Argumentative essay

Aim of the argumentative essay

• convince or persuade.
• the arguments of preference, belief or faith, and fact are not the arguments one effectively and logically deal with in a formal argumentative essay.

• assume that the reader disagrees with you but he/she is not less intelligent than you are
• avoid attacking the reader - write objectively, logically and respectfully
• consider why the members of your audience hold their opinion otherwise you cannot convince them

Logic of argumentation

• inductive reasoning: examining particular details and arriving at a conclusion based on evidence
• deductive reasoning: arriving at a conclusion about a particular case based on generalization

Syllogism:

Major premise: you and your reader probably agree here
Cars which emit a lot of carbon-dioxide should be banned.

Minor premise: you need to prove this
Car X emits a lot of carbon-dioxide.

Conclusion:
Car X should be banned.
 

Rules of reasoning:

• The major premise and the minor premise must be true if the conclusion is to be valid.

e.g.
            Major premise:
                                All people like to suffer.
            Minor premise:
                                Johnny is a person.
            Conclusion:
                                Johnny likes to suffer.
• The major and minor premises must be set up to follow the correct logical structure.

e.g.
            All automobiles have wheels.
            The Suzuki has wheels.
            Therefore Suzuki is an automobile.
• The terms in one premise must be used the same way in the other premise.

e.g.
            Some vegetarians eat eggs.
            John is a vegetarian.
            John eats eggs.

Explaining and supporting your reasons:

• logic should progress from major premise to the conclusion.
• use details and examples for support
• best support is facts (historical facts, scientific data, statistics etc.)
• personal experience

1. The argumentative essay should introduce and explain the issue or case.
2. The essay should offer reasons and support for those reasons.
3. The essay should refute opposing arguments.
4. If the opponent has a valid point, concede that point.
5. The conclusion should logically follow from the argument.

Commonly used ways of organising the essay (suggestions only)

1. Introduction: Writers sometimes break down the introductory material into 2 paragraphs; the first one introducting the problem and the thesis, and the second one explaining additional information, providing definitions, and giving background information necessary for the argument.
2. Reasons: spend one paragraph on each reason. Two or three reasons are typical.
3. Refutation: Depending on how many points the writer wishes to address, the refutation can take from one to three paragraphs.
4. Conclusion