How to use critical analysis
Building an argument
when you've finished this page you will be able to...
- build an argument
A discussion is not an invitation to give your opinions unsupported by evidence. To write a well-thought out, logical and persuasive discussion or argument, you'll need to take the following steps:
- State the case: this is a proposal or hypothesis, and it should be summed up clearly in one sentence.
- Give the evidence in support of this statement.
- Judge the quality and strength of the evidence in favour of the proposal: are there a number of studies that come to the same conclusions? Is it a widely held belief? Was the evidence generated by well-conducted, robust studies? Is the evidence from a reputable, trustworthy source (a highly regarded author or journal for example)?
- Consider the opposing arguments. Are there alternative explanations? Are there different view points?
- Give evidence to support these opposing view points.
- Judge the quality and strength of the evidence that supports the opposing view points.
- Finally, you need to decide which explanation you favour. You need to make your decision based on the quality of the evidence both for and against.
If you think carefully about each of these stages when you're constructing a discussion or argument, you'll find that you're able to develop a clear line of reasoning, build clear arguments supported by evidence, and come to a well-considered conclusion.
Activity: building an argument - 30 minutes, or possibly more
An argument or discussion needs to be built around evidence that has been carefully evaluated for its validity - it's not just an opportunity for you to state your point of view
1. In the box below there are some headings you can use to help you build a logical, well-reasoned argument or discussion.
2. To build your argument, make notes under each heading. Add any references you plan to use too.
- Hypothesis or proposal (for example, The growth of large supermarket chains has kept food prices low}
- Evidence in support of hypothesis
- Quality of this evidence
- Opposing arguments (for example, Supermarkets have caused food price inflation)
- Evidence in support of opposing arguments
- Quality of this evidence
- Conclusions based on the evidence
Recommended Further Reading
Although an academic discussion is not the place for unsupported opinions, you can and should 'make your voice heard' in your work. On the next page we look at ways you can do this.
Bookmark with:
