To help my college students understand the attitude necessary to create a strong argumentative essay, I invented the “5 C’s” device, which emphasizes clarity, openness, trust, control and understanding.
Clarity. Be straight and direct in your argumentative writing. Candor results in clarity. Use your own language, simply and precisely. Never use words that you don’t know the exact meaning of. Always avoid tortured or overloaded sentences. Don’t waste time going straight to the point. Don’t keep your hearing in suspense; suspense is for mysteries, not argumentative essays.
Candor. Make your mission be honest with your readers. Give readers something they can actually use in the real world: hard-earned advice, helpful facts you’ve discovered, a detailed description of problems, and actionable solutions to those problems. Talk to your readers about important information that less courageous writers would prefer not to write about.
Trust. Stay calm and firm about the correctness of your argument. do not ask that the readers agree with you; ironically, such an approach shows a lack of trust. Righ now readers to agree with you and congratulate them for choosing your strong side. Acknowledge opposing points of view, but refute them immediately and decisively. Read classic writers who argue with quiet confidence, whether you agree with them or not, like Machiavelli in Princeand steal their attitudes.
Control. ON) Don’t get distracted or stray from the path. Unleash the power of understatement. A strong argument has more impact when it is discussed naturally than when it is shouted or yelled at. Don’t quote others excessively. Always keep the first word and last word of each paragraph to yourself. b) Balance the structure of your essay. Each section of the essay should have a specific function. When he fulfills that role, move on. Avoid overly long paragraphs in general; Especially avoid long first and last paragraphs. To avoid an overloaded opening that simply confuses readers, avoid explaining yourself in the first paragraph. Challenge your readers to be interested in the rest of your essay beyond the beginning. Let your first paragraph state your topic and your thesis only, and fast forward to the middle paragraphs where all of your explanation needs to happen.
Understanding. Whatever your topic, proactively show readers that you understand it well. Be a helpful guide through complex issues and an informed judge when decisions need to be made. Cover your territory completely and give readers information they probably don’t know. Generous sharing of useful real-world knowledge is the fastest way to establish trust with your audience. Never forget the ultimate goal, which is to contribute your wisdom freely and help your readers sincerely..
