- An argument is a reasoned way of presenting a specific issue or idea.
- A well-focused argument states the main point clearly then expands on it with facts and evidence.
- Predicting opposing points of view and challenging them will make an argument more convincing.
Learn how to write a clear and well-supported argument.
We are backstage at Argument Corner with our first contestant. Thanks for joining us.
My pleasure.
Our audiences at home would like to learn effective ways to build a written argument. Could you walk us through how you did it?
Sure. Firstly, always begin with a clear and direct main point. Let’s take a look at your argument against animal testing.
"Testing products on animals is absolutely wrong, for both moral and environmental reasons."
That’s pretty clear and direct. Let’s look at how you followed that up.
"To begin, these products could have terrible effects. The testing can cripple or even kill the poor animals."
This statement supports your main point.
Exactly! The heart of your argument should support your main point and use good evidence to persuade readers to agree. And why say, ‘To begin’?
That’s called a discourse marker. Phrases like that help hold the argument together and help signpost to readers as to where you are in the argument.
I see, let’s get back to the argument.
"The testing also harms the environment. Often captured from the wild, these animals may leave behind innocent, defenceless babies. This can have consequences for the entire food chain."
I really felt that point.
Good. I wanted you to respond emotionally, so I mentioned baby animals and used words like 'defenceless' and 'innocent'. That’s called emotive language.
Nothing cuter than baby animals but I’m curious about your last point.
"Supporters of testing will tell you that it is well regulated to protect the animals when in fact, testing regulations differ from country to country and corporations can choose to test wherever the laws suit them."
I was surprised to see you bring in the counter argument.
Understandably. But doing so allowed me to challenge the argument on my own terms.
Which you did superbly. Let’s take a look at your conclusion.
"So, due to the harmful effects of testing products on animals and the damage it does to the environment, we must oppose animal testing."
You’ve thrown in an interesting use of ‘we’ there at the end.
I wanted to make my audience feel included. I’ve also restated my main points, which is important in a good conclusion.
Thank you so much for those tips.
Of course.
Well, there you have it. To build an effective argument state your main point, introduce supporting statements and use good evidence. Discourse markers, emotive language, a challenge to the counter argument and a powerful conclusion will make it even stronger.
And there’s no arguing with that!
The word ‘argument’ suggests a disagreement - but a written argument has nothing to do with conflict. An argument should present a clear and well-supported point of view. You provide support for your view in the form of evidence.
A balanced argument can be created by referring to alternative points of view - the counter arguments.
Building an argument is similar in some ways to writing to persuade. Both of these types of writing need to be convincing in order to influence the reader.
Structuring an argument
An argument will usually start with a clearly stated main point. For example:
‘Testing products on animals is absolutely wrong for both moral and environmental reasons.’
The rest of the argument will then focus on adding supporting statements and evidence to back up your main point:
‘In March 2013 a new European law was passed that made it illegal to sell cosmetics in the EU that have been tested on animals. This suggests that many people in today’s society have a moral objection to testing cosmetics on animals.’
The more points that you can add to support your main idea, the stronger your argument will be.
The final paragraph will provide a clear conclusion, restating some of the main points from the argument:
‘So, due to the harmful effects of testing products on the animals, and the damage it inflicts on the environment, we must oppose animal testing.’
Notice that the conclusion does not repeat the opening statement directly, but reinforces it.
Acknowledging the counter argument
A counter argument anticipates the opposing viewpoint. When you counter argue, you acknowledge the possible arguments against your own:
'Supporters of animal testing will tell you that it is well regulated to protect the animals. But in fact, testing regulations differ from country to country and corporations can choose to test wherever the laws suit them.'
Mentioning the counter argument allows you to challenge opposing views on your own terms. Using a counter argument also gives the writing a more balanced feel.
Your argument will be stronger and more convincing if you deal with opposing viewpoints.
Using discourse markers
Discourse markers are phrases that help hold an argument together. They act as signposts for the reader to show where you are in the argument. For example:
- On the other hand …
- Some may argue that …
- However …
- Alternatively …
- In addition …
- As a result …
- As a consequence …
- Even though …
- Therefore …
Remember
Try to think about all sides of an argument. Building an effective argument takes planning. It’s a good idea to plan your main points, evidence and counter arguments before you start writing. Planning will allow you to think about how best to structure your argument and the most effective order for your ideas.
Quiz
Find out how much you know about building an argument in this short quiz!
More on Discursive, persuasive and informative writing
Find out more by working through a topic
- count10 of 13
- count11 of 13
- count12 of 13
- count13 of 13
