Argumentative writing taught me that i don't actually know what i think

This is going to sound weird but hear me out. I had to write an argumentative writing piece about climate change policy and I went in with a very clear opinion. Like I KNEW what I believed. But then I had to research the counterarguments for my "counterargument and rebuttal" section.

And guys... reading the other side done well is DANGEROUS. I found myself going "wait... that's actually a good point" multiple times. By the time I finished my research, my original position had shifted like 30%. I still mostly agree with where I started, but now I understand the complexity way better. My professor said that's actually the goal of good argumentative writing—it forces you to engage with the other side honestly, not just build a straw man to knock down . It's humbling though.

I thought I knew things and it turns out I knew opinions without understanding arguments. Now I have to write the actual paper and my thesis keeps changing. Send help. Or better yet, send sources.

Liam, I'm a political science TA and I wish more students had this experience. So many turn in papers where the counterargument is clearly a straw man—"some people say the sky isn't blue, but they're wrong." That's not engagement, that's performance.

You actually LISTENED to the other side. And it changed you. That's not weakness—that's intellectual honesty.

Here's the thing: your thesis shifting 30% means you now understand the issue 70% better. Your final paper will be more nuanced, more credible, and more persuasive because you're not arguing against a caricature.

For the actual writing: let your thesis be the conclusion of your journey, not the starting point. Write the body first—explore both sides honestly. Then go back and craft a thesis that reflects where you landed. The paper will flow naturally because you're leading readers through the same honest process you experienced.

The best writers are the ones who've genuinely wrestled. You're becoming one of them. Keep going.