Summary for Chapter 47

Chapter 47 of Rules for Writers goes over how we can build a reasonable argument. When you write an argument, you're taking a stand on an issue. A reasonable argument doesn't necessarily involve winning a debatable issue, but rather explaining your understanding of a certain matter. You want to convince your readers to rethink their viewpoint. To do this, Hacker explains that it's important to first of all, examine the different contexts of your argument. View your readers as jurors. Also in your introduction you want to establish credibility and your opinion on an issue. Next, support your thesis with persuasive lines. Use evidence to support your claims. Once you've done all the above you can move on to your final steps which are to address possible opposing arguments and finally to build common ground with your audience.

You want to be aware of social and intellectual contexts because more likely than not, your audience will be aware of them. Make sure to do research to prepare so you won't be at a disadvantage. Hacker mentions that your audience is like a panel of jurors because they are going to make up their mind after listening to the different sides of the argument. Sometimes you can narrow your audience, but this won't be very different. It just means that your panel of jurors is less diverse. In your introduction, your thesis sentence states your position, but you want to do more than just that in your first paragraph. You want to also establish credibility and you can do this by showing your audience that you know a lot about the subject and that you are fair-minded. Use persuasive lines to support your thesis. This convinces the reader that your thesis is valid. Next, Hacker explains that's it's crucial to back up all your claims. You can achieve this by using specific evidence like for example, with statistics, illustrations, or an expert's opinion. Make sure that you document your sources. Anticipate any arguments and objections, this is a good idea because you present yourself as a well-informed writer, which strengthens your argument. Finally build common ground with skeptical readers. If they feel like you share their concerns, they will be more apt to view your argument as a legitimate argument.