There are many advantages to argumentative writing and the most important benefit is that it develops critical thinking skills. It is best when a person needs to incorporate the arguments of the opposite side into the writing and to evaluate their benefit. People have a right for their personal opinion, but they also have to accept that other people think differently. Moreover, people’s opinions and attitudes might change through time and it is important to have the whole picture in mind when talking about a certain issue. Argumentative writing broadens the critical thinking skills of a person and makes them think in a logical way. A person can never be completely right or wrong, but they might have a personal preference for one point of view instead of the other.
Argumentative writing helps develop critical thinking skills because it makes a person think logically and express themselves in such a way. This kind of writing is based on arguments and evidence with much supporting information involved. “Argumentative writing is the clear and logical presentation of facts (premises) so as to arrive at valid conclusions” (Pastva 30). This is a good exercise for entering the academic world and to be able to express one’s point of view in a clear, concise and organized way. “Its purpose is to convince others of the truth of some thesis” (Pastva 30). There are skills which are necessary to be able to excel at argumentative writing and acknowledging that the opposing side also has a good point is important. It is about arguing for one point of view, but this does not mean that another point of view is wrong. The focus is in the greater benefit from the particular point of view that a person is promoting through argumentative writing. There is much to be learned about democratic way of thinking by practicing this kind of writing.
The opposing side might say that argumentative writing does not develop critical thinking skills based on the fact that there are no benefits related to argumentative writing because each individual has a particular point of view. Strong emotions are involved in defending one’s personal interests and they are related to having opinions about important issues in life. Therefore, it might be impossible to persuade people to accept the viewpoint that is completely different than the one they might have. “In general the actual writing of the theme followed the steps often outlined in handbooks of rhetoric, that is, a thesis idea gets introduced, develop, and summarized” (L. Bloom and M. Bloom 130). This might not persuade the other side to change their opinion about a certain topic, but it will make them understand the point of view of the other side. Argumentative writing is a democratic process and there are no winners or losers in this practice because everybody has a chance to demonstrate their knowledge and present their opinions. This is important to have a healthy dialogue where opinions of different people matter. There is no single truth because different people have different needs, but it is crucial to acknowledge all of the needs and to accept them with respect. There is much to learn from practicing argumentative writing and developing the skills of argumentation because it is a necessity in a world full of differences.
Argumentative writing has many benefits, but the most important is the development of critical thinking skills which are supposed to be applied in everyday life when analyzing the positive and negative sides of important issues. The skills of good argumentation and presentation are of utmost importance in the business world, in the court and in life in general. People need to have formed opinions about everything in life because that is a sign of a mature personality.
Works Cited
Pastva, Mary A. "The Teaching of Argumentative Writing." Notre Dame English Journal 2.2 (1967): 29-34. Web. 17 Apr. 2016.
Bloom, Lynn Z., and Martin Bloom. "The Teaching and Learning of Argumentative Writing." College English 29.2 (1967): 128-35. Print.
