How to build an argument

Compiled for the IP 2018 Groningen@Krakow

Don’t be concerned about the introduction or the background of your problem when you start writing a first draft of your paper. Instead you should focus on the part which is dear to you: the part where you want to convince the reader of your claim. Building an argument starts with an assertion. In a research paper you have to make your reasoning explicit in order for your readers to evaluate it. You also need to substantiate your claim with evidence, so that your peer reviewers can check this. To support your claim you can refer to your own fieldwork, other scholars, statistics, or any other source which you deem relevant. To improve your argument you could think of any objections a reader might come up with, both with regard to the reasoning you have provided, or the evidence you have used.