Table 7 Categories of the argumentative moves

Claim

A proposed explanations (or part of it) to the phenomena. Only the first turn involved in the proposition of the explanation is considered a claim.

Example: I think Fast Diet is a healthy way to lose weight.

Req.claim

Request for a solution/explanation, request for an evaluation of a proposed explanation (or part of it), or request for a stance toward an explanation that has been proposed.

Example: What do you think are the criteria for judging whether it is a healthy way to lose weight?

Agreement

Overt verbal utterances of unreasoned agreement, a simple reconfirmation of the correctness of (part of) a certain explanation.

Example: Yeah, I think so too.

Support

Any verbal, reasoned utterance that is intended to strengthen the epistemic status of an explanations.

Example: Fast Diet can play a role in regular detoxification of the human body, which can trigger long-term changes in the body that help protect against aging and disease.

Opposition

Overt verbal utterances of disagreement, simple opposition to (part of) a certain solutions without providing any further justifications/reasons of why they think so.

Example: I don’t think Fast Diet is a healthy way to lose weight.

Rebuttal

Any verbal, reasoned utterance intended to weaken the epistemic status of a solution.

Example: Fast Diet is not necessarily a good way, it will bring bad psychological effects on people. Some studies have shown that Fast Diet may make people often dizzy and cold.

Concession

Any overt verbal, unreasoned expression of agreement in a critical constellation, that is: when the content the discussant agrees to was previously opposed by that same person.

Example:

A: Fast Diet is a healthy way to lose weight.

B: I think so.

C: But some studies show that weight loss due to Fast Diet can be easily rebounded by the stress it causes, which has no effect in the long run. So Fast Diet is not a healthy way to lose weight.

B: You are right.