30-Day Thinking Program

Definition

Deliberate daily practice turns logic from trivia into habit. The 30-day program sequences identification, fallacy spotting, rhetoric/bias, and production drills from the book.

Fifteen to thirty minutes a day beats occasional binge reading. Progress on this site saves in your browser so you can return tomorrow without an account.

From the book

Chapter 17 in Think Straight, Argue Better — practice here, then return to the chapter examples.

Next drill

Weekly Challenge Download cheat sheet Full reading path Full reading path

Week 1 — Argument identification

Day 1. Find one argument in something you read or hear. Label the conclusion and at least one premise.
Day 2. Spot an assertion with no reason. Rewrite it as claim + because + reason.
Day 3. Find a hidden assumption (enthymeme). Write the missing premise out loud.
Day 4. Practice the principle of charity on one disagreement — interpret it in its strongest fair form.
Day 5. Steel-man one opposing view on an issue you care about (3–5 sentences).
Day 6. Map a short argument: conclusion on top, premises below, one objection.
Day 7. Review the week: which skill felt hardest? Repeat that drill once.

Week 2 — Fallacy spotting

Day 8. Catch one straw man (twisted words) in media or conversation.
Day 9. Catch one ad hominem (attacking the person).
Day 10. Catch a false dilemma (only two choices). Invent a third option.
Day 11. Catch a hasty generalization from a tiny sample.
Day 12. Catch an appeal to irrelevant authority or bandwagon.
Day 13. Do the Fallacy Spotter quiz — aim for 8/10 or better.
Day 14. Weekly fallacy challenge: pick one fallacy and look for it all day.

Week 3 — Rhetoric & bias

Day 15. Label ethos, pathos, and logos in one ad or speech.
Day 16. Find one honest emotional appeal and one manipulative one — explain the difference.
Day 17. Notice confirmation bias in yourself: what evidence did you prefer today?
Day 18. Ask: who has the burden of proof in one claim you encounter?
Day 19. Write three Socratic questions for a claim you disagree with.
Day 20. Check valid vs sound on two short arguments.
Day 21. Review: which bias or rhetorical move tripped you most?

Week 4 — Production

Day 22. Write a one-page argument on a topic you care about (claim + premises + evidence).
Day 23. Steel-man the best objection to yesterday’s argument.
Day 24. Revise your argument after the steel-man — make one concession if earned.
Day 25. Practice a short oral version (2 minutes). Record yourself if you can.
Day 26. Online hygiene: rewrite one heated comment as a fair argument (even if you do not post it).
Day 27. Teach one idea from this month to a friend or family member.
Day 28. Pick a fallacy of the month for ongoing practice.
Day 29. Revisit day 1’s argument — would you map it differently now?
Day 30. Write your own intellectual character promise (4 commitments).

Week 1 — Argument identification

Week 2 — Fallacy spotting

Week 3 — Rhetoric & bias

Week 4 — Production

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