The argumentative essay is a type of essay frequently assigned as a capstone or final project at the end of freshman year and at the advanced level. It involves extensive research and academic writing.
Argumentative essays require you to investigate argumentative essay topics, collect and evaluate evidence, and come to some sort of decision regarding the topic.
Argumentative essays are similar to expository essays in that it presents information about a particular great argumentative essay topic. However, the argumentative essay relies more heavily on research and is usually longer than an expository essay.
The expository essay is a type of academic writing where students are required to do a bit of research and analysis on a particular topic and then write about their findings.
What Is An Argumentative Essay?
An argumentative essay is a common type of essay that presents arguments about both sides of an issue. It could be that both sides are presented equally balanced, or it could be that one side is presented more forcefully than the other. It all depends on the writer, and what side he supports the most.
A good argumentative essay is all about stating your position towards the issue, providing strong arguments in favor of your opinion, and confronting different views on the matter.
How To Outline an Argumentative Essay in 4 Steps
An argumentative essay is a type of writing that you can use in many different areas. It follows the same structure as any other paper but has an additional paragraph stating arguments against it and then rebuttals to those statements.
Three types of argument models are used to outline an argumentative essay. There are three common models for structuring your main points: Classical, Toulmin, and Rogerian.
The most commonly used structure in argumentative essays is as follows:
- Introduction
- Main Body
- Counter Argument
- Conclusion
Let’s take one section at a time to understand how perfect argumentative essays is organized.
Argumentative Essay Introduction
Essay introductions act as a roadmap for the entire essay. The introduction paragraph introduces the main argument and provides a brief background of your chosen essay topic. For an argumentative essay, this is where you lay the foundation for your arguments to come in later on.
The first paragraph of an argument essay is one paragraph that should introduce the reader to your topic and your point of view.
In a well-organized introduction, you should include three essential components:
- Hook statement
- Background information on the topic
- Thesis statement
Let’s see all of them one by one in detail:
1) Hook Statement
A hook statement is the beginning of an essay that grabs and holds your reader’s attention. It compels them to read on, so make it count.
Begin your introduction with a hook. The first statement should grab the attention of the reader. For an argumentative essay, a hook can be a controversial statement, a less-known fact, a piece of statistical data, or an intriguing question.
2) Background Information
The opening of an essay should have a concise and informative introduction that outlines the main argument. The reader will be able to more easily follow your reasoning when you provide background information about your topic, so they know what it is you’re talking about.
Explain the importance of the topic. What is the importance of talking about that topic?
Explain why you are talking about the subject and let the reader know your point of view.
.3) Thesis Statement
Present your thesis statement. Clearly, state the argument or claim you will support in the body of the essay.
The thesis statement of your essay should explain the main point and purpose of writing your essay. Your entire essay revolves around the thesis; the body paragraphs present information and evidence to defend your thesis.
Good thesis statements of argumentative essays should be clear and have a definite point of view. A successful one will highlight why the reader should read your article or give them insight into what it is about. It must also provide reasons for its position that are understandable to most people who would read this paper to make sure others find their arguments persuasive.
Related: How To Write An Argumentative Abortion Essay (With Examples)
Argumentative Essay Body Paragraphs
In the body paragraph, you provide evidence that strengthens your argument. You make clear to readers why they should accept your claim by pointing out all of the reasons.
A claim is the central argument of an essay, and it poses as one of the most important parts of academic papers. In fact, the paper’s effectiveness, complexity, and overall quality depend on the claims you make. The primary purpose of claim in argumentative writing is to define the paper’s goals, direction, scope, and support of the argument.
The goal is to prove how strong your argument is by providing supporting arguments with credible sources for a stronger presentation based on facts.
Several paragraphs provide arguments to support your main argument.
Each supporting argument should be in its paragraph.
You could start with the arguments supporting your claim, then finish with sections refuting the opposing views.
Or, you could start with a paragraph that refutes the main opposing view, then continue to support your claim in the paragraphs that follow.
A well-written body paragraph should state four things:
- Purpose
- Topic sentence
- Evidence
- Concluding statement
Here is the detail of every part:
The purpose: Why are you making an argument about a particular issue?
Topic sentence: The topic sentence of a paragraph should focus on just one point only. This sentence is an example of why focusing on one idea in a paragraph would be better. It helps the reader understand your argument and enables them to follow along easily.
Provide evidence: The most important aspect of research for the paper is to make sure that you have collected authentic evidence from credible sources by doing detailed research. This means using facts with examples and statistics to support your thesis statement and support what you said in my topic sentence.
Concluding sentence: The conclusion should show how clearly and succinctly the author conveys their message to readers to understand a topic or claim better.
Argumentative Essay Counter Arguments Paragraph
The counter-argument is the opposing side of your argument in the argumentative essay. You will prove wrong by outlining and elaborating specific reasons. In this paragraph, you should mention the opposing arguments that someone might make against your arguments and refute them one by one. Conclude with a strong statement to reinforce what has been said so far in the argumentative essay.
State the opponents’ views and use the evidence, reliable sources to debunk or refute them. Just like with the previous section, you also have to elaborate on why it’s wrong and support it with evidence for every opposing argument. This way, your reader is more convinced that the claims you made are, indeed, correct.
Argumentative Essay Conclusion
The conclusion is a paragraph that sums up your major points and your argument.
To end a good argumentative essay, the author needs to summarize what they said throughout their entire piece and provide an actionable call to action. This is just as important as the introductory paragraph because it reminds readers of your arguments in this paper.
In this section, remind your readers of the importance of the topic, restate your thesis, and relate it to your supporting arguments.
Readers mostly remember the ending of any piece. Therefore, you must create a strong conclusion that will stick in the readers’ minds for a long.
Inform the readers that after a careful analysis of both sides of the argument, you have come to no other conclusion than that side A is more accurate. From all the facts analyzed in your discussion thus far, it’s clear that there are many benefits and few disadvantages to this issue. The author makes a compelling point defending their position and backs it up by explaining its importance without making unfounded claims.
You can create a memorable conclusion by ending it with a rhetorical question, a statement that inspires the reader to conduct further detailed research or a call to action.
Similarly, when writing your argumentative essay conclusion, you can either propose a solution to the problem or make predictions about what will happen if your argument is believed. You should also outline how things could turn out if it isn’t taken seriously and explain why people might be resistant to believing in your claim at first glance.
Ultimately, readers will have their own opinion of whether they believe this idea is true or not. So give them some incentive for thinking that way.
3 Main Types of Arguments Models and How to Use Them
There are three classical structure models of arguments:
1 Classical structure- popular in philosophy, divides an argument into its logical parts, starting with premises and ending with a conclusion. The defining features of a “cause and effect” essay are causal chains that connect from a cause to an effect, careful language, and chronological or emphatic order. A writer using this rhetorical method must consider the subject, determine the purpose, consider the audience, think critically about different causes or consequences, consider a thesis statement, arrange the parts, consider the language, and decide on a conclusion.
2 Toulmin’s structure -is a little more flexible than the classical model, but still organized around the basic logic of an argument. The Toulmin method (or system) is useful for analyzing an argument. You’ll need to consider strong arguments for the other side in order to shoot them down. Note that you don’t necessarily have to do this as part of your essay-it could just be part of your thinking-but keep track of it all the same. Toulmin’s structure looks like this:
Claim. The claim is what the writer wants you to believe; it might be described as the thesis statement of an argument.
Grounds. The grounds are what support or prove the claim.
Warrant. The warrant is what connects the grounds to the claim. It explains why we should accept that the grounds prove the claim.
Backing. Backing supports or strengthens the warrant by providing additional support or justification for it (it is not always necessary).
Rebuttal or reservation. This is a place where a writer anticipates and addresses positions that oppose his or her own, thus strengthening his or her position by showing why these positions are inadequate or irrelevant.
3 Rogerian – Rather than being aimed at a comprehensive win, it is designed at the creation of a basis for negotiation and compromise on a topic of disagreement. It is based on the assumption that there is common ground to be found between parties of even apparently opposed standpoints. The Rogerian model analyzes two sides of an argument and reaches a conclusion after weighing the strengths and weaknesses of each.
This argument strategy attempts to persuade by finding the main points of compromise and agreement. It is an appropriate technique to use in highly polarized debates, but you must be sincere about your willingness to compromise and change your main points of view for the reader to take you seriously.
List of Argumentative Essay Ideas
- Are girls too “mean” in their friendship?
- Is buying a lottery ticket a good idea?
- Is fashion really important?
- Can the death penalty be effective?
- Can smoking be prevented by making tobacco illegal?
- Is competition really good?
- Is religion the cause of war?
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you write an argumentative essay?
- Develop a thesis statement. This will outline your premises and the conclusion you will draw.
- Link the main points in your argument.
- Include evidence.
- Consider counterarguments.
- Create a strong conclusion.
What are the 5 parts of an argumentative essay?
- A Well-Structured Thesis. Write an introductory paragraph that introduces your argument and explains why readers should be interested in your topic.
- Supporting Body Paragraphs.
- Your Persuasive Conclusion.
- Transitional Phrases.
What is argumentative essay and examples?
An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement. The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it. Argumentative essays are by far the most common types of essays to write at university.
What is an argumentative in a essay?
An argumentative essay is a piece of essay writing that uses factual evidence and logical support to convince the reader of a certain way of thinking. Argumentative essays are only as good as their argument, and structuring good arguments requires a little more than just being stubborn (even if it helps!).
With a passion for helping students navigate their educational journey, I strive to create informative and relatable blog content. Whether it’s tackling exam stress, offering career guidance, or sharing effective study techniques
