In persuasive (opinion) writing, students are accustomed to actively persuading a reader to adopt their viewpoint. Argumentative writing, on the other hand, is far more balanced. Argumentative writing is not about "getting" anything, but rather about providing the reader with another point of view on a contentious issue. Students tend to think of argumentative writing in terms of how well they can "argue" for their position rather than how well they can express themselves.
In other words, opinion writing is all about expressing yourself and your views on a topic while argumentative writing is about giving others different points of view so that they can make up their own minds. Opinion writing may involve arguing for or against something while argumentative writing may not; both require you to express yourself clearly and concisely.
In addition, opinion writers are expected to be persuasive while argumentative writers are expected to be objective. This means that opinion writers need to be able to explain their viewpoints convincingly while argumentative writers need to be able to identify weaknesses in the opinions of others. Of course, this only applies to non-fiction: fiction writers are free to use either approach.
Finally, opinion writers must stay within the bounds of good taste and decency while argumentative writers can call attention to issues that might otherwise go unmentioned. For example, someone who is advocating for equality for women would not do well if they included insults about men in their argumentative essay.
In persuasive or opinion writing, the writer expresses his or her point of view and attempts to persuade the reader to agree. Students learn about persuasive oral argument skills through a classroom game and resource handouts....
Opinions are used in academic writing for two main reasons: first, to express the author's views on certain topics or issues without claiming to be correct; second, as a form of literary technique. Using facts only when they support your opinion, while expressing concern for their credibility at the same time, is a classic example of fair writing that often appears in articles written by journalists.
The language used to express opinions differs from that used to present information objectively. The choice of words makes all the difference here. An opinion is expressed with strong feelings using adjectives such as good, bad, right, wrong, true, false, positive, negative. Information is presented more neutrally using verbs such as show, tell, report, estimate, claim, say.
For example, if I were to write an article titled "Students should not study abroad because it is expensive", I would be presenting my opinion that studying abroad is not worth the money. If I also included some facts about how much students spend when they study abroad, this would be evidence that supports my opinion.
Persuasive writing is used by authors to take a position on an issue and persuade readers to agree with a certain perspective or idea. A good persuasive argument combines rigorous research with careful word choice to portray the writer's perspective powerfully and persuade the reader to agree.
In general, persuasive writing is effective when it:
Is written clearly for its audience.
Uses facts and examples that support the argument.
Follows an objective structure that keeps the piece focused and coherent.
Includes appropriate levels of detail for its purpose.
Does not contain factual errors or inconsistencies.
Does not use language that might confuse or offend readers.
As you can see, persuasive writing requires skill and knowledge of your topic to create a message that will be accepted by your readers. An author must also choose their words carefully and avoid saying too much or too little. No matter what type of document you are writing, persuasive or not, having these basic skills will help you improve your own work.
Argumentative essays may also be referred to as "persuasive essays," "opinion essays," or "position papers." In an argumentative essay, the author takes a stance on a contentious subject and utilizes logic and facts to persuade the reader of his or her point of view. These essays can be written about any topic that readers are willing to listen to you talk about. Generally speaking, the topic should be something that people feel strongly about and for which there is no right answer. This allows the writer freedom in thinking about how he or she would like to see things resolved.
Often times, these essays are used by students as post-defensive measures when they are asked to write arguments for or against a position. For example, if their teacher asks them to write an essay explaining why they think that eating meat is good for our health, they could use this opportunity to argue both sides of the issue before writing their own opinion on what kind of food we need to be consuming.
These essays also can be used by students as pre-offensive measures before an exam or project report date. For example, if their teacher gives them an assignment to research the effects of meat consumption on our environment, they could use this opportunity to gather information and evidence that supports their position that reducing meat intake is important for the planet's future health.
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