Formulating an argument for an essay is quite a complex activity, but it is not dissimilar to some of the discussions that you might have with your friends or family. Below are a series of statements. Try to identify those that might follow the ‘circuit of knowledge’ and help to build a concise, logical argument. Try to figure out the line of the argument. It might help you to order the statements into a discussion between two people:

1. We haven’t seen a movie in ages.
    
2. It’s going to rain all weekend.
    
3. But, just because Tom and Sunita enjoy crazy golf, it doesn’t mean that everyone does.
    
4. It’s too expensive.
    
5. What should we do this weekend?
    
6. I have a two-for-one card.
    
7. We should do something interesting.
    
8. Last weekend, we played crazy golf.
    
9. We could go to a movie.

Here is a reasonably logical order for these statements, organised as a discussion between Theresa and Shakil:

Theresa: What should we do this weekend?

Shakil: We should do something interesting.

Theresa: Last weekend we played crazy golf. But, just because Tom and Sunita enjoy crazy golf, it doesn’t mean that everyone does.

Shakil: It’s going to rain all weekend. We could go to a movie. We haven’t seen a movie in ages.

Theresa: It’s too expensive.

Shakil: I have a two-for-one card.

What is the core argument here? Can you identify the question(s), claims, evidence, evaluation(s) and key concepts?

The circuit of knowledge, theories and concepts

Source: Adapted from Sherratt et al. (2000, p. 18).

Fomulating an Argument – download for a comparison of the ‘weekend’ discussion with the development of an argument about a much more likely social science question