LogosLink User's Manual · LogosLink version 2.0.0

Argumentation Model

An argumentation model is a dataset containing a conceptual representation of the argumentation strategies and mechanisms in a discourse, and describes how the text justifies what it says.

Argumentation models are expressed in terms of IAT/ML, and consist of a collection of elements plus relationships between them.

Details

An argumentation model describes two different but closely connected things: a discourse plus an argumentation.

The discourse is a representation of what the speakers literally said, and thus it refers to their locutions in order. A discourse is expressed mainly in terms of locutions, which correspond to individual utterances, plus transitions, which correspond to turn taking, addition, reporting, and other kinds of discursive relations and dependencies.

On the other hand, the argumentation is an abstract reconstruction of what the speakers intended to say. An argumentation is expressed mainly in terms of propositions, which describe a state of affairs in the world, plus argument relations between propositions such as inferences, conflicts and rephrases.

In addition, discourse and argumentation are connected via illocutionary forces, which represent the intentions of the speakers at each point in time.

An argumentation model may contain an embedded context and ontology.

Types of argumentation models

Argumentation models can be:

Independent. That is, you can create and work with an argumentation model stored in a file if you want to analyse a single text. Argumentation model files have a .lla extension.
Dependent:
- Stand-alone. This is the case of an argumentation model for a document in a corpus. These argumentation models are stored as individual files in the corpus directory. Do not rename or move these files, as the corpus keeps references to them.
- Embedded. This is the case of an argumentation model embedded in an agency model. These argumentation models are stored as part of the agency model file, so there is no risk that they are misplaced.

Working with argumentation models

You work with argumentation models depending on their type.

Independent

You can create an independent argumentation model by opening the backstage and clicking New, Argumentation Model.

You can open an existing independent argumentation model by opening the backstage and clicking Open.

You can save an independent argumentation model by clicking the Save button on the Home ribbon tab, or via the Save and Save As commands in the backstage.

Of corpus documents

You can create an argumentation model for a corpus document by right-clicking the document and selecting Create Argumentation Model... in the context menu. Make sure that the corpus is open for read/write.

To open the argumentation model embedded in a corpus document, right-click the document and select Edit Argumentation Model in the context menu.

You can save the argumentation model by clicking the Save button on the Home ribbon tab, or via the Save and Save As commands in the backstage.

Embedded in an agency model

You can create an argumentation model embedded in an agency model by clicking the Create Argumentation Model button in the Home ribbon tab of the owner window.

To open an existing embedded argumentation model, click the Edit Argumentation Model button in the Home ribbon tab for the owner window.

Since this argumentation model is embedded in its owner agency model, you don't need to save it. It will be saved together when you save the owner agency model. You can close the argumentation model and return to the owner agency model by clicking the Return to Owner button on the Home ribbon tab.