Although winning is an important purpose of argument, it is by no means the only purpose.

to win. The most traditional purpose of academic argument, arguing to win, is common in campus debating societies, in political debates, in trials, and often in business. The writer or speaker aims to present a position that will prevail over some other position.

to convince. Often, out-and-out defeat of another’s position is not only unrealistic but undesirable. Instead, the goal might be to convince another person to change his or her mind. Doing so calls on a writer to provide compelling reasons for an audience to accept some or all of the writer’s conclusions.

to explore an issue. Argument to explore an issue or reach a decision seeks a sharing of information and perspectives in order to make informed choices.