Taking a debatable position, presenting evidence and using sound logic to convince the audience to accept (or at least consider) your position
Statements of personal preference or taste are not typically suited for an academic argument
Argument
A well-structured and supported point of view or claim presented in writing
How to craft a well-constructed argument
1. Choose a side on a particular controversial issue
2. Build up a case for your opinion or position
3. Use facts, opinions, statistics, and other forms of evidence to convince your readers
Three essential elements of an argument
Claims/Assertions
Evidence/s
Warrants/Explanations
Claim/Assertion
A proposition that conveys the writer's interpretation or belief about something, not a fact but rather a conclusion drawn from fact
Evidence
Supporting data or facts that are indisputable because they are grounded in solid, academic, reliable research, such as facts, statistics, examples, experts' opinions, or anecdotal evidence
Warrants/Explanations
Logical connections/bridges between a claim and the supporting evidence, where you explain the quotation you used as your evidence and why it matters to your claim
Types of writing that use claims include argumentative essays, researchpapers, literary analysis, persuasiveessays, persuasivespeeches, and persuasivememos
