A vital skill for any scholar, researcher, or academic professional is their ability to write a compelling academic argument. Your ability to communicate your ideas clearly and persuasively has a significant impact on how your work is seen, regardless of any type of writing whether you are writing an essay, research paper, or debate. The goal of persuasive academic writing is to persuade your audience to agree with or support your perspective by providing logic, reasoning, and supporting evidence. According to studies, 68% of academic readers consider that arguments are stronger if there is any reliable statistical evidence because it supports the argument’s logical base. We will go over how to write a strong persuasive academic argument by covering everything from topic selection to argument presentation.
1. Know Your Audience
Knowing who your audience is is crucial before you dig into the writing process. Usually, the target audience for academic writing is professors, other students, or experts in a specific field. These readers usually like reason, proof, and clarity in the content. Here you can recognize and adjust the complexity of your argument and your tone by having a deep understanding of your audience. Know about your readers’ previous knowledge on the topic and how they will react to your argument. This will affect how you make your points and what type of supporting details you have used.
2. Pick A Clear And Debatable Topic
A compelling academic argument starts with a powerful and debatable topic. You should choose a topic that people will easily disagree on because a persuasive argument needs opposing points of view to interact. Topics that are too broad or commonly known should be avoided because thn there will be no much discussion. Instead, focus on topics that have various interpretations or points. If you are unable to pick one then you can always ask for law assignment help Australia service.
3. Make A Powerful Thesis Statement
Basically, your persuasive argument focuses on your thesis statement the whole time. Experts of university assignment writing service give priority and take time to create thesis statements because it is the foundation of the whole work. It clearly explains your point of view on the topic and the direct argument that will take further. It should also show your argument’s structure so that readers should know about how you plan to back up your statements.
4. Collect And Analyze Evidence
Collecting evidence in order to back up your statement is the next step in deciding or making your thesis statement. Evidence plays a major role in persuading readers because it will give your argument weight in persuasive academic writing. This can include information from case studies, statistics, expert opinions, historical examples, and more. It is indeed crucial to back up your point with credible and trustworthy sources.
Make sure the evidence you choose supports your thesis. For instance, you could use research on the effects of carbon pollution or give examples of countries whether action their action is used and have reduced carbon emissions. This approach will support the argument that government policy is essential in combating carbon emission. Always carryout a critical analysis of your evidence in order to make sure it is current, relevant, and sourced from reliable sources.
5. Effectively Arrange Your Argument
Persuading readers means having a well-structured argument. Your essay should be well-structured so that your thoughts can flow naturally from one idea to the next. An academic argument that is persuasive usually follows this structure:
Introduction: Here is where you present your thesis statement, introduce the main topic, and give background details.
Body Paragraphs: Every paragraph need to concentrate on a single point which is your thesis statement because that will support your new points. After introducing the point with a thesis statement now you must provide evidence and analysis it in order to show how this point supports your point of view. Furthermore, addressing opposing arguments in the body paragraphs is also crucial for presenting that you have considered multiple perspectives.
Conclusion: Your thesis is highlighted and your key points are all must be wrapped up in the conclusion. It should restate your points to have more confirmed authenticity and, if necessary you can also give recommendations on possible action or consequences.
A logical argument structure makes it easier for readers to embrace your argument and understand why you think your point of view is right.
6. Address Opposing Arguments
Addressing and acknowledging opposing arguments is crucial in academic writing in order to persuade readers. This demonstrates that you have done extensive research and have given importance to others’ points of view. Furthermore, disproving opposing arguments will more support your argument which will prove that your position is stronger or has more solid evidence.
You can either completely reject opposing arguments or acknowledge that they have some relevance while claiming why your position is still stronger. For instance, on the topic of climate change, you can confess that some people think carbon taxes are too high as compared to an economic cost but in order t stay competitive than these costs must not be reduced for the long-term advantages of less environmental harm.
7. Proofread And Edit
It’s important for any writer to carefully proofread and edit their work after writing their first draft. Editing is the most important part of any work, therefore practice it to make it more clear and easy to read (helpwithdissertation, 2022). You can make your argument more effective and clear by repeatedly going over the revision process. Seek out any areas where your logic is weak, or vague or where there is not enough supporting data. Make sure your evidence is compelling and relevant.
The goal of editing is to make your essay’s language, grammar, and organization better. Check for any grammatical errors, misspellings, and weird wording. Reading your work loudly can assist you in identifying problems with clarity and flow. To get feedback on your essay from a differing point of view then you can also have someone else read it for you. Feedback is a useful thing but professor feedback is more useful and important (Zacharias, 2007).
Conclusion
It takes a lot of preparation, research, and critical thinking in order to write a strong academic argument. You can create an essay that is both persuasive and strongly backed up by evidence only by knowing your audience, selecting a topic that is clear and debatable, and expertly structuring your argument. Your argument will be more clear, more convincing, and more persuasive if you consider opposing arguments, make use of logical and reasonable and arguments, and properly edit your work. Writing engaging and persuasive academic arguments that persuade your audience is something you can become skilled in only with practice.
Reference List
Zacharias, N. T. (2007). Teacher and Student Attitudes toward Teacher Feedback. RELC Journal, 38(1), 38–52. https://doi.org/10.1177/0033688206076157
HWD., (2022). Editing Vs Proofreading – How Are They Different. Online Available at <https://www.helpwithdissertation.co.uk/blog/editing-vs-proofreading/> [Accessed on 6th May 2022]
