4.5 Identifying Concessions and Counter Arguments
Learning Objectives
- Identify the parts of a reasonable concession
- Evaluate paragraphs for concessions
- Apply concession format to a series of sentences
Let’s take some time to learn how to concede logical points and then counter them appropriately. These skills are INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT. Oftentimes, only the strongest and most confident writers can write in a concession style. Your use of concession-style thesis statements and concessions throughout a response signals to your readers that you are a confident and capable writer and critical thinker. Concessions are invaluable to DISCOURSE and DIALOGUE, the two most important parts of responsible argumentation.
The purpose of this chapter and its activities is to teach you how to concede strong points and, more importantly, how to counter them effectively. Students new to writing arguments often think that including concessions will weaken their argument or that a reader will be more likely to agree with them if they pretend that no weaknesses exist in the argument. This assumption is untrue. In fact, your willingness to admit where the prompt writer’s argument has value and either present an extension of that argument or move it in a different direction is really impressive.
What is more, you will be learning to grow comfortable in conceding that your own argument might have limitations. All arguments have limitations, whether they belong to a prompt writer or to you. Remember the final instruction given to you before all prompt responses (Goal #3)?
Your Task: compose a critical response essay—including, ideally, an introduction, at least three body paragraphs, and a conclusion—to the text below
Goals: your essay should include the following:
- A brief summary of the author’s argument
- Your own argument which should either:
- mostly agree with the author and provide your own persuasive assertions that extend support for the author’s position
- mostly disagree with the author and provide your own persuasive assertions that defend your counter-position
- Your refutation of at least one objection a reader might have to your argument (or any point therein)
At a very basic level, the purpose behind learning counter-arguments is because the prompt instructions on each prompt ask you to do so. The goal of that instruction is to teach you how to strengthen your argument. Acknowledging weaker points (or strong points from your opposition) makes your writing more compelling because it demonstrates to your reader that 1) you have actually considered the topic without making snap judgments, and 2) you are not hiding the weaknesses of your argument from your reader, hoping that they will miss them.
More importantly, it creates an honest relationship between you and your reader, which is essential because some audiences will know something about the topic of your argument already, and they could have oppositions to offer. Ultimately, you need to learn how to concede and counter in writing because you cannot respond to a reader’s objections verbally, as you might in a conversation. The greater challenge is to anticipate the objections and respond to them before they come up. This strategy is akin to an artist writing a diss track in which they not only identify faults in their rival but also in themselves. What ammunition is left for their rival in response? When you “anticipate and defend,” there is little left for the opposition. It is a proven strategy.
To begin the process, we need to understand how to make reasonable concessions first. It’s likely that you may have already learned how to make one of these two types of concessions early in your WRIT course, but let’s look over them again.
Activities
First, read the following prompt below. You can also Download a PDF version(68.7 KB) if you prefer.
Drink Your Way to Success by Randolph Hennepin
The following editorial appeared in the May/June 2024 issue of Today’s Student
Success in just about any profession often depends on a person’s ability to network, and to develop contacts. A prime way to network is over drinks. In fact, a person who does not drink is less likely to be successful than one who does. Students who spend time drinking rather than studying are ensuring their eventual success.
Facts are facts. A recent study “found drinkers earn between 10 and 14 percent more than non-drinkers.” Further, according to the same study, men who go to a bar at least once a month earn an additional 7 percent. The reason for the success of drinkers, according to the author of the study, is that “Social drinking builds social capital. Social drinkers are networking, building relationships and adding contacts to their [phones] that result in bigger paycheques.”
Perhaps this study is not good news for people who do not drink. Perhaps these people feel that there are other ways to develop contacts, such as getting involved in charitable organizations or meeting colleagues for breakfast instead of in a bar after work. While these strategies do have merit, neither is as effective as the social networking that occurs while drinking.
In fact, a reasonable conclusion from this study would be to encourage students to learn how to drink. Knowing how to drink without embarrassing oneself is a key skill in business, as the above study proves. Therefore, students should not feel guilty about spending evenings drinking instead of working or studying, since drinking will lead to their eventual success. Students should not focus on school other than to do well enough to pass; otherwise, they are doomed to earn less than their peers who put their study time to good use by hitting the bottle.
Now, look at these straightforward responses to the prompt and determine which one uses a general concession and which one uses a specific concession.
Introduction: Version 1
In “Drink Your Way to Success,” Randolph Hennepin argues that students need to focus more on drinking than studying in order to be successful in their future professions and careers. Hennepin justifies this position by suggesting that social drinkers tend to be better at social networking and, because of this, tend to build better social capital with others in their professions, as well as earn more money over their careers. Although Hennepin makes some good points, his argument is flawed. If students focus more on drinking than studying, as Hennepin suggests, they will likely never do well enough in their courses to get into their profession in the first place. Focusing on drinking rather than studying will lead to students who are less likely to graduate and less likely to achieve success in the workplace.
Introduction: Version 2
In “Drink Your Way to Success,” Randolph Hennepin argues that students need to focus more on drinking than studying in order to be successful in their future professions and careers. Hennepin justifies this position by suggesting that social drinkers tend to be better at social networking and, because of this, tend to build better social capital with others in their professions, as well as earn more money over their careers. While it may be true that building up social capital is important for some professions, stating that students should focus on drinking instead of studying will not necessarily lead to eventual success. If students focus more on drinking than studying, as Hennepin suggests, they will likely never do well enough in their courses to get into their profession in the first place. Focusing on drinking rather than studying will lead to students who are less likely to graduate and less likely to achieve success in the workplace.
Activity 1: Identifying Concessions
Which introduction in the above example uses a more specific concession? Vote on your choice below and then view the results. Click the accordion below to learn more.
Learn more about using specific concessions
The purpose behind the concession is two-fold:
- It provides your reader with a clear indication that you are shifting from your summary of the author’s position to your argument or response to the position.
- It is the first indication of a possible concession and counter-argument that you might make in your body paragraphs.
Now, while the first paragraph offers a modicum of concession (“the author makes some good points”), it doesn’t acknowledge what good points the author might have made, which makes it a weaker concession. Remember that the point here is to acknowledge that, even though you might not agree with the author, you clearly understand the reasonable elements of the argument. The second option offers a much clearer concession.
The next section includes practice activities for concessions and counterarguments.
