Though the word “argument” may conjure up images of squabbling young children or couples in a nasty fight, in fact argument is a very common type of academic writing. An argument is more than simply a disagreement; rather, it is an attempt to persuade someone that your view of a debatable issue is the correct one. The introductory courses in some disciplines may involve to some extent “learning” information, that is, memorizing facts. When you move beyond this sort of black-and-white, right-or-wrong feeding facts back to your instructor on a standardized test, critical thinking is required to analyze and evaluate more complex issues. When you write about these issues, you are generally expected to take your own position, using logical thinking and evidence to support that position. That is what we mean by argument in an academic setting. See the pages below for more information.