How to develop an academic argument

This page will help you understand what is needed to build a well-structured and convincing argument in your academic writing.

What is an academic argument?

Arguing is something that we are likely to engage in most days of our lives. Flatmates can argue over whose turn it is to clean the kitchen for example. Arguments can become heated and emotional sometimes.

Academic arguments, on the other hand, are usually more controlled and logically structured than our typical day-to-day arguments. In particular, academics are expected to produce high quality evidence such as academic research to support their ideas..

However, just as in a day-to-day argument where, for example, you want to convince your flatmates that they need to undertake cleaning tasks, the aim of an academic argument is also to convince an academic audience of your point of view or stance.

301’s Developing an Academic Argument workshop will outline how to develop a coherent argument from making an initial claim through to presenting a convincing conclusion. It will address the ways in which academic arguments are expressed to reflect the strength and reliability of data and evidence and it will look at the ways in which the structural features of a piece of writing can be used to convince your reader.

Book a place at a Developing an Academic Argument workshop

The importance of academic arguments

Arguments and ideas lie at the heart of academic writing. Academic essays usually follow an established organisational structure that helps the writer to express their ideas in a clear way and the reader to follow the thread of their argument.

Essay structure is guided by its content and argument, so every essay will pose unique structural challenges, but the skill of getting a clear and articulate argument across is an important part of the writing process.

Do some general reading about your next assignment topic to get a feel for the issues and debates in this area. Note where you think you stand on the key debates and what your argument could be - of course this may change as you begin serious research.

Continue reading and researching. Note any new ideas - is your argument evolving? Or is it consistent with your earliest ideas? Use this early argument to point you in the direction of appropriate research and academic articles. Don’t delay getting your ideas down in writing as this will test out your argument. Don’t be surprised if, as you write and continue to read, your argument continues to evolve.

To check the clarity of your argument, imagine that you are going up in a lift with your tutor who asks you what you are going to argue. What would you say to them in the 30 seconds it takes to get to your floor?

The structure of an argument

Claim

At the heart of all arguments is a claim or proposition – the main idea that you are interested in proving.

Establishing your claim is one of the most important parts of any piece of academic work; an essay, a presentation, a dissertation, research paper or thesis.

A good claim should be bold, exciting and, most importantly, worth arguing over. A version of your claim should be included in your introduction. In an essay, the claim is usually part of your thesis statement.

Proof

To convince your reader of your claim, you will need to provide some proof. Your proof will be in the form of evidence, data, sources and examples, all of which will need to be fully referenced in the appropriate style.

However, it is important to recognise that relevant evidence does not automatically prove a claim. You will need to explain clearly how and why your evidence supports your claim.

This part of the argument is sometimes called a warrant.

Objections

It's also important to consider and actively seek out alternative points of view and potential objections.

There is sometimes a tendency to be drawn to ideas that explicitly or implicitly support our own ways of thinking – the echo chamber (external link) – which can result in narrow or flawed arguments.

By engaging deliberately with objections and building them into our own thinking, we can develop more nuanced and rounded arguments.

Conclusion

Your conclusion will bring together all the elements of your research and thinking in order to present a balanced summary of your argument. Although your argument must convince your reader, you should avoid the tendency to overstate your claim. You should use cautious language as appropriate to the strength of your findings.

You may be able to use this as an opportunity to make some predictions or recommendations, suggest some practical applications or identify openings for further research.

You can use the following template to help map out your argument. See the second page for a list of logical fallacies to avoid.

Access the Argument Template (google doc)Watch this short Study skills hacks video for some ideas on how to develop your academic argument.

Watch Making an Academic Argument (2.20 minutes)

Arguments and academic writing

For advice and feedback on building an academic argument, use of sources and synthesis in your own writing, you can book a writing advisory service appointment.

Book an appointment (student login required)Attend a short course on academic reading and writing which looks at including arguments in writing and use of sources.

More information

Top Tips

Be bold and make sure that your argument is something worth arguing over.
Watch out for logical fallacies. Just because you have some evidence, it doesn't automatically prove your argument. You need to explain how and why your evidence is sufficient, valid and reliable
Engage with opposing viewpoints to ensure that you have considered all possible counter-arguments
Don't be afraid to go beyond the source material to draw your own informed conclusions

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