Best Tips For How to Write an Argumentative Essay

Knowing how to write an argumentative essay is a vital skill for every high school, college, and uni student no matter where they live or what they study. Academic writing assignments differ in terms of their complexity, and argumentative papers hold a special place since they are practically on the top. This type of homework means that you have to pick a position on a certain issue and argue in its favor, presenting evidence as well as refuting the potential opposing views.

Writing such an essay is important since it teaches you how to operate facts and appeal to those who listen to you effectively. Whether you’re doing college homework, arguing with friends, or defending your position on a larger scale, argumentative skills will come in handy!

Three Major Components of Argumentative Essay Structure

Most students know what essay structure looks like. Like all essays, an argumentative one should have at least three parts, which are introduction, body, and conclusion. But what do they consist of? What is the purpose of their elements? We are going to provide you with detailed explanations. As long as you keep them in mind when working on paper, everything should be fine!

Introduction

As the first section within argumentative essay format, introduction plays a powerful role: it has to whet the appetite of readers and encourage them to stay tuned. In terms of its size, it should take about 10% of the entire content, not more, but it’s also divided into several important elements. Be sure you include all of them.

1) Hook. This would be the first sentence of your essay. It must comprise something very interesting, surprising, or educative. The goal is to capture the audience’s reaction and keep holding it throughout the paper, so include a somber quote, a perplexing piece of statistics, or even a joke — that depends on argument essay tone.

2) Background. Share some details about an essay here. Present introductory facts: what are you writing about? Why does this topic deserve being explored? What positions exist on it? Dedicate more attention to the one you’re planning on representing. Don’t write too much, though! That’s for the body.

3) Thesis. This is the more relevant bit in argumentative essay introduction. It should only take one sentence, but it must be one of the most powerful ones in the whole paper. Remember: it should be a direct statement. Do not write phrases like “This research will look at…” or even worse, “In this paper, I am going to discuss…” Start with your point right away: make a claim that could be argued with.

Body

This is the largest section within the structure of an argumentative essay. Ideally, these are the elements it should have.

1) Opening sentence. Relate each opening sentence directly to thesis. Indicate which specific aspect you’ll be discussing.

2) Fact & evidence. Present a piece of your point and offer evidence for it. This could be a direct quote, paraphrasing, or simple citation.

3) Closing sentence. Summarize whatever you’ve discussed or create a bridge linking this paragraph with the next. Don’t use quotes here! This sentence is all about summary.

Conclusion

Like with an intro, this part of argumentative writing takes 10%. Conclusion is majorly about restating information, so don’t include some new findings into it. This is an approximate model:

1) Restate thesis. Do not copy it — voice the same thing in different words.

2) Repeat major points. Once again, avoid copying anything directly. Make mentions of key points you’ve discussed for refreshing your readers’ memory.

3) State implications. What were research meaning and its argument? What could it mean for future discussions or debates? Include several sentences here.

What Is an Argumentative Essay: Three Models

There are several types of argumentative papers students could be asked to write. Very often, requirements aren’t strict, so they can pick whatever works best for them. Let’s look at the three of them so that you had a clearer idea of what to do.

Classical

1) Introduction: Tell readers what you’re planning on writing about.

2) Background: Explain general meaning behind your topic. Include such facts as where the conflict started, what it comprises, and how it progresses.

3) Proposition: Take your side. What viewpoint do you support? Explain what it is.

4) Evidence: Give some proof for showing why your angle is valid.

5) Refutation: What does the opposing side say about the topic? If you’re wondering how to write a good argumentative essay, remember that it must be fairly objective. Present the facts that oppose your views, but then refute them. Give counter-evidence for weakening the position of people who disagree with your stance.

6) Conclusion: Like in a general outline, simply restate the largest revelations for them to stay clear in your audience’s memory.

Rogerian

1) Introduction: Akin to most other essays, students should explain what their essay is going to be about.

2) Opposition: Unlike how it is in the previous type, start with opposite views. Disclose what they are and why they exist.

3) Understanding: Give these opposite views an adequate weight: do not try to make them appear stupid just because you disagree with them.

4) Personal position: Shed light on your own perspective. Try harder here since you’ll want to convince readers that your views are correct.

5) Context: Provide more practical illustrations for your argumentative essays’ ideas. Where would they be valid? Are there any direct examples?

6) Benefits: Why should people choose your perspective over others? What benefits does it have? Provide at least several of them.

Toulmin

1) Claim: Shape your position from the start so that readers could see what your paper is going to focus on.

2) Grounds: How did you come to support this position? What convinced you that this is the right approach?

3) Warrant: Build a bridge between your claim and evidence you explained in the previous point.

4) Qualifier: Honestly provide examples where your position fails to work. Think carefully here since you wouldn’t want an audience to start doubting the strength of your arguments.

5) Rebuttal: Admit that opposition has some valid points, too. Describe them a bit.

6) Backing: Keep maintaining that your perspective is more logical & prove why.

Helping With Your Argumentative Essay Outline: 5 Key Tips

But how to write a great argumentative essay? We prepared some step-by-step tips. They’ll help you through every stage of your writing.

Choose a topic you like. Students should never write about something they aren’t interested in. Choose a title that makes you eager to explore it because argumentative writing is passionate at its core. If you are bored, nothing will revive an essay.

Compare your view against existing legit sources. Let’s imagine you’re writing definition argument essay. You have a very specific point of view, but it is so rare that no credible sources support it. If this happens, you should think about picking something else. Great sources form a central basis for your essay — unless they are credible and recent, they won’t make your work convincing.

Pick a model. We outlined three models for argument papers above. Settle on the one you prefer most before proceeding with your essay. When you do, try following all the steps correctly — don’t skip any points as they are all very important.

Create an outline. Outlines could be greatly helpful. Sure, many students don’t want to invest effort into them, but argumentative essays are too complex for a simplistic approach. They have numerous parts and elements, as you had a chance to see above, so it is better to determine what you’ll be writing at each stage. There is no need for too many details: even one sentence per component would be enough.

Proofread. After all hard work is done, start proofreading it. But avoid doing it right away since your eyes will be too used to your own words. Take a break before returning to your text — this is the best approach. Open your essay again, read through it carefully, and catch any possible typos. Make editing changes if needed. Read everything aloud for achieving the greatest results.

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Write a Perfect Essay or Get Help Until You Can Do It

Writing an argumentative essay is a difficult task, but if you approach it properly, your problems will amount next to nothing. Just select an inspiring topic, find great reliable sources, and outline your ideas before you forget them. Write passionately but objectively, and everything should be fine. In case you’re in trouble, though, always seek help. We’re at your disposal 24/7, ready to follow your guidelines and give you advice. So, chat with our support team and let us handle your assignment if you aren’t sure you could do it yourself!