How to write an argumentative essay
When you’re writing an argumentative essay, you need to convey more than just your opinion to be convincing. Even the strongest position won’t persuade your reader if it is not structured properly, is not reinforced with solid reasoning, and doesn’t adequately explain why your argument should be believed.
Good argumentative essays have a straightforward structure that makes the argument easy for readers to follow: introduction, main argument paragraphs, and conclusion.
Introduction
- Start the essay with a topic sentence (which acts like a title) and flow smoothly throughout this first paragraph, ending with the overall point you’re trying to make in your paper (ie. your thesis). Your intro paragraph should contain your thesis statement, preferably as the last
- Ensure your essay’s topic sentence (and the intro paragraph itself) sets the trajectory for your ‘Beginning of time’ statements do not set a good trajectory for essays.
- Make your thesis statement clear and Clarity is a virtue in argumentative essays.
- Between your topic sentence and thesis, you may want to raise a problem that your thesis offers a solution to or helps Alternatively, you may introduce background information that helps introduce your argument.
Three Ways to Write a Thesis Statement
- Turn your topic into a question and then answer it. Oftentimes, an essay prompt from the assignment instructions provides a central question. If it doesn’t, you can create a question Either write this question separate from your essay (and only include it in your outline) or insert it directly into your introduction. For example, you could pose the question, “What is the best way to judge a book?” Your answer would be your thesis: “In this essay, I shall argue that a book should be judged by its cover.” This method works well not only because it creates interest in the mind of your reader, but also because it forces your hand as a writer by prompting you to state a thesis.
- State the opposing view and prepare to refute it. Another thesis technique is to incorporate an opposing view into your thesis statement: “Despite the old adage insisting you should never judge a book by its cover, I will instead show why a cover is actually a very good way for bookstores to judge a ” This method is useful because it immediately draws a contrast, which helps make the thesis seem clearer.
- Briefly outline your main points. In this final technique, you may choose to state your overall claim and explain briefly how you intend to back it up. For example, “In this essay, I will argue that cover text design, book color, and image layout are features important to customers and are therefore one of the first ways bookstores should judge a book.” This method gives your readers a preview of your entire argument and at the same time helps to keep you on track.
Main Argument/Body Paragraphs
- A typical argumentative essay has three or more main body paragraphs that explain the reasons why your reader should believe your
- The main rule of paragraph development is that each paragraph should have one controlling idea (ie. a main point). Begin each paragraph with a topic In the topic sentence, signal to your reader this main point or controlling idea.
- It’s often good to make each argumentative essay ‘s paragraph a separate premise, or claim. Consider brainstorming all the reasons your reader should accept your thesis, and then choose only the strongest reasons as premises. A weak premise (paragraph) will make the entire argument seem weak. Weak premises are those that do not provide solid, convincing support for your
Making Use of Objections
- Arguments that consider an opposing point of view and defeat it demonstrate intellectual It can also be a useful technique to help make your argument more convincing.
- One method is to begin with the words “Some might argue.” If you state an objection, remember that you must present a reply. The reply then becomes another reason that supports your thesis. When replying, you may need to use a contrasting word (however, yet, while, ) to signal your change in voice.
- It is unlikely that your reader is interested in hearing weak objections that are easily Weak objections only reflect poorly on your argument. The stronger the objection (provided you succeed in your reply), the stronger your argument will be.
Conclusion Paragraph
- Your final paragraph should restate your thesis and summarize your argument. Ensure that you have a conclusion paragraph and that it is at least three sentences long (the minimum for a paragraph).
- Don’t introduce new information in your
- Restate your thesis without repeating yourself You may also choose to pick an insight or two you’ve made along the way that bears repeating in order to summarize your argument.