What Is a Solid Argument?

A solid argument consists of a claim, reasons/evidence and conclusion. “Reasons are beliefs, evidence, metaphors, analogies, and other statements offered to support or justify conclusions. When a writer has a conclusion she wants you to accept, she must present reasons to persuade you that she is right and show you why. You cannot determine the worth of a conclusion until you identify the reasons” (Browne & Keeley, 2012, p.28). Absent reasons or conclusion the argument is weak, unclear, pointless and susceptible to multiple implications Below are examples of bad arguments..
Example #1: Banning assault weapons will reduce crime.
There is no proof that banning assault weapons will reduce crime. There are many guns with high capacity magazines that have the capability to inflict just as much damage as banned automatic weapons. Mass shooting in Aurora, Sandy Hook and Fort Hood were carried out after long after the assault weapons ban in 1994.
Example #2: It is spring and we are still having snow storms in the mid-west and northeast coast. Global warming must have stopped.
Short period trends and current weather patterns are not enough evidence to draw the conclusion that global warming has slowed or stopped.
Example #3: There are always police cars at the local donut shop. Ted is a police officer. Ted must eat donuts daily.
This is a form of inductive reasoning. The drawing of the conclusion that because police officer’s cars are always seen daily at the donut shop, all officers indulge in donuts. Ted is an officer so he must eat donuts too. References
Browne, M. N., & Keeley, S. M. (2012). Asking the Right Questions. Upper Saddle River, NJ :Pearson Education, INC

References: Browne, M. N., & Keeley, S. M. (2012). Asking the Right Questions. Upper Saddle River, NJ :Pearson Education, INC