Writing the Counterargument Persuasive Writing Writing the Counterargument

3 things you MUST know TRANSITION!! State the other position simply Use your own evidence to discredit or prove the other position to be weaker than your own viewpoint.

If your topic is… Should senior citizen drivers be required to prove their competency as a driver when they reach a specific age?

If we think they should… Senior citizen drivers should be required to take additional driving tests once they reach a certain age to prove that they are still competent to drive a car. THIS is my thesis, and my paper will try to persuade and prove my point.

In my body paragraphs (the three ‘funnels’)… The first two will be normal funnel paragraphs…. The third body paragraph will be special…it will be a COUNTERARGUMENT which looks like this…

An Example My opposition may say that 70-year-old drivers have numerous years of experience which makes them better drivers than most. However, while they have many experiences behind the wheel, that is not what needs to be tested. We must remember, as we age, our vision, hearing, and reflexes tend to become weaker. So, while older drivers may have driven many hours in a car, it is important to realize that those experiences may not help them today. In fact, just yesterday there was a 20 car pile-up on I-20 that occurred when an elderly driver crossed over three lanes without noticing the other cars on the road!

Remember…transition My opposition may say that 70-year-old drivers have numerous years of experience, which makes them better drivers than most. However, while they have many experiences behind the wheel, that is not what needs to be tested. We must remember, as we age, our vision, hearing, and reflexes tend to become weaker. So, while older drivers may have driven many hours in a car, it is important to realize that those experiences may not help them today. In fact, just yesterday there was a 20 car pile-up on I-20 that occurred when an elderly driver crossed over three lanes without noticing the other cars on the road!

State the opponent's view My opposition may say that 70-year-old drivers have numerous years of experience, which makes them better drivers than most. However, while they have many experiences behind the wheel, that is not what needs to be tested. We must remember, as we age, our vision, hearing, and reflexes tend to become weaker. So, while older drivers may have driven many hours in a car, it is important to realize that those experiences may not help them today. In fact, just yesterday there was a 20 car pile-up on I-20 that occurred when an elderly driver crossed over three lanes without noticing the other cars on the road!

Transition and discredit the opposition My opposition may say that 70-year-old drivers have numerous years of experience, which makes them better drivers than most. However, while they have many experiences behind the wheel, that is not what needs to be tested. We must remember, as we age, our vision, hearing, and reflexes tend to become weaker. So, while older drivers may have driven many hours in a car, it is important to realize that those experiences may not help them today. In fact, just yesterday there was a 20 car pile-up on I-20 that occurred when an elderly driver crossed over three lanes without noticing the other cars on the road!

To remind you one more time…. Transition State the opposition’s viewpoint Transition to your view Prove them wrong/discredit their argument!!

Possible Transitions… The opposition believes that… It is often argued by others that… On the other hand… Those who disagree with me feel that… However, other people may have a different view… The list goes on and on…

The Counter argument—Step by Step—STEP 1 Transition (choose your favorite and remember it!): On the other hand… There are some who may disagree with me, and they say… In contrast, others believe… However, other people may have a different view…

Step 2 State what your opposition believes (their global idea which is the opposite of what you believe), but be prepared to explain WHY they are wrong or misguided in their belief.

Step 3 Transition to your own argument: However… Nevertheless… Regardless…

Step 4 After your transition, state how or why their thinking is wrong or invalid. Then, use proof (a real life example, statistic, research study, etc.) to convince the reader & persuade them.

Connect your evidence back to the big idea or thesis of your paper! Step 5 Connect your evidence back to the big idea or thesis of your paper!

Example Thesis: We should NOT have homework My opposition believes that students must be given homework each day because it supports the learning process. However, homework can, in fact, make you lose confidence in your abilities. What I mean is that if you get home and forget what to do, you simply will get frustrated and then not believe in your abilities. In fact, studies show that 8 out of 10 students struggle with homework at home because they forget the steps and their parents don’t remember, so they can’t help either. Clearly, if this many students are struggling and losing faith in themselves, then it is NOT helping students to learn.