How to Write An Argumentative Essay
Writing an argumentative essay needs more than just stating your opinion. You must structure the essay properly to make sure your stance is compelling. Most students fail to make their voice clear in argumentative writing because they support their points with solid evidence and reasoning. The elements of this essay include how you structure the paper combined with extensive research for solid points.
What is an argumentative essay?
An argumentative essay is a type of essay that requires you to investigate a specific topic, generate evidence and evaluate it to establish your position regarding the topic. The content should flow smoothly and be explained concisely. Sometimes an argumentative essay is mistaken with an expository essay. However, before you write one, you can check argumentative essay examples to understand how to write one. In most cases, an argument essay is assigned as the final or capstone project.
How to outline an argumentative essay
An argumentative essay has a specific structure. Before you write, the first step is to outline it to enable you to write the points effortlessly and give the reader an easy flow of content. This means stating your views, reasoning and evidence in a clear outline. The structure should be structured in the following way:
The introduction paragraphs
This is the paragraph where you outline your argumentative paper. Include the background information of your topic to help the reader understand the topic and your argument. Also, state the thesis and a summary of the evidence you intend to use in the essay.
Thesis Statement
The thesis statement should be in the first paragraph of your argumentative essay. It should be a single, concise sentence that summarizes the main point in the paper.
Body Paragraphs
An argumentative essay should have at least three paragraphs. They all include points explaining why you cover a specific stand. Make sure every section addresses a single point and relate it with the topic and thesis. The points must be solid and concise to convince your reader to agree with your position.
Besides, in the paragraphs, you let the reader know why your claims are the way to go. Back them up with evidence from credible sources. There should be examples, statistics from reputable sources, text citations and studies. Your essay is not complete without addressing opposing points and explaining why you do not agree with them. Present facts that prove your stand is correct from angles. This increases your essays incredibility and impresses your lecturer as you sound authoritative.
Conclusion
The conclusion part is essential in an essay. The paragraph gives you one more chance to restate the thesis and summarize the arguments in your principal body. The worst mistake a writer can make is to introduce new points or an argument.
Write your essay according to the standard argumentative essay format that states you should summarize the essay interestingly and convince your reader to agree with you one more time. One of the easiest ways to do this is to add a personal anecdote to explain how the topic affects you at a personal level.
How to write a thesis statement
The thesis statement should only be a single sentence long. However, it’s a crucial part of an argumentative essay. While this sentence must be in the first paragraph, you can change it as many times as you want to write the body paragraphs. The most important thing is to ensure it matches perfectly with the points in your essay. Here are easy steps on how to write a thesis statement.
Frame the topic as a question
When coming up with a topic for your argumentative essay, set it up as a question. If you already have a topic from your lecturer, be sure to include a big question in the introductory paragraph. This enables you to create a thesis statement that sounds like the answer to your question. For example, you can pose a question like what makes a delicious burger and then answer it in the thesis statement like this, “The best burger is made of ground meat and roasted on the grill.” This creates interest, and the reader will definitely want to read more to understand the burger.
State the argument and refute it
Start by introducing the idea that you do not believe in. Then, immediately write why it contrasts with what you believe in. For example, “While some people think that a burger is boring with just ground beef, you can make it more exciting effortlessly.” You use this method to keep the reader glued, state the evidence and demonstrate its credibility.
Explain points briefly
In your thesis statement, introduce the main point and back it up with some evidence. For example, “You can quickly add some delicacy into your sandwich by adding condiments.” This statement will give the reader an idea of what you intend to discuss in the essay. It also helps you stay on track throughout the argumentative research essay.
5 Types of Argument Claims
After coming up with the topic and thesis statement, you should know how to presents the points. This makes writing an argumentative essay easy and concise. An excellent argumentative essay is driven by the following five types of argument claims.
- Fact- The fact states whether your statement is the truth or not.
- Definition- This refers to definition of your argument and how you interpret it
- Value- state the importance of your arguments
- Cause and effect- This about the cause and effects of the problem addressed in your essay.
- Policy- Why your reader has to care and what they are expected to do after reading your essay
Three main types of arguments and how to use them
Three great arguments help you when structuring an argumentative essay. You can choose to one or combine two in your argumentative essay. They include:
Aristotelian or Classical Argument
In this type of argument, you present the argument; write your opinion and go ahead to convince the reader to agree with your stance. This is the most common strategy to present arguments as it allows simple thinking, which is easy for most people to follow. It is ideal of you content is intended for an audience without much information or solid opinion regarding your topic. It enables you to outline facts concisely and clearly.
Rogerian Argument
This way of arguing allows you to present the issue, acknowledge its opposing side, state you view and explain how it benefits the reader. It is ideal for polarizing topics because it acknowledges both sides before presenting a middle ground.
Toulin Arguments
These arguments allow you to present claims, present background information as back up, and justify the grounds linked to the claim. It is also ideal for polarizing topics. But presents one side and hinges on facts that make it hard for the opposing party to argue with your content.
Argumentative essays- Tips on how to write an argumentative essay
When you want to write an argumentative essay, you have to follow the recommended argumentative structure. But you can use these simple tips to create an argumentative paper:
- Brainstorm ideas and write them down as they into your mind.
- Collect all available evidence and get ready to support your arguments. An argumentative essay requires you to prove your points and support them. Create a draft of the essay. This is where you include direct quotes and any other data that you need to support your points.
- Polish the draft, by ensuring use of correct words and restructure arguments where necessary. You language should be clear and perfect for your academic paper as this what determines how your reader understands your points and rebuttals.
- Proofread your work and fix all mistakes. You can use editing skills if not sure about your grammar skills
Frequently Asked Questions about argumentative essays
How do I write an argumentative essay?
An argumentative essay should have an introductory paragraph, thesis statement, body paragraphs and a conclusion.
What is an argumentative essay and examples?
An argumentative essay is an academic paper that takes a stand regarding a controversial topic and persuades the reader to agree with it. For example, abortion should be made legal.
What are the three parts of an argumentative essay?
The three main parts of an argumentative essay are the introductory paragraph, main body and the conclusion.
What are the four parts of an argumentative essay?
The four parts of an argumentative essay are claims, counterclaims, reasons and the evidence.
What should you avoid when writing an argumentative essay?
- Never write arguments without evidence
- Avoid too much arguing; you may lose the main points
What are good points of an argumentative essay?
Good points in argumentative essay should be detailed, accurate and up to date.
An argumentative essay uses logical support and factual evidence to convince a reader to agree with your reasoning. It is different from most persuasive essays because you must provide hard evidence based on studies and credible sources to prove your points. Ask our essay writing service for help on your argumentative essay now. Or you can reach out our write my essay service support via the free chat anything to do with the argumentative essay topics.
