In college, many writing assignments will be an argument. But an argument can take many forms--from informing the reader about new information, exploring that a problem exists, convincing the reader to make a decision or take action. An argument might compare and contrast the pros and cons or strengths and weaknesses of a topic. An argument might try to interpret the past or predict the future. Some arguments are about causes of an issue, while others focus on what effects will occur. Arguments might try to define or describe the nature or condition of something or support a claim that one thing is better than another. Arguments can be complex or simple. The following resources define some common characteristics of academic arguments.
Writing to take a Position and ENG 102, Part Four: Writing Persuasively may have additional tips that apply to this type of writing.
* indicates a video source
+ indicates a visual source