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One useful tactic when writing an academic essay is to think about the possible arguments which could be made against your thesis. These are called counter- ...
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When you write an academic essay, it is your chance to make an argument. You state your thesis, and then you find evidence to support that thesis. One useful tactic when writing an academic essay is to think about the possible arguments which could be made against your thesis. These are called counter-arguments. Thinking of counter-arguments yourself is a good way to test the strength of your thesis. It also allows you to think about the ways a reader may doubt your thesis, and gives you a chance to anticipate the reader’s skepticism and develop ideas to rid your argument of its holes or flaws. One of the most effective ways to use counter- arguments is to present and confront the counter-argument within your paper. This writing tactic will make the reader more willing to accept that your argument is not one-sided and slanted, but rather well thought out. It shows that you, as a writer, are more concerned with presenting a clear, truthful argument, than simply winning a debate.
Not all counter-arguments are important, of course, and it is up to you as the writer to consider counter-arguments are worth acknowledging. It is not necessary to include a counter- argument in a paper merely for the sake of having one, however considering views other than your own or in contradiction to your own is usually an aspect of a quality essay. Instructors are generally happy to see a counter-argument within an essay, even if they did not specifically ask for one, because it shows how much the writer has thought about the topic.
The Turn Against
Using a counter-argument within an essay requires two key stages. First you challenge your own argument by using a counter-argument and then you play down the counter-argument, thus reaffirming your original argument. To do this, you must imagine a skeptical reader or source who might counter your original argument by stating:
The key with presenting counter-argument is to use certain catch phrases such as One might think instead that… or It could appear that the opposite is true… or even by using an anticipated challenging question such as But is this the case? Or Can we consider this true? Then you declare your stance against yourself, briefly but clearly, providing some evidence if possible. Be sure that your counter-argument is presented with the same clarity as your actual argument. A poorly presented counter-argument will only hurt your paper!
The Turn Back
Next you must return to your original argument—which you do by using words such as, but, however, nonetheless, or however— using clear and well thought out reasoning (never a short
dismissal) to defeat your presented counter-argument. In defending against your counter- argument you may:
Where to Use a Counter-Argument
Counter-arguments can be used anywhere within an essay, but most commonly are seen
Using Counter-arguments in Pre-Writing and Revising
Thinking of counter-arguments is an important part of pre-writing (the planning stages before you actually begin to write an essay) as it allows the writer to develop several different ideas and choose the one which works best for the essay or is the most important. As you think of your argument, consider how someone else might argue against you. This will help strengthen your thesis for your paper. The argument you decide on for your thesis should be the one which has counter-arguments to it, but can be defended clearly in your essay through evidence, research, and your own quality writing.
Counter-arguments may also be developed during the revising stages of your paper. After your original draft is completed, it is a good time to go back and read over your essay to make sure that your argument is presented clearly. Ask a few people to read your paper and see if they agree with your argument. If they present a counter-argument you hadn’t thought of, it may be wise to research their counter-argument and address it within your paper.