What is an argument?
To 'argue' in an academic context is to put forward an opinion through the process of reasoning, supported by evidence. An argument attempts to persuade through rational and critical judgement. In academic writing an argument is sometimes called a claim or a thesis statement, which is also supported with evidence.
How do we argue at university?
The everyday meaning of the term argument suggests a fight: an aggressive conflict or confrontation between adversaries, where one tries to dominate the other in order to 'win'. At university this kind of arguing is not appropriate. The aim of academic argument is to explore a question, a proposition or an area of knowledge and achieve reasoned mutual understanding. It is not important who 'wins'—what matters most is the quality of the argument itself. When you engage in academic argument in your tutorial discussions, you are developing your ideas, advancing and clarifying your knowledge and learning to think critically.
In order to successfully negotiate tutorial discussion, courtesy is important. The following are a few ground rules for good conduct.
Do
Respect the contribution of other speakers. Speak pleasantly and with courtesy to all members of the group.
Listen well to the ideas of other speakers; you will learn something.
Acknowledge what you find interesting.
Remember that a discussion is not a fight. Learn to disagree politely.
Respect differing views. Those who hold them are not necessarily wrong.
Think about your contribution before you speak. How best can you answer the question/ contribute to the topic?
Try to stick to the discussion topic. Don't introduce irrelevant information. If the discussion does digress, bring it back on topic by saying something like 'Just a final point about the last topic before we move on' or 'that's an interesting point, can we come back to that later?
Be aware of your body language. Keep it open and friendly. Avoid gestures that appear aggressive.
Speak clearly. Don't whisper; even if you're feeling uncertain about your ideas or language.
Don't
Don't take offence if another speaker disagrees with you. Putting forward different points of view is an important part of any discussion. Others may disagree with your ideas, and they are entitled to do so.
Never try to intimidate or insult another speaker or ridicule the contribution of others.
Don’t use comments like 'that’s stupid' or 'you're wrong'. Learn to disagree and argue appropriately.
Take care to use a moderate tone of voice. If you sound angry or aggressive others will not want to listen to you.
If you are a confident speaker, try not to dominate the discussion. Pause to allow quieter students a chance to contribute.
Avoid drawing too much on personal experience or anecdote. Although some tutors encourage students to reflect on their own experience, remember not to generalise too much.
Don't interrupt or talk over another speaker. Let them finish their point before you start. Listening to others earns you the right to be heard.
You may be trying to disprove another speaker's point, but it is also important to disagree politely, and to keep the discussion moving in the right direction. Try the following three steps to use when disagreeing with another speaker:
1. Acknowledge their thoughts/ ideas
I can see your point - however ...
That's a good point, but ...
I see what you're getting at/ where you're coming from, but ...
I see what you mean - however...
2. Then explain why you disagree
That's not always the case because ...
That's not necessarily true because ...
This idea isn't supported by statistics/ evidence ...
I thought the author meant that ...
3. Offer your opinion complete with reason and support
From what I've read ...
The statistics seem to indicate that ...
I think what (author's name) may actually be suggesting is ...
Other studies by (author's name) show that ...
Now, be prepared for counter-argument and further discussion!
Remember, confidence is the key. If you do your tutorial preparation and think things through, you can speak with confidence and believe that your contribution will be valid.
https://student.unsw.edu.au/discussion-skills