This book recognizes the importance of argument in every day life. Students learn to read argument with special care, to think critically, and to respond with effective written arguments of their own.

For Freshman Composition Courses and Argumentative Writing Courses. Nancy Wood’s Perspectives on Argument offers the most complete coverage of the research paper available in an argument writing text. This argument book explains argument theory clearly and applies it to written, visual, and oral argument. It presents complete instructions on how to write a research paper that makes an argument. It encourages students to find multiple perspectives on issues before they decide on their own perspective, and it provides strategies for finding common ground. A classroom-tested assignment sequence allows students to progress from easy to more difficult writing tasks and to integrate classroom reading, thinking, and writing at every stage as they complete them. Also, the readings provide thought-provoking essays that help students form their own opinions about modern issues.