10 Good Arguments

(Continued from EdWorld At Home)

8. Debunk

Many good essays debunk or discredit an opposing point of view, usually, one that is pretty widely held and established.

For example, an essay might debunk the notion that democracy brings peace to countries that adopt it by looking at the actual evidence. Another “debunking” essay might challenge the notion that education is the best way to fight poverty. Yet another might attack the idea that tax cuts necessarily reduce the funds available to government.

When you’re going to debunk something, a couple of good things to keep in mind are that you must use reliable facts and that you might sometimes debunk a point of view you actually believe in, but feel is supported by weak or only partially thought-out arguments.

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