Types of Arguments

Classical Argument Structure

Introduction: captures attention of audience; urges audience to consider your case

Statement of Background: narrates the key facts and/or events leading up to your case

Proposition: states the position you are taking, based on the information you’ve already presented, and sets up the structure of the rest of your argument

Proof: discusses your reasons for your position and provides evidence to support each reason

Refutation: anticipates opposing viewpoints; then demonstrates why your approach is the only acceptable one (i.e. better than your opponents’)

Conclusion: summarizes your most important points and can include appeals to feelings or values (pathos)

Rogerian Argument Structure

Introduction: statement of problem to be solved or question to be answered

Summary of Opposing Views: described using a seemingly objective persona

Statement of Understanding: concedes circumstances under which opposing views might be valid

Statement of Your Position

Statement of Contexts: describes contexts in which your position applies/works well

Statement of Benefits: appeals to self-interest of readers who may not yet agree with you; demonstrates how your position benefits them

Important Note

For both of these argument structures, these different parts do not necessarily equal a one-to-one relationship with a paragraph. For example, The introduction, background statement and proposition (thesis) may all be in one paragraph, and the proof might be broken up over several paragraphs.