Counterargument. When you write an academic essay, 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 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 · The above essay outline is very basic. The argument it presents can be made much stronger if you consider the counter-argument, and then try to respond (refute) its points. The counter-argument presents the main points on the other side of the debate. Because we are arguing FOR working from home, this means the counter-argument is AGAINST working from home
How to Write a Counter Argument | Best Writing Tips
When you write an academic essay, 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, counter argument outline, it can be a persuasive and in both senses of the word disarming tactic.
It allows you 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, who confronts difficulties instead of sweeping them under the rug, who is more interested in discovering the truth than winning a point, counter argument outline.
Not every objection is worth entertaining, of course, and you shouldn't include one just to include one. But some imagining of other counter argument outline, 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 counter argument outline 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. You introduce this turn against with a phrase like One might object counter argument outline 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, counter argument outline, 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. Your return to your own argument—which you announce with a but, yet, however, nevertheless or still —must likewise involve careful reasoning, not a flippant or nervous dismissal. In reasoning about the proposed counterargument, you may. Where to Put a Counterargument. Counterargument counter argument outline 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, counter argument outline, but too many such turns will have the reverse effect by 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. 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 differently. When you can imagine an intelligent disagreement, you have an arguable idea. And, of course, the counter argument outline reader doesn't need to be in your head: if, as you're starting work on an essay, you ask a few people around you what they think of 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 at Harvard University. Skip to main content. Main Counter argument outline Utility Menu Search. Harvard College Writing Program HARVARD.
Home FAQ Writing Support Schedule an appointment English Grammar and Language Tutor Senior Thesis Tutors Departmental Writing Fellows Writing Counter argument outline Writing Resources Writing Advice: The Barker Underground Blog Meet the tutors. 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, counter argument outline, 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, 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, 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.
This will work if the counterargument concerns only an aspect of your argument; if it undermines your whole case, you need a new thesis, counter argument outline. Where to Put a Counterargument Counterargument can appear anywhere in the essay, but it most commonly appears as part of counter argument outline introduction—before you propose your thesis—where the existence of a different view is the motive for your essay, the reason it needs writing; as a section or paragraph just after your introduction, counter argument outline, in which you lay out the expected reaction counter argument outline standard position before turning away to develop your own; as a quick move within 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 counter argument outline 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 Velcro How to Write a Comparative Analysis Ending the Essay: Conclusions Revising the Draft Editing the Essay, Part One Editing the Essay, Part Two Tips on Grammar, Punctuation and Counter argument outline Brief Guides to Writing in the Disciplines.
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How to Write an Argumentative Essay - Counter Paragraph
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Counter argument: "Many people believe that animal testing is cruel. They argue that medical techniques and drugs should not be tested on animals." Refuting reason: "However, it is much crueler to test new drugs on humans. And, let people die because What is a counter argument? Basically, as its name clearly suggests, a counter-argument is an argument that is opposed to the thesis you’ve presented to your readers at the beginning of the academic paper. In other words, another valid counter argument definition would be “a view from a person that does not agree with your thesis.” Counterargument. When you write an academic essay, 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
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