ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS:

Technically, argument and persuasion are two different processes. Persuasion is commonly based on emotion. It uses highly emotional, biased language and appeals to feelings and instincts. Argument is based on rationality and depends on logical explanations and appeals to intelligence. For example, advertising and political writing cluster toward the persuasion end of the continuum, whereas scientific writing and grant proposals cluster toward the argument end.

Seldom does persuasive writing appeal only to emotions, and seldom does argument rely entirely on reason. Neither approach is “better.” When people write to convince, they appeal to both emotions and intelligence, varying the balance of emotion and reason according to their audience and purpose. Generally speaking, people who write effective arguments do what a good trial lawyer does: they present a case persuasively but give strong reasons to support their assertions.

PURPOSE:
The goal of argument is to get your reader to agree with you despite active opposition. However, not all people who write arguments are trying to win a dispute. You might argue or persuade to:

• support a cause or make a commitment.
• get people to take action
• try to change a situation.
• change behavior or attitude
• refute a theory
• arouse sympathies
• stimulate concern
• win agreement
• provoke anger.

Many of these purposes can be combined in one piece of writing.

AUDIENCE:
More than any other kind of writing, persuasion and argument ask you to think about your audience. To write effectively, you must have a clear idea of who may read your writing, or who you want to read your writing, what kinds of attitudes and biases those people have, and what they expect from your essay. Usually, you can assume that your readers will fit into one of four categories:

1. Readers who already agree with your ideas and are reading mainly for reinforcement or encouragement.
   1. These people want to see their position stated with vigor and conviction—they may not expect a perfectly structure, sound argument.
2. Readers who are interested in and inclined to agree with the issue you are discussing but want to know more.
   1. These readers are interested in your evidence, but will not object to emotional appeals.
3. Readers who are neutral on an issue and want explanations and arguments based on evidence and logical reasoning before they make up their minds.
   1. For these readers, you must make a carefully developed and factual argument, although you can also reinforce facts with opinions.
4. Readers who are skeptical about an issue and will not take a stand until they hear both sides of an argument explained in detail.
   1. These people expect data and documentation and expect you to be knowledgeable of the subject.

STRATEGY:
Research!

Your argumentative essay will likely be longer than five paragraphs, but the whole thing will evolve in much the same way as a 5-paragraph essay does. The structure involves:

1. A clear, concise and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph.
2. Clear and logical transitions between the intro, body and conclusion.
3. Body paragraphs that include evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, anecdotal) and revolve around topic sentences.
4. A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

In addition, the strongest arguments consider what others will say to refute your argument, or, in other words, the counterevidence. Showing how your way of seeing things is better reveals you, the author, as a thoughtful, reasonable, thorough individual.

• Don’t raising only the weak or silly arguments that your opponents might raise; your paper becomes strong by taking on the strength of the opposition.
• Never belittle or threaten your opposition.
• Respect for the opposition goes beyond sportsmanship; giving the enemy its due makes your argument all the stronger.

This does not mean, however, that you are comparing and contrasting the two sides. Your second essay required you to, more or less objectively, explore the two sides, and then come to a logical conclusion. This is not the same. Instead, you are presenting the other side, merely to strengthen your side. You are presenting it, and then tearing it down (nicely).

HOMEWORK

• Finish the research questions in your In Class Writing Notebook, if you did not do so in class.
• Read “Thinking Critically About Research” pt. 2 (pgs. 9-16)
• Start collecting research and working on your research project!
• GET AHEAD: Read Daniel Goleman’s “Peak Performance” for Thursday, 4/16, and do your reading response.
• Lastly: you have a one time offer to complete missing homework from OpenLab. It must be posted (with proper category) by Tuesday, before class. Last chance to make up missing work for half credit (better than no credit)!

And DO NOT FORGET!!!!! We are meeting in front of the library on the Tuesday we come back from break for your library introduction!