Formulating and Addressing Counterarguments

1. Formulating and Addressing Counterarguments Daniel Lupton (with help from UNC’s Writing Center)

2. Introduction • A counterargument is a claim that refutes or complicates one of your own claims.

3. Why address counter-arguments? • To show that you have thought things through • To dispose of some of the reasons your audience might have for not accepting your argument.

4. Sample thesis statement • Because half of all crack babies are likely to grow up in homes lacking good cognitive and emotional stimulation, the federal government should finance programs to supplement parental care for crack kids.

5. Generating Counterarguments • Do some research • Discuss your idea with someone else • Imagine someone denies the individual premises of your argument; what conclusion(s) would s/he reach?

6. Strategies for responding to counterarguments • Concede that the opponent has a point, but insist yours is stronger • Reject the opponent’s argument and explain why s/he is mistaken

7. Tips for addressing counterarguments • Be charitable: present your opponents’ arguments fully and fairly. • Don’t attack your opponent or attempt to make him/her look foolish. • Consider the most important arguments at length rather than addressing many arguments superficially. • Be sure that your response is consistent with your original claim(s).