Thank You for Arguing: What Aristotle, Lincoln, and Homer Simpson Can Teach Us About the Art of Persuasion

How might Heinrichs’s rhetorical tips and tricks on how to argue be used to appeal a grade or score you feel was unjustly given? What strategies from the text might one try in particular classes versus others?

Considering the full breadth of what you’ve learned from reading Thank You for Arguing, what might you do to persuade your teacher to revise the grade if they initially refute your argument? Are there certain circumstances in this hypothetical situation that could potentially lead to your appeal being more effective?

Teaching Suggestion: It may be beneficial to encourage students to dive deeper into this thought experiment: In this hypothetical situation, would it matter if being sick and/or grieving caused them to receive a bad grade? How would that change the nature of their appeal? How would they appeal the bad grade if they received it because they shirked their studying duties? Walk them through the various scenarios and ask them to tweak their arguments accordingly based on the circumstances.

Differentiation Suggestion: For students who might be energized by a more kinesthetic approach, you can turn this exercise into a performance by having the students create mock arguments between “teachers” and “students.” First, divide the class into “teachers” and “students.