Stuck on your argument? You're not alone.
Argumentation is a difficult skill that is rarely taught methodically.
When I was in graduate school, I found myself in the library, quietly checking out undergraduate writing books. I thought I understood what an argument was—those books explained it clearly enough. They showed how to turn an opinion (e.g., assault weapons should be banned) into a well-supported argument. But when it came to translating that advice into a more nuanced argument based on my research? I was completely stuck.
My arguments weren’t about taking a stance on a debate topic; they were about analyzing how ideologies operate in contemporary media. And that was so much more complicated than the straightforward argumentation I had learned as an undergrad. I wasn’t just stating a position—I was unpacking complex systems of meaning, power, and cultural influence. I couldn’t figure out how to bridge the gap between what those writing books taught and what my discipline required. And, honestly, I felt ashamed for not already knowing how to do this.
Here’s something I want you to hear loud and clear: It’s not your fault if you still feel shaky about argumentation.
Whether you’re a first-year MA student or years into a faculty position, crafting strong arguments is an essential but rarely taught skill. Instead, we’re expected to “learn on the job.” If we don’t have mentors who excel at giving feedback on argumentation (because that’s a hard skill in itself), it’s easy to feel lost. (And to be clear, I had excellent mentors and still found it difficult.).
But here’s the good news: If argumentation is a challenge for you, it’s not a reflection of your abilities—it’s a reflection of the system that didn’t teach you methodically. What matters now is recognizing that gap and finding ways to fill it.
For me, Wendy Belcher’s book Writing Your Journal Article in 12 Weeks was a game-changer during graduate school. Even though it’s framed around journal articles, her step-by-step approach is a fantastic resource for anyone working on a thesis, dissertation, or even a book. I still recommend it to this day.
At the same time, one of the hardest lessons I had to learn is that crafting arguments in the humanities and qualitative social sciences is an iterative process. We don’t run experiments and then write up the results, like our quantitative colleagues. We think through our writing as we write, and our arguments develop through this process.
Unfortunately, many of us carry the belief that our argument needs to be fully formed from the start—that it has to be ready to withstand debate before we’ve even written much. But that’s not how arguments are actually made. At least I have never constructed an argument in that manner, and I have yet to meet anyone who has.
That’s why I created my new, self-paced course, Developing Arguments in Humanistic and Qualitative Research. It’s designed to walk you through the key elements of argumentation, the mindsets needed for success, and the twists and turns of the process.
I see it as a perfect complement to Belcher's book, focusing on the critical steps that must be taken before you can plug your argument into her useful structure, as well as ways to manage your feelings about your ability to make a compelling argument.
If you’re ready to improve your argumentation skills, I’d love for you to check out the course! I have included a 20% discount code for my dear readers until December 6th. The code is earlybird.
Let’s take the shame out of not knowing how to do X. Not knowing how to do something yet is just information for us about ourselves. Recognizing a gap is the first step, followed by doing something about it.
Great topic! Was making with my seniors about this today