Writing a Counterargument and Refutation Counterargument The counterargument paragraph is developed in much the same way that an argument paragraph is developed. The difference is that the counterargument is your opponents’ (the other side’s) argument that explains why you are wrong. This paragraph is structured as 21 hours ago · Forum Objective: Learn how to write a counterargument/rebuttal paragraph for analysis blogger.com to analyze both sides of an issue. You will be submitting a problem analysis paper. Your in-depth analysis may involve your looking at your position on an issue, but also at the opposing position, the view that is the opposite of yours A counter argument is a viewpoint that opposes a critical argument. Excellent persuasive writing and speaking strategies make good use of counter-arguments. This is because they prove to readers that the writer has considered other viewpoints. Any argument or position comes with other alternating or contrasting positions
Writing Counterargument and Rebuttal Paragraphs
When you write an academic essay, counterargument paragraph, you make an argument: you propose a thesis and offer some reasoning, using evidence, that suggests why the thesis is true. When you counter-argue, you consider a possible argument against your thesis or some aspect of your reasoning. This is a good way to test your ideas when drafting, while you still have time to revise them. And in the finished essay, it can be a persuasive and in both senses of the word disarming tactic.
It allows counterargument paragraph to anticipate doubts and pre-empt objections that a skeptical reader might have; it presents you as the kind of person who weighs alternatives before arguing for one, counterargument paragraph, who confronts difficulties instead of sweeping them under the rug, counterargument paragraph is more interested in discovering the truth than winning a point.
Not every objection is worth entertaining, of course, and you shouldn't include one just to include one, counterargument paragraph. But some imagining of other views, or of resistance to one's own, occurs in most good essays. And instructors are glad to encounter counterargument in student papers, even if they haven't specifically asked for it.
The Turn Against. Counterargument in an essay has two stages: you turn against your argument to challenge it and then you turn back to re-affirm it. You first imagine a skeptical reader, or cite an actual source, counterargument paragraph, who might resist your argument by pointing out. You introduce this turn against with a phrase like One might object here that or It might seem that or It's true that or Admittedly, or Of course, or with an anticipated challenging question: But how?
or But why? or But isn't this just? or But if this is so, what about? Then you state the case against yourself as briefly but as clearly and forcefully as you can, pointing to evidence where possible. An obviously feeble or perfunctory counterargument does more harm than good. The Turn Back, counterargument paragraph. Your return to your own argument—which you announce with a but, yet, however, nevertheless or still —must likewise involve careful reasoning, counterargument paragraph, not a flippant or nervous dismissal.
In reasoning about the proposed counterargument, you may. Where to Put a Counterargument. Counterargument can appear anywhere in the essay, but it most commonly appears. But watch that you don't overdo it.
A turn into counterargument here and there will sharpen and energize your essay, counterargument paragraph, but too many such turns will have the reverse effect counterargument paragraph obscuring your main idea or suggesting that you're ambivalent. Counterargument in Pre-Writing and Revising. Good thinking constantly questions itself, as Socrates observed long ago.
But at some point in the process of composing an essay, you need to switch off the questioning in your head and make a case. Having such an inner conversation during the drafting stage, however, can help you settle on a case worth making, counterargument paragraph.
As you consider possible theses and begin to work on your draft, ask yourself how an intelligent person might plausibly disagree with you or see matters counterargument paragraph. When you can imagine an intelligent disagreement, counterargument paragraph have an arguable idea. And, of course, the disagreeing reader doesn't need to be in your head: if, counterargument paragraph, as you're starting work on an essay, you ask a few people around you what they think counterargument paragraph topic X or of your idea about X and keep alert for uncongenial remarks in class discussion and in assigned readings, you'll encounter a useful disagreement somewhere.
Awareness of this disagreement, however you use it in your essay, will force you to sharpen your own thinking as you compose. If you come to find the counterargument truer than your thesis, consider making it your thesis and turning your original thesis into a counterargument.
If you manage to draft an essay without imagining a counterargument, make yourself imagine one before you revise and see if you can integrate it. Gordon Harvey adapted from The Academic Essay: A Brief Anatomyfor the Writing Center counterargument paragraph Harvard University.
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The Turn Against Counterargument in an essay has two stages: you turn against your argument to challenge it and then you turn back to re-affirm it. You first imagine a skeptical reader, or cite an actual source, who might resist your argument by pointing out a problem with your demonstration, e. The Turn Back Your return to your own argument—which you announce with a but, yet, however, counterargument paragraph, nevertheless or still —must likewise involve careful reasoning, not a flippant or nervous dismissal.
In reasoning about the proposed counterargument, you may refute it, showing why it is mistaken—an apparent but not real problem; acknowledge its validity or plausibility, counterargument paragraph, but suggest why on balance it's relatively less important or less likely than what you propose, and thus doesn't overturn it; concede its force and complicate your idea accordingly—restate your thesis in a more exact, qualified, or nuanced way that takes account of the objection, or start a new section in which you consider your topic in light of it, counterargument paragraph.
This will work if the counterargument concerns only an aspect of your argument; if it undermines your whole case, you need a new counterargument paragraph. Where to Put a Counterargument Counterargument can appear anywhere in the essay, counterargument paragraph, but it most commonly appears as part of your introduction—before you propose your thesis—where the existence of a different view is the motive for your essay, the counterargument paragraph it needs writing; as a section or paragraph just after your introduction, in which you lay out the expected reaction or standard position before turning away to develop your own; as a quick move counterargument paragraph a paragraph, where you imagine a counterargument not to your main idea but to the sub-idea that the paragraph is arguing or is about to argue; as a section or paragraph just before the conclusion of your essay, in which you imagine what someone might object to what you have argued.
Counterargument in Pre-Writing and Revising Good thinking constantly questions itself, as Socrates observed long ago. Writing Resources Strategies for Essay Writing How to Read an Assignment Moving from Assignment to Topic How to Do a Close Reading Overview of the Academic Essay Essay Structure Developing A Thesis Beginning the Academic Essay Outlining Counterargument Summary Topic Sentences and Signposting Transitioning: Beware of Counterargument paragraph How to Write a Comparative Analysis Ending the Essay: Conclusions Revising the Draft Editing the Essay, Part One Editing counterargument paragraph Essay, Part Two Tips on Grammar, Punctuation and Style Brief Guides to Writing in the Disciplines.
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Writing Counterargument Paragraphs
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A counter argument is a viewpoint that opposes a critical argument. Excellent persuasive writing and speaking strategies make good use of counter-arguments. This is because they prove to readers that the writer has considered other viewpoints. Any argument or position comes with other alternating or contrasting positions A counter argument is an argument that opposes the stated thesis. It explains why the stated thesis is in full or partly incorrect. It does this using logical reasoning and evidence to undermine the stated thesis. A common counter argument synonym is a rebuttal argument Writing a Counterargument and Refutation Counterargument The counterargument paragraph is developed in much the same way that an argument paragraph is developed. The difference is that the counterargument is your opponents’ (the other side’s) argument that explains why you are wrong. This paragraph is structured as
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