o 10,561 murders in 1990 by handguns
o Study of 131 injured patients’ medical expenses paid by public funds
III. Addressing the Opposite Side
o Any well-written argument must anticipate and address positions in opposition to the one being argued.
o Pointing out what your opposition is likely to say in response to your argument shows that you have thought critically about your topic. Addressing the opposite side actually makes your argument stronger!
o Generally, this takes the form of a paragraph that can be placed either after the introduction or before the conclusion.
A. 1st Opposing View: Strict gun control laws won't affect crime rate
• Refutation: Low murder rate in Britain, Australia (etc., where strict controls are in force.
B. 2nd Opposing View: Outlaws would still own guns
• Refutation: Any effort to move trend in opposite direction would benefit future generations
IV. Conclusion
o The conclusion should bring the essay to a logical end. It should explain what the importance of your issue is in a larger context. Your conclusion should also reiterate why
your topic is worth caring about.
o Some arguments propose solutions or make prediction on the future of the topic.
o Show your reader what would happen if your argument is or is not believed or acted upon as you believe it should be.
Adapted from:
Simon & Schuster Handbook for Writers. Ed. Lynn Quitman Troyka, 6 th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, 2002.
The Writer’s Workplace. Ed. Sandra Scarry and John Scarry. 6 th ed. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, 2008.