An argument is not the same thing as a topic.

A topic is what a text is about.

An argument is what the text claims about that topic — and why.

Most people read for information. Humanities students must learn to read for claims, logic, and stakes. This guide helps you find the argument buried inside almost any text.

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Step 1 — Locate the Claim (What is the text trying to prove?)

Every argument has a core claim, even if the author hides it behind storytelling, description, or data.

Ask:

• What does the author want me to believe?
• What is the text pushing towards?
• If I had to summarise the author’s point in one sentence, what would it be?

This “one sentence” is often the thesis, even if the author never states it explicitly.

Tip: In medieval or premodern texts, claims are often implicit — expressed through narrative emphasis, moral framing, or selection of detail rather than a clear thesis line.

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Step 2 — Identify the Evidence (What supports the claim?)

Arguments rely on evidence, but evidence varies by genre:

• Historical texts: anecdotes, events, genealogies, miracles, charters
• Textbooks: data, consensus views, distillations of scholarship
• News articles: quotations, statistics, framing, expert opinions
• Opinion pieces: reasoning, analogies, comparisons, moral claims

Ask:

• What does the author use to convince me?
• Why this evidence and not something else?

The pattern of evidence is often where the real argument lives.

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Step 3 — Identify the Reasoning (How does the author connect evidence to claim?)

Evidence is not an argument until it is interpreted.

Look for:

• causal links (A causes B)
• interpretive claims (this event reveals X)
• analogies (this is like that)
• moral judgements (this action is good, corrupt, necessary)
• emotional cues (fear, hope, nostalgia)

Reasoning is sometimes hidden. Authors may imply connections rather than state them.

Remember: Weak reasoning ≠ no reasoning. Even flawed logic tells you what the author believes to be persuasive.

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Step 4 — Identify What’s Missing (The argument’s blind spots)

Arguments always involve omission.

Ask:

• What evidence is left out?
• Who is not being quoted?
• What assumptions does the text depend on?
• Who benefits if this argument is accepted?

This step turns reading into analysis.

It also helps you understand bias, power, and perspective — whether you’re reading a medieval annal or a modern newspaper.

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Step 5 — Ask: Why Does This Argument Matter? (The stakes)

The stakes are the reason the argument exists.

Ask:

• What is at risk if the author is wrong?
• What does the author want to change or defend?
• Why would someone care about this argument when it was written? Why should we care now?

Understanding stakes is how you turn analysis into interpretation.

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Step 6 — Reconstruct the Argument in Your Own Words

If you can summarise the argument in one clear sentence, you understand it.

Use this formula:

The author argues that X, because Y, which matters because Z.

If you can’t fill all three parts, return to the text — you’ve missed something.

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Quick Practice Checklist

When reading any text, ask:

1. What is the claim?
2. What evidence supports it?
3. How is the evidence interpreted?
4. What assumptions structure the argument?
5. What is at stake?
6. How would I state the argument in one sentence?

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