Teaching Argument Writing:
An Inquiry Process

The Common Core has placed importance on critical thinking, not only in the area of reading, but also in writing. According to George Hillocks Jr., “Argument is at the heart of critical thinking and academic discourse, the kind of writing students need to know for success in college.”  The purpose of argument writing is to use logic and evidence to convince an audience of the validity of claims. 

Students, by nature, are argumentative. They argue points with their peers, parents, and siblings. They do not, however, always anchor their arguments with meaningful evidence or acknowledge opposing viewpoints. Our goal in teaching argument writing is to ensure that students can argue logically and thoughtfully in real world situations. Students need explicit instruction and feedback in argument writing as they are not likely to learn to develop strong arguments by themselves. 

Learning to write arguments well depends on the teacher’s approach to instruction and how they prepare students to broaden their knowledge, develop ideas, and communicate effectively using relevant and authentic evidence. Argument writing is just as much about thinking critically and reasoning effectively as it is about the structure of the writing itself. It is a process of inquiry, with the goal of seeking truth, information, and knowledge.

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