Smart Thinking: Skills for Critical Understanding and Writing, 2nd Ed

GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS 183

no matter how many distinct groups of dependent premises there are, such argu-

ments are not complex. Compare with complex structure. (See chapter 3.)

source

Sources can be either direct (primary) or indirect (secondary). The difference

between them is usually contextual, but generally speaking, direct sources relate to

the topic of our reasoning; indirect sources relate to what others have reasoned

about our topic. Obviously, if the topic of our argument or explanation is what

others have written or said, then what appears to be an indirect source can in fact

be direct. (See chapter 8.)

specific cases, reasoning from

The conclusion generalises beyond the scope of the specific cases in the premises;
the premises give the evidence regarding those cases. The key question to ask is: do
these cases give rise to some reliable generalisation that applies to all of them or all
like cases? (See chapter 7.)

statement

The generic name for an ordered, meaningful group of words. Statements may or
may not be claims. A statement is not a sentence: 'sentence' is a term used to
describe the narrative flow of words; statement is a term to denote the analytical
units that make up reasoning. Compare with claim. (See chapter 2.)

strength of support

Even acceptable and relevant premises do not always provide sufficient support to

show or explain their conclusions. Judgments of the necessary strength of support

needed in reasoning are difficult, since they depend largely on the context in which

that reasoning is taking place. Compare with burden of proof. (See chapter 6.)

structure diagram

One half of the analytical structure format. A structure diagram shows the inter-

relationship of claims in a standardised way. It is distinguished from the arrangement

of claims in narrative flow by the fact that, in a diagram, the conclusion is always last

and the order of claims above it indicates the 'steps' we need to take to reach that

conclusion from our starting point. The key elements are the [<l] symbol, to show

premise-conclusion links; the + symbol, to show premise-premise links; and the use

of horizontal lines ( ), to show grouped chains of premises. (See chapter 3.)

sub-argument

Any one component layer of a complex argument. For example, consider an
argument structure in which claims 2 and 3 support claim 4, which in turn joins
with claim 5 to support the conclusion—claim 1. The main argument concerns
claim 1 and so the sub-argument consists in the structure 2+3 [-1] 4. (See
chapter 3.)