A persuasive piece of writing is used to convince someone to believe or do something, while an argumentative piece of writing is used to prove that you are right, and the other person is wrong. Both persuasive and argumentative essays of writing use logical reasoning and factual evidence to support their points, but there are some key differences between them that you should know before starting your next assignment or publication request. Here’s a guide to what’s the difference between persuasive and argumentative writing.
Differentiating between persuasive and argumentative writing
By definition, argumentation is an instance of putting forward or maintaining a point of view by logical reasoning. It is a collaborative enterprise, and it relies on logic and evidence to establish a premise that serves as a foundation for further discussion.
For example, arguments can be made through persuasive writing by way of giving historical examples to illustrate an idea; they can also be made through deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning, or both. On the other hand, persuasion occurs when someone tries to influence people’s beliefs or actions by using logical arguments based on facts.
Persuasion is often used to try to get others to agree with your viewpoint, but there are many kinds of persuasive writing. For example, you might want to persuade readers about a political issue or product through advertisements. In each case, you must provide information and use logical arguments to make your case. As opposed to argumentation, persuasion focuses on getting people to act on an idea or belief rather than simply consider it.
Both types of writing rely on logic and evidence, but they differ in their focus: argumentation puts forward an idea for discussion; persuasion tries to change someone’s mind about that idea.
Defining logical fallacies
Arguments can be flawed in a number of ways. It’s useful to learn about common mistakes that weaken or derail arguments. One common mistake is committing a logical fallacy, which is an error in reasoning that leads to an invalid conclusion. These are often called ‘reasoning fallacies’ or ‘logical fallacies.’ There are many of them, and they’re not hard to find—just look at any discussion on Facebook! Often when you hear people debating something, they’ve committed one or more fallacies without even realizing it (and we all commit these sometimes).
The best thing to do is learn what they are so you can become more sceptical of things you read online and see for yourself how easy it is for otherwise intelligent people to make stupid mistakes when trying to convince someone else. Don’t take anyone’s word for anything until you’ve checked their sources and logic yourself.
Why are logical fallacies harmful?
The definition of a logical fallacy is a mistake in reasoning that invalidates an argument. Unfortunately, people often use these fallacies in place of evidence or valid reasoning when trying to persuade others. If you find yourself guilty of using logical fallacies in your writing, consider revising your argument, so it includes evidence and actual reasoning.
Once you’re aware of why using a logical fallacy weakens your argument, you’ll be better able to avoid them when you write next time. Read on for more information about some common logical fallacies used in persuasive writing.
When do logical fallacies arise in everyday life?
Fallacies are flaws in arguments that render them invalid. There are many logical fallacies, and they can appear in everyday life. Some people believe that because fallacious arguments are common, such as those used by politicians and other popular figures, everyone should be able to spot them and correct them when they see them.
However, spotting a logical fallacy is harder than you may think because faulty arguments can be very persuasive in today’s world of rhetorical smoke and mirrors, where information is readily available for manipulation. It is often not easy to tell if an argument has a logical fallacy or not.
In fact, some well-known logical fallacies are so commonplace that most people do not even realize they have been led astray by these flawed arguments. For example, one of these fallacies is called ad hominem, which means to attack someone personally instead of attacking their ideas directly. An ad hominem attack happens when someone attacks another person instead of addressing their ideas or opinions on a subject matter.
Getting rid of logical fallacies
Arguments can use a variety of logical fallacies, some more common than others. Most people would recognize a few common logical fallacies even if they are not well versed in logic.
They include Slippery Slope, Appeal to Force, and Anecdotal Evidence. To avoid these types of logical fallacies, you must first understand what they are as well as how they work. For example, slippery slope states that one small step usually leads to another bigger one; therefore, whatever decision is made now is going to affect everything else later.
Conclusion
In conclusion, argumentative writing is an essay or speech which attempts to change one’s opinion, while persuasive writing is an attempt to induce someone to see your point of view. That being said, it’s clear that both argumentative and persuasive writing requires you to use evidence and quotes. After reading through both types of writing samples, try your hand at creating either a persuasive or argumentative essay for yourself. Remember that evidence is crucial when trying to persuade another person! Hopefully, you found today’s post informative; good luck with your essays.
