Mastering Scientific and Persuasive Arguments: Structure, Types, and Style
Scientific Argumentation and Persuasive Texts
Scientific argumentation aims to demonstrate, defend, or refute a thesis or argument using solid reasoning. Argumentative text is often accompanied by an exhibition.
Structure of Argumentative Texts
The content is typically organized into three sections:
- Introduction: Briefly presents the thesis or main idea that the author intends to demonstrate, defend, or challenge.
- Development: Contains the core argumentation, providing reasons and evidence to support the thesis. This section may include quotes, data, and examples to strengthen the argument.
- Conclusion: Summarizes the arguments and reaffirms the thesis. If the thesis is presented at the beginning, the structure is deductive or analytical. If the thesis is presented at the end, after the reasoning or evidence, the structure is inductive or synthetic.
Types of Arguments
Common types of arguments include:
- Arguments by Examples: Use specific examples to reach a generalization.
- Arguments from Authority: Rely on statements made by qualified individuals or organizations.
- Arguments by Analogy: Compare a specific instance to the argument being made.
- Deductive Arguments: Guarantee the truth of their conclusions based on certain premises.
- Arguments from Societal Norms: Align arguments with widely accepted opinions, sayings, proverbs, and sentences.
- Arguments from Individual Experience: Based on personal experiences.
Style in Argumentative Writing
The order of ideas is fundamental. Structuring content into paragraphs and linking them with appropriate markers or connectors is crucial. The style should be clear and straightforward, including examples and comparisons.
Common Connectors
- Addition: Furthermore, moreover, also, equally.
- Opposition: But, however, on the contrary, yet.
- Consequence: Because, so, therefore, consequently.
Essays: A Blend of Exposition and Argumentation
An essay is a written composition, usually brief, in which the author explains their personal and subjective vision on various subjects, such as philosophical, historical, scientific, literary, pedagogical, or social topics.
The essay is a literary genre with didactic and interpretative aims.
Structure of Essays
While essays do not have a predetermined structure, they often use exposition and argumentation to present the author’s views and ideas. The overall structure typically consists of:
- Introduction: Presents the thesis.
- Development: Includes personal opinions, digressions, arguments, and examples to support the argument. The essayist does not aim for a scholarly analysis but rather seeks to encourage reflection and discussion. Arguments from authority and quotes may be used.
- Conclusion: Confirms the thesis, often abstractly and sometimes implicitly.
Thematic Variety
Essays cover a wide range of topics, including history, politics, art, and current events. A common form of the essay is found in opinion articles in the press.
Style in Essay Writing
Essayists aim for a personal, elegant, and engaging style, using the following techniques:
- Vocabulary: Often uses nouns to refer to abstract concepts and adjectives to express subjectivity. May include colloquial expressions.
- Comparisons and Examples: Frequent use of comparisons, examples, and anecdotes to enhance readability.
- Rhetorical Questions: Poses rhetorical questions to engage the reader.
- First-Person Singular: Uses the first-person singular to express personal ideas and involve the reader.
- Verb Tense: Predominantly uses the present tense to create a sense of topicality and shared experience between the author and the reader.