Homeschool Critical Thinking and Writing Guides

"This is the ultimate 'how-to' book for anyone who wants to use reasons and evidence in support of conclusions, to be clear instead of confusing, persuasive instead of dogmatic, and better at evaluating the arguments of others." —Debra Nails, Michigan State University

From academic writing to personal and public discourse, the need for good arguments and better ways of arguing is greater than ever before. This timely fifth edition of A Rulebook for Arguments sharpens an already-classic text, adding updated examples and a new chapter on public debates that provides rules for the etiquette and ethics of sound public dialogue as well as clear and sound thinking in general.

David Morrow and Anthony Weston build on Weston’s acclaimed A Rulebook for Arguments to offer a complete textbook for a course in critical thinking or informal logic. The third edition of Workbook includes:

* The entire text of the recent fifth edition of the Rulebook, supplementing this core text with extensive further explanations and exercises.

* Updated and improved homework exercises ensure that the examples continue to resonate with today’s students. Roughly one-third of the exercises have been replaced with updated or improved examples.

* A new chapter on engaging constructively in public debates—including five new sets of exercises—trains students to engage respectfully and constructively on controversial topics, an increasingly important skill in our hyper-partisan age. Three new critical thinking activities offer further opportunities to practice constructive dialogue.

Additional Resources: Companion website for A Workbook for Arguments.

Download the complete Table of Contents (PDF)

"David Morrow’s Giving Reasons is concise, lively, and accessible. Covering the essentials of critical thinking in clear, non-technical language, the book will be a welcome addition to introductory college courses as well as high school classes in any discipline. Giving Reasons is an excellent tool for teaching critical thinking across the curriculum." —Stephen Beck, The Evergreen State College

Visit the Giving Reasons title support webpage for supplemental online resources, including practice exercises, additional writing by David R. Morrow, and downloadable appendices (PDFs).

The Creative Argument sets itself apart from its competitors by presenting a series of compelling works of literary nonfiction that challenge what students think they know about arguments. Each chapter begins with an engaging argument from a work of nonfiction, followed by an in-depth yet accessible analysis of a key aspect of argumentation. Suitable for both courses in argument and first-year writing, the principles and strategies outlined in the text help students become more creative and critical as rhetoricians, both inside the classroom and out.

Instructor Resources: A PDF-only teacher's guide is available for qualified instructors. Please use this form to request a copy. A Facebook group for instructor support, moderated by author Thomas Girshin, is also free and available for request at this link. 

Supplementary Readings: Download a PDF with suggested supplemental readings and resources for each chapter.

"For faculty, The Creative Argument's careful organization provides a blueprint for the semester or supplemental material for generating lectures and learning activities. For students, the efficient chapters, thoughtful readings, and refined explanations make reading and learning nearly effortless. The Creative Argument is the best way to get students to quickly understand how and why argument is paramount for personal and societal growth. This is the book to excite students about writing, research, and argument."
—Tyrell Stewart-Harris, Cornell University

The challenges of integrating and citing sources in academic work have expanded in scope and complexity in the digital age, but the basic principles and guidelines for doing so responsibly remain the same. The third edition of Writing with Sources is updated throughout, providing more examples of the proper use and citation of digital and print sources across disciplines—including current conventions specific to MLA, The Chicago Manual of Style, APA, and CSE citation styles—while preserving its concise and accessible format.