Argument Generator for Students

Arguments and counterarguments are common in most academic assignments. They promote healthy debate among students and their readers, as each party takes their position on the matter.

But have you thought about a tool that can help you generate arguments and counterarguments?

Our free argument generator and counterargument generator, which is actually one tool, helps you do that.

🎯 What Is an Argument & Why Is It Important?

Arguments are everywhere in academic writing. In academia, an argument is your primary idea backed with relevant, convincing evidence. In most papers, you must give this central argument and prove it.

Here is an example:

The government should legalize and promote private gun ownership because it promotes security.

In an argumentative essay, arguments are evaluated based on 3 primary categories:

Academic arguments are important because they:

• Help change people’s perspectives or persuade them to accept your viewpoint.
• Create and share new debatable knowledge to confirm, disconfirm, or enhance it.
• Convince people to take a specific action or adopt a new behavior.
• Show your ability to take a firm, provable stand on matters.

A robust argument has this formula: claim + reasoning + evidence.

What a Claim Is

A claim is an essential basis for debate in an argumentative essay.

In your assignment, a claim is a statement you present to your audience and expect them to accept as true.

It is a key element of your argument.

A perfect example of a claim is:

The government must pass laws outlawing mobile phone use while driving to reduce road carnage.

An excellent claim should be:

1. Phrased without bias,
2. Clear,
3. Focused,
4. Debatable,
5. Specific enough to show the necessary, who, what, when, and where.

What an Argument Is

To make your argument complete, you are expected to prove your claim using reasons and evidence. It will need solid grounds to stand on and remain vibrant. These grounds are the data, reasoning, and facts upon which your claim stands.

An argument follows this formula: claim + reasoning and supporting evidence.

An example of grounds for the claim mentioned above is the NHTSA’s stats showing that distracted driving causes 200,000 road accidents annually.

This way, your argument will contain proof from a reputable state department in charge of public transport safety showing how many avoidable accidents distracted driving causes:

The government must pass laws outlawing mobile phone use while driving because research shows that distracted driving causes increased road accidents levels.

What a Counterargument Is

A counterargument is an argument or perspective that opposes your primary idea. Using counterarguments is a healthy practice when writing argumentative essays because it shows you’ve considered alternative viewpoints.

Counterargument = claim + reasoning and evidence refuting the claim

Like in our claim above, your counterargument against outlawing phone usage while driving could read:

The government should not ban phone usage while driving; instead, it should educate drivers about the importance of safe driving.

📝 Using Arguments in Essays & Research Papers

You can compose your essays using many algorithms of argument construction.

Here we’ll consider the 2 most popular options:

• Rogerian - focuses on the middle ground between you and your readers; exposes your biases to strike a middle ground with others.
• Aristotelian - zeroes on convincing your audiences to accept your position.

Aristotelian Argumentative Essay

This argument style comes from the Greek philosopher Aristotle. It convinces readers to adopt your stand on an issue.

You can format your Aristotelian argumentative paper using this pattern as follows:

1. Introduce your issue. After introducing your topic, most lecturers ask you to present your thesis to let your readers know where you will lead them.
2. State your case. You must state your case by explaining the issue in detail. Explain why people should take some action or adopt a certain way of thinking. You need a few paragraphs for this explanation.
3. Address opposing views. You may utilize a few paragraphs to explain the other side of the story and refute all the opposing arguments.
4. Furnish your evidence. After addressing the opposition, give clear evidence that your position is the best side.
5. Present your conclusion. Restate your main point or thesis and summarize your argument’s key points.

Rogerian Argumentative Essay

The Rogerian approach focuses on finding a middle ground between you and your audience. This argumentative technique is highly persuasive. It may also help you understand your biases and create shared grounds with others.

A Rogerian essay has the following format:

1. Introduce the problem. This part opens your paper.
2. Acknowledge the other side. Take a few paragraphs to acknowledge the other side of the coin before presenting your side.
3. Present your side. Take a few paragraphs to state your position without rubbishing the opposing views you discussed.
4. Merge the two sides. Next, merge the two opposing sides of the story. This way, your readers see the middle ground’s benefits. Take several paragraphs to propose a consensus here; do it respectfully because it’s your essay’s primary focus.
5. Remind your readers about the balanced perspective. Remind your audience of your balanced viewpoint and its benefits.

Thank you for reading this article! We hope it’s as helpful for you as our argument and counterargument generator.

Try the other tools we’ve made to speed up the work on your assignment at different stages:

• Rewording tool
• Plagiarism finder
• Research question generator
• Title page creator

❓ Argument Generator FAQ

What is a sound argument?

It is a valid argument with true premises. This argument guarantees that its conclusion is true. It’s deductive because it tries to establish conclusive support for the paper’s conclusion.

What makes an argument valid?

You can call an argument valid if its premises and conclusion properly relate. That means the findings must also be factual if the premises are true. Therefore, you can’t make a valid argument if the conclusion is false and its premises are true.

How to start an argument?

You start an argument in an argumentative paper by stating your contention as a thesis statement within your introduction. You should identify the important premises of your argument. A reason in an argument is the proof you give to back your thesis. All reasons have premises or grounds that must be true to support your argument.

How to write a counterargument?

You should start drafting your counterargument by telling your readers to prepare for a contradiction using a topic sentence. Otherwise, your paper might look blunt and one-sided. Afterward, respectfully acknowledge contradicting evidence. Then, refute those opposing sides and downplay them using words like “however” or “although” to show your reader why your position is better.

Updated: Mar 4th, 2024

🔗 References

1. Scientific Argument Tutorial
2. What Does It Mean to Make a Claim During an Argument?
3. Argument | University of Minnesota Crookston
4. What is a Counterargument? - Definition & Examples
5. Rogerian Argument: Definition and Examples
6. Aristotelian vs. Rogerian Argument: A Reassessment