Keys to Counter Arguments and Refutations: Consider the other side of the argument. If you are challenging a claim, how would someone who is defending it argue his position? Clearly state the opposing position and then explain why your position is more valid. Use rhetorical questions. “One might ask, how can a mistake ever be beneficial?” Then state the your position. Use hypophora. State a rhetorical question and then answer it from your point of view emphasizing the strength of your argument. “Are errors in judgment truly necessary for the advancement of society? As contradictory as that may sound, yes! Not only are these missteps necessary, they are essential.”

Choose an element of your position and use one of these techniques to develop a counter argument along with a refutation. For example: “One might ask, how can a mistake ever be beneficial? Mistakes are the straw that stirs the drink of discovery. Without scientists, explorers, artists, or inventors being forced by failure to step outside the accepted “protocol” of their time, human progress would grind to an abrupt and permanent stop.”