Kōkiri Learn

Background reading · English

Building an argument that holds up

Position, reasons, evidence, counter-argument, conclusion: how strong arguments are built, and why the other side belongs in yours.

An opinion says what you think. An argument shows why someone else should agree, with evidence they can check for themselves.

The parts of an argument

  • Position: one arguable sentence. 'The council should lower the speed limit outside our school to 30 km/h' is arguable. 'Safety is important' isn't: nobody disagrees.
  • Reasons: two or three reasons that support the position, each in its own paragraph.
  • Evidence: facts, statistics, graphs, expert views or first-hand accounts for each reason, with the source named.
  • Counter-argument: the best case against you, stated fairly, then answered with evidence.
  • Conclusion: restate your position, show why it's stronger, and leave the reader something to think about or do.

    • Why include the other side?

    A reader who disagrees is already thinking of objections. If you answer them first, your argument is harder to knock down, and you show you are fair. Writers call this steel-manning: describing the other side at its strongest, not its silliest, before you reply.

    Careful words win trust

    Modal language like 'likely', 'most', 'in many cases' makes claims accurate. 'All students hate homework' is easy to disprove; 'most of the 60 students we surveyed said…' is much harder.

    Transitions are the glue

  • Add: also, furthermore, in addition.
  • Contrast: however, on the other hand, conversely.
  • Cause: as a result, therefore, consequently.
  • Concede: it's true that…, even so, nevertheless.

    • Sources and further reading

    Written for Kōkiri Learn students in our own words. Check facts against the sources.

    Used in: Crafting the Argument