Building Both Sides Before Choosing One

The most common mistake in Section B essays is one-sidedness. Candidates take a position and then argue for it relentlessly, ignoring or dismissing everything that could be said against it. This approach feels decisive — but to an admissions tutor reading the essay, it looks simplistic.

The strongest Section B essays demonstrate that the writer understands both sides of the debate before committing to a position. This is not fence-sitting. It is the foundation of genuinely persuasive argumentation — and it is precisely the skill that law schools are looking for.

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Why Both Sides Matter

The Law School Perspective

Law is fundamentally adversarial. Barristers must understand their opponent's case as thoroughly as their own. Solicitors must anticipate counterarguments. Judges must weigh competing claims fairly. The ability to see both sides of an argument is not a nice extra in legal thinking — it is the central skill.

When an admissions tutor reads your Section B essay, they are asking: "Can this person think like a lawyer?" An essay that shows awareness of only one perspective answers that question with a clear "no".

The Argumentative Advantage

There is also a purely strategic reason to consider both sides: it makes your argument stronger.

One-Sided Essay	Two-Sided Essay
Presents arguments for position X	Presents arguments for position X
Ignores arguments against position X	Acknowledges and addresses arguments against position X
Reader thinks: "What about...?"	Reader thinks: "They've already thought of that."
Appears partisan or naive	Appears thoughtful and authoritative
Easy to attack	Much harder to attack

Key Principle: An argument that has survived engagement with its strongest objections is more persuasive than one that has never been tested.

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The Process: Build, Then Choose

Step 1: Map Both Sides (During Planning)

Before you start writing — during your 5-minute planning phase — map the arguments on both sides of the question.

Example question: "Should wealthy countries accept unlimited numbers of refugees?"

In Favour	Against
Moral obligation to help those fleeing persecution	Practical limits on infrastructure, housing, services
International law (the Refugee Convention) establishes a duty to provide asylum	Legitimate security concerns about unvetted arrivals
Refugees contribute economically in the long term	Public support for refugee acceptance may collapse if perceived as unlimited
Refusing entry condemns people to danger, exploitation, or death	A sudden, large influx can create social tensions and backlash
Wealthy countries have disproportionately contributed to the conditions (conflict, climate) that create refugees	"Unlimited" is a policy no country has ever adopted — the question may be unrealistic

Step 2: Evaluate the Relative Strength

Now that you can see both sides, evaluate which arguments are stronger:

• Which arguments are supported by evidence?
• Which rely on principle and which on pragmatics?
• Which could withstand scrutiny from a skilled opponent?
• Where do your own convictions lie?

Step 3: Choose Your Position

Based on your evaluation, choose the side you can argue most effectively. This is not necessarily the side you personally agree with — it is the side you can present most persuasively given the arguments available.

Important: You do not need to believe what you argue. Law students argue positions they personally disagree with all the time. The LNAT is testing your ability to argue, not your personal beliefs.

Step 4: Use the Other Side in Your Essay

The arguments you mapped for the opposing side are not wasted. They become your counterargument material. Because you have already considered them seriously, you can present them fairly and rebut them effectively.

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How to Show Both Sides in Your Essay

You do not need to dedicate equal space to both sides. Your essay should clearly favour your chosen position. But it must demonstrate that you have considered the alternative.

Structure 1: Acknowledge and Address

Present your arguments first, then acknowledge the strongest counterargument and address it:

Paragraph	Content
1	Introduction + thesis (your position)
2	Your strongest argument
3	Your second argument
4	Counterargument (presented fairly) + your rebuttal
5	Conclusion

Structure 2: Weave Throughout

Address opposing points as you go, dealing with each objection as it arises:

Paragraph	Content
1	Introduction + thesis
2	Argument 1 + anticipate objection + brief rebuttal
3	Argument 2 + anticipate objection + brief rebuttal
4	Conclusion