We encounter arguments every day, and not just the verbal back-and-forth, raised-voices spectacle. Arguments may be found all over social media, in essays, speeches, advertisements, and even in music. An argument is the statement of a claim presented with evidence that is designed to persuade people of a particular idea, position, or perspective. A written argument is meant to explain the writer’s perspective and convince readers to agree with their position or to take action in a certain way. 

Parts of an Argument

In Part 3, we learned to recognize main ideas. In an argument, the main idea is also known as the writer’s claim.  This claim is the point of the paragraph or piece of writing. The major details in an argument are the pieces of evidence which support the writer’s claim. This supporting evidence consists of facts, data, or examples which support the claim: and may help convince others of its validity. 

• The big idea the writer is trying to prove

• The writer’s point, or main idea, in persuasive writing

• The claim is a statement of the author’s point of view or judgement about an idea.

Evidence: 

• Support for the claim made up of facts, details, and examples

• Major details in persuasive writing

• The support will explain why and how the author believes the claim.

Reasoning: 

• Logical connections which illustrate how the evidence supports the claim

• The evidence must support the claim in a way that makes sense.

Evaluating an Argument

Instead of just finding the main idea, as we did in the last module, critical readers evaluate it. This means checking to see whether the major supporting details are strong enough and relevant enough to support the writer’s claim. Readers must use reasoning to determine whether the argument, both the claim and the support, is logical. 

Is the evidence reliable? 

Can we trust the information provided? This may mean checking into the source or confirming data. These days it is far too easy for information to look real and trustworthy even when it is not. We must know how to verify information and credibility in order to be assured the evidence comes from trustworthy, unbiased sources.  

Is the evidence relevant? 

Sometimes people get off track with their support and add “evidence” that doesn’t really pertain to their claim or that actually contradicts the claim. At first glance, irrelevant information may seem important or complementary; however, we must carefully analyze and ask ourselves: Does it actually address the writer’s point? Does it contradict the writer’s point? Analyze the evidence to check that it truly supports the writer’s claim.  

Is the the argument logical? 

In the heat of a debate or due to an incomplete understanding of an issue, illogical or unsound reasoning is sometimes used. 

Reasoning errors include:

• Using circular logic: The claim and evidence are nearly the same.

• False premises: An initial assumption is untrue. 

• Hasty generalizations: Because something is true in one situation or for one person, it must be true for all.  

Example Evaluation of an Argument

When a strong critical thinker encounters an argument, they should always evaluate the quality of the argument. This means looking at the support with a critical eye to be sure the argument is credible, relevant, and logical. Let’s take a simple opinion, “I don’t think you should play the lottery.” Now we can make it a claim: “You shouldn’t play the lottery.” 

In order to turn this claim into an argument, we need to add support. We want to make sure the support is reliable. Which one of these statements of support is more reliable or credible:

• I think playing the lottery is stupid.

• According to Investopedia, the odds of winning the Powerball lottery are 1 in 292.2 million or 0.00000000342%.

Using a statistic or piece of research adds reliability or credibility to your argument. Just adding more of your opinion to support your claim may not always be as reliable or as persuasive.

Now, let’s look at relevance. When a piece of support is relevant, that means it directly relates to the claim and it doesn’t contradict the claim. Which 2 of these 3 pieces of support are irrelevant?

• Playing the lottery has different rules in every state, and it is illegal in some states.

• You can “win” the lottery, and only win $4 in some instances. 

• It would be life changing in a positive way to win a large jackpot in the lottery.

Although the fact that the lottery is illegal in some states might be interesting, it doesn’t necessarily mean that should be used as support for the argument. The rule changes and legality of the lottery aren’t directly related to the claim of the argument, that you shouldn’t play. The other statement that is irrelevant is the last statement because it contradicts the claim. It weakens the claim if the support contradicts it.

Attributions

Strengthening Reading and Comprehension by Audrey Cross and Katherine Sorenson is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International