Summary of St. Martin’s Guide to Writing-Chapter 6
person, but to state a position and to back it up with reasonable support. While one may
what they have to say. Often what we may take as facts are actually long-standing
traditions which we have never thought to question. To question these traditions would
be controversial and may stir up an emotional cauldron. Whether we argue a position that
is neither right nor wrong, we must back up our opinions with enough reasoning to maybe
convince the opposing side to at least listen to what we have to say, and at best sway them
and arguments from the opposing side, and be prepared to support our case.
“To construct an effective argument, you must assert a position and offer support
for it” (263). Choose an issue, then choose a position to agree or disagree. Formulate
reasons to support your position. Anticipate objections and formulate reasonable counter
arguments to the opposing side (264).
After a controversial issue has been decided upon, state your opinion in a thesis
statement. “It should be an opinion about which others disagree. that the position be
arguable, clear, and appropriately qualified” (274).
It is suggested that statistics (274) be interwoven into the argument to give the
credible sense of objectivity by the writer, followed by examples (274) to give personal
meaning to these statistics. Connect to your opposing audience by appealing to their
emotions through the subtle tugging at their heart strings to sway them over to your side.
Continue to defuse their argument by anticipating and stating their objections, which will
soften their defenses against your position. To anticipate the opposition “Writers have
three options for counter arguing: merely acknowledging other positions and objections,
conceding valid points by accommodating or making room for them in their own
argument, or trying to refute them” (282).
Finally, when composing an argument paper, one must consider the purpose of
the paper and the audience for whom the paper is being written (293). The purpose of a
paper can be to voice one’s opinion on a topic for which one is quite passionate. The
audience can be those who agree with you and you wish to further enlighten, those who
can be swayed over to your side, or those who are just as passionate but opposite to your
point of view.
