types of Causal Argument
(Includes a small Take-Home Exercise)
Visual Rhetoric Assignment:
How Much Detail is Enough?
- ADD MORE DETAIL. Provide enough detail for your readers to be able to picture the entire scene. You’re the one who watches. They count of you for everything.
- The shirt is yellow. Does it matter?
- Maybe. 1) If everybody is wearing yellow, that’s probably important. It could be a uniform. 2) If everyone else is wearing black and the yellow draws our attention to the yellow shirt. THAT might be important. 3) If it’s short-sleeved, that might indicate the weather or the temperature.
- REMEMBER THE RHETORIC HALF. It’s a Visual RHETORIC Assignment. More important that WHAT YOU SEE is WHAT IT MEANS. How do the creators of the video SHOW YOU WHAT THEY MEAN?
- NOTHING IS ACCIDENTAL
- If the scene is shot from behind a door, that’s deliberate. If the costuming is sloppy, that’s deliberate. If the characters are animated, or live, or female, or of a recognizable race or ethnicity, that’s deliberate.
- The creators of the video might make mistakes. Their tactics might not succeed. But the rule of the assignment is THAT THEY DID EVERYTHING ON PURPOSE.
- NOTHING IS ACCIDENTAL
- HOW EFFECTIVE IS THE ARGUMENT?
- While you’re sharing the details of the scene, the other half of your job is to analyze WHY the details were chosen and HOW EFFECTIVE the choices are.
- DOES IT WORK BETTER WITH SOUND?
- After you finish your Muted Analysis, watch again with Audio. Did the muted video successfully deliver the Thesis of the argument? Or did it need the Audio to make its case?
- Or—this sometimes happens—is this soundtrack antagonistic to the message delivered by the muted video?
The Gamer 2.0
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Counterintuitive Spring 2024 
Sometimes it may be hard to determine the correct conclusion if you only know one angle
We have to look for facts in order to come to the correct conclusion, the facts are just what happened not why it happened, facts need context.
Always add more detail when dealing with the visual rhetoric assignment, leave nothing to the imagination so that people can see how you arrived at your conclusion
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Good enough.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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We might be wrong about the facts, but that doesn’t mean our conclusion is wrong.
Your actual responsibility as a person looking to persuade others is to go looking for facts and share what you conclude.
Facts aren’t stories.
Facts are only useful when put in the context of a causal relationship.
Any fact that doesn’t place the number in context is a useless sentence.
In a causal argument, we do not care if it’s fair or not.
All things happen because of many causes and also produces many results.
You can’t prove causality because numbers changed.
More detail always helps.
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So true:
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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What we know is right based on what we are given. We are given information and we draw a conclusion, it is right based on what we are given. It may be wrong but we are not wrong to conclude. We may be wrong about the facts but not what we conclude. In the picture the father has gotten a tattoo of his son’s scar from brain surgery. The message is what is important, it is what we can control and put into an argument. You can put together a set of images and you can allow someone to draw a conclusion from it.
Your real responsibility is to go looking for facts, to then see what those facts conclude whether it is supported or not. Statistics are used to support, facts aren’t stories, we are the storytellers. Facts are just what happened, not why it happened.
In a causal argument, we don’t care if it is fair, the causal argument is did it happen? You can say it is illegal, but that would be irrelevant to the argument. Ethical arguments have no place in a causal argument.
Try not to use the most recent videos for the visual argument, everyone tends to use those ones, so to stand out more choose a slightly older one!
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Nicely summarized, HockeyFan.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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Multiple Angles for Conclusions:
– It’s difficult to find the right conclusion with only one perspective.
– You need to consider different angles or viewpoints.
Facts vs. Context:
– Facts are just what happened; they don’t explain why.
– Context is necessary to understand the significance of facts.
Statistics are Tools:
– Statistics are like tools.
– They’re useless if you don’t know how to use them.
– Like balls in a bag or bats on a rack.
Handling Statistics:
– Everyone handles statistics differently.
– But good writers have common approaches.
– They face forward, adopt a comfortable stance, and deliver with confidence.
Making Numbers Matter:
– Numbers need context to be meaningful.
– Compare your number to the range of possible numbers.
– For example, saying “50%” isn’t enough; you need to say if it’s good or bad.
Guiding Your Readers:
– Readers rely on you to interpret numbers.
– Help them understand why your number is important.
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Beautiful work, Snowman.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
5/3
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We aren’t wrong to conclude. If we make observations we may draw the wrong conclusion, but we weren’t wrong to conclude it.
Our real responsibility as a person who wants to persuade others is to look for facts and see what we can conclude.
Facts aren’t stories we are the storytellers. Facts are just what happened.
We can use them by making sure the reader knows what they mean.
Facts are only useful when they are placed into the context of a causal relationship.
If your number is a good number you need to prove to your reader why it is.
The causal argument is what happened.
The argument is made if the consequences result because of the previous problem.
The causal argument is blind to justice.
You can have a single cause with several effects.
All things happen because of many causes and with many results.
We have a visual rhetoric assignment that is due by Sunday.
We should choose a video and make sure we should click the oldest filter.
We should choose a roughly 30-second video.
More detail always helps.
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Nice work.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
5/3
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-Riddle: We may be wrong in conclusions, but were we wrong to conclude it, no. Our conclusion is the right conclusion based on what we were given. The photo we are looking at for this example is a potential dad and child with a similar scar on their heads.
-In the riddle that dad got a matching tattoo of a scar that his son has. Even if the scar were to be fake, we can still see and know the message. The message is all we can control when we put together an argument, by putting together facts that will compel people to draw conclusions.
-Finding facts and shaping points of view is how you can get someone to believe your claim more and to persuade someone. Our responsibility as someone who wants to persuade others is to find facts, and see what they make us conclude. The statistics we find that support our claims are to be used, not just stated. Facts are not stories, we have to further explain them to make them more persuadable.
-The wield Your Statistics example of choosing the quote that does not make sense made us think about wording and the proper ways to use statistics such as percentages and age ranges.
-Your objection is irrelevant to a causal argument. Convincing your argument is key, even if the argument may not be fair. For a causal argument, you could have a single cause, with many effects. What that is going to do is focus our attention on one single cause and describe all of the effects that come from that. There can be several causes for a single effect as well. You would need to explain what contributing causes are for the single effect. There is a take home exercise for the types of causes with effects that needs to be done in regards to your argument.
-For the visual rhetoric assignment due Sunday, we need to focus on detail so that the reader can visual exactly what you are talking about. We need to create the visual through our words. We need to describe what we see, and the importance of it. We need to say what it means and show it. The rhetorical half is explaining why people are there, dressed a certain way, in an effective way.
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This isn’t quite right:
The point is that your ETHICAL objection to what HAPPENED is irrelevant to the argument that a Cause A resulted in a Consequence B. Good or bad, the outcome occurred as a result of the situation and perhaps someone’s action. You can still object that it SHOULDN’T have happened, but that has no place in a Causal argument.
4/3
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-You are allowed to make a conclusion on the information that you are given. We are right to make the conclusion because the author made it for us to draw conclusions. There is great responsibility to talk people into things.
-Look for facts and share what you conclude to help readers understand the content more and give them background
-The facts are just what happened. Facts are only useful when you place them into context.
-You have to find a way to tell your reader that your number is great. It can not be good or bad it was to be great
-Your objection is irrelevant to the causal argument. You can argue multiple things in a causal argument. But you only have 1000 words so choose one argument that you like the most.
-All things happen because of many causes and all things cause because things happen.
-The only thing that matters in your causal argument is what happens. Not what you think or what you believe it is just what actually happens.
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I hope I didn’t say this:
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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-Riddle: There is nothing wrong with drawing a conclusion. It is right to conclude something by just looking at an image. The image should provide info to be able to make a conclusion. The conclusion could be false and that is fine. The message is all we can control when trying to make an argument.
-Wield your statistics: Statistics can be easily wasted. They are useless if not used correctly. The actual responsibility as someone who wants to persuade others is to look for facts. Statistics should not just be placed in arguments. They should always be used in a way that helps out the argument. Facts don’t convince anyone, they are only useful when used in the right technique. The statistic should be placed into context to actually have meaning.
-Types of causal argument: There are five types or patterns of causal arguments. There are single causes with single effects. There are single causes with several effects.There is several causes with one effect. There is a causal chain and finally causation fallacy.
-Visual rhetoric assignment: Add as much detail as possible into this assignment. Make sure the rhetoric part of the assignment is known. The whole point of the assignment is understanding rhetoric. Every image in the video should be understood. The effectiveness of the argument should be told as well. If a prop was placed on purpose or if the scene was shot in a particular way should all be told.
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Thank you for this paragraph, EaglesFan. It indicates to me that I must not have emphasized HOW to utilize facts. You found five or six ways to say that we need to use facts, not just state them. But clearly I didn’t help you understand what to do with them.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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– Riddle: When we see something and we interpret it a different way, we aren’t wrong to draw conclusions based on what we were given. We might be wrong about the facts but not about what we concluded.
– Wield your statistics: There’s a responsibility, not to find facts to support your point, but to find facts period. Facts are just what happened, but you can use them if you’re careful by making sure your reader knows what you meant by them. You cannot just drop facts, they don’t convince anything, and they’re only useful when properly applied to the context of the causal argument. You have to indicate whether the fact is to be a good or bad thing before conclusions can be made. Don’t waste a source of information due to lack of context.
– Types of causal arguments: The point of the argument isn’t to prove if it’s fair, the point of the argument is to prove if the results happened from the source of the “problem” or factors contributing towards them. Example: “My past associations prevented me from obtaining my future.” You’re proving if that’s the actual reason you didn’t get the job, not if it was fair or not. It’s important to choose proper wording to fully decipher what the main cause of something is, when you’re clear with what contributed to the result, it’s a little easier to see what’s trying to be said.
– Visual rhetoric assignment: the more detail provided, the better your analysis could be to your readers. Leave out unnecessary details unless they pertain to the point of the AD.
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I particularly like your “past associations” paragraph, NC.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
5/3
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-Riddle – We can see that the father and son have a scar on their head so we can conclude that they both have done something to them and we also conclude that they are father and son. What’s really going on is that the son got surgery done and the had gotten a tattoo of the same scar so that the child wouldn’t feel out of place.
-Statistics – Facts that you look for to help support your topic or ideas is good but to a point if you can’t fully support it and add it to what you’re doing it’s pointless.
Causal Argument – Every cause will have an effect and every cause can have many different outcome
Rhetoric – Having more detail is always better because going in depth will help the reader understand and try to visualize what is going on without seeing what the writer sees. It’s important to try to explain to the fullest of the video that you are using.
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These are good enough, Gamer, but you picked up credit for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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You can have a valid conclusion that still ends up being false
Statistics need context and explanation, you can’t just place them with no context
Numbers need to be compared relative to other numbers in order for you to determine if they are too big or small in accordance with the situation
Causal argument doesn’t care if something is fair, that’s definitional. The causal argument only cares how it happened.
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Nicely summarizes the essentials.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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Riddle- we might be wrong in our conclusion, but we are not wrong to draw conclusions
We might be wrong but its not wrong to draw conclusions
The message is all we can control when we out together an argument, they wil be put together in a way that will compel you to draw conclusions
“Having them(statisitcs) is pointless if you dont dont know how to use them”- Statistics are pointless if you dont know how to use them
Casual argument- you can have a single cause with a single effect, single cause with several effects, several causes for a single effect, a casual chain
Take home exercise for casual arguments from your own research
For VR assignment- add as much detail as possible, remember the rhetoric half, and remember how effective is the argument?- was the clear point of view expressed
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Fair enough.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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In the riddle it was a picture where we assume that it is a father and a child. We drew this conclusion nothing says that it is a father and a child, it would be the right conclusion to us because of the information we were given.
We may be wrong about the facts but our conclusion would not be incorrect because of what we were given
The way the author sets things up gets us to draw conclusions
Picture: son had brain surgery and the father god a tattoo matching the surgery scar for his son to know someone is with him
When using statitsics makes sure it does match your point of view. Theyre tools and if they are not used right they are useless.
Add context with the number, the reader needs to know why the number you are providing is better than anything else
The point is to convince the reader, add information
Example: In Michelle Obamas book she added statistics but failed to place it into context and tell the reader wether the numbers are high or lower than I should have expected
Add a lot of detail, make sure that it is enough that the reader can visualize what you are saying and understadnt he details impose interpretations on the viewers
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Very nice work, Gymrat.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
4/3
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Riddle -The things we assume and conclude are based on what we have been given. Our conclusions may or may not be true, what is concrete is that we are not wrong in concluding something that may not be true.
Statistics – Your responsibility as a person who wants to persuade someone is to look for facts. As you present your arguments, the statistics you cite and rely on should indicate something of what you previously concluded. Facts are not stories, we are the ones who tell the story, facts are nothing more than statistics. You can use them as long as your readers know what you mean by using them.
The more details we can provide, the better our analysis will be. This task is visual rhetoric, which means we must describe what we are seeing in detail, but we will also be able to explain why the author placed everything the way he did and how effective the argument was. A clear point of view needs to be established.
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These are worth 4 already.
Credit applied for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
5/3
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Riddle: What’s Going on here?
Wield Your statistics
Types of Causal Arguments
How much detail is enough
Summary
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(and how)
I meant to edit that out. is there any way we can edit our comments once they have been posted?
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No, there isn’t, but I’m happy to edit for you.
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This makes your Notes worth 4:
Grade includes credit for responding to the Types of Causal Argument page.
5/3
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•Provide enough detail to help readers visualize the scene.
•Think about the importance of details like clothing color and style.
•Focus on the meaning behind visual pieces in the assignment.
•Recognize that every aspect of the video is intentional, even obvious mistakes
•Analyze the chosen details and their impact on communicating the message.
•Think of overall impact of the argument.
•Compare the effectiveness of the muted video versus the unmuted version
•Does the soundtrack add to or take away from the video’s message?
•Make sure the statistics used matches up to your opinion.
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