Rebuttals are an essential part of a strong argument. But what are they, exactly, and how can you use them effectively? Read on to find out.
When writing an argumentative essay, there’s always an opposing point of view. You can’t present an argument without the possibility of someone disagreeing.
Sure, you could just focus on your argument and ignore the other perspective, but that weakens your essay. Coming up with possible alternative points of view, or counterarguments, and being prepared to address them, gives you an edge. A rebuttal is your response to these opposing viewpoints.
With a rebuttal, you can take the fighting power away from any opposition to your idea before they have a chance to attack. For a rebuttal to work, it needs to follow the same formula as the other key points in your essay: it should be researched, developed, and presented with evidence.
Suppose you’re writing an essay arguing that strawberries are the best fruit. A potential counterargument could be that strawberries don’t work as well in baked goods as other berries do, as they can get soggy and lose some of their flavor. Your rebuttal would state this point and then explain why it’s not valid:
While strawberries may not perform as well as other berries when baked in a pie, they do not need to be baked to be presented in a dessert. Fresh strawberries can be coated in a sweet glaze and placed in a pre-baked pie crust or tart shell and topped with whipped cream. They can also be blended into cake batter without making the cake too dense, unlike other types of fruit.
Read on for a few simple steps to formulating an effective rebuttal.
A strong rebuttal is only possible when there’s a strong counterargument. You may be convinced of your idea but try to place yourself on the other side. Rather than addressing weak opposing views that are easy to fend off, try to come up with the strongest claims that could be made.
In your essay, explain the counterargument and agree with it. That’s right, agree with it – to an extent. State why there’s some truth to it and validate the concerns it presents.
Now that you’ve presented a counterargument, poke holes in it. To do so, analyze the argument carefully and notice if there are any biases or caveats that weaken it. Looking at the claim that strawberries don’t work well in baked goods, a weakness could be that this argument only applies when strawberries are baked in a pie.