Concession as a Persuasive Writing Technique

What is a concession? Concession is when you acknowledge or recognize the opposing viewpoint, conceding something that has some merit A reader of your essay is more likely to listen to you if you show you can see his/her point of view before you counter that argument

Why is concession important? It allows you to show that you see and appreciate good reasoning on the part of the opposition At the same time you have the opportunity to show your own better reasoning You concede the validity of the opposition, but then you prove the superiority of your position The opposition might be right, but you are "righter." The opposition might be right, but you are "righter."

Why is concession important? Remember that a concession is not a form of weakness In fact, a concession is a strength as it finds common ground with your opponent and establishes your ethical appeal: you are a reasonable person willing to listen to/acknowledge that there are more sides to an issue than yours

This is why! **You can’t ignore compelling opposing evidence. You must address strong arguments on the other side; if you don’t, it looks like you are not well prepared and have not looked at the issue you are writing about from all perspectives.**

Examples from GE: While some might believe Mrs. Joe should not have been killed in the end, the fact that Dickens characterizes her as a harsh disciplinarian and develops her character through imagery of her abusive nature proves that she truly was deserving of the way Dickens concluded her character.

Example 2 from GE: Admittedly, some may agree that Abel Magwitch rightfully suffered a tragic death due to his criminal activity, however, he did show remorse for his actions and took full responsibility for his wrong doings and, in the end, Dickens portrayed him to be an upstanding and honest person.

Transitional Phrases It is true that…however…therefore… Certainly…but…in short… Admittedly…on the other hand…so… Of course…nevertheless…as a result… Obviously…on the contrary…finally… Sure…however…in addition…

Other Examples: "True, gun control legislation in Canada needs to be tightened to prevent the United States from becoming as violent as its neighbors to the south. The proposal that has been submitted, however, does not go far enough. Instead,…[now writer begins building his side of argument showing how it is stronger than the opposing side’s!]

Example “It is true that students should not have headphones on when their teachers are giving a lesson. Students should not be allowed to block out their teachers. However, when every member of the class is working individually after important information has been given, listening to music can be a helpful learning tool. It would create a more relaxing, calm environment for learning. Some students can concentrate more while listening to music.”