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Opposing V iews

Opposing V iews. Why Should I Present the Opposing Side?. Including opposing arguments: Strengthens your credibility Interested in finding the truth Knowledgeable Fair Addresses the reader’s objections Can help fuel your argument. Does including opposing arguments weaken your essay?.

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Opposing V iews

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  1. Opposing Views

  2. Why Should I Present the Opposing Side? Including opposing arguments: • Strengthens your credibility • Interested in finding the truth • Knowledgeable • Fair • Addresses the reader’s objections • Can help fuel your argument Does including opposing arguments weaken your essay?

  3. What are Opposing Arguments? • Arguments against a claim, evidence, or explanation. • (Explanation: interpretation of evidence or explanation of how evidence proves claim). Degrees of (Dis)Agreement Completely Agrees Partially (Dis)agrees Disagrees • Practice: Argue against this claim, evidence, and explanation. • College students should participate in athletics. • 80% of college athletes earn above a 2.5 GPA. • Therefore, being involved in athletics helps students become academically successful.

  4. How Can I Find Opposing Arguments? Identify the Most Important Opposing Arguments • Start with the opposing arguments that first come to mind. • Identify opposing arguments to your main claims • Consider your audience and the opposing side—Who are they? What do they believe? What do they want? Why? • What might they argue? Identify More Subtle Opposing Arguments • Find other opposing arguments by identifying your claims, evidence, and explanations. • Ask yourself, how might a reasonable person argue against this? • Try negating or partially negating your claims, evidence, and explanations. • Think of counterexamples. Check your opposing arguments by asking, “Would a reasonable person argue this?” and “Does this opposing view need to be addressed?”

  5. Tips • Don’t just list multiple counterarguments. Consider a few of the most relevant counterarguments in some depth.

  6. How Should I Address Opposing Arguments? • Two Ways: • Prevent Opposing Arguments • Add enough details and explanations so the reader doesn’t have any objections • Present and Respond to Opposing Arguments • Introduce opposing arguments and respond to them • Although opponents may believe X… • Proponents of this bill argue X because of Y; however… How will you decide which approach to use?

  7. How Should I PresentOpposing Arguments? • Be specific and provide the reasons for their claims. • Be brief—don’t emphasize or support their points too much. • Be fair—take counterarguments seriously; do not belittle them. • Respondimmediately to opposing arguments.

  8. How Should I Respond to the Opposing Side? • Concede, BUT show why the audience should accept your argument anyway. • Partially refutethe counterargument—“yes, sometimes…” and show why the audience should accept your argument. • Completely refuteit— show why the counterargument is mistaken. Should you ever concede to an opposing argument?

  9. What if I Can’t Refute Opposing Arguments? Consider qualifying or changing your claim! Be open-minded 

  10. Where Should the Counterargument Go? The Intro: The Last Body P: The First Body P: Every Body P: When would you use each of these?

  11. Practice: The Doubting Game Part 1: Reading Skeptically • Switch papers with a partner. • Read his/her essay as a skeptical reader (even if you actually agree). • Write opposing arguments, questions,and counterexamples. Part II: Selecting Arguments • Read through the opposing arguments and concerns written on your essay. • Decide which to include in your essay by asking yourself: • “Is this important for me to include and respond to? • “Would a reasonable person argue this?” • Decide how you’ll respond: preventing or presenting

  12. An Example… • Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution. • Internal combustion engines cause a great deal of air pollution. Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity. • Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor, which means that less pollution is produced. • Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a long-term impact on pollution levels. • Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.

  13. Practice: Dialogue • Review your main point and supporting points. • Write a dialogue between you and your opposing side. • What will you argue? • How will they respond? …

  14. Chart • Claim/evidence  Counter claim/evidence  Response/refutation • In-class essay on the opposing side

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