Writing Using the Toulmin Method - Moses Humphries- St5 Critical Thinking When we write essays or arguments, we often want to convince people that our ideas make sense. But how do we achieve this without sounding like we’re just sharing opinions? One effective way is to use the Toulmin Method, which provides a structure for building strong arguments. Created by philosopher Stephen Toulmin, it divides an argument into six parts. 1. Claim The claim is your main point, what you are trying to prove. For example: “School uniforms s hould be mandatory in all high schools.” That’s the statement you want your audience to accept. 2. Grounds The grounds are your evidence or reasons that support your claim. They answer the question: Why should I believe you? Example: “Uniforms reduce bullying because everyone is dressed the same, making it harder for students to judge each other based on clothes.” 3. Warrant The warrant explains the hidden connection between your grounds and claim. It clari...
The importance of knowing true information Moses Humphries Knowing the truth is one of the most important things in life, because without it, we end up living in a world of guesses, myths, and assumptions. The Gapminder “You are probably wrong about the world” quizzes are a perfect example of this. These quizzes test people on facts about the world, things like global poverty, health, education, and the environment. Shockingly, most people score worse than chance. In other words, a monkey choosing answers at random often does better than humans who think they know the facts. This clearly shows why truth matters. If people believe the world is getting worse when in reality global health, education, and living standards have been improving, they may feel hopeless and powerless. But when we know the true information, we see that progress is possible and that human effort really does make a difference. For example, one Gapminder question asks how many girls in the world finish primary scho...
Social Media is taking over the world! 29/07/2025 By - Moses Humphries - Let’s be real: social media is a huge part of most teenagers' lives. We use it to connect with friends, stay up to date with trends, and sometimes even just to kill time. But as fun as it might seem, there’s a growing concern that social media might be doing more harm than good. It’s time we started thinking seriously about setting stricter rules for how teens use these platforms not just for our safety, but for our mental health and wellbeing too. One of the biggest reasons for this is the impact social media has on mental health. Studies have shown that heavy use of platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat can lead to increased anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem in teens. It’s not hard to see why. Every time you scroll, you're bombarded with perfect-looking lives, bodies, relationships, and achievements. It’s easy to start comparing yourself to others and feeling like you’re not good enough. ...
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