YOU SEE AND RESPOND to arguments all the time. When you see a stop sign and come to a halt, you’ve accepted the argument that stopping at such signs is a sensible thing to do. But constructing an effective argument of your own isn’t as easy as putting up a stop sign—or obeying its command to stop. Creating a thorough and convincing argument requires careful reasoning and appropriate attention to your audience, purpose, and other aspects of the rhetorical situation. It also calls for remembering kairos—recognizing the most suitable time and place for making your argument and for the most opportune way to make it.