Introduce the topic.
Provide background information.
Present the thesis statement or main argument.
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An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here’s an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3
1. Introduction :
Example: “Did you know that plastic pollution is threatening marine life at an alarming rate?”
Example: “Plastic pollution has become a global environmental concern, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering our oceans yearly.”
Example: “We must take immediate action to reduce plastic usage and implement more sustainable alternatives to protect our marine ecosystem.”
2. Body Paragraphs :
Example: “The first step towards addressing the plastic pollution crisis is reducing single-use plastic consumption.”
Example: “Research shows that plastic straws alone contribute to millions of tons of plastic waste annually, and many marine animals suffer from ingestion or entanglement.”
Example: “Some argue that banning plastic straws is inconvenient for consumers, but the long-term environmental benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience.”
Example: “Having addressed the issue of single-use plastics, the focus must now shift to promoting sustainable alternatives.”
3. Counterargument Paragraph :
Example: “While some may argue that individual actions cannot significantly impact global plastic pollution, the cumulative effect of collective efforts must be considered.”
Example: “However, individual actions, when multiplied across millions of people, can substantially reduce plastic waste. Small changes in behavior, such as using reusable bags and containers, can have a significant positive impact.”
4. Conclusion :
Example: “In conclusion, adopting sustainable practices and reducing single-use plastic is crucial for preserving our oceans and marine life.”
Example: “It is our responsibility to make environmentally conscious choices and advocate for policies that prioritize the health of our planet. By collectively embracing sustainable alternatives, we can contribute to a cleaner and healthier future.”
A claim is a statement or proposition a writer puts forward with evidence to persuade the reader. 4 Here are some common types of argument claims, along with examples:
Understanding these argument claims can help writers construct more persuasive and well-supported arguments tailored to the specific nature of the claim.
If you’re wondering how to start an argumentative essay, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with the argumentative essay format and writing process.
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Here are eight strategies to craft a compelling argumentative essay:
Let’s consider a sample of argumentative essay on how social media enhances connectivity:
In the digital age, social media has emerged as a powerful tool that transcends geographical boundaries, connecting individuals from diverse backgrounds and providing a platform for an array of voices to be heard. While critics argue that social media fosters division and amplifies negativity, it is essential to recognize the positive aspects of this digital revolution and how it enhances connectivity by providing a platform for diverse voices to flourish. One of the primary benefits of social media is its ability to facilitate instant communication and connection across the globe. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram break down geographical barriers, enabling people to establish and maintain relationships regardless of physical location and fostering a sense of global community. Furthermore, social media has transformed how people stay connected with friends and family. Whether separated by miles or time zones, social media ensures that relationships remain dynamic and relevant, contributing to a more interconnected world. Moreover, social media has played a pivotal role in giving voice to social justice movements and marginalized communities. Movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #ClimateStrike have gained momentum through social media, allowing individuals to share their stories and advocate for change on a global scale. This digital activism can shape public opinion and hold institutions accountable. Social media platforms provide a dynamic space for open dialogue and discourse. Users can engage in discussions, share information, and challenge each other’s perspectives, fostering a culture of critical thinking. This open exchange of ideas contributes to a more informed and enlightened society where individuals can broaden their horizons and develop a nuanced understanding of complex issues. While criticisms of social media abound, it is crucial to recognize its positive impact on connectivity and the amplification of diverse voices. Social media transcends physical and cultural barriers, connecting people across the globe and providing a platform for marginalized voices to be heard. By fostering open dialogue and facilitating the exchange of ideas, social media contributes to a more interconnected and empowered society. Embracing the positive aspects of social media allows us to harness its potential for positive change and collective growth.
Writing a winning argumentative essay not only showcases your ability to critically analyze a topic but also demonstrates your skill in persuasively presenting your stance backed by evidence. Achieving this level of writing excellence can be time-consuming. This is where Paperpal, your AI academic writing assistant, steps in to revolutionize the way you approach argumentative essays. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Paperpal to write your essay:
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The length of an argumentative essay can vary, but it typically falls within the range of 1,000 to 2,500 words. However, the specific requirements may depend on the guidelines provided.
You might write an argumentative essay when: 1. You want to convince others of the validity of your position. 2. There is a controversial or debatable issue that requires discussion. 3. You need to present evidence and logical reasoning to support your claims. 4. You want to explore and critically analyze different perspectives on a topic.
Argumentative Essay: Purpose : An argumentative essay aims to persuade the reader to accept or agree with a specific point of view or argument. Structure : It follows a clear structure with an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, counterarguments and refutations, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is formal and relies on logical reasoning, evidence, and critical analysis. Narrative/Descriptive Essay: Purpose : These aim to tell a story or describe an experience, while a descriptive essay focuses on creating a vivid picture of a person, place, or thing. Structure : They may have a more flexible structure. They often include an engaging introduction, a well-developed body that builds the story or description, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is more personal and expressive to evoke emotions or provide sensory details.
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Search form, difference between argument and discussion.
An argument is basically a verbal non-agreement, an altercation. In an agreement, people put forth their different opinions, and then each person tries to convince the others that viewpoint is correct. While this is true in the theoretical manner, in practicality the argument can turn highly emotional, in which the people involved may start to shout, scream, blame each other, etc. They may even start attacking each other’s characters. The argument may even turn into a physical fight.
A discussion, on the other hand, is more amicable. It is a conversation in which each party puts forth their views. However, they merely discuss the views, the positives and the negatives, which helps facilitate discussion and growth. Most importantly they do not try to convince each other that their point of view is correct and everyone else’s wrong. In a discussion everyone tries to see each other’s point of view and try to understand all sides of the issue.
Comparison between Argument and Discussion:
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Definition (Merriam-Webster) | A statement or series of statements for or against something A discussion in which people express different opinions about something An angry disagreement | The act of talking about something with another person or a group of people : a conversation about something A speech or piece of writing that gives information, ideas, opinions, etc., about something |
Description | An argument is usually a loud conversation in which each person assumes they are right and they try to convince others of it. | A discussion is a conversation in which each party shares their views and points, and everyone discusses each others views amicably. |
Emotion | More emotional | Less emotional |
Logic | Less logical | More logical |
Purpose | To convince others that your view point is correct | To facilitate sharing of points and ideas in order to achieve growth |
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When the goal of an argument is to win, it's already lost.
One thing that I have determined throughout my experience at Cassie Reid Counseling and as the director of Marriage and Family Therapy at The King’s University is that yelling doesn’t work. Although this may seem rudimentary to most, it is actually more important and beneficial than one might realize. Lately, I have been trying to determine what the difference is between an argument and a discussion. My most recent research has focused on the actual answers I have been given from clients.
I have gotten a plethora of different responses. One likened the argument to a fight in that someone wins and loses, while others have told me that arguments are usually hostile and discussions are calmer. From my own experiences as a wife and a counselor, I feel that I finally have a grasp on what the fundamental difference is between an argument and a discussion.
It’s the volume level. When an argument occurs, one individual typically raises their voice while the other person feels it necessary to raise their own voice even more. I often refer to this scenario as an argument escalation. On the one hand it seems like each individual is trying to dominate the other during the conversation and on the other hand it seems possible that the one raising their voice the most feels as though they are being heard the least. For whatever reason, the volume increases and the seemingly harmful discussion turns into an all-out verbal—and sometimes physical—fight.
The reason yelling in an argumentative fashion doesn’t work is that feelings get hurt and eventually there is a winner and a loser. Inevitably, at least in a marriage or serious long term relationship you both lose. Even if one wins the argument, they have successfully wounded their partner emotionally and they lose out on something much greater.
Instead of winning the argument and hurting the spouse, I suggest that we attempt to have discussions instead. Instead of raising our voices or fists at one another we should challenge ourselves to engage in a calm, reasonable discussion in which compromise occurs and everyone walks away with something. Ephesians 5:25 calls husbands to love their wives just as Christ also loved the Church and gave Himself up for her. Although this may seem easier said than done, God gives us an opportunity to grow in our relationships by honoring our spouse each and every day just as He honored and sacrificed so much for the Church.
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Key Takeaways An argument is a disagreement between two or more parties where each party presents its point of view, while a discussion is a conversation or exchange of ideas between two or more parties. Arguments are emotionally charged and lead to conflict, while discussions are respectful and aim to understand the other person’s perspective. The goal of an argument is to prove oneself right and the other party wrong, while a discussion aims to arrive at a common understanding or solution.
What is a discussion, similar reads, difference between argument and discussion, comparison between argument and discussion..
An idea is a statement or remarks favouring or against something. | A discussion requires communication between group members and a desire to exchange ideas respectfully. | |
It is rational and reasonable. | It is less logical and energy-consuming. | |
To achieve a common ground or establish what is right. | To prove who is correct. | |
More Emotions. | Fewer emotions. | |
is unhealthy and better to avoid. | Healthy and good for increasing knowledge. |
Last Updated : 11 June, 2023
23 thoughts on “argument vs discussion: difference and comparison”.
This article serves as a compelling reminder of the importance of productive conversations. The value of consensus-building is evident.
Indeed. The comparisons are astutely articulated, making a strong case for the significance of discussions.
This article provides a comprehensive comparison between argument and discussion. It’s a pleasure to have a more detailed understanding of the differences.
The article indeed breaks down the key differences in a clear and concise manner.
I appreciate the well-researched references that support the information provided.
The delineation of arguments and discussions is crucial in understanding effective communication. This article provides a thorough analysis.
The detailed exploration of these two communication methods certainly enriches our understanding of interpersonal interactions.
The article effectively illustrates the irrationality of arguments and the positivity of discussions. It’s a thought-provoking piece.
The comparison drawn here is enlightening. It highlights the significance of productive discussions.
The difference between argument and discussion is made clear in this article. In fact, it is a timely reminder that discussions lead to growth, while arguments only foster conflict.
I completely agree. This is an essential lesson in effective communication that is overlooked.
The article not only distinguishes between arguments and discussions but also sheds light on the emotional and rational aspects of each. A captivating piece.
I find the nuanced discussion on the emotional dynamics involved in arguments and the rational nature of discussions to be thought-provoking. A compelling read.
The thorough comparisons indeed provide valuable insights. The rational versus emotional argument is particularly intriguing.
This article makes a compelling case for the significance of discussions over arguments, emphasizing the value of open-minded exchanges.
Although the distinction between arguments and discussions seems obvious, this article brings a nuanced perspective that is intellectually stimulating.
The intellectual rigor in this article is commendable. It certainly broadens the understanding of these communication methods.
The depth of analysis truly sets this article apart. It delves into the intricacies with finesse.
The emphasis on rationality and logic in discussions as opposed to the emotional nature of arguments is convincingly presented. An enlightening read.
The distinction between the two is crucial and is presented with remarkable clarity in this piece.
I concur. The article provides valuable insights into effective communication strategies.
The article presents a compelling argument in favor of the importance of discussions over arguments. It’s difficult to refute the logic here.
The evidence-based approach truly strengthens the points put forward.
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Discussion essays are a common form of academic writing. This page gives information on what a discussion essay is and how to structure this type of essay. Some vocabulary for discussion essays is also given, and there is an example discussion essay on the topic of studying overseas.
Many essay titles require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour. These are known as discussion or for and against essays. In this sense, the academic meaning of the word discuss is similar to its everyday meaning, of two people talking about a topic from different sides. For a discussion essay, a balanced view is normally essential. This makes discussion essays distinct from persuasion essays , for which only one side of the argument is given. When writing a discussion essay, it is important to ensure that facts and opinions are clearly separated. Often you will examine what other people have already said on the same subject and include this information using paraphrasing and summarising skills, as well as correct citations .
The following are examples of discussion essay topics.
Although the structure of a discussion essay may vary according to length and subject, there are several components which most discussion essays have in common. In addition to general statements and thesis statement which all good essay introductions contain, the position of the writer will often be stated, along with relevant definitions . The main body will examine arguments for (in one or more paragraphs) and arguments against (also in one or more paragraphs). The conclusion will contain a summary of the main points, and will often conclude with recommendations , based on what you think are the most important ideas in the essay. The conclusion may also contain your opinion on the topic, also based on the preceding evidence.
An overview of this structure is given in the diagram below.
Structural component | Purpose | Stage of essay |
To introduce the reader to the subject of the essay. | ||
Position | To give the opinion of the writer (not always possible). | |
Definition(s) (optional) | To explain any important technical words to the reader. | |
To tell the reader what parts of the topic will be included in the essay. | ||
Arguments for | To explain to the reader the evidence for the positive side of the issue, with support. The most important ideas usually come first. This may be covered in one or more paragraphs. | |
Arguments against | To explain to the reader the evidence for the negative side of the issue, with support. The most important ideas usually come first. This may be covered in one or more paragraphs. | |
Summary | To give the reader a brief reminder of the main ideas, while restating the issue. Sometimes also says which ideas the writer believes have the strongest evidence. | |
Opinion & Recommendation | To give your opinion, and tell the reader what the writer believes is the best action to take, considering the evidence in the essay. |
When summarising the stages in a discussion or in presenting your arguments, it can be useful to mark the order of the items or degrees of importance. The following words and phrases can be used.
The following can be used when introducing your opinion.
It is important in English writing, including academic writing, to use synonyms rather than repeating the same word. The following are useful synonyms for 'advantage' and 'disadvantage'.
Below is an example discussion essay. Click on the different areas (in the shaded boxes to the right) to highlight the different structural aspects in this essay.
Title: An increasing number of students are going overseas for tertiary education. To what extent does this overseas study benefit the students?
Most people spend around fifteen years of their life in education, from primary school to university study. In the past, students only had the opportunity to study in their own country. Nowadays, however, it is increasingly easy to study overseas, especially at tertiary level. Tertiary education, also called post-secondary education, is the period of study spent at university. As the final aspect of schooling before a person begins their working life, it is arguably the most important stage of their education. While there are some undoubted benefits of this trend, such as the language environment and improved employment prospects , there is also a significant disadvantage, namely the high cost . The first and most important advantage of overseas study is the language learning environment. Students studying overseas will not only have to cope with the local language for their study, but will also have to use it outside the classroom for their everyday life. These factors should make it relatively easy for such students to advance their language abilities. Another important benefit is employability. Increasing globalisation means that there are more multinational companies setting up offices in all major countries. These companies will need employees who have a variety of skills, including the fluency in more than one language. Students who have studied abroad should find it much easier to obtain a job in this kind of company. There are, however, some disadvantages to overseas study which must be considered, the most notable of which is the expense. In addition to the cost of travel, which in itself is not inconsiderable, overseas students are required to pay tuition fees which are usually much higher than those of local students. Added to this is the cost of living, which is often much higher than in the students' own country. Although scholarships may be available for overseas students, there are usually very few of these, most of which will only cover a fraction of the cost. Overseas study therefore constitutes a considerable expense. In summary, studying abroad has some clear advantages, including the language environment and increased chances of employment , in addition to the main drawback, the heavy financial burden . I believe that this experience is worthwhile for those students whose families can readily afford the expense. Students without such strong financial support should consider carefully whether the high cost outweighs the benefits to be gained.
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Below is a checklist for discussion essays. Use it to check your own writing, or get a peer (another student) to help you.
The essay begins with | ||
There is a clear | ||
are given if needed | ||
The essay has clear | ||
One or more are included (including clear ) | ||
One or more are included (including clear ) | ||
The conclusion includes a of the main points | ||
The writer's is given | ||
There is a , which relates to the points in the essay |
Bailey, S. (2000). Academic Writing. Abingdon: RoutledgeFalmer
Cox, K. and D. Hill (2004). EAP now! Frenchs Forest: Pearson Education Australia
Jordan, R.R. (1999). Academic Writing Course. Cambridge: CUP
Roberts R., J. Gokanda, & A. Preshous (2004). IELTS Foundation. Oxford: Macmillian
Find out how to write persuasion essays in the next section.
Go back to the previous section about different essay types .
Author: Sheldon Smith ‖ Last modified: 16 January 2022.
Sheldon Smith is the founder and editor of EAPFoundation.com. He has been teaching English for Academic Purposes since 2004. Find out more about him in the about section and connect with him on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn .
Compare & contrast essays examine the similarities of two or more objects, and the differences.
Cause & effect essays consider the reasons (or causes) for something, then discuss the results (or effects).
Discussion essays require you to examine both sides of a situation and to conclude by saying which side you favour.
Problem-solution essays are a sub-type of SPSE essays (Situation, Problem, Solution, Evaluation).
Transition signals are useful in achieving good cohesion and coherence in your writing.
Reporting verbs are used to link your in-text citations to the information cited.
Writers try to accomplish different things in different articles. The goal of an essay dictates the format and style of that piece. There are different forms and many of them are quite similar. However, each has unique requirements that make it different from the others. Two such similar styles are the discursive essay and the argumentative essay. The difference between the two lies in the purpose and structure of the piece.
The goal of a discursive essay is to present a balanced and objective examination of a subject. Like an argumentative essay, the topic may be controversial, but the discursive essay attempts to present a much more balanced discussion of the issue. It does not, however, have to be expressly neutral. The essay should present both sides of the discussion, supported by facts and research. The author may draw tentative conclusions about the subject and suggest them to the reader.
The discursive style is written in a more formal and impersonal style than other essays. It begins with a introduction to the topic. Each issue should be discussed in a separate paragraph and each paragraph should begin with a strong topic sentence. The essay will typically alternate a paragraph of point followed by a paragraph of counterpoint. Discursive essays often have transitional wording leading into the next paragraph. The writer may choose to either express a low-key opinion in the final paragraph or leave readers to draw their own conclusions.
The writer of an argumentative essay attempts to clearly present a strong position on a particular topic. Its purpose is to both educate and persuade the reader on a particular point of view. In this regard it is similar to a persuasive essay, but generally presents its view in a stronger, perhaps more controversial, way. It may target an audience that is more resistant to its viewpoint or message.
Argumentative essays follow a general format. The writer states an initial thesis that contains the point of view for which the author is arguing. The body generally presents both sides of the argument, although each con is refuted in turn. The author may first present the pros of the argument, then offer the cons and refutation later in one paragraph. Or, each con may be both presented and refuted in an individual paragraph. The author presents the desired conclusion in the final paragraph.
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What’s the difference between an argumentative essay and an opinion essay? In both, you share your perspective on an issue that you think is important, but they are written in different formats and have different purposes in the academic world. For example, when writing an argumentative essay, you usually present the opposing viewpoint to your own opinion and then refute it with solid evidence. On the other hand, opinion essays are based solely on your personal viewpoint and there isn’t much of a structure to how you choose to write it, as long as it’s well-organized and easy to read.
An argument essay is one of two basic types of essays that you’ll encounter in your college writing classes: an argumentative essay and an expository essay. In contrast to an expository essay, which explains something, an argument essay does not explain anything; instead, it tries to convince its audience of a certain point of view on a given topic. An argumentative essay is intended to convince readers that your opinion or position on a topic is correct. It may focus on a current issue, such as gun control, or it may be more general in nature. In any case, your thesis will identify what you want to convince readers of: for example, you might argue that social media has had a positive impact on society or that it is harmful. You’ll then use evidence from research and personal experience to support your point of view. You can also write an argumentative essay about a fictional situation, in which case you’ll need to make up facts rather than rely on real-world data.
Although both of these types of essays are meant to argue a point, they do so in different ways. With an opinion essay, you’re arguing your point through personal reflection or experience; in an argumentative essay, you’re taking a side on an issue and proving that position with facts, data and other evidence.
This is an essay that presents a point of view on a given subject, usually something controversial. They’re sometimes referred to as op-eds, short for opposite editorial pages. Opinion essays are similar to arguments but written in essay format rather than paragraph format. Unlike arguments, opinion pieces can support their claims with examples from personal experience or evidence found in sources, just like any other essay.
The main difference between an opinion essay and an argumentative essay is that an opinion essay doesn’t have any research behind it—it simply states your own personal viewpoint about something. This could be a person, place or thing (or all three). For example: This is my favorite restaurant because I love their shrimp fettuccine alfredo, but every time I go there I always get sick afterwards.
A common misconception for a young essay writer is that an argumentative essay and an opinion essay are one in the same. In fact, these two types of essays are incredibly different; in order to produce a high-quality piece of writing, it’s essential to understand exactly what each type entails and how they differ from one another. Read on for a brief explanation of what distinguishes these two varieties of essays from one another
Students often make mistakes when writing an essay due to careless mistakes or simply not following instruction, which we will explore further into today’s post. It’s very important for an essay writer to be precise with their word choices in order to convey a particular message effectively. If a student is not precise enough with his/her word choice, it can lead to an essay that fails to express its point clearly.
From start to finish, a great essay takes time and effort, so you’ll want to plan your essay carefully. Before you get started, it’s helpful to identify exactly what kind of essay you’re being asked to write so that you can best focus your efforts. If you have trouble deciding, then you should contact an essay writer from en.samedayessay.com.
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Have you ever had a conversation or group discussion and later thought of all the things you should have said? A discussion response gives you the opportunity to do so. An essay proves that you've researched a topic, but a discussion response proves you were listening in class or at a work meeting.
An essay is a short, informative piece of writing with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Essays are traditionally five or more paragraphs long and include a thesis statement that explains the writer's main point or argument.
There are four basic types of essays. A persuasive essay argues a point and explains why readers should agree. An expository essay gives the facts and details about its subject. A descriptive essay uses words that paint a picture in their readers' imaginations. A narrative essay tells a story, usually from a first-person viewpoint.
A written discussion response is usually assigned in order to capture the thoughts you had after a class or meeting. There is no universal structure for a discussion response, but expected guidelines are often given by the person assigning the writing.
The point of an essay is to inform readers on a chosen topic. The type of essay you choose in order to reach that goal should depend on which type is most effective in getting your point across to a reader. Unless you decide to use an interview as a source for your essay, you won't need to interact with other people in order to write one.
A discussion response is meant to allow a person time for personal reflection in order to respond thoughtfully to a topic following a group discussion in which ideas and thoughts were exchanged on a particular topic or issue.
To write an essay, you'll need to research your chosen topic, decide which essay type will most effectively make your point, and then organize your thoughts into one thesis statement followed by three or more topic sentences that explain your main point.
To write a good discussion response, you'll need to pay attention in class, take notes to help you remember important points, consider the views presented by the rest of the class or group, and write out your thoughts after the discussion has ended.
What is the difference between discursive and argumentative essay? Many students may wonder when they first learn about these two types of writing. Unlike Narrative Writing where stories are based on our imagination or personal experience, discursive and argumentative are based on facts and truths. As both require writer to give evidence and elaboration to support the stand, we often confuse ourselves with their structures. So how do we differentiate these two? First, we start off by understanding the difference in structure.
PEEL structure (discursive writing): 1. Point (with a thesis statement) 2. Reason 3. Credible evidence 4. Elaboration 5. Link
PEEL structure (argumentative writing): 1. Point (with a thesis statement) 2. Reason 3. Credible evidence 4. Elaboration 5. Link 6. REBUTTAL
Now, do you spot the difference in these two structures?
Discursive writing focuses on one’s perspective and thoughts in regards of the subject. It is more of a discussion rather than an argument. Thus, opinions are needed for both “for” and “against”. However, on the other hand, argumentative writing focuses on making a stand on an argument. The evidences and elaborations provided are used to reinforce this stand.
A rebuttal then comes in when the writer wants to acknowledge the importance of the oppose, but later on suggest another key idea to further support his stand. For example, the writer usually goes: “It’s true that homework doesn’t take that much time, but that point has nothing to do with whether homework promotes learning. Free time is important, but it has no bearing on learning.” Note that a common sentence structure for rebuttal is always “It’s true that…but…” Not only will this reinforce on the stand, but it will also give a persuasive tone on the entire essay.
Talking about tone, do you know the difference between the tone used in discursive writing and argumentative writing? Tone is rather important in these two types of essays because readers get affected by it. There are also words and phrases that can be used to enhance the tone and statement.
In Everyday Tuition Centre, we teach the students tricks to master different types of essays, and guide them on sourcing out credible evidences from trustable sites. In the past, our students have benefited greatly from our programs. They have scored well in English Language thanks to our responsible and well-experienced tutors.
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The difference between an argumentative and persuasive essay isn’t always clear. If you’re struggling with either style for your next assignment, don’t worry. The following will clarify everything you need to know so you can write with confidence.
First, we define the primary objectives of argumentative vs. persuasive writing. We then compare the best strategies for starting the writing process. In both cases, the key is knowing your audience, which we will discuss later in this article by Custom-Writing.org experts.
🎯 persuasive vs. argumentative writing: primary objectives.
Both argumentative and persuasive essays require you to present your point of view on a specific topic. However, your approach will differ between the two. The words “argumentative” and “persuasive” should help you recognize what you are expected to achieve. Let’s see how.
For the argumentative essay, it is sufficient to present your point of view and nothing more. That said, the information you present should come across as being reliable enough for the readers. They don’t need to agree with your take on the issue at hand. The reader need only acknowledge that your point of view is worth considering.
In a persuasive essay, however, your goal is to get the reader on your side. And so, in addition to presenting sensible information, you want the reader to share your opinion.
Here are some examples to show you the difference. For more examples try and use a thesis statement generator for persuasive essay and for argumentative one, and you’ll clearly see what sets them apart.
Argumentative Essay Topics 💡 | Persuasive Essay Topics 💡 |
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Why is the current grading system flawed? | Why should be free? |
How do energy drinks affect our bodies long-term? | Marijuana should be legalized worldwide for use. |
How do social media affect self-esteem? | What are the benefits of paternity leave for both employees and employers? |
Additionally, you can take a look at any example of term paper for college , which will clearly show you the differences between the types. Remember, though, that the more controversial your topic is, the more likely it is that the reader will disagree with you!
For either type of essay, the foundation is generally the same. Before even thinking about your introduction, settle on a topic that genuinely interests you. What follows will differ for argumentative and persuasive essays.
In the case of argumentative writing, it’s crucial to have all the information you need to build up a strong set of arguments and examples. Therefore, don’t forget to spend some time researching your topic in earnest. Once you have all the data, you can easily choose which side to take. Never force a paper to align with your personal opinion if you don’t have enough supporting evidence.
In the case of a persuasive essay, your job is to make sure you have a decent topic and identify which side to support. The starting point is a bit less complicated.
This is where things get interesting in the clash between persuasive and argumentative writing. For college-level writing, it’s never enough to follow a general essay outline . Getting that coveted higher mark requires that you know the unique yet subtle features of both writing styles.
Topical and relevant reasons are the backbone of any argumentative text. This is where preliminary research comes in. Having requisite evidence and facts from credible sources ensures the worthiness of your essay. That way, the reader can validate your point of view.
As with argumentative writing, persuasive essays should include some measure of supporting facts. What distinguishes persuasive writing is that you must also engage the reader on an emotional level. Moreover, there’s no need to present opposing opinions. Your goal is to make the reader take your side. All’s fair in love and war!
Let’s talk more about presenting different opinions. You were probably taught that an academic essay includes at least three arguments and an additional counterargument . Keep in mind, however, that this rule applies only to argumentative essays, in which you introduce three or more arguments with evidence to support your point of view. You then offset that point of view by including an opposing opinion. By doing so, you allow the reader to choose a side, even though the facts, as you’ve presented them, are in favor of your opinion. This is a logic-based approach.
In a persuasive essay, you’re not likely to entertain the opposition. Your conviction is the very essence of the essay. Your take on the issue in question must come across as the only sensible approach. If you’re feeling confident, you’re welcome to include a counterargument, but only if you decimate it right away!
We’ve seen the differences and similarities between argumentative and persuasive writing and walked you through the technical aspects of both. But there’s one final piece of the puzzle to be considered: the question of your audience. This is the biggest difference of them all.
When writing an argumentative essay, remember that you don’t need to convince anyone. There is no audience. You’re simply presenting the information you gathered without expecting anything in return (except maybe a pat on the back from your teacher).
Without an audience, there’s no one to persuade. This touches on another crucial element of the writing process : understanding what and how your readers think. This allows you to pick the best strategy to convince them to join your side.
The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay comes down to your audience. For persuasive writing, it’s necessary to feel out your audience and wield that knowledge to prove the efficacy of your perspective. For argumentative writing, opt for a logical approach and just present the facts with no intent to persuade anyone.
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Published on November 5, 2014 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023.
Most of the time, when your supervisors and others talk about academic essays what they mean is essays that present well-reasoned points of view on various topics . This article explains some essential kinds of these essays—exegetical, discursive, expository, and argumentative—and outlines their key differences and similarities. We’ll call the group of them “persuasive essays,” since they all require you to persuade your reader in some way.
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Kinds of persuasive academic essays, difference between persuasive academic essays and standard scientific articles, differences between kinds of persuasive academic essays, other interesting articles.
Exegetical essays persuade your reader to interpret a theory in a certain way and show your ability to understand and accurately explain difficult ideas.
Discursive essays persuade your reader to see the different sides of a debate in a certain way and present your ability to compare different approaches to a topic.
Expository essays persuade your reader that your opinion is the right one and that you are a competent critical thinker.
Argumentative essays persuade your reader to see something new in a field of research and to see that you have some authority in that field.
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One thing that separates a persuasive academic essay from a standard scientific article or an article in a newspaper is that the author’s point of view plays a more obvious role. Whereas a scientist is taught not to present the facts as she sees them but as anyone can see them, an essayist always presents information from a certain point of view (usually her own), even if she usually avoids referring to herself in the text.
The different kinds of persuasive academic essays are distinguished by the different things they do, but also by the prominence of the author’s point of view. The following tables presents the differences.
included in this type of essay | : but it is understood that the presentation is your own reading of what someone else means by a theory or view. |
: although normally you should suggest which argument is the stronger, your primary role is as a guide to competing views on the topic. |
: you present your own view as the best view to take, and the paper establishes your ability to think independently and critically. |
: you present your own view as the best view to take, but the focus is on how this new view contributes meaningfully to the current literature. |
The first thing to notice is that, while essay assignments do sometimes ask for one or the other of these types of essay, often persuasive academic essays will need to mix these styles. For example, in order to properly situate her view in the current literature on a topic, the author of an argumentative essay will sometimes need to present a brief exegesis of someone else’s view. Many other combinations are possible, and the argumentative essay, especially, may draw on each of the other three styles.
Second, each of these academic essay forms is argumentative, even though we call only one of them “the argumentative essay.” In fact, you should keep in mind that, speaking loosely, people sometimes do refer to all of these as “argumentative essays.” This term is not entirely inaccurate, since they all require skillful treatment of argumentation, and they all require you to persuade your reader of something.
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Home » Language » Linguistic » Difference Between Argumentative and Persuasive Essay
Main difference – argumentative vs persuasive essay.
Persuasive essay and Argumentative essay are similar in nature and thus, often confused to be the same though there exists a difference between the two. In fact, Persuasive essay and Argumentative essay are two different types of essays, and the main difference between them is that the persuasive essay depends on opinions and emotions while an argumentative essay uses logic and reason. Let us first look at these two types of essays in detail and then move on to identify the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay.
An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that attempts to convince the readers that the author’s idea is true . This is a genre of writing that is used to defend or prove a point. A writer should do a thorough research; gather accurate facts and figures before writing an argumentative essay. This is more like a debate written on paper. While writing an argumentative essay, a writer should be aware of both pros and cons of the argument, and should try to discredit the opposing view by using evidence .
A persuasive essay is a piece of writing that attempts to convince the readers to agree with author’s ideas. In this type of essay, the writer can use his own ideas, opinions and evoke the emotions in the reader in order to convince them to agree to his opinion . A writer of a persuasive essay needs to do research, gather evidence, but a clever writer can create a successful essay without knowing much. This is because; a persuasive writing appeals more to reader’s emotions rather than minds. In persuasive writing, the writer should have certain awareness about the audience . For example, opinions and ideas that could appeal to teenagers may not have the same effect on adults. First person narration and Second person narration (Ex: In my opinion, I believe, etc.,) are commonly used as the writer is addressing the audience directly.
As discussed before, argumentative essays are a genre of writing that attempts to convince the readers to accept the writer’s idea as true, by using statistics, facts and figures, etc. while persuasive essays are a genre of writing that attempts to convince the readers to agree with the writer, by using emotions, personal ideas, etc. In other words, an argumentative essay is based on logic and reasons while a persuasive essay is based on emotions and personal opinions. When it comes preparations, before writing an argumentative essay, the writer needs to do a thorough research on the subject but does not need to have the knowledge about the audience. On the other hand, the writer can write a persuasive essay even without doing much research, but he should have certain knowledge about the audience.
When we look at both types of essays in the perspective of the audience; an argumentative essay appeals to the minds of the readers whereas, a persuasive essay appeals to the hearts of the readers. Also, an argumentative essay acknowledges opposing views, but a persuasive essay may not acknowledge opposing views.
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• Categorized under Language | Difference between Argument and Debate
Argument vs Debate
What is the difference between argument and debate? Both ‘argument’ and ‘debate’ are related terms that can be used by English speakers to describe speaking about a topic and providing support to their opinions on it. For example, “She presented an argument about her opinion on the topic, and that lead to a debate among her coworkers.” The noun ‘argument’ means in technical terms statements, reasoning or evidence presented by someone in written or spoken form that support something, such as a particular opinion. For example, “He provided a valid argument for having a four day work week.” It can also have the meaning of a discussion in which people express their differing opinions with one another on a topic. For example, “The company allowed the argument of the issue of a four day work week to be discussed openly by all at the meeting.” Arguments in this sense are generally persuasive in their nature about a subject, but don’t often end in a decision or a formal ruling. ‘Argument’ also has a less formal and more commonly used meaning of an angry or passionate disagreement about something. For example, “Bob got into a heated argument with his boss about whether or not he should have Fridays off each week.”
A ‘debate’, as a noun, is understood as a formal discussion between people or groups of people that is regulated. Interestingly, debates are considered based on ‘arguments’, which are lines of reasoning, support or evidence about a subject. However, a debate has the feeling of a larger, longer or more formal discussion. A formal debate may even be judged by a person or a panel of people, with one side winning the debate by providing the best lines of reasoning or support for the issue. For example, “She argued that people should have the right to decide about their own medical care at the debate.”
A debate has also come to have a meaning similar to an argument in the negative sense in colloquial English in modern usage. For example you may hear someone say, “The child had an all-out debate with his mother about not eating his peas.” In this less formal usage, the word ‘debate’ is used to show the discussion or disagreement was more involved or longer than a normal argument, or perhaps less emotional or passionately angry. ‘Debate’ carries the idea of more intellectual discussion about disagreement when used this way, as opposed to ‘argument’, which implies a more emotion driven quarrel.
In general, ‘Argument’ means a line of reasoning or evidence in support of an issue or opinion. It has a more informal usage, as well as it can imply a personal dispute that has a more negative meaning to it. ‘Debate’ is more often used as a formal word that implies a larger or public-style discussion with people supporting both sides of the issue and rules or specific guidelines governing the proceedings.
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Cite APA 7 Hutchinson, A. (2016, June 8). Difference between Argument and Debate. Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects. http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-argument-and-debate/. MLA 8 Hutchinson, Aaron. "Difference between Argument and Debate." Difference Between Similar Terms and Objects, 8 June, 2016, http://www.differencebetween.net/language/difference-between-argument-and-debate/.
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Compare and contrast essay is an academic text that encourages authors to take a look at the differences between two or more subjects. Read this article to find out how to write a comparative essay for your assignment.
As the name suggests, compare and contrast papers aim to provide two main perspectives on separate subjects by finding their similarities and dissecting their differences.
Oftentimes, the purpose of compare and contrast essays is to present one subject as a more favorable option. But it can also be used in analytical essay writing to showcase how two subjects are related to each other and help the audience better understand the concepts.
The comparative essay outline is not much different than other academic essays in terms of the outline. The compare and contrast essay outline includes:
The main difference between other types of academic essays and compare and contrast essays is their structure. Let’s explore this in more detail.
The compare and contrast essay structure depends on your approach to comparing the paper subject. There are three main ways to structure your essay: the point-by-point method, the block method, and the similarities vs. differences method.
This method involves dedicating each paragraph to a specific point and comparing all subjects related to it. This structure helps to highlight the correlation between the subjects in each important aspect or the differences between them.
For instance, if you compare planes and trains, your comparative essay could include the following paragraphs:
This helps your readers instantly understand the similarities and differences between the subjects.
Another popular approach to structuring the line of argument is the block method. Compare and contrast essays aim to give an overview of resemblances and distinctions between subjects. Unlike the previous approach, the block method in comparative essays allows the author to give a full overview of all subjects separately.
The block method requires you to present all the information about one subject before moving on to the next. While each block discusses one subject comprehensively, you can still compare and contrast within each paragraph or section where relevant. Here is an example of a compare and contrast essay structure:
This structure provides more clarity and allows for a detailed analysis of each subject independently.
This method focuses on specifically highlighting the differences and similarities between the subjects. Unlike the previously discussed approaches, this method dedicates separate paragraphs to either similarities or differences, depending on the writer's choice. According to the similarities vs. differences method, the compare and contrast essay structure would look like this:
This method helps the author to conduct a thorough analysis of shared characteristics or contrasting features, which improves the reader's understanding of the relationships between the subjects.
While the compare and contrast essay outline may seem familiar, this essay type requires a different approach to preparation and writing. Let’s explore the main steps for writing a perfect comparative essay.
To provide a comprehensive analysis of several topics, you must conduct thorough research on them both. You need to make sure that the subjects have common aspects so that the comparison makes sense.
For example, it is perfectly fine to compare and contrast dogs and cats. But trying to compare cats and sharks would prove difficult since both species have little similarities.
Making a plan for your future essay is important. It will help you stay on course and not forget about important details. To make a compare and contrast essay outline, you should choose the structure method that you want to use, and base your plan on it.
The first step to solving the issue of how to start a compare and contrast essay is writing an introduction. The introduction helps to engage your audience and grab their attention. It should consist of the following elements:
By following this plan, you can set the stage for a thoughtful and coherent comparison of your chosen subjects.
The body of your comparative essay should follow one of the previously described structures. You have the option to choose between the point-by-point method, the block method, and the similarities vs. differences method.
Depending on your choice, each paragraph of your essay will be dedicated to a specific topic. Make sure to start each paragraph with a short introduction, followed by a concise explanation of the similarities and differences between the subjects.
Always use transitional words and phrases like similarly , on the other hand , in contrast to guide the reader through your comparisons and contrasts. These transitions help maintain coherence and clarity in your essay.
The conclusion of your essay should summarize the key points discussed in your paper to reinforce your thesis. Make sure to briefly recap the similarities and differences you discussed in the body paragraphs. Conclude your essay by emphasizing the importance of the comparison.
Writing a comparative essay involves analyzing similarities and differences between two or more subjects, providing clear insights into their relationships and significance. With this handy guide, you now know how to create a comprehensive compare and contrast essay for your studies.
If you have trouble with how to start a compare and contrast essay, you can use essay generator Aithor for assistance. Aithor is a state-of-the-art AI generator created specifically to help with academic writing. Try essay generator Aithor and create a perfect compare and contrast essay right now!
Argumentative essay: a comprehensive guide to academic writing.
An argumentative essay is one of the most common pieces of academic writing. It tests your ability to analyze a topic and use solid arguments to defend your position. In this article, you will learn how to write an argumentative essay and find argument essay examples. What is an argumentative essay? In academic writing, an argumentative essay is a paper where a writer provides arguments for and against a certain topic. The purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade the audience to accep ...
In academic writing, an analytical essay is considered one of the most difficult papers. Not only does it require an extensive understanding of the topic, but also a high level of critical thinking skills. In this article, we’ll break down what analytical essays are, their structure, and how to write an analytical essay for the first time. What is an analytical essay? Analytical writing focuses on demonstrating how exactly an author arrived at a given conclusion. It showcases the entire thoug ...
Writing a good conclusion for your science lab report can be the difference between a good grade and a great one. It's your last chance to show you understand the experiment and why it matters. This article will help you learn how to write a lab conclusion that sums up your work and shows your teacher that you understood what you did. What Should Be in Your Lab Report Conclusion? A good lab report conclusion wraps up your lab work in a neat package. When you're thinking about how to write a c ...
As a student, you're no stranger to the countless writing assignments your teachers toss your way. When you see that your next assignment is a short essay, you might think, "Oh, this will be easy!" I mean, it's only a few hundred words, right? How hard could it be? But here's the thing: writing a short essay can sometimes be even harder than writing a longer paper. So, let's work together and figure out how to make your short essays really stand out! The Basics of a Short Essay Format A short ...
A rhetorical analysis essay is a part of the AP English Language and Composition exam. Due to its unorthodox purpose, rhetorical analysis can be hard to master at first. This article will help you understand what a rhetorical analysis essay is, learn about main rhetorical analysis strategies, and find out how to write a rhetorical analysis. What is a rhetorical analysis? As you can probably guess, a rhetorical analysis is a type of analytical essay. Alongside a synthesis essay and argument es ...
One of the most effective ways to convey essential information is through a business report. This article will guide you through the purpose of a business report, provide valuable writing tips, outline how to format your business report correctly and offer an example for better understanding. What is the Purpose of a Business Report? A business report serves as a critical tool for decision-making within an organization. Its primary purpose is to analyze a particular situation or issue, evalua ...
A classification essay is a powerful tool in academic writing, enabling writers to break down broad topics into organized categories for better understanding. This guide will show you how to write a classification essay, from designing a perfect outline to selecting compelling topics. Continue reading to learn how to create a clear, insightful, and engaging classification essay. What is a Classification Essay? A Brief Overview A classification essay is a type of academic writing that involves ...
In the world of student home assignments there lives an interesting and creative project, a reaction essay, by name. It deals with the person's feedback on a movie, book, article, a piece of work, evoking thoughts and emotions. What is the essence of this paper? How to write a perfect one? Let's get acquainted with this issue. At first, imagine the situation when you've just watched a deep philosophical movie or read an article that cut you to the very heart. You feel like thunderstruck. You ne ...
For about 10 years now, I’ve had a profitable side hustle teaching writing. ANU has a generous external consulting policy, which means I can fly all over the country, and the world, teaching academics to be better writers. With the invention of ChatGPT (or as my sister Anitra dubbed it, ChattieG), I expected this work to dry up and blow away in the winds of technological change.
The opposite has happened.
People love the idea of this technology, but it seems many find LLMs (Large Language Models) frustrating. There’s also skepticism; generated perhaps by reading so many bad undergraduate essays generated by these machines. Some of my colleagues claim they can ‘always tell’ when something is written by a machine and in meetings I’ve heard people criticise ChattieG for producing mediocre, business casual text.
I try to stay patient, but I can feel my face start to twitch. Look, here’s my hot take:
1) You can’t ‘always tell’ – in the right hands it’s as good as most academic writers, if not better, and 2) If you think it isn’t a great writer because you can’t get excellent text from it, as Steve Jobs kind of said about the iPhone 4, you’re holding it wrong.
It does help to have a good grasp on the technicalities of English. I can find my way around a gerund and understand why right branching syntax is better than left branching syntax, at least in English. I can talk these technicalities with an LLM and instruct it precisely on any given writing task. Have a look at this post on the AARE blog , completely written by Claude, or read Rich Academic / Poor Academic , the book I wrote in a weekend with Prof Narelle Lemon.
LLMs are the best tool for writers I’ve ever seen. I’m impatient with the moral panic that surrounds them, although I acknowledge they are environmentally problematic and the questions around copyright and privacy are important. Despite these misgivings, I’ve leaned into AI in all my teaching on writing and editing; mostly for ‘text tuning’ and creative inspiration. I’ve also incorporated use of AI into my workshops on public speaking, job seeking and research project management workshops because LLMs are just…
So. Damn. Useful.
I get new ideas for teaching AI from my own daily work as an academic. I have ChattieG and Claude open, all day, every day, to lighten my cognitive load and extend my human capabilities. Extensive use of AI saves me around 12 hours a week. I spend this productivity dividend having coffee and long lunches with colleagues, doing analysis or reading academic papers. I’m less stressed and more creative than I’ve been in, well – forever.
My artificial friends have given me back the life of the mind.
Different models are good for different jobs. ChattieG is great at boring writing tasks like memos and emails – it’s also great at reminding me about stuff I already know. I’m old. I know a lot of stuff, but my recall can be fuzzy – Chattie is a fantastic cognitive crutch.
Claude is better than Chattie at reasoning; it’s great at complicated tasks, like writing references, research ethics materials and descriptions of events and workshops from a sketchy plan. Claude is a trusty creative partner too, happy to listen to me agonise my way through ideas (Chattie is too impatient).
To be honest, sometimes the best conversations I have all day are with Claude. I’ve formed this habit of showing Claude stuff I’ve written and asking what it thinks, not for feedback, just because I’m looking for a bit of affirmation. Claude is always so supportive.
(ok, ok. Maybe I’m a bit emotionally co-dependent. Don’t judge me.)
Many academics declare they will never use AI – and that’s a valid choice. But if my side hustle bookings are any indication, there are far more academics who want to know how to use AI like I do. Who doesn’t want 12 hours back in their week? As a consequence, my side hustle has exploded. I’m now so inundated with requests that I have now teamed up with my pod co-host (and fellow AI enthusiast) Dr Jason Downs to meet the demand (see my workshop page for what we offer).
The key to getting great writing from Chattie, Claude or Gemini is to understand a little bit about the technology behind them. I’ve got a bit of a leg up here. Since 2017 I have been working with machine learning scientists at ANU on our PostAc project . I’ve spent maybe hundreds of hours training machines to do sorting tasks. We’ve been making models that can ‘read’ and rank job ads by ‘nerdiness’. These models can process millions of job ads at a time, helping us identify the size and extent of the job market for researchers each year.
From the point of view of a human, this kind of ‘training’ means highlighting strings of words and assigning an abstract meaning to them, over and over, until the numbers tell us the machine has ‘learned’. This work is time intensive. In 2021, I coded 9000 academic job ads to teach a model how to recognise disciplinarity in an academic job ad. This pleasantly boring activity ate up long stretches of lockdown during the pandemic and probably saved my sanity. I can now tell you how many philosophy jobs there are in Australia each year (hint, not many).
I have a vague, yet defiant grasp on the maths involved in machine learning. Over the years, my friend and colleague Prof. Hanna Souminen has spent a lot of time patiently explaining higher dimensional number spaces and AUC curves to me. Thanks to Hanna, I can have nearly sensible discussions about ‘temperature’ and other weird AI concepts with the clever people that build this kind of technology.
One thing you learn in these conversations is that even the people who make machine learning models don’t really know why they work.
If you don’t really understand a tool, you don’t know its affordances. That’s a fancy way of saying you don’t really know what you’ll be able to do with it. This might be why many people sign up to ChattieG, play around with it, and then lose interest (check out the figures in this interesting article from Benedict Evans . He does a great newsletter. It’s worth your while signing up – go ahead, I’ll wait).
You have to bring your creative self to AI to get best results – and this can be hard.
Ethan Mollick, one of the best writers on AI, calls it a ‘general purpose tool’ (if you haven’t subscribed to his One Useful Thing newsletter yet, go do it – I’ll wait). Mollick has some excellent advice on getting better performance from AI in his recent book Co-Intelligence :
There is one major trick that will make your conversations work better: provide context. You can (inaccurately but usefully) imagine the AI’s knowledge as huge cloud. In one corner of that cloud the AI answers only in Shakespearean sonnets, in another it answers as a mortgage broker, in a third it draws mostly on mathematical formulas from high school textbooks. By default, the AI gives you answers from the center of the cloud, the most likely answers to the question for the average person. You can, by providing context, push the AI to a more interesting corner of its knowledge, resulting in you getting more unique answers that might better fit your questions.
But what does ‘context’ mean for us as writers?
For a long time, linguists and other language scholars have been working on various social theories of communication. I read a lot of this stuff when I was doing my PhD about hand gestures , for obvious reasons. Social theories of communication (and there are a few different ones) explore how writing ‘acts’ have imagined audience(s). Writers anticipate what their readers want to hear, and in what order. They make educated guesses about the possible reactions of their imagined readers. Good writers can decide when to fulfil the expectation of the reader, and when to subvert them.
The idea of a writing ‘act’ keys us into what we’re doing when we write: we’re performing a role for our imaginary audience. This role determines things like word use, length, tone, and style. When you are writing a ‘Get Well’ card, you are performing the role of concerned friend. When you are writing a PhD dissertation, you are playing the role of ‘expert scholar’ (even if you don’t feel like one).
One of the best, weirdest, creepy/awesome things about LLMs is they can play roles in writing like humans. You can, for instance, tell Claude to act like Reviewer Two. Go ahead and try it – I love the way it sometimes apologises for being so mean 🙂 Getting Claude to be Reviewer Two is a good party trick, but LLMs can play a more useful and subtle role in developing text for an imagined audience.
There are many ‘rules’ for academic writers – some more useful than others. In the excellent book ‘The Craft of Research’ , authors Booth et al. have a handy diagram to describe what an argumentative paragraph looks like:
Expert writers, when writing for other experts, will often drop reasons and evidence in favour of more acknowledgement and response. I asked Chattie and Claude for lists of phrases academics use; Chattie gave a much better response (it likes to get the job done, while Claude wants to have a chat about it).
Here’s the whole list Chattie gave me because it’s pretty useful:
Expert writers do a lot of acknowledgement and response because it builds trust in another expert reader. As Booth et al. put it:
If you plan your argument only around claims, reasons and evidence, your readers may think your argument is not only thin but worse, ignorant and dismissive of their views.
As you read more, and talk with other experts, you will form a good mental model of the expert reader in your field. You know which of these phrases will persuade them to your point of view. Supervisors often play the imagined audience in the comments they make on your text. Poor acknowledgement and response (or not very much of it) is what makes machine writing so ‘thin’. It’s also a feature of bad undergraduate writing and many early stage thesis drafts.
Beefing up these parts of your writing will make a huge difference to your ‘scholarly voice’. Machines are not good at acknowledgement and response on their own, but they are a good creative partner in producing this part of your text. One of the most fatiguing things about writing is keeping this imagined audience ‘present’ so you can argue with them in your mind. Try asking a LLM to take on the role of an expert in your field and criticise your text from the point of view of someone who doesn’t agree with your key arguments. It’s not always 100% helpful, but it will give you plenty to think about. You still have to do your share of imaginary sparring of course, but at least you have someone to talk to about it!
Anyway, thanks for sticking with me through this rather long, exploratory post. I am feeling my way into writing the second edition of ‘How to Fix your Academic Writing Trouble’ with Katherine Firth. The new edition will include a lot about how to incorporate AI into your writing. If you’re interested in hearing news about this upcoming book release, you can sign up to our Writing Trouble mailing list here.
I’m off to ask Claude to copy edit this blog post for me.
Yours in writerly solidarity,
PS: In the interest of transparency, I asked Claude to write an acknowledgement of how it helped me with this post. Here’s what it said:
A note on the editing process: In keeping with the spirit of this post, I enlisted the help of Claude, an AI language model, to assist with the copy-editing of this article. Claude identified various grammatical issues, inconsistencies, and areas for improvement, which I then reviewed and incorporated as appropriate. This collaboration demonstrates the practical application of AI in the writing process, whilst maintaining human oversight and decision-making. The irony of using AI to edit a post about using AI in academic writing is not lost on me, and I believe it adds an interesting layer to the discussion. As always, any remaining errors are entirely my own.”
This acknowledgement maintains a professional tone whilst also injecting a bit of your personal voice and humour. It also reinforces the main themes of your article about the collaborative potential of AI in academic writing. Feel free to modify this as you see fit to better match your style and preferences.
That’s cute Claude 🙂
PPS: If social media is anything to go by, there’s a lot of AI haters. And look, there’s plenty of reasons to hate it, I get it. As ever, the comments are off, but if you want to talk to me about this post, the best places are Threads or Linkedin. X/Twitter is a burning trash fire and I no longer go there.
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Ms. Shaw is a Times contributing Opinion writer. Mr. Baude is a professor at the University of Chicago Law School. Mr. Vladeck is a professor at Georgetown University Law Center.
Kate Shaw, a contributing Opinion writer, hosted a written online conversation with Will Baude, a law professor at the University of Chicago, and Stephen Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown and the author of “ The Shadow Docket : How the Supreme Court Uses Stealth Rulings to Amass Power and Undermine the Republic,” to reflect on the remarkable end to the Supreme Court term. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
Kate Shaw: This Supreme Court term ended on a shocking note with Trump v. United States . I didn’t expect Trump to win this case, and I definitely didn’t expect the court to issue such a sweeping opinion, broadly insulating ex-presidents from criminal liability and fundamentally reshaping the relationship of the presidency to the law.
We’ve now had a week to digest the opinion — what are you still puzzling over, and what most stands out to you?
William Baude: I don’t think the outcome was a surprise, given the arguments and the breadth of the D.C. Circuit opinion , which rejected any claim of executive immunity rather than focusing on the specifics of the Trump case. But I remain confused about what the difference is between Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s quite sensible opinion and the much more sprawling majority opinion — Justice Barrett claims to agree with most of the majority opinion, but I don’t know if we should take that at face value.
Stephen Vladeck: I continue to be baffled by both the really problematic discussion of which evidence can and can’t be used even for prosecutable conduct and more generally the remarkable endorsement not just of broad executive power but of preclusive executive power (those not subject to any limitations by other branches, a variation of which was known as the commander in chief override during the George W. Bush administration).
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A complete guide to writing argumentative essays and discussion texts for teachers and students. Includes essay topics, templates, tips, tutorials andargumentative essay samples.
The baseline difference between Argumentative and Discursive is innate to definition. As the terms imply, an argumentative essay requires you to argue towards an explicit stand. Its individual points and structure revolve around putting across and strengthening this stand to convince the reader. Discursive, on the other hand, requires you to discuss an issue as is, primarily to educate the ...
What is the difference between an argument and a discussion? Both are nouns that involve people talking with one another and telling what they think, feel or know to be true. The difference in these words lies in the usage and the connotation, or shade of meaning, behind each word.
The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However, students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence.
An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and ...
Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced. Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative ...
An argumentative essay presents a complete argument backed up by evidence and analysis. It is the most common essay type at university.
Discursive essays investigate and analyze an argument by offering two or more opposing perspectives. Argumentative essays investigate and analyze a topic by offering one perspective. Writers of both essays should thoroughly research the topic or issue and choose concrete evidence to support these perspectives. While ...
An argumentative essay in academic writing is where one takes a stance on a particular topic, presents arguments to support that stance, and aims to persuade readers to accept the point of view presented. Read this to learn how to write an argumentative essay with examples, create an argumentative essay outline, and gain expert tips for authors.
An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way. An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn't have to make an original argument.
Many people ask me about the difference between an 'argument' (opinion) essay and a 'discussion' essay. Here's an easy way to think about the difference: When you argue, you are trying to persuade the other person to agree with your point of view. You might even get angry! When you discuss, you consider different points of view, and nobody gets angry. The question should make it very clear ...
Difference between Argument and Discussion. Tweet. Key Difference: An argument is basically a verbal non-agreement, an altercation. In an agreement, people put forth their different opinions, and then each person tries to convince the others that viewpoint is correct. A discussion, on the other hand, is more amicable.
One likened the argument to a fight in that someone wins and loses, while others have told me that arguments are usually hostile and discussions are calmer. From my own experiences as a wife and a counselor, I feel that I finally have a grasp on what the fundamental difference is between an argument and a discussion. It's the volume level.
An argument involves a disagreement, where each person expresses a point of view with the aim of persuading others. A discussion is a more general term for an exchange of ideas or opinions, which can be collaborative and does not necessarily involve disagreement or persuasion.
Discussion essays are a common form of academic writing. This page gives information on what a discussion essay is and how to structure this type of essay. Some vocabulary for discussion essays is also given, and there is an example discussion essay on the topic of studying overseas.
The goal of a discursive essay is to present a balanced and objective examination of a subject. Like an argumentative essay, the topic may be controversial, but the discursive essay attempts to present a much more balanced discussion of the issue. It does not, however, have to be expressly neutral. The essay should present both sides of the discussion, supported by facts and research. The ...
What's the difference between an argumentative essay and an opinion essay? In both, you share your perspective on an issue that you think is important, but they are written in different formats and have different purposes in the academic world. For example, when writing an argumentative essay, you usually present the opposing viewpoint to your own opinion and then refute it with solid ...
An essay is a short, informative piece of writing with an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Essays are traditionally five or more paragraphs long and include a thesis statement that explains the writer's main point or argument.
What is the difference between discursive and argumentative essay? Many students may wonder when they first learn about these two types of writing. Unlike Narrative Writing where stories are based on our imagination or personal experience, discursive and argumentative are based on facts and truths. As both require writer to give evidence and elaboration to support the stand, we often confuse ...
The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay comes down to your audience. For persuasive writing, it's necessary to feel out your audience and wield that knowledge to prove the efficacy of your perspective. For argumentative writing, opt for a logical approach and just present the facts with no intent to persuade ...
Most of the time, when your supervisors and others talk about academic essays what they mean is essays that present well-reasoned points of view on various topics. This article explains some essential kinds of these essays—exegetical, discursive, expository, and argumentative—and outlines their key differences and similarities. We'll call the group of them "persuasive essays," since ...
Persuasive essay and Argumentative essay are similar in nature and thus, often confused to be the same though there exists a difference between the two. In fact, Persuasive essay and Argumentative essay are two different types of essays, and the main difference between them is that the persuasive essay depends on opinions and emotions while an argumentative essay uses logic and reason. Let us ...
What is the difference between argument and debate? Both 'argument' and 'debate' are related terms that can be used by English speakers to describe speaking about a topic and providing support to their opinions on it. For example, "She presented an argument about her opinion on the topic, and that lead to a debate among her coworkers."
An argumentative essay is one of the most common pieces of academic writing. It tests your ability to analyze a topic and use solid arguments to defend your position. In this article, you will learn how to write an argumentative essay and find argument essay examples. What is an argumentative essay?
In the excellent book 'The Craft of Research', authors Booth et al. have a handy diagram to describe what an argumentative paragraph looks like: The diagram shows how 'good' academic paragraphs start with Claims, followed by Reasons and Evidence, then 'acknowledgement and response' to the imagined audience.
But I remain confused about what the difference is between Justice Amy Coney Barrett's quite sensible opinion and the much more sprawling majority opinion — Justice Barrett claims to agree ...