evaluating arguments

Analyzing an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is written to persuade readers to agree with the writer's ideas, thoughts, and views on a certain topic. The writer tries to persuade readers about something that they may not already believe in. To meet this goal, the writer must present a well-supported argument. That's why, when you read an argumentative essay, it's important that you carefully analyze it and confirm whether the writer's argumenting claims are valid. To perform such an analysis, follow these steps: Step 1. Identify the elements of the argument. The central component of an argumentative essay is the thesis statement. While reading the essay, check whether the thesis statement is clearly stated in the introductory paragraphs of the essay. Then see if the claim that the thesis statement puts forth is debatable, or can be argued. Analyze the evidence that the writer provides to support the claims made. This evidence should be valid and verifiable. The evidence provided in an essay can be in the form of facts, statistics, examples, anecdotes, and expert opinions that support the writer's claim.

Logical Fallacies and False Arguments

While working to convince or persuade readers to agree with an opinion or stance on some topic, a writer may end up using flawed logic to prove the point. Arguments with such errors in reasoning are known as logical fallacies. Let's look at some types of logical fallacies that affect the reliability of an argumentative essay. Ad hominem: Ad hominem refers to a writer criticizing the character of the person or people who propose an opposing idea or argument instead of debating the actual argument or claim. For example, note how the principal's age is blamed in the following sentence, which is logically flawed: Students should protest against the principal's policy on after-prom parties because he's too old to understand what teenagers want.