Writing an Argument by Bruce Ballenger supplies the reader with many good pointers on crafting an op-ed and supplies you with a good background on arguments in general.
What I found particularly informative and helpful were the listings of the “features for informal argument essays” and the “methods of development” sections of the article. Both of these sections gave the reader a good overall understanding and a starting point in writing an argument, rebuttal or general op-ed.
Ballenger also makes clear some of the most common pitfalls in writing an argument and gives the reader useful tips on how to watch out and avoid them. His explanation of how evidence can “…support,…refute,…show that a simple assertion, problem or idea is really more complex,…complicate,…” and “…test an idea…” opened up a new thought process on what evidence can do.
He comments that letters to editors “…frequently feature great examples of flawed arguments, including logical fallacies, poor reasoning, and a pitiful lack of audience awareness.” This supplies the impetus to thoroughly examine your supporting statements and evidence prior to actually writing a letter or an argument.
Ballenger is also adept at working in historical and cultural examples of arguments by utilizing Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero and then referring to examples from his own personal life involving friends and family.
The information in this article will be useful in our upcoming projects, both the argument paper and the op-ed, as well as giving us the ability to compose a real life letter to an editor and not sound like an idiot.