With your specific argument stance (thesis/claim) in mind, locate one scholarly source with opinions that do not agree with your own stance. Using Toulmin’s model, demonstrate the use of concession and refutation to rebut an opposing viewpoint, keeping in mind the importance of a humble yet assertive tone.

Steps: In 2 rich paragraphs, answer the following as related to your stance for your argument essay:

1. Locate a specific opposing point within the article: Note one point in this article that opposes your stance, using proper source integration and citation techniques.
2. Concession: Although the point is in opposition to your own stance, describe the merits of the point. What elements of the point do you see as valid? Who in your own audience might agree with this opposing source and why?
3. Refutation: Although you are able to find merits to the point and to see that some readers may agree with this opposing viewpoint, how will you refute the point? What might you say and do to convince readers that despite holding some merit, the viewpoint is not as valid or useful as your own stance on the issue? How will your approach to this opposing viewpoint influence your audience’s reaction to your essay? Remember to use correct quotation or paraphrasing techniques with correct APA in-text citation.

Follow-Up Post Instructions
Respond with depth and substance to at least one peer, thoroughly answering the following:

• In reviewing your peer’s concession to and refutation of their chosen opposing article, note specific ways in which your peer utilized concession and refutation well.
• Then, note specific ways in which your peer might employ concession and refutation in more powerful or different ways.

Remember, the goal here is to find multiple perspectives, but those perspectives should be both professional and respectful. Ask questions to keep the conversation going.

SOLUTION

My stance

Rural areas have a higher prevalence of mental health issues such as inadequate mental
healthcare facilities, treatment, and stigma among others, as compared to urban areas.

Opposing Point from the Article

I found an opposing perspective from the article Cities and Mental Health written by Gruebner et
al (2017). According to Gruebner et al (2017), the urban environment in comparison with rural
setting have higher prevalence of mental issues, with triggers such as noise pollution, various
urban designs characterized by tall buildings, increased physical threats such as violence, all
which contribute to high stress levels and aggression, causing negative mental health outcomes.
Gruebner et al (2017) further add that the concentration of low Socioeconomic Status (SES)
attributes in urban areas for instance low education and income levels, lack of social support, and
social segregation highly contribute to a higher prevalence of mental health issues in urban
settings more than in rural areas.

Concession

The point has some merits, and I acknowledge the impact of the hustle and bustle in most urban
areas on mental health. There are numerous cases of accidents and violence related activities
reported in urban areas, which cause high levels of stress, mood disorder, and anxiety among
other mental health conditions. The social segregation is also common in urban areas especially
among the immigrants and minority groups. Lack of social support encountered in urban
dwellings have played a major role in increasing the cases of mental illnesses, such as
depression. Among my audience, the healthcare professionals might agree with this article, as

they might have handled several cases of mentally illnesses brought about by the triggers
mentioned above.

Refutation

In as much as I find merits to the point from the article, I intend to convince those who might
agree with the opposing perspective. I’ll start by making it clear that this is just one study and
hence the findings cannot be generalized. There is need to consider other sources that discuss in
detail the disparities between the prevalence of mental health issues in rural areas and urban
settings. I will also use my thesis to prove that in as much as there are relatively high levels of
mental health issues in urban areas, the situation is more critical in rural areas.

References

Gruebner, O., Rapp, M. A., Adli, M., Kluge, U., Galea, S., & Heinz, A. (2017). Cities and mental
health. Deutsches Ärzteblatt International, 114(8), 121. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2017.0121.