The structure of argument patterns on a social Q&A site

Abstract

This study investigates the argument patterns in Yahoo! Answers -a major question and answer (Q&A) site. Mainly drawing on the ideas of Toulmin, argument pattern is conceptualized as a set of five major elements: claim, counter-claim, rebuttal, support and grounds. The combinations of these elements result in diverse argument patterns. Failed opening consists of an initial claim only, while non-oppositional argument pattern also includes indications of support. Oppositional argument pattern contains the elements of counter-claim and rebuttal. Mixed argument pattern entails all five elements. The empirical data were gathered by downloading from Yahoo! Answers one hundred discussion threads discussing global warming -a controversial topic providing a fertile ground for arguments for and against. Of the argument patterns, failed openings were most frequent, followed by oppositional, non-oppositional and mixed patterns. In most cases, the participants grounded their arguments by drawing on personal beliefs and facts. The findings suggest that oppositional and mixed argument patterns provide more opportunities for the assessment of the quality and credibility of answers, as compared to failed openings and non-oppositional argument patterns.

Web credibility assessment: Conceptualization, operationalization, variability, and models

“…The authors found that many content contributors posted additional information—that is, “reinforcement of content expertise”—including supplementary images and/or provided feedback to their audience, and these interactions with the audience provided the content contributors with an additional chance to promote their knowledge and expertise to the audience of the social sites. These findings are in line with Savolainen's () finding that people tend to perceive answers on social Q&A sites as more credible when the content provides further evidence and/or competing answer candidates.…”

Providing informational support in an online discussion group and a Q&A site: The case of travel planning

“…Researchers have mainly been interested in how people seek and share UGC‐based health information (e.g., Eichhorn, ; Savolainen, ). In addition, there are studies focusing on the seeking and sharing of UGC in fields such as consumer behavior (Savolainen, ), global warming (Savolainen, ), and investing (O'Connor, ). As a whole, however, there is a paucity of studies examining the role of UGC in everyday contexts other than health.…”

The use of rhetorical strategies in Q&A discussion

“…Drawing on Toulmin´s (2003) model, Savolainen (2012) examined the ways in which argument patterns are structured in Yahoo! Answers discussion threads focusing on the issues of global warming.…”

“…Answers discussion about global warming (Savolainen, 2012;2013). The present study focuses on the same topic since global warming provides a fertile ground for rhetorical struggle Yahoo!…”