Toulmins model of data, warrant, backing and claim is definitely logical and could be useful in appropriate settings, but I do not think that Eng 1000, or at least my sections will be one. His structure is commonsense, but I don’t think that a student in Eng 1000 will care for the jargon that also accompanies his model. I feel more comfortable taking my chances with Aristotle than with Toulmin.
I do not agree that “good” writing can be created as simple as he makes it seem. In accordance with Darren, good writing is not as simple A+B=C. In all actuality I don’t think that “good” writing can follow a set formula. If there is such a sufficient formula that does exist (beyond Toulmins), if a piece of writing should encompass all the variables mentioned in the formula does that automatically make it an “A” paper, does it automatically fulfill the professors expectations, etc? If it does how much of the student’s creative genius (as well as our own) have we just killed?
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