The purpose of an argument is to convince or persuade...
Logical Argument (R-E-A-P)
- Refuting or acknowledging the opponents' argument (counterargument)
Evidence: factual evidence is the strongest type since they can be verified (facts, statistics etc.)
- Authoritative opinions: opinions of experts or authorities are also valid (quoting/making references to experts)
- Personal experience (I had an abortion so I know it was painful)
Persuasion or persuasive type of argument (E-R-R)
- Emotional appeal (conscience, health, safety etc.)
- Repetition (of important words, not words like it, have etc.)
- Rhetorical question (does not require an answer)
THERE'S NOTHING LIKE A GOOD ARGUMENT to get the adrenaline flowing and the brain cells clicking. This high level of discourse (the argument) is surely a hallmark of what it means to be human.
ReplyDeleteUSING STATISTICS
A WELL-PLACED STATISTIC CAN BE VERY HELPFUL in convincing an audience of the validity of your argument. Knowing how people are often cowed by a writer with math at her command, it is, in fact, tempting to overwork the power of statistics. A little arithmetic can go a long way.
CITING AN AUTHORITY
Citing an authority with an established reputation is better, of course, than citing someone whose credentials are not so lofty. Perhaps we assume too quickly that the opinion of someone with degrees after her name and someone who works for a prestigious university should have more weight that the opinion of good old Uncle Ronnie, but the writer should learn to take advantage of that assumption.
USING PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
USING THE IMPACT OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE may not have scientific merit or statistical clout, but it can be very convincing. Still, citing personal experience is seldom enough to make a truly compelling and convincing argument. If personal experience is all we have to go on, our argument could be dismissed as being merely anecdotal or idiosyncratic. Personal experience can accompany or reinforce an otherwise sound argument, but it is seldom entirely persuasive in itself.
ANTICIPATING THE OPPOSITION
WRITERS OF AN ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY must consider what others will say to refute their argument. (That's why it's called an argumentative essay!) This is the source of energy for this kind of paper. Raising the objections of your opposition and then — carefully, kindly, perhaps even wittily — showing how your way of seeing things is better reveals you, the author, as a thoughtful, reasonable, thorough individual.