Writing arguments

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In writing an argument, you take a stand on a debatable issue. The question being debated might be a matter of public policy:

On such questions, reasonable people may disagree.

Reasonable people also disagree about many scholarly issues:

When you construct a reasonable argument, your goal is not simply to win or to have the last word. Your aim is to explain your understanding of the truth about a subject or to propose the best solution available for solving a problem—without being needlessly combative.

In constructing your argument, you join a conversation with other writers and readers. Your aim is to convince readers to reconsider their opinions by offering new reasons to question existing viewpoints.

Checklist for constructing an argument

Academic English: Giving voice to an argument

Sample student writing (arguments):

Argument paper: Jacobs, “From Lecture to Conversation: Redefining What’s ‘Fit to Print’”

Argument paper: Hammond, “Performance Enhancement through Biotechnology Has No Place in Sports”

Argument paper: Lund, “Preserving Yellowstone’s Winter Wilderness”

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Argument paper: Sanghvi, “Preserving Winter Access: Snowmobiles in Yellowstone National Park”