Notes on Argumentative Writing

What exactly is an Argument?

• • An argument involves the process of establishing a claim and then proving it with the use of logical reasoning, examples, and research.

• • An issue open to debate

• • Experience, expert opinion, research and statistics

• • Your position on the issue

The Essential Ingredients
of an Argument

• • Understanding your audience is key to effective writing of all kinds, especially persuasive writing

• • An argument is an implicit dialogue or exchange with your audience, so in writing arguments, assume there is a reader that will not agree with you

• • An issue open to debate

  • Your position on the issue

  • Your reasons for that position

  • Evidence to support your reason 

    • Experience, expert opinion, research and statistics

• An argument involves the process of establishing a claim and then proving it with the use of logical reasoning,

The Role of Your Audience

• • Understanding your audience is key to effective writing of all kinds, especially persuasive writing

  
  

• • An argument is an implicit dialogue or exchange with your audience, so in writing arguments, assume there is a reader that will not agree with you

• • Evidence to support your reason 

• • Audience awareness is absolutely essential to successful persuasion and argument; therefore…

Structure of a Classical Argument

• • Introduction

  • Thesis Statement

  • Background Information

  • Reasons and Evidence

  • The Counterclaim and the Rebuttal

  • Conclusions

• • Reasons and Evidence

  • The Counterclaim and the Rebuttal

  • Conclusions

• • The Counterclaim and the Rebuttal

  • Conclusions

  • Introduction

  • Thesis Statement

  • Background Information

  • Reasons and Evidence

• • Thesis Statement

  • Background Information

  • Reasons and Evidence

  • The Counterclaim and the Rebuttal

  • Conclusions

The Thesis Statement

• is the most important sentence in your paper

  
  

• answers the question: “What am I trying to prove?”

• brings focus to the entire essay

• lets the reader know the main idea of the paper

• is not a factual statement or an announcement of purpose, but a claim that has to be proven throughout the paper.

Example: Which thesis statement

• • Parents, often too busy to watch television shows with their families, can monitor their children’s viewing habits with the aid of the V-chip.

• • This paper will describe a V-chip and examine the uses of the V-chip in American-made television sets.

  
  

• • To help parents monitor their children’s viewing habits, the V-chip should be a required feature for television sets sold in the U.S.

  
  

Using a Reasonable Tone

• • No matter how passionate you are about the issue, don’t resort to careless, harsh words; this would show more about you than the issue

  
  

• • This paper will describe a V-chip and examine the uses of the V-chip in American-made television sets.

  
  

• • When you acknowledge the opposition with balanced language, it shows that your respect the opposing views

  
  

• • Shows you are fair-minded and therefore adds to your credibility

Background Information

• • What is your claim all about?

  • Brief amount of information on it.

  • Why should people care about this issue?

• • When you acknowledge the opposition with balanced language, it shows that your respect the opposing views

• is not a factual statement or an announcement of purpose, but a claim that has to be proven throughout the paper.

• • Parents, often too busy to watch television shows with their families, can monitor their children’s viewing habits with the aid of the V-chip.

  
  

Reasons & Evidence

• • Facts – from the article/text

  • Statistics – from the article/text

  • Examples – from the article/text

  • Cite an authority – if given in the article/text

• • Introduction

  • Thesis Statement

  • Background Information

  • Reasons and Evidence

  • The Counterclaim and the Rebuttal

  • Conclusions

• • What is your claim all about?

  • Brief amount of information on it.

  • Why should people care about this issue?

  
  

• • Know your audience

    • What is their position on the issue?

    • How strongly do they feel about it?

    • Are they open-minded enough to consider other views?

    • What will their objections be to your argument?

Offering a Counterargument 

• • Answer the Opposition: This demonstrates your credibility as a writer

  
  

• • Conceding to some of your opposition’s concerns can demonstrate respect for their opinions

  
  

• • It shows that you have researched multiple sides of the argument and have come to an informed decision

  
  

• • Remember, keep a balanced tone when attempting to debunk the opposition