English Composition

English Composition Study Guide

Argument An argumentative writing seeks to assert one set of reasons and refute another set of reasons. Argumentative writing make use of facts and evidence to prove a point. The purpose of an argumentative writing isn’t to convince a reader to act a certain way, but instead presents a set of ideas and attempts to prove a stance through the use of factual evidence and logic. There are three methods that are typically used in an argumentative writing: summary refutation, dialectical, and point by point refutation. Summary Refutation Dialectical Point by Point Refutation Introduction Introduction Introduction Assertion #1 Assertion #1 Assertion #1 Assertion #2 Refutation #1 Assertion #2 Assertion #3 Assertion #2 Assertion #3 Assertion #4 Refutation #2 Refutation #1 Summary refutation Assertion #3 Refutation #2 Conclusion Refutation #3 Refutation #3 Conclusion Conclusion The use of climactic order canmake your argument stronger. The best reason for the argument should be in the first position. In some cases, the best argument may be an assertion or it may be a refutation. Writers must be able to make this decision and purposely order the arguments in a way they will be most effective. 5.2 Reasoning A writer’s opinion needs to be supported by evidence. Evidence convinces the reader that the writer’s opinion is a reasonable interpretation. A writer must understand how to validate evidence. Validating evidence is known as reasoning. Weaknesses of reasoning are known as fallacies. Writers attempt to build the strongest argument and avoid fallacies. There are four methods writers use to validate evidence: analogy, authority, deduction, and induction. Analogy : Analogy says that if one set of circumstances validates the argument, then a similar set of circumstances also validates the argument. A teenage girl may use the argument that her friend has a later curfew to explain why her curfew should be extended. Analogy works from information that is already validated. However, the comparisonmight be questioned. The teenage girl’s mother is quickly going to point out that she is not her friend, therefore, she has different rules. Opponents can often find a difference in the two situations. This fallacy is called a false analogy.

©2018

Achieve

Page 52

of 84