Katie's Writing Notes

If your writing topic involves issues that are controversial or that people can argue about, then you’ll definitely want to include reasons within your text to backup your points being made.  Reasons are the main blood supply for any argument.  And arguments are made so that people will take action or change the action they usually take, thus changing behavior.

REASONS DEFINED

Reasons are those statements that justify a certain position about an argument.  Reasons, as a higher level thinking strategy, bring together pieces of evidence, connections, and conclusions to support an argument.  Reasons generally end the sentence, “I believe X because…” with the reason following “because.”

WHEN TO USE REASONS

Any time you make a point about which your readers might argue, question, or object, you might want to include your reasoning for that point.  How did you come to that conclusion?  Why do you believe your point is valid and true?

TWO EXAMPLES

Most commercials on television are arguments: “You should buy this product because…”  Some of the reasons might appear rather silly, like a beer commercial shot around a fast sports car with “sexy babes” draped on the hood.  The car and “babes” have nothing to do with the taste or value of the beer.  The commercial argues that if you drink this beer, you’ll soon drive that car with those “babes” attached.  Logically, it makes no sense, but emotionally, for men at least, it makes perfect sense.

Political campaigns offer a lot of arguments since they are trying to persuade each voter to cast his or her vote for that candidate.  They use all sorts of information and methods in this persuasion attempt, with half the candidates succeeding and the other half failing, at least in a two party race.

QUESTIONS FOR DETERMINING USE OF REASONS

1. Does your topic lend itself to arguing points?  Identify those points, based on your knowledge of your audience, and make sure your reasons are logical and valid, based on fact and truth.  Lies always backfire, eventually.

2. Identify separate points or sections within your topic that could be argued by a reader or critic.  Make sure your reasoning is valid and true.

3. What evidence, connections, and conclusions can you use to back up your reasons?

4. Can you use information or evidence from credible sources to back up your own point, since you agree with the credible source?

Reasons are essential points to include with any topic or subtopic that might raise a question of accuracy or truth in the reader’s mind.  Back up the reasons with evidence, connections, and conclusions, and you’ll often persuade the reader that you are right about your point.