What does the word argument mean to you? If you’re like most people, the first image it brings up might be an ugly fight you had with a friend, a yelling match you witnessed on the street, or a heated disagreement between family members. True, such unpleasant confrontations are arguments. In logic, though, the word argument refers to a calm, reasoned effort to persuade someone of the value of an idea.

When you think of it this way, you’ll quickly recognize that arguments are central to academic study, work, and life in general. Scholarly articles, business memos, and requests for spending money all have something in common: The effective ones make a general claim, provide reasons to support it, and back up those reasons with evidence. That’s what an argument is.

As we have already seen, it’s important to consider multiple points of view, or arguments, in dealing with new ideas and complex questions. Not all arguments are equally valid. Good critical thinking involves creative examination of the assumptions that might have been left out and of the quality of the evidence used to support a claim. Whether analyzing an argument or communicating one, a good critical thinker is careful to make sure that ideas are presented in understandable, logical ways.

Critical thinkers are careful to check that the evidence, which consists of facts supporting an argument, is of the highest possible quality. To do that, simply ask a few questions about the arguments as you consider them:

If, after you have evaluated the evidence used in support of a claim, you’re still not certain of its quality, it’s best to keep looking. Drawing on questionable evidence for an argument has a tendency to backfire. In most cases, a little persistence will help you find something better.