Many of your college assignments will ask you to read and write arguments about debatable issues. The questions being debated might be matters of public policy (Should corporations be allowed to advertise on public school property? or What is the least dangerous way to dispose of hazardous waste?), or they might be scholarly issues (What role do genes play in determining behavior? or What were the causes of the Civil War?). On such questions, reasonable people may disagree.

As you read arguments across the disciplines and enter into academic or public policy debates, pay attention to the questions being asked, the evidence being presented, and the various positions being argued. It’s helpful to approach all arguments with an open, curious mind. You’ll find the critical reading strategies introduced in section 4—previewing, annotating, and conversing with texts—to be useful as you ask questions about an argument’s logic, evidence, and use of appeals. Many arguments can stand up to critical scrutiny. Sometimes, however, a line of argument that at first seems reasonable turns out to be illogical, unfair, or both.

As you write for various college courses, you’ll be asked to take positions in academic debates, propose solutions to problems, and persuade readers to accept your arguments. Just as you evaluate arguments with openness, you’ll want to construct arguments with the same openness—acknowledging disagreements and opposing views and presenting your arguments fully and fairly to your readers.

See sections 6a–6c for advice about reading arguments. Sections 6d–6k address writing arguments.