What makes a passage an argument
In everyday language, an argument often means a heated disagreement. In logic, the word means something precise and different: an argument is a set of statements in which one or more statements (called premises) are offered as reasons for accepting another statement (called the conclusion). The presence of that support relation — reasons offered on behalf of a claim — is what separates an argument from a description, a story, or a command.
This distinction matters because most writing is not argumentative. A news article might report what happened without taking a position. A how-to guide might list instructions without defending them. A personal essay might describe feelings without arguing that anyone else should share them. Only when the author is trying to convince you that something is true, and is offering reasons for that belief, are you looking at an argument in the logical sense.
Consider these two passages. First: 'The campus bookstore is open from 8 AM to 6 PM on weekdays and 10 AM to 4 PM on weekends.' Second: 'The campus bookstore should extend its weekend hours, because most students cannot visit during the week and Saturday mornings are the busiest period.' The first passage states facts. The second passage uses facts as reasons to support a recommendation. Only the second is an argument.
When you read a passage, resist the temptation to start by asking whether you agree with it. Instead, ask what job each sentence is doing. Is it reporting? Explaining? Describing? Or is it being offered as a reason to believe something else? Logical analysis begins the moment you can sort sentences by their function rather than their content.