You already know what everyday arguments look like--a screaming match between you and your sister, a physical fight between hockey players. Those kinds of arguments usually happen suddenly, with very little warning. And when they're over, the opponents are not likely to agree with each other. Such encounters may involve strong conviction, or feelings, on either side, but they're not the same as the formal, planned arguments that you'll learn how to make in this lesson.
Unlike a screaming match or a hockey fight, argumentative writing, writing that presents an argument, is intended to persuade others to act on or believe in a writer's position on an issue. The tone of a piece of argumentative writing is serious, but not angry or hurt. That's because a formal, written argument is based on logical reasons and factual evidence, not loudness or physical strength.
Question
What are some examples of argumentative writing?
newspaper editorials
some blog posts
court cases
public service announcements against smoking
restaurant or film reviews
grant proposals
scholarship application essays
Question
How is a movie review argumentative--not just informative?
Movie reviewers try to persuade readers or listeners to believe their opinions about a film. In a typical movie review, the writer states his or her opinion (claim) about a movie and supports it with reasons and evidence. Movie reviews are not simply objective summaries of films.
