Argumentative essays use reason and evidence to discredit opposing viewpoints, while persuasive essays appeal to emotions and personal beliefs. Argumentative essays analyze all angles, while persuasive essays focus on the writer’s position. Both aim to convince readers, but in different ways.
Argumentative and persuasive essays both aim to present a specific point of view, but they are different both in how they express their point of view and why. The author of an argumentative essay will usually try to make his point with reason. This means identifying opposing viewpoints and then using facts, statistics, or other evidence to discredit them so that the reader eventually concludes that the writer’s position is correct. The persuasive essay, on the other hand, more often uses passion and emotion in an attempt to sway the reader’s loyalty. Opposing opinions are often recognized here, but usually not analysed. As a result, this type of essay is often perceived as essentially one-sided and is written primarily on the basis of personal beliefs. Argumentative papers are usually structured more like high-level analyses, with sections devoted to examining key issues from multiple angles.
Argumentative techniques
In most cases, the argumentative essay is one that objectively states an argument which it then backs up with facts, statistics, and expert evidence. Writers generally acknowledge counterclaims and opposing arguments from the outset, but set out to discredit them by appealing to the reader’s reason. As such, these types of papers often provide an overview of all major topics or studies on a given topic, then build an argument about which is better or more correct.
There are several techniques that authors of this type of document can use, depending on their precise objective. Sometimes the purpose of the exposure is to show that the counterclaims are based on outdated information or incomplete research, or could be discredited as factually inaccurate. The goal of argumentative essay is to present a comprehensive argument that will convince a reader due to its foundation in fact and logic.
The author of this type of journal knows that readers may disagree at the end of the argument, and in many cases convincing them isn’t all that important. More essential is that the argument is logical and justifiable. After reading the reasons for the position, a reader should at least respect the writer’s position, even if in the end he doesn’t think the position is correct.
Passion and persuasion
Persuasive essays, on the other hand, are usually designed to persuade the reader, often by appealing to their emotions. Writers often begin by assuming their readers are incorrect in their opinions and will then use the essay as a means to correct or refine perceptions. In most cases it is an appeal that makes use of a traditional conception of right and wrong, and uses passion to bring the reader and the writer closer for what is more or less a shared walk.
This type of essay acknowledges opposing viewpoints, but usually doesn’t spend much time analyzing them. Instead, writers usually try to frame their perspectives with more persuasive language. Persuasive essays are often tailored to appeal to the reader’s personal interests, societal beliefs, and any known passions, and as such are often designed for a specific audience. This is in direct contrast to most argumentative essays, which tend to be written for just about anyone.
Even persuasive essay writers rely more on human emotion than statistics when making their case. This type of writing focuses on empathic and persuasive delivery, and the writer might present anecdotal narratives or share personal experiences that the reader can identify with. The essay often presents the desired mindset shift as a winning rhetorical situation for both writer and reader.
Structural differences
In most cases, these essays are also structured very differently. Writers with argumentative goals typically handle each issue or element in turn, analyzing it from all sides and then drawing a conclusion consistent with the thesis of the paper. Persuasive passages, by contrast, more often raise and repel opposition early on, then spend most of the body paragraphs emphasizing the writer’s position with different examples.
The ways conclusions are presented also often differ. An argumentative essay usually concludes with a summary of all the relevant facts and an assertion that the writer’s interpretation is the correct one. The persuasive writer will more often conclude by asking the reader to change their mind or “join the cause” presented in the article.
Possible places of overlap
Argumentative and persuasive essays have a similar goal, which is to convince readers that the basic assertion is correct or at least well-substantiated. The difference between proving a point and changing someone’s mind can be profound, but in some respects – identifying criticism, relating to the reader, and setting an authoritative tone, for example – there can also be similarities. A lot depends on the writer, the subject and the target audience.
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