LSAT Argumentative Writing: Building a Persuasive Law-School Style Argument

Argumentative Essay

A piece of persuasive writing that takes a clear position on a debatable issue.

Claim

Your main answer to the question in the essay.

Reasons

The justification for why your claim is true or should be accepted.

Support

Examples, explanations, or principles that make your reasons credible.

Thesis

The controlling claim of your essay; your answer to the prompt.

Steelman

To present a counterargument in a strong, fair form before responding to it.

Counterargument

An opposing viewpoint or concern that needs to be addressed in your essay.

Consequences

What will happen if a certain policy or position is implemented.

Assumptions

Unstated links that must be true for the premises to support the conclusion.

Signposting

Explicit transitions that help organize and clarify your argument for the reader.

Logical Fallacies

Flawed reasoning patterns that undermine the argument.

Premises

The main supporting reasons for the conclusion.

Concrete Examples

Specific instances or scenarios that support a reason.

Hypotheticals

Imagined scenarios used to illustrate a point or reason.

Pass/Fail Grading

A grading system that evaluates student performance as either a pass or fail.

Tradeoffs

The costs and benefits of different policy options.

Feasibility

The practicality of implementing a proposed approach.

Analogies

Comparisons between two different things that illustrate a similar concept.

Causal Explanation

A step-by-step account of how one action leads to another.

Clarity and Control

The aim of argumentative writing to be directly understandable and logically structured.

Weak Thesis

A thesis that does not take a clear position or provide a defendable argument.

Vagueness

Lack of clarity in supporting statements that can make arguments weaker.

Skeptical Reader

A reader who critically evaluates the reasoning and claims made in the essay.

Revision

The process of reviewing and improving the clarity and logic of your writing.

Improvisation

The act of writing without prior planning, often resulting in disorganized arguments.

Mini-legal Brief

An analogy for the structure of an argumentative essay, emphasizing logical reasoning.