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Transcript

To analyse and deepen understanding of counter-argument paragraph structure

Developing a counter-argument

Pre-Task: Week 17

Why Include a Counter Argument?

By including a counter argument in your essay, you show that:

  • You have done your research and are familiar with each aspect of your thesis, including opposition to it.
  • You have arrived at your conclusion through the power of reason, and without undue bias.
  • You do not only blindly support your thesis, but can also deal with opposition to it.

A counter argument is one that supports the opposing side. In an essay, it shows that you understand other viewpoints, have considered them, and ultimately dismissed them.

What is counter argument?

Link: How this links back to the topic sentence and your thesis statement (and therefore answers the essay question)

Step 5

Claim: state the counter-argument

Step 1

Reason / acknowledgment: why they say this – acknowledge their argument

Step 2

Rejection of claim: reject their argument (present your rebuttal)

Step 3

Evidence and explanation: provide evidence to support your rebuttal, with explanation

Step 4

Rebuttal

Steps of creating a counter argument

Highlight the claim,reason, Rejection of claim, evidence and explanation and link in different colours in the body paragraph provided below

Supporters of compulsory retirement suggest that retaining older workers beyond the traditional age of retirement reduces promotion opportunities for younger employees (Fox, 2015; Harrison, 2019). Clearly a promotion can only be offered when there is a space to be filled and younger employees might decide to look elsewhere for such opportunities. Despite this, research suggests that employees should have many years of experience before being promoted to the most senior roles. Indeed, it has been argued that: “promoting less experienced staff to senior roles invariably breeds tensions within the workforce, erodes morale and undermines structures of progression….and their lack of experience may ultimately have a negative impact upon the success of the business” (Fox, 2015, p.67). Such arguments highlight the danger of giving senior roles to junior staff members prematurely and demonstrate the need for utilising the knowledge that more senior workers have. In order to support ambitious younger employees, human resource practitioners recommend ensuring there are a range of alternative opportunities for professional development and smaller scale promotions, including mentoring and ‘knowledge transfer’ programmes with more senior staff (Robinson, 2017). In this way, although promotion opportunities might be reduced in the short term, younger staff can actually collaborate with senior colleagues in order to develop their own career progression, thereby creating the potential for even better promotion opportunities when the time come.

Highlight the claim,reason, rejection of claim, evidence and explanation and link in different colours in the body paragraph provided below.

Supporters of compulsory retirement suggest that retaining older workers beyond the traditional age of retirement reduces promotion opportunities for younger employees (Fox, 2015; Harrison, 2019). Clearly a promotion can only be offered when there is a space to be filled and younger employees might decide to look elsewhere for such opportunities. Despite this, research suggests that employees should have many years of experience before being promoted to the most senior roles. Indeed, it has been argued that: “promoting less experienced staff to senior roles invariably breeds tensions within the workforce, erodes morale and undermines structures of progression….and their lack of experience may ultimately have a negative impact upon the success of the business” (Fox, 2015, p.67). Such arguments highlight the danger of giving senior roles to junior staff members prematurely and demonstrate the need for utilising the knowledge that more senior workers have. In order to support ambitious younger employees, human resource practitioners recommend ensuring there are a range of alternative opportunities for professional development and smaller scale promotions, including mentoring and ‘knowledge transfer’ programmes with more senior staff (Robinson, 2017). In this way, although promotion opportunities might be reduced in the short term, younger staff can actually collaborate with senior colleagues in order to develop their own career progression, thereby creating the potential for even better promotion opportunities when the time come.

Highlight the claim,reason, rejection of claim, evidence and explanation and link in different colours in the body paragraph provided below.

It has been suggested that older employees may no longer be able to perform their jobs well and can therefore threaten the productivity of an organisation (Haswell, 2015) and this argument can be used to support a compulsory retirement age. There is certainly a possibility that older workers may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives, and they might have become lazy, slow or bored in their role and no longer working to a high standard. With every increasing age, they could lose some of their skills. However, any employee, regardless of age should have regular appraisals and if they are proven to be working inefficiently, training or support measures can be implemented to help them. Peeters and van Emmerick (2008) summarise research showing how older workers can be successfully trained, motivated and supported to perform their jobs as expected. With suitable support in place, there is little evidence to show any real relationship between age and poor performance, and any serious health issues, mental or physical, which do threaten productivity should always be addressed regardless of age. Therefore, the argument for making retirement compulsory in order to protect the company from poor performance does not appear to be well-founded.

Highlight the claim,reason, rejection of claim, evidence and explanation and link in different colours in the body paragraph provided below.

It has been suggested that older employees may no longer be able to perform their jobs well and can therefore threaten the productivity of an organisation (Haswell, 2015) and this argument can be used to support a compulsory retirement age. There is certainly a possibility that older workers may have been stuck in one area or unit for most of their working lives, and they might have become lazy, slow or bored in their role and no longer working to a high standard. With every increasing age, they could lose some of their skills. However, any employee, regardless of age should have regular appraisals and if they are proven to be working inefficiently, training or support measures can be implemented to help them. Peeters and van Emmerick (2008) summarise research showing how older workers can be successfully trained, motivated and supported to perform their jobs as expected. With suitable support in place, there is little evidence to show any real relationship between age and poor performance, and any serious health issues, mental or physical, which do threaten productivity should always be addressed regardless of age. Therefore, the argument for making retirement compulsory in order to protect the company from poor performance does not appear to be well-founded.

Now that you have learned how to develop a counter-argument paragraph, go back to your CW3 and check your counter-argument paragraphGood Luck!, remember that all academic arguments need to consider both sides!

Here’s a quick example of how you might use a rebuttal in your daily conversations: let’s say you and a friend are discussing the best local restaurants for a first date. Your argument is that an Italian place across town is the best because its food is delicious, and the atmosphere is romantic. Your friend expresses a counterargument by stating that the restaurant isn’t at all romantic. She says the restaurant is dark, that the atmosphere is dull, boring, and far too quiet, and that it’s a place only old people go. You then offer a rebuttal by stating that a dark and quiet atmosphere doesn’t mean that it’s dull or boring or only for old people. A quiet, dimly lit dining area is the perfect romantic setting in which to get to know your date.