DECIDING TO WRITE AN ARGUMENT. Arguments come in many shapes to serve different purposes. Subsequent chapters in this section cover specialized genres of argument often assigned in the classroom, including evaluations, proposals, and literary analyses (for more on choosing a genre, see the Introduction). But even less formal arguments have distinctive features. In your projects, you’ll aim to do the following.

Offer levelheaded and disputable claims. You won’t influence audiences by making points no one cares about. Something consequential should be at stake in an argument you offer for public consumption. Maybe you want to change reader’s minds about an issue that everyone else thinks has been settled. Or maybe you want to shore up what people already believe. In either case, you need a well-defined point, either stated or implied, if you hope to influence the kind of readers worth impressing: thoughtful, levelheaded people. (develop a statement)

Offer good reasons to support a claim. Without evidence and supporting reasons, a claim is just an assertion — and little better than a shout or a slogan. Slogans do have their appeal in advertising and politics. But they don’t become arguments until they are backed by solid reasoning and a paper trail of evidence. No one said writing arguments is easy. Allow time for finding the facts.

Understand opposing claims and points of view. You won’t make a strong case of your own until you can honestly paraphrase (restate ideas) the logic of those who see matters differently. Many people find that tough to do because it forces them to consider alternative points of view. But you will seem more credible when you acknowledge these other reasonable opinions even as you refute them. When you face less than rational claims, rebut them calmly but firmly. Avoid the impulse to respond with an insult or a petty comment of your own.

Frame arguments powerfully — and not in words only. Sensible opinions still have to dress for the occasion: You need the right words and images to move a case forward. (think visually) Fortunately, strategies for making effective arguments also cue you in to appeals that are less legitimate. We’ve all been seduced by claims just because they are stylish, hip, or repeated so often that they begin to seem true. But if such persuasion doesn’t seem fair or sensible, that’s all the more reason to reach for a higher standard in your own appeals.