diff --git a/dominoes/networks/pointer_networks.py b/dominoes/networks/pointer_networks.py
index cbd086c..b6e9660 100644
--- a/dominoes/networks/pointer_networks.py
+++ b/dominoes/networks/pointer_networks.py
@@ -84,38 +84,73 @@ def get_pointer_network(
 """
 
 
-def get_pointer_kwargs(args):
-    """
-    method for getting the pointer method and its kwargs from a dictionary of arguments
-    """
-    # get embedding dim (this is always required)
-    embedding_dim = args["embedding_dim"]
-
-    # these are the possible kwargs that can be passed to the pointer network
-    # key is the argument name in the ArgParser, value is the pointer network keyword
-    possible_kwargs = dict(
-        embedding_bias="embedding_bias",
-        num_encoding_layers="num_encoding_layers",
-        encoder_method="encoder_method",
-        decoder_method="decoder_method",
-        pointer_method="pointer_method",
-        train_temperature="temperature",
-    )
-    # these use the default=False, store as True and require a sign flip
-    signflip_kwargs = dict(
-        no_thompson="thompson",
-    )
+class PointerArguments:
+    def __init__(self, args):
+        self.args = args
+        self._get_pointernet_kwargs()
+        self._get_encoder_kwargs()
+        self._get_decoder_kwargs()
+        self._get_pointer_kwargs()
+
+    def __call__(self):
+        """return stored arguments"""
+        return self.embedding_dim, self.pointernet_kwargs, self.encoder_kwargs, self.decoder_kwargs, self.pointer_kwargs
+
+    def _get_kwargs(self, required_args, required_kwargs, possible_kwargs, signflip_kwargs, name="pointer network"):
+        """method for getting the required and optional kwargs from stored argument dictionary"""
+        # if any required args are missing, raise an error
+        _check_kwargs(name, self.args, required_args)
+
+        # get required args (in order of list!)
+        args = [self.args[arg] for arg in required_args]
+
+        # get kwargs
+        kwargs = {}
+
+        # if any required kwargs are missing, raise an error
+        _check_kwargs(name, self.args, required_kwargs)
+        for key, value in required_kwargs.items():
+            kwargs[value] = self.args[key]
+
+        # if any kwargs are included in args, add them to the dictionary
+        for key, value in possible_kwargs.items():
+            if key in self.args:
+                kwargs[value] = self.args[key]
+
+        # these use the default=False, store as True and require a sign flip
+        for key, value in signflip_kwargs.items():
+            if key in self.args:
+                kwargs[value] = not self.args[key]
+
+        return args, kwargs
+
+    def _get_pointernet_kwargs(self):
+        """method for getting the pointer network kwargs from a dictionary of arguments"""
+        required_args = ["embedding_dim"]
+
+        # these are the possible kwargs that can be passed to the pointer network
+        # key is the argument name in the ArgParser, value is the pointer network keyword
+        required_kwargs = dict(
+            embedding_bias="embedding_bias",
+            num_encoding_layers="num_encoding_layers",
+            encoder_method="encoder_method",
+            decoder_method="decoder_method",
+            pointer_method="pointer_method",
+        )
+        possible_kwargs = dict(
+            train_temperature="temperature",
+        )
+        # these use the default=False, store as True and require a sign flip
+        signflip_kwargs = dict(
+            no_thompson="thompson",
+        )
 
-    # if any kwargs are included in args, add them to the pointer_kwargs dictionary
-    pointer_kwargs = {}
-    for key, value in possible_kwargs.items():
-        if key in args:
-            pointer_kwargs[value] = args[key]
-    for key, value in signflip_kwargs.items():
-        if key in args:
-            pointer_kwargs[value] = not args[key]
+        # get arguments for pointer network
+        (embedding_dim,), pointernet_kwargs = self._get_kwargs(required_args, required_kwargs, possible_kwargs, signflip_kwargs)
 
-    return embedding_dim, pointer_kwargs
+        # store arguments in self
+        self.embedding_dim = embedding_dim
+        self.pointernet_kwargs = pointernet_kwargs
 
 
 class PointerNetworkBaseClass(nn.Module, ABC):