It’s incredibly valuable to be able to write well. Not only will it help you communicate effectively with others, but you’ll also be able to structure your arguments in a way that is persuasive and logical. When it comes to your writing skills, there are several areas that you need to work on if you want to become a better writer. Learning to write better arguments is one of them.
What is an argument?
An argument is simply a way of convincing someone to believe or do something. To write an effective argument, you should look at it from the other person’s point of view – what would they need to believe or do in order to accept what you’re saying? Once you have this frame of mind, it becomes much easier to construct a logical and compelling case.
There are five steps you can take to write a better argument.
Step one: Set the scene
The first step in writing a better argument is to set the scene. You need to grab your reader’s attention immediately and keep it. To achieve this, you’ll want to use a hook, something that makes your reader interested in what you’re writing. The most successful journalists and bloggers use this technique extensively.
For example, if you’re writing an article for a business magazine, you might want to start by talking about the growth of small business in general. Or if you’re writing a romance novel, you might want to start with a description of a beautiful garden. Or if you’re writing a thriller, you may want to start with a prologue that sets the stage for the rest of the story.
Whatever it may be, something that draws your reader in and makes them interested will help you establish your argument and keep your interest throughout the piece. Setting the scene can also help you transition from one thought to the next more easily. So if your essay starts to feel a little bit too conversational, re-establishing the scene – the setting of the conversation – will help you get back on track and keep your reader interested.
Step two: State your case
The second step in writing a better argument is to state your case. You need to put your argument forward clearly and concisely. If you want to write an argumentative essay, you’ll want to take on a certain point of view and defend it strongly. Your case should consist mostly of facts and figures but you should never be afraid to throw in a few examples from your own experience, especially if they illustrate a point you’re making.
Also, make sure that you always put your own argument in the most favorable light possible. If you can bring something unique to the table that will be useful to your reader, go for it! But you’ll also need to be able to defend your position passionately if you want to convince people of your argument.
Step three: Proof your case
After you’ve set your scene and stated your case, the next step is to prove your case. You need to marshal all the evidence that you can that supports your argument. If your essay is an argumentative piece, you’ll want to look to the sources you’ve cited for support and try to show how they relate to your point of view. You want to keep the evidence as objective as possible and avoid showing too much bias in your argument.
Try to keep to a single theme for your entire essay but make sure that you vary your argument – sometimes you’ll want to use historical examples to show how something happened in the past, other times you may want to use a comparison of two businesses or two products to show how one is better than the other. Having several arguments in your essay can add variety, but you still want to keep the basic flow of your essay consistent.
Step four: Summarize
The fourth step in writing a better argument is to summarize. You want to give your reader a clear idea of what they’ve just read. If your reader is someone who didn’t get the full meaning of your essay, they may not comprehend what they’ve just read. So at the end of your argument, you need to restate whatever point you were trying to make in the first place. You don’t need to repeat all the details, but you should make sure that your reader understands your main takeaways from your argument. This will make it easy for them to continue reading your work and apply what they’ve learned.
Step five: Close
The last step in writing a better argument is to close. You need to bring your work to a close. You’ve written your argument and proven it now you can relax and let your reader know you’ve fulfilled your goal. You want to end with a strong, engaging sentence that will leave your reader wanting more. As you write your conclusion, make sure that it ties back to your main point and has all the relevant details. You can also use your conclusion to emphasize what you’ve argued in the article or to suggest ways in which your reader could further explore the subject matter.
Writing an effective argument can take some time, but you’ll be able to tell if your essay has achieved its purpose soon. If you want to convince your reader of something, you’ll need to write an argumentative essay! But don’t worry – with a little bit of practice, you’ll be able to write an effective argument and land your perfect job.