Strengthening Arguments guide
Strengthening questions ask which new fact would most support the argument. The best strengthener closes the specific gap between the premises and the conclusion — strengthen does not mean prove.
The method
- Pinpoint the gap the argument leaves between its premises and its conclusion.
- Choose the option that closes that particular gap.
- Remember strengthen ≠ prove — you want the biggest honest push, not certainty.
- Check the option supports this conclusion, not a nearby different one.
Common mistakes
- Restating a premise the argument already has.
- Strengthening a slightly different conclusion.
- Picking the emotionally agreeable fact rather than the relevant one.
- Choosing an option that only weakly touches the gap.
Frequently asked questions
Does the strengthener have to prove the conclusion?
No. It only has to make the conclusion more likely by closing the argument's gap — the strongest available push, not a proof.