organizing an argumentative essay

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Organizing Your Argument

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This page summarizes three historical methods for argumentation, providing structural templates for each.

How can I effectively present my argument?

In order for your argument to be persuasive, it must use an organizational structure that the audience perceives as both logical and easy to parse. Three argumentative methods —the  Toulmin Method , Classical Method , and Rogerian Method — give guidance for how to organize the points in an argument.

Note that these are only three of the most popular models for organizing an argument. Alternatives exist. Be sure to consult your instructor and/or defer to your assignment’s directions if you’re unsure which to use (if any).

Toulmin Method

The  Toulmin Method  is a formula that allows writers to build a sturdy logical foundation for their arguments. First proposed by author Stephen Toulmin in  The Uses of Argument (1958), the Toulmin Method emphasizes building a thorough support structure for each of an argument's key claims.

The basic format for the Toulmin Method  is as follows:

Claim:  In this section, you explain your overall thesis on the subject. In other words, you make your main argument.

Data (Grounds):  You should use evidence to support the claim. In other words, provide the reader with facts that prove your argument is strong.

Warrant (Bridge):  In this section, you explain why or how your data supports the claim. As a result, the underlying assumption that you build your argument on is grounded in reason.

Backing (Foundation):  Here, you provide any additional logic or reasoning that may be necessary to support the warrant.

Counterclaim:  You should anticipate a counterclaim that negates the main points in your argument. Don't avoid arguments that oppose your own. Instead, become familiar with the opposing perspective.   If you respond to counterclaims, you appear unbiased (and, therefore, you earn the respect of your readers). You may even want to include several counterclaims to show that you have thoroughly researched the topic.

Rebuttal:  In this section, you incorporate your own evidence that disagrees with the counterclaim. It is essential to include a thorough warrant or bridge to strengthen your essay’s argument. If you present data to your audience without explaining how it supports your thesis, your readers may not make a connection between the two, or they may draw different conclusions.

Example of the Toulmin Method:

Claim:  Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.

Data1:  Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air-polluting activity.

Warrant 1:  Due to the fact that cars are the largest source of private (as opposed to industrial) air pollution, switching to hybrid cars should have an impact on fighting pollution.

Data 2:  Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years.

Warrant 2:  Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that the decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a long-term impact on pollution levels.

Data 3:  Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor.

Warrant 3:  The combination of these technologies produces less pollution.

Counterclaim:  Instead of focusing on cars, which still encourages an inefficient culture of driving even as it cuts down on pollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging the use of mass transit systems.

Rebuttal:  While mass transit is an idea that should be encouraged, it is not feasible in many rural and suburban areas, or for people who must commute to work. Thus, hybrid cars are a better solution for much of the nation's population.

Rogerian Method

The Rogerian Method  (named for, but not developed by, influential American psychotherapist Carl R. Rogers) is a popular method for controversial issues. This strategy seeks to find a common ground between parties by making the audience understand perspectives that stretch beyond (or even run counter to) the writer’s position. Moreso than other methods, it places an emphasis on reiterating an opponent's argument to his or her satisfaction. The persuasive power of the Rogerian Method lies in its ability to define the terms of the argument in such a way that:

• your position seems like a reasonable compromise.
• you seem compassionate and empathetic.

The basic format of the Rogerian Method  is as follows:

Introduction:  Introduce the issue to the audience, striving to remain as objective as possible.

Opposing View : Explain the other side’s position in an unbiased way. When you discuss the counterargument without judgement, the opposing side can see how you do not directly dismiss perspectives which conflict with your stance.

Statement of Validity (Understanding):  This section discusses how you acknowledge how the other side’s points can be valid under certain circumstances. You identify how and why their perspective makes sense in a specific context, but still present your own argument.

Statement of Your Position:  By this point, you have demonstrated that you understand the other side’s viewpoint. In this section, you explain your own stance.

Statement of Contexts : Explore scenarios in which your position has merit. When you explain how your argument is most appropriate for certain contexts, the reader can recognize that you acknowledge the multiple ways to view the complex issue.

Statement of Benefits:  You should conclude by explaining to the opposing side why they would benefit from accepting your position. By explaining the advantages of your argument, you close on a positive note without completely dismissing the other side’s perspective.

Example of the Rogerian Method:

Introduction:  The issue of whether children should wear school uniforms is subject to some debate.

Opposing View:  Some parents think that requiring children to wear uniforms is best.

Statement of Validity (Understanding):  Those parents who support uniforms argue that, when all students wear the same uniform, the students can develop a unified sense of school pride and inclusiveness.

Statement of Your Position : Students should not be required to wear school uniforms. Mandatory uniforms would forbid choices that allow students to be creative and express themselves through clothing.

Statement of Contexts:  However, even if uniforms might hypothetically promote inclusivity, in most real-life contexts, administrators can use uniform policies to enforce conformity. Students should have the option to explore their identity through clothing without the fear of being ostracized.

Statement of Benefits:  Though both sides seek to promote students' best interests, students should not be required to wear school uniforms. By giving students freedom over their choice, students can explore their self-identity by choosing how to present themselves to their peers.

Classical Method

The Classical Method of structuring an argument is another common way to organize your points. Originally devised by the Greek philosopher Aristotle (and then later developed by Roman thinkers like Cicero and Quintilian), classical arguments tend to focus on issues of definition and the careful application of evidence. Thus, the underlying assumption of classical argumentation is that, when all parties understand the issue perfectly, the correct course of action will be clear.

The basic format of the Classical Method  is as follows:

Introduction (Exordium): Introduce the issue and explain its significance. You should also establish your credibility and the topic’s legitimacy.

Statement of Background (Narratio): Present vital contextual or historical information to the audience to further their understanding of the issue. By doing so, you provide the reader with a working knowledge about the topic independent of your own stance.

Proposition (Propositio): After you provide the reader with contextual knowledge, you are ready to state your claims which relate to the information you have provided previously. This section outlines your major points for the reader.

Proof (Confirmatio): You should explain your reasons and evidence to the reader. Be sure to thoroughly justify your reasons. In this section, if necessary, you can provide supplementary evidence and subpoints.

Refutation (Refuatio): In this section, you address anticipated counterarguments that disagree with your thesis. Though you acknowledge the other side’s perspective, it is important to prove why your stance is more logical.  

Conclusion (Peroratio): You should summarize your main points. The conclusion also caters to the reader’s emotions and values. The use of pathos here makes the reader more inclined to consider your argument.  

Example of the Classical Method:  

Introduction (Exordium): Millions of workers are paid a set hourly wage nationwide. The federal minimum wage is standardized to protect workers from being paid too little. Research points to many viewpoints on how much to pay these workers. Some families cannot afford to support their households on the current wages provided for performing a minimum wage job .

Statement of Background (Narratio): Currently, millions of American workers struggle to make ends meet on a minimum wage. This puts a strain on workers’ personal and professional lives. Some work multiple jobs to provide for their families.

Proposition (Propositio): The current federal minimum wage should be increased to better accommodate millions of overworked Americans. By raising the minimum wage, workers can spend more time cultivating their livelihoods.

Proof (Confirmatio): According to the United States Department of Labor, 80.4 million Americans work for an hourly wage, but nearly 1.3 million receive wages less than the federal minimum. The pay raise will alleviate the stress of these workers. Their lives would benefit from this raise because it affects multiple areas of their lives.

Refutation (Refuatio): There is some evidence that raising the federal wage might increase the cost of living. However, other evidence contradicts this or suggests that the increase would not be great. Additionally,   worries about a cost of living increase must be balanced with the benefits of providing necessary funds to millions of hardworking Americans.

Conclusion (Peroratio): If the federal minimum wage was raised, many workers could alleviate some of their financial burdens. As a result, their emotional wellbeing would improve overall. Though some argue that the cost of living could increase, the benefits outweigh the potential drawbacks.

The Ultimate Guide on How to Organize a Bold Argumentative Essay

by Suzanne Davis | Jun 20, 2021 | Writing Essays and Papers , Writing Organization | 6 comments

Can you argue with me (in writing)?

That’s what I want my students to do. I want them to write a compelling argumentative essay that debates and challenges a point of view on a topic. And the secret to accomplishing that is knowing how to organize an argumentative essay.  If you understand the parts and pieces that make up an outstanding argumentative essay, then you can write thorough, detailed, and persuasive content.

So, what’s an argumentative essay?  It’s an essay where you take a stand on an issue and explain why your position is correct. It’s important to create an argumentative essay that explains and proves your thesis.

The key to doing this is by following a strong argumentative essay plan.  There are other ways to organize your argumentative essay.   But in this post, we’ll look at an easy plan that covers all the major parts you need in your essay.

And check out the video below to see how to use a checklist to help you organize an argumentative essay.

How to Organize an Argumentative Essay

The key pieces of this argumentative essay plan are:

• Introduction
• Body paragraphs that support the thesis
• Rebuttal paragraph/s

The Introduction to an Argumentative Essay

Your introduction is how you show the reader your point of view about the issue.  It also sets up the organization of the rest of your essay.  A solid introduction is a powerful way to start your essay.  The elements of an argumentative essay introduction are:

Hook: This is a sentence that captures grabs your readers’ attention.  A hook makes them curious about the topic of your essay. 

4 hooks work great with argumentative essays:

• Ask an interesting question
• State a fact/statistic
• Make a strong statement
• Include a relevant and important quotation

Each of these hooks should relate to the specific topic in your paper.

For more information about essay hooks see- https://www.academicwritingsuccess.com/7-sensational-types-of-essay-hooks/ 

Ask yourself why does this topic matter?  Who does it concer n?  Write about that in these sentences leading up to your thesis statement.

Thesis Statement:   The last sentence is your argumentative essay thesis statement. A thesis statement is your opinion about the main topic of your essay or paper.

An argumentative thesis statement begins with a debatable topic/issue. The thesis statement is your point of view about that issue and how you will prove it.  This is the claim of your argumentative essay.

An example argumentative essay thesis statement is: Assault rifles should be banned in the United States because these weapons can kill many people in a matter of seconds. 

Next, you write the body of your essay so that it supports this claim and overpowers arguments against it.

The Body of an Argumentative Essay

The body of an argumentative essay has 2 parts:  Paragraphs that support your claim and 1 or 2 rebuttal paragraphs.

Supporting paragraphs and rebuttal paragraphs reflect the pros and cons of your claim about the issue.

Body Paragraphs that Support Your Claim

Topic Sentence: This sentence is a supporting idea related to your thesis statement.   The main topic of the paragraph is the supporting idea.

Supporting Details :  This is the substance of your paragraph.  Supporting details are evidence that proves the supporting idea.

Relationship to the thesis statement: This is a concluding sentence that shows how the supporting idea ties back to your thesis statement.  It will also connect or lead into the next paragraph that supports your claim.

Write a body paragraph for each of the ideas that support your claim.

Rebuttal Paragraph in an Argumentative Essay

A rebuttal paragraph is important because it shows you considered two sides of an issue.  You thought about the other side of an issue, researched it, and found a way to argue against it.

This is a crucial part of your argumentative essay because it’s where you overrule other peoples’ objections.

The 3 parts of the rebuttal paragraph are:

• Counterargument
• Refuting the counterargument
• Concluding Sentence

Counterargument:   A counterargument is an objection to your claim.  You develop this by thinking of all the things the people opposed to your perspective.

The thesis statement from above is: Pinterest is the best social media platform for small online businesses to advertise their products and services because many people use Pinterest to make buying decisions.   

Your counterargument is a reason/s people would argue against that claim:

Ex.   Facebook is the largest social media platform, and more people visit Facebook every day.  Most people only visit Pinterest a few times a week.

Refuting the counterargument:  Here, you explain and prove why these counterarguments are wrong.

Ex.    Yet, people who use Pinterest are 10% more likely to buy something they saw on Pinterest than on any other social media platform.  https://blog.hootsuite.com/top-social-media-sites-matter-to-marketers/

Concluding sentence :  This last part of the rebuttal paragraph sums up the problem with the counterargument.

The Conclusion to an Argumentative Essay

Your conclusion should show readers what you proved and why your thesis matters.  These are the things you include in a conclusion to an argumentative essay:

Summary Sentences : Here, you recap the main points of your claim.

Restate the thesis statement :  Use different words to restate your claim.

Significance: Here, you explain why the thesis you proved in your argumentative essay matters.  Consider how it affects other people, the field you study, or the world.   Ask yourself, “What should the reader take away from my paper?”

A solid plan for your argumentative essay will help you see the weaknesses and strengths in your argument before you start writing your essay. You can follow this same organization when you write a longer argumentative paper. The difference is that you add more supporting and rebuttal paragraphs to a longer paper.

Learn how to organize an argumentative essay, and you’ll find it easier to write and revise an argumentative paper too. 

Download your free copy of “The Ultimate Argumentative Essay Checklist” to help you write and revise your next argumentative essay.

Wow, this is the most detailed and easy to follow explanation of how to write an argumentative essay. Thank you for how precise and clear you are.

You are very welcome. It’s much easier to write an argumentative essay with a clear plan for how to do things.

Suzanne, I love learning English once more. Most facts are long forgotten due to non-usage of those. But knowing and putting one’s knowledge into practice are completely two different things which is where your guidance becomes so crucial.

Nilanjana, I am glad you like learning English again. There is a difference between knowing a language and using it regularly. Please feel free to share any ideas of things you would like to learn. I love to write about English and writing.

This is an excellent article that give clear directions on how to approach argumentative essays. Students should always value a checklist and use it often. Writing is so much easier with a plan of attack!

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Tips for Organizing an Argumentative Essay

Addressing “flow”: tips for organizing an argumentative essay.

“Flow”, in regard to a characteristic of an essay, is a fairly murky and general concept that could cover a wide range of issues.  However, most often, if you’re worried about “flow”, your concerns actually have their roots in focus and organization.  Paragraphs may not clearly relate back to the thesis or each other, or important points may be buried by less-important information.  These tips, though by no means exhaustive, are meant to help you create a cohesive, “flowing” argumentative essay.  While this handout was written with argumentative essays (particularly within the humanities) in mind, many of the general ideas behind them apply to a wide range of disciplines.

1) Pre-Write/Outline

• There are not many aspects of the writing process that are as universally dreaded as the outline. Sometimes it can feel like pointless extra work, but it actually is your best safeguard against losing focus in a paper, preserves organization throughout, and just generally makes it easier to sit down and write an essay.
• It doesn’t matter what form your outline takes as long as it’s something that details what points you want to make and in what order. Figuring out your main points before you start drafting keeps you on topic, and considering order will make transitions easier and more meaningful.

2) Make sure you begin each paragraph with a topic sentence.

• Example : Carroll uses Alice’s conversation with the Cheshire Cat about madness both to explain the world of Wonderland and critique a Victorian emphasis on facts and reason.
• Example : In Alice in Wonderland , Alice has a conversation with the Cheshire Cat about madness.

3) Make sure every topic sentence (and therefore, every paragraph) relates directly back to your thesis statement.

• e., If your thesis claims that Alice in Wonderland critiques Victorian education for children by doing x and also y, every topic sentence of each of your body paragraphs should have to relate to Victorian education and x and/or y.
• e., you might want to talk about the White Hare as a symbol for Victorian obsession with time. However, if your paper as a whole is otherwise about passages/paragraphs that critique Victorian education, then it is out of place, and will only confuse your paper’s focus.

4) Use effective transitions between paragraphs

• Paragraph A: talks about Alice’s encounter with the caterpillar
• Transition to Paragraph B: Similarly , Alice encounters another strange creature in the form of the Cheshire Cat, with whom, like the caterpillar, she holds a conversation with larger implications for the world of the novel.
• Paragraph A: details how the madness of Wonderland critiques the fact-based Victorian England
• Transition to Paragraph B: Despite the nature of madness and this criticism of facts and order, there is a kind of logic to Wonderland, and it is deliberately inversive.
• NB: These are only two examples of how to involve transitions in your paper; there are many other ways to do so. But no matter what transition you use, it should in some way establish a relationship between a previous point in your essay and the one you’re about to talk about.

5) Re-read your paper!

• Many issues that might hamper flow are small/general enough that you can catch them just by proofreading–i.e., sentence fragments, clunky/lengthy sentences, etc.
• Reading your paper out loud is especially helpful for catching awkward phrases/sentences
• Active and Passive Voice
• Tips on Writing Effective Dialogue
• Setting Up an Effective Argument for a CC Paper
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How to Write an Argumentative Essay

4-minute read

• 30th April 2022

An argumentative essay is a structured, compelling piece of writing where an author clearly defines their stance on a specific topic. This is a very popular style of writing assigned to students at schools, colleges, and universities. Learn the steps to researching, structuring, and writing an effective argumentative essay below.

Requirements of an Argumentative Essay

To effectively achieve its purpose, an argumentative essay must contain:

●  A concise thesis statement that introduces readers to the central argument of the essay

●  A clear, logical, argument that engages readers

●  Ample research and evidence that supports your argument

Approaches to Use in Your Argumentative Essay

1.   classical.

●  Clearly present the central argument.

●  Outline your opinion.

●  Provide enough evidence to support your theory.

2.   Toulmin

●  State your claim.

●  Supply the evidence for your stance.

●  Explain how these findings support the argument.

●  Include and discuss any limitations of your belief.

3.   Rogerian

●  Explain the opposing stance of your argument.

●  Discuss the problems with adopting this viewpoint.

●  Offer your position on the matter.

●  Provide reasons for why yours is the more beneficial stance.

●  Include a potential compromise for the topic at hand.

Tips for Writing a Well-Written Argumentative Essay

●  Introduce your topic in a bold, direct, and engaging manner to captivate your readers and encourage them to keep reading.

●  Provide sufficient evidence to justify your argument and convince readers to adopt this point of view.

●  Consider, include, and fairly present all sides of the topic.

●  Structure your argument in a clear, logical manner that helps your readers to understand your thought process.

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●  Discuss any counterarguments that might be posed.

●  Use persuasive writing that’s appropriate for your target audience and motivates them to agree with you.

Steps to Write an Argumentative Essay

Follow these basic steps to write a powerful and meaningful argumentative essay :

Step 1: Choose a topic that you’re passionate about

If you’ve already been given a topic to write about, pick a stance that resonates deeply with you. This will shine through in your writing, make the research process easier, and positively influence the outcome of your argument.

Step 2: Conduct ample research to prove the validity of your argument

To write an emotive argumentative essay , finding enough research to support your theory is a must. You’ll need solid evidence to convince readers to agree with your take on the matter. You’ll also need to logically organize the research so that it naturally convinces readers of your viewpoint and leaves no room for questioning.

Step 3: Follow a simple, easy-to-follow structure and compile your essay

A good structure to ensure a well-written and effective argumentative essay includes:

Introduction

●  Introduce your topic.

●  Offer background information on the claim.

●  Discuss the evidence you’ll present to support your argument.

●  State your thesis statement, a one-to-two sentence summary of your claim.

●  This is the section where you’ll develop and expand on your argument.

●  It should be split into three or four coherent paragraphs, with each one presenting its own idea.

●  Start each paragraph with a topic sentence that indicates why readers should adopt your belief or stance.

●  Include your research, statistics, citations, and other supporting evidence.

●  Discuss opposing viewpoints and why they’re invalid.

●  This part typically consists of one paragraph.

●  Summarize your research and the findings that were presented.

●  Emphasize your initial thesis statement.

●  Persuade readers to agree with your stance.

We certainly hope that you feel inspired to use these tips when writing your next argumentative essay . And, if you’re currently elbow-deep in writing one, consider submitting a free sample to us once it’s completed. Our expert team of editors can help ensure that it’s concise, error-free, and effective!

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5.4: Organizing the Argumentative Essay

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Consider these options for organizing an argumentative essay. Which outline matches “Dress Code in College” or “Watching What We Eat”?

Here are a few thesis statements for argumentative essays. Underline the topic and write For or Against to show the writer’s position.

• Children should not be given cell phones in middle school. _________
• Vegetarian diets are the best option for modern living. _________
• Gun ownership should be restricted among U.S. residents. _________
• College students do not need a dress code to make good choices on their clothing. _________
• Americans should try dieting to lose weight. _________

How to Write an Argumentative Essay: Step By Step Guide

10 May, 2020

9 minutes read

Author:  Tomas White

Being able to present your argument and carry your point in a debate or a discussion is a vital skill. No wonder educational establishments make writing compositions of such type a priority for all students. If you are not really good at delivering a persuasive message to the audience, this guide is for you. It will teach you how to write an argumentative essay successfully step by step. So, read on and pick up the essential knowledge.

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a paper that gets the reader to recognize the author’s side of the argument as valid. The purpose of this specific essay is to pose a question and answer it with compelling evidence. At its core, this essay type works to champion a specific viewpoint. The key, however, is that the topic of the argumentative essay has multiple sides, which can be explained, weighed, and judged by relevant sources.

Check out our ultimate argumentative essay topics list!

This essay often explores common questions associated with any type of argument including:

Argumentative VS Persuasive Essay

It’s important not to confuse argumentative essay with a persuasive essay – while they both seem to follow the same goal, their methods are slightly different. While the persuasive essay is here to convince the reader (to pick your side), the argumentative essay is here to present information that supports the claim.

In simple words, it explains why the author picked this side of the argument, and persuasive essay does its best to persuade the reader to agree with your point of view.

Now that we got this straight, let’s get right to our topic – how to write an argumentative essay. As you can easily recognize, it all starts with a proper argument. First, let’s define the types of argument available and strategies that you can follow.

Types of Argument

When delving into the types of argument, the vocabulary suddenly becomes quite “lawyerish”; and that makes sense since lawyers stake their whole livelihood on their ability to win arguments. So step into your lawyer shoes, and learn about the five kinds of arguments that you could explore in an argumentative paper:

Claims of cause and effect

This paper focuses on answering what caused the issue(s), and what the resulting effects have been.

Claims of definition

This paper explores a controversial interpretation of a particular definition; the paper delves into what the world really means and how it could be interpreted in different ways.

Claims of Fact

This argumentative paper examines whether a particular fact is accurate; it often looks at several sources reporting a fact and examines their veracity.

Claims of Policy

This is a favorite argumentative essay in government and sociology classes; this paper explores a particular policy, who it affects, and what (if anything) should be done about it.

Claims of Value

This essay identifies a particular value or belief and then examines how and why it is important to a particular cohort or a larger, general population.

The aim of argument, or of discussion, should not be victory, but progress. Joseph Joubert

Argument Strategies

When mulling over how to approach your argumentative assignment, you should be aware that three main argument strategies exist regarding how exactly to argue an issue: classical, Rogerian, Toulmin.

Classical Argument

This argument structure dates back to the ancient Greeks and Romans. In this strategy, the arguer introduces the issue, provides context, clearly states their claim, provides key arguments backed by lots of evidence, and nullifies opposing arguments with valid data.

Rogerian Argument

Hate conflict? This may be the argumentative paper strategy for you. At its core, this strategy works to identify compromise aspects for both sides; this approach works to find commonality and an ultimate agreement between two sides rather than proclaiming a winner or loser. The focus in this argument is compromise and respect of all sides.

Toulmin Argument

Remember Spock? This is his type of strategy; the Toulmin approach focuses solely on logic to persuade the audience. It is heavy on data and often relies on qualities to narrow the focus of a claim and strengthen the writer’s stance. This approach also tends to rely on exceptions, which clearly set limits on the parameters of an argument, thus making a particular stance easier to agree with.

With that in mind, we can now organize our argument into the essay structure.

Have no time to write your essay? You can buy argumentative essay tasks at Handmade Writing. Our service is available 24/7.

Argumentative essay Example

Organizing the argumentative essay outline.

An argumentative essay follows the typical essay format: introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. However, the body paragraphs are structured a bit differently from other body paragraphs. Surely, not something you can see in a cause and effect essay outline .

While the introduction should still begin with an attention-grabbing sentence that catches the reader’s interest and compels him or her to continue reading and provides key background information, the following paragraphs focus on specific aspects of the argument.

Let’s begin with the introduction.

Related Post: How to write an Essay Introduction ?

Introduction Paragraph

As its name suggests, this paragraph provides all the background information necessary for a reader unfamiliar with the argumentative essay topic to understand what it’s about. A solid introduction should:

• Begin with a descriptive title that communicates your position regarding the topic
• Rhetorical question
• Personal anecdote
• Provide necessary background, including definitions of any relevant words
• End with a thesis statement that communicates your position

Stuck with your essay task? No more struggle! HandMadeWriting is the top essay writing service. Our online essay writer service not only guides you on writing papers, it can write a high-quality essay for you.

Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs can range in size from six to fifteen or more sentences. The goal of these paragraphs is to support the thesis statement. Recommended areas of focus for the body paragraphs within an argumentative paper include:

• Identifying and explaining the problem
• Identifying the two (or more) sides to the problem
• Exploring the side the writer believes is more appropriate than the others
• Shooting down the other sides, with evidence
• Recommending a course of action for the reader

One important way how this essay differs from other kinds is its specific nature. At the end of reading such an essay, the audience should clearly understand the issue or controversy and have enough information to make an informed decision regarding the issue. But what compels an audience make an informed decision? Several things!

• Authoritative sources (experts in their field)
• Real-world examples
• Attributable anecdotes

In this paragraph, often the shortest of all the paragraphs, the writer reviews his or her most compelling reasons for taking a particular stance on an issue. The persuasion should be strong here, and the writer should use combative language including examples such as:

• “then” statements
• There can be no doubt
• Without immediate action
• Research strongly supports

It is also appropriate to refute potential opposition in the conclusion. By stating the objections readers could have, and show why they should be dismissed; the conclusion resonates more strongly with the reader.

Check our guide if you have any other questions on academic paper writing!

Argumentative Essay Sample

Be sure to check the sample essay, completed by our writers. Use it as an example to write your own argumentative essay. Link:  Argumentative essay on white rappers’ moral rights to perform .

Remember : the key to winning any argument should be reliable sources — the better, the more trustworthy your sources, the more likely the audience will consider a viewpoint different from their own.

And while you may feel a deep passion towards a particular topic, keep in mind that emotions can be messy; this essay should present all sides to the argument respectfully and with a clear intention to portray each of them fairly.

Let the data, statistics, and facts speak loudly and clearly for themselves. And don’t forget to use opinionated language — using such diction is a must in any strong argumentative writing!

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• Knowledge Base
• How to write an essay outline | Guidelines & examples

How to Write an Essay Outline | Guidelines & Examples

Published on August 14, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay outline is a way of planning the structure of your essay before you start writing. It involves writing quick summary sentences or phrases for every point you will cover in each paragraph , giving you a picture of how your argument will unfold.

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Table of contents

Organizing your material, presentation of the outline, examples of essay outlines, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay outlines.

At the stage where you’re writing an essay outline, your ideas are probably still not fully formed. You should know your topic  and have already done some preliminary research to find relevant sources , but now you need to shape your ideas into a structured argument.

Creating categories

Look over any information, quotes and ideas you’ve noted down from your research and consider the central point you want to make in the essay—this will be the basis of your thesis statement . Once you have an idea of your overall argument, you can begin to organize your material in a way that serves that argument.

Try to arrange your material into categories related to different aspects of your argument. If you’re writing about a literary text, you might group your ideas into themes; in a history essay, it might be several key trends or turning points from the period you’re discussing.

Three main themes or subjects is a common structure for essays. Depending on the length of the essay, you could split the themes into three body paragraphs, or three longer sections with several paragraphs covering each theme.

As you create the outline, look critically at your categories and points: Are any of them irrelevant or redundant? Make sure every topic you cover is clearly related to your thesis statement.

Order of information

When you have your material organized into several categories, consider what order they should appear in.

Your essay will always begin and end with an introduction and conclusion , but the organization of the body is up to you.

Consider these questions to order your material:

• Is there an obvious starting point for your argument?
• Is there one subject that provides an easy transition into another?
• Do some points need to be set up by discussing other points first?

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Within each paragraph, you’ll discuss a single idea related to your overall topic or argument, using several points of evidence or analysis to do so.

In your outline, you present these points as a few short numbered sentences or phrases.They can be split into sub-points when more detail is needed.

The template below shows how you might structure an outline for a five-paragraph essay.

• Thesis statement
• First piece of evidence
• Second piece of evidence
• Summary/synthesis
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement

You can choose whether to write your outline in full sentences or short phrases. Be consistent in your choice; don’t randomly write some points as full sentences and others as short phrases.

Examples of outlines for different types of essays are presented below: an argumentative, expository, and literary analysis essay.

Argumentative essay outline

This outline is for a short argumentative essay evaluating the internet’s impact on education. It uses short phrases to summarize each point.

Its body is split into three paragraphs, each presenting arguments about a different aspect of the internet’s effects on education.

• Importance of the internet
• Concerns about internet use
• Thesis statement: Internet use a net positive
• Data exploring this effect
• Analysis indicating it is overstated
• Students’ reading levels over time
• Why this data is questionable
• Video media
• Interactive media
• Speed and simplicity of online research
• Questions about reliability (transitioning into next topic)
• Evidence indicating its ubiquity
• Claims that it discourages engagement with academic writing
• Evidence that Wikipedia warns students not to cite it
• Argument that it introduces students to citation
• Summary of key points
• Value of digital education for students
• Need for optimism to embrace advantages of the internet

Expository essay outline

This is the outline for an expository essay describing how the invention of the printing press affected life and politics in Europe.

The paragraphs are still summarized in short phrases here, but individual points are described with full sentences.

• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages.
• Provide background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press.
• Present the thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation.
• Discuss the very high levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe.
• Describe how literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites.
• Indicate how this discouraged political and religious change.
• Describe the invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg.
• Show the implications of the new technology for book production.
• Describe the rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible.
• Link to the Reformation.
• Discuss the trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention.
• Describe Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation.
• Sketch out the large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics.
• Summarize the history described.
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period.

Literary analysis essay outline

The literary analysis essay outlined below discusses the role of theater in Jane Austen’s novel Mansfield Park .

The body of the essay is divided into three different themes, each of which is explored through examples from the book.

• Describe the theatricality of Austen’s works
• Outline the role theater plays in Mansfield Park
• Introduce the research question : How does Austen use theater to express the characters’ morality in Mansfield Park ?
• Discuss Austen’s depiction of the performance at the end of the first volume
• Discuss how Sir Bertram reacts to the acting scheme
• Introduce Austen’s use of stage direction–like details during dialogue
• Explore how these are deployed to show the characters’ self-absorption
• Discuss Austen’s description of Maria and Julia’s relationship as polite but affectionless
• Compare Mrs. Norris’s self-conceit as charitable despite her idleness
• Summarize the three themes: The acting scheme, stage directions, and the performance of morals
• Answer the research question
• Indicate areas for further study

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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You will sometimes be asked to hand in an essay outline before you start writing your essay . Your supervisor wants to see that you have a clear idea of your structure so that writing will go smoothly.

Even when you do not have to hand it in, writing an essay outline is an important part of the writing process . It’s a good idea to write one (as informally as you like) to clarify your structure for yourself whenever you are working on an essay.

If you have to hand in your essay outline , you may be given specific guidelines stating whether you have to use full sentences. If you’re not sure, ask your supervisor.

When writing an essay outline for yourself, the choice is yours. Some students find it helpful to write out their ideas in full sentences, while others prefer to summarize them in short phrases.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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8 Effective Strategies to Write Argumentative Essays

In a bustling university town, there lived a student named Alex. Popular for creativity and wit, one challenge seemed insurmountable for Alex– the dreaded argumentative essay!

One gloomy afternoon, as the rain tapped against the window pane, Alex sat at his cluttered desk, staring at a blank document on the computer screen. The assignment loomed large: a 350-600-word argumentative essay on a topic of their choice . With a sigh, he decided to seek help of mentor, Professor Mitchell, who was known for his passion for writing.

Entering Professor Mitchell’s office was like stepping into a treasure of knowledge. Bookshelves lined every wall, faint aroma of old manuscripts in the air and sticky notes over the wall. Alex took a deep breath and knocked on his door.

“Ah, Alex,” Professor Mitchell greeted with a warm smile. “What brings you here today?”

Alex confessed his struggles with the argumentative essay. After hearing his concerns, Professor Mitchell said, “Ah, the argumentative essay! Don’t worry, Let’s take a look at it together.” As he guided Alex to the corner shelf, Alex asked,

Table of Contents

“What is an Argumentative Essay?”

The professor replied, “An argumentative essay is a type of academic writing that presents a clear argument or a firm position on a contentious issue. Unlike other forms of essays, such as descriptive or narrative essays, these essays require you to take a stance, present evidence, and convince your audience of the validity of your viewpoint with supporting evidence. A well-crafted argumentative essay relies on concrete facts and supporting evidence rather than merely expressing the author’s personal opinions . Furthermore, these essays demand comprehensive research on the chosen topic and typically follows a structured format consisting of three primary sections: an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.”

He continued, “Argumentative essays are written in a wide range of subject areas, reflecting their applicability across disciplines. They are written in different subject areas like literature and philosophy, history, science and technology, political science, psychology, economics and so on.

Alex asked,

“When is an Argumentative Essay Written?”

The professor answered, “Argumentative essays are often assigned in academic settings, but they can also be written for various other purposes, such as editorials, opinion pieces, or blog posts. Some situations to write argumentative essays include:

1. Academic assignments

In school or college, teachers may assign argumentative essays as part of coursework. It help students to develop critical thinking and persuasive writing skills .

2. Debates and discussions

Argumentative essays can serve as the basis for debates or discussions in academic or competitive settings. Moreover, they provide a structured way to present and defend your viewpoint.

3. Opinion pieces

Newspapers, magazines, and online publications often feature opinion pieces that present an argument on a current issue or topic to influence public opinion.

4. Policy proposals

In government and policy-related fields, argumentative essays are used to propose and defend specific policy changes or solutions to societal problems.

5. Persuasive speeches

Before delivering a persuasive speech, it’s common to prepare an argumentative essay as a foundation for your presentation.

Regardless of the context, an argumentative essay should present a clear thesis statement , provide evidence and reasoning to support your position, address counterarguments, and conclude with a compelling summary of your main points. The goal is to persuade readers or listeners to accept your viewpoint or at least consider it seriously.”

Handing over a book, the professor continued, “Take a look on the elements or structure of an argumentative essay.”

Elements of an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay comprises five essential components:

Claim in argumentative writing is the central argument or viewpoint that the writer aims to establish and defend throughout the essay. A claim must assert your position on an issue and must be arguable. It can guide the entire argument.

2. Evidence

Evidence must consist of factual information, data, examples, or expert opinions that support the claim. Also, it lends credibility by strengthening the writer’s position.

3. Counterarguments

Presenting a counterclaim demonstrates fairness and awareness of alternative perspectives.

4. Rebuttal

After presenting the counterclaim, the writer refutes it by offering counterarguments or providing evidence that weakens the opposing viewpoint. It shows that the writer has considered multiple perspectives and is prepared to defend their position.

The format of an argumentative essay typically follows the structure to ensure clarity and effectiveness in presenting an argument.

How to Write An Argumentative Essay

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an argumentative essay:

1. Introduction

• Begin with a compelling sentence or question to grab the reader’s attention.
• Provide context for the issue, including relevant facts, statistics, or historical background.
• Provide a concise thesis statement to present your position on the topic.

2. Body Paragraphs (usually three or more)

• Start each paragraph with a clear and focused topic sentence that relates to your thesis statement.
• Furthermore, provide evidence and explain the facts, statistics, examples, expert opinions, and quotations from credible sources that supports your thesis.
• Use transition sentences to smoothly move from one point to the next.

3. Counterargument and Rebuttal

• Acknowledge opposing viewpoints or potential objections to your argument.
• Also, address these counterarguments with evidence and explain why they do not weaken your position.

4. Conclusion

• Restate your thesis statement and summarize the key points you’ve made in the body of the essay.
• Leave the reader with a final thought, call to action, or broader implication related to the topic.

5. Citations and References

• Properly cite all the sources you use in your essay using a consistent citation style.
• Also, include a bibliography or works cited at the end of your essay.

6. Formatting and Style

• Follow any specific formatting guidelines provided by your instructor or institution.
• Use a professional and academic tone in your writing and edit your essay to avoid content, spelling and grammar mistakes .

Remember that the specific requirements for formatting an argumentative essay may vary depending on your instructor’s guidelines or the citation style you’re using (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Always check the assignment instructions or style guide for any additional requirements or variations in formatting.

Did you understand what Prof. Mitchell explained Alex? Check it now!

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Prof. Mitchell continued, “An argumentative essay can adopt various approaches when dealing with opposing perspectives. It may offer a balanced presentation of both sides, providing equal weight to each, or it may advocate more strongly for one side while still acknowledging the existence of opposing views.” As Alex listened carefully to the Professor’s thoughts, his eyes fell on a page with examples of argumentative essay.

Example of an Argumentative Essay

Alex picked the book and read the example. It helped him to understand the concept. Furthermore, he could now connect better to the elements and steps of the essay which Prof. Mitchell had mentioned earlier. Aren’t you keen to know how an argumentative essay should be like? Here is an example of a well-crafted argumentative essay , which was read by Alex. After Alex finished reading the example, the professor turned the page and continued, “Check this page to know the importance of writing an argumentative essay in developing skills of an individual.”

Importance of an Argumentative Essay

After understanding the benefits, Alex was convinced by the ability of the argumentative essays in advocating one’s beliefs and favor the author’s position. Alex asked,

“How are argumentative essays different from the other types?”

Prof. Mitchell answered, “Argumentative essays differ from other types of essays primarily in their purpose, structure, and approach in presenting information. Unlike expository essays, argumentative essays persuade the reader to adopt a particular point of view or take a specific action on a controversial issue. Furthermore, they differ from descriptive essays by not focusing vividly on describing a topic. Also, they are less engaging through storytelling as compared to the narrative essays.

Alex said, “Given the direct and persuasive nature of argumentative essays, can you suggest some strategies to write an effective argumentative essay?

Turning the pages of the book, Prof. Mitchell replied, “Sure! You can check this infographic to get some tips for writing an argumentative essay.”

Effective Strategies to Write an Argumentative Essay

As days turned into weeks, Alex diligently worked on his essay. He researched, gathered evidence, and refined his thesis. It was a long and challenging journey, filled with countless drafts and revisions.

Finally, the day arrived when Alex submitted their essay. As he clicked the “Submit” button, a sense of accomplishment washed over him. He realized that the argumentative essay, while challenging, had improved his critical thinking and transformed him into a more confident writer. Furthermore, Alex received feedback from his professor, a mix of praise and constructive criticism. It was a humbling experience, a reminder that every journey has its obstacles and opportunities for growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

An argumentative essay can be written as follows- 1. Choose a Topic 2. Research and Collect Evidences 3. Develop a Clear Thesis Statement 4. Outline Your Essay- Introduction, Body Paragraphs and Conclusion 5. Revise and Edit 6. Format and Cite Sources 7. Final Review

One must choose a clear, concise and specific statement as a claim. It must be debatable and establish your position. Avoid using ambiguous or unclear while making a claim. To strengthen your claim, address potential counterarguments or opposing viewpoints. Additionally, use persuasive language and rhetoric to make your claim more compelling

Starting an argument essay effectively is crucial to engage your readers and establish the context for your argument. Here’s how you can start an argument essay are: 1. Begin With an Engaging Hook 2. Provide Background Information 3. Present Your Thesis Statement 4. Briefly Outline Your Main 5. Establish Your Credibility

The key features of an argumentative essay are: 1. Clear and Specific Thesis Statement 2. Credible Evidence 3. Counterarguments 4. Structured Body Paragraph 5. Logical Flow 6. Use of Persuasive Techniques 7. Formal Language

An argumentative essay typically consists of the following main parts or sections: 1. Introduction 2. Body Paragraphs 3. Counterargument and Rebuttal 4. Conclusion 5. References (if applicable)

The main purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to accept or agree with a particular viewpoint or position on a controversial or debatable topic. In other words, the primary goal of an argumentative essay is to convince the audience that the author's argument or thesis statement is valid, logical, and well-supported by evidence and reasoning.

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• Argument Essay

Argument Essay: Purpose & Organization

This resource is useful for some general information about argument essays and how to organize them. 

What is Argument?

Photo by  Afif Ramdhasuma  on  Unsplash

Introduction:

An argument can be a disagreement: often, we think of an argument as a kind of verbal fight that occurs between friends, relatives, or even strangers.

An argument can also be a position: You might argue strongly for something (free parking, cheaper tuition, better coffee) or against something. The facts and evidence you put together in favor of your side are your argument.

In academics, an argument is a composition, usually written, that takes a position and supports it using appropriate evidence. The word “evidence” might make you think of a courtroom, but in reality, anything you present that supports your case is evidence. Data and statistics can be evidence; experience — either yours or someone else’s — can be evidence. Evidence should be true, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be a fact, to support an academic argument.

If that sounds confusing, it’s in part because some of the terms we use to talk about academic argument are used a little differently than how we use them in our everyday life. 

Argument : a disagreement over an issue where both parties can provide evidence to support their side.

Notice the difference here between argument as we’ll use it and arguments that you may have experienced elsewhere. In our kind of argument, reasoned argument, the argument itself has to be over a subject where  reasonable people  can disagree.

Who are reasonable people? Excellent question! There’s no good answer. (Surprise!) A short explanation goes like this: Reasonable people are people who can be reasoned with. Since that’s not helpful, let’s break it down further. In order for one person to respond to another person’s arguments, they have to share some knowledge or values. It might be entertaining to get into arguments with people who have no knowledge of what they’re talking about, but it isn’t productive, and it’s not what academic argument is trying to do.

The people considered to be knowledgeable and/or reasonable on any topic will likely vary with the topic. Certainly, a Kindergartener could make a great argument for why ice cream should be eaten at every meal — but no one would likely recognize a 5-year-old as a reasonable person on this topic. They lack experience and knowledge, and they would not be able to support their argument with much evidence beyond “because it’s tasty!” or “because I want it!” Two nutritionists might be more reasonable, or two restaurant managers, or even just two people who had tried eating ice cream constantly for a day or two. People should generally have some knowledge of or on a topic to be considered part of the crowd who can argue it reasonably.

The Details:

• Definition : An argument essay (sometimes called a persuasion essay) is a paper written about a controversial issue with the purpose of convincing readers to see the issue the way the writer does.  There are usually two main views regarding the issue ( for  or  against ).  Writers of this type of paper use  reasons  to convince readers to accept or at least consider the position they are taking.
• Topic:   Death penalty in South Carolina
• Stance:  Should be enforced
• NOTE:   The strong, definite stance is indicated by the verb “should be.”
• NOTE:   This is called a three-point thesis because the “three points” (three reasons) used as evidence to convince readers to accept or at least consider the stance the writer is taking are previewed in the thesis.  In the actual essay, the first body paragraph would be about the convenient location of the college.  The second body paragraph would discuss the cost savings students enjoy, and the final paragraph would discuss/provide examples of the caring faculty.
• Counter Argument:  When you write an argument paper, your audience is not composed of people who already believe the way you do.  It is your challenge, as an effective communicator, to convince your readers to accept, or at least consider, the main point you are making.  Thus, think about the people who see the issue differently than you.  If, for example, you are writing a paper where you are trying to convince people of the need to enforce the death penalty, you need to think about the people who believe this is absolutely wrong.  Why do they think this?  What is their strongest reason against the death penalty?  In a non-confrontational, objective way, try to “counter” this argument.

Organization of an Argument Essay (5 Paragraphs):

• Try to capture your readers’ interest in this paragraph.  You could, for example, open with a startling fact or an interesting quote.
• Provide any needed background information.
• Include a strong thesis statement that indicates the stance you are taking on a controversial issue.
• The topic sentence should directly support the thesis.
• It should offer one “reason” why readers of your paper should accept or at least consider the stance you are taking.
• Provide a closing sentence.
• Bring your paper to a close.
• Restate your position.
• Do not bring in new reasons here.

Note:   All of the reasons you use in your paper should be strong.  To build momentum in your paper, begin with your weakest reason and end with your strongest reason.

Attributions:

The above was adapted from:

"Argument Essay: Purpose and Organization"   (2019) by  Dr. Lisa B. Martin. is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial (CC BY-NC).

The (In)Credible Argument  by Jenn Kepka is licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY).

Module 9: Academic Argument

Organizing an argument, learning objectives.

• Examine methods for organizing an argument, such as Toulmin’s schema

Organizing the Argument

There are several effective ways to organize an argument so that you have room for rebuttal. Using the block method, you could present your ideas first, then refute the counterarguments towards the end of your essay, before the conclusion. You could also use incorporate the rebuttal throughout the entire essay, by introducing the possible counterargument to each of your claims and the rebuttal in each body paragraph.

No matter which method of organization you use, the important thing is to systematically address the counterarguments to your viewpoints and provide support for your claims. For example, you could follow the Aristotelian, or classical, argumentative essay framework, in which you present your side of the issue first, then address the opposition, then provide evidence supporting your side of the issue. It looks like this:

• Introduce your issue.  At the end of your introduction, most professors will ask you to present your thesis. The idea is to present your readers with your main point and then dig into it.
• Present your case  by explaining the issue in detail and why something must be done or a way of thinking is not working. This will take place over several paragraphs.
• Address the opposition.  Use a few paragraphs to explain the other side. Refute the opposition one point at a time.
• Provide your proof.  After you address the other side, you’ll want to provide clear evidence that your side is the best side.
• Present your conclusion.  In your conclusion, you should remind your readers of your main point or thesis and summarize the key points of your argument. If you are arguing for some kind of change, this is a good place to give your audience a call to action. Tell them what they could do to make a change.

Toulmin’s Schema

The Toulmin method, developed by philosopher Stephen Toulmin ,  is another tool that’s helpful in analyzing an argument and identifying the rebuttal.

There are six elements for analyzing or presenting arguments that are important to the Toulmin method. When you’re analyzing arguments as a reader, you can look for these elements to help you understand the argument and evaluate its validity. When you’re writing an argument, you can include these same elements to ensure your audience will see the validity of your claims. You can also use these elements to help outline your argument in the early stages of your writing.

These are the six parts of an argument in Toulmin’s Schema:

• Claim : conclusions whose merit must be established. For example, if a person tries to convince a listener that he is a British citizen, the claim would be “I am a British citizen.”

Figure 1 . Step 2 of Toulmin’s schema is using data to support the claim(s) that were made in Step 1.

• Warrant : the statement authorizing the movement from the data to the claim. In order to move from the data established in 2, “I was born in Bermuda,” to the claim in 1, “I am a British citizen,” the person must supply a warrant to bridge the gap between 1 & 2 with the statement “A man born in Bermuda will legally be a British citizen.” Toulmin stated that an argument is only as strong as its weakest warrant and if a warrant isn’t valid, then the whole argument collapses. Therefore, it is important to have strong, valid warrants.
• Backing : facts that give credibility to the statement expressed in the warrant; backing must be introduced when the warrant itself is not convincing enough to the readers or the listeners. For example, if the listener does not deem the warrant as credible, the speaker would supply legal documents as backing statement to show that it is true that “A man born in Bermuda will legally be a British citizen.”
• Rebuttal : statements recognizing the restrictions to which the claim may legitimately be applied. The rebuttal is exemplified as follows, “A man born in Bermuda will legally be a British citizen, unless he has betrayed Britain and become a spy of another country.”
• Qualifier : words or phrases expressing how certain the author/speaker is concerning the claim. Such words or phrases include “possible,” “probably,” “impossible,” “certainly,” “presumably,” “as far as the evidence goes,” or “necessarily.” The claim “I am definitely a British citizen” has a greater degree of force than the claim “I am a British citizen, presumably.”

The first three elements (claim, data, and warrant) are considered as the essential components of practical arguments, while the final three elements (backing, rebuttal, and qualifier) may not be needed in all arguments.

The following video introduces the components of the Toulmin model.

You can view the  transcript for “The Toulmin Model of Argumentation” here (download).

Figure 2 . This image shows how conclusions are reached, using the Toulmin model of arguments.

Toulmin’s Method Examples

Suppose you watch a commercial for a product that promises to give you whiter teeth. Here are the basic parts of the argument behind the commercial:

• Claim : You should buy our tooth-whitening product.
• Data : Studies show that teeth are 50% whiter after using the product for a specified time.
• Warrant : People want whiter teeth.
• Backing : Celebrities want whiter teeth.
• Rebuttal : Commercial says “unless you don’t want to show your real smile.”
• Qualifier : Fine print says “product must be used six weeks for results.”

Notice that those commercials don’t usually bother trying to convince you that you want whiter teeth; instead, they assume that you have bought into the value our culture places on whiter teeth. When an assumption—a warrant in Toulmin’s terms—is unstated, it’s called an implicit warrant. Sometimes, however, the warrant may need to be stated because it is a powerful part of the argument. When the warrant is stated, it’s called an explicit warrant.

• Claim : People should probably own a gun.
• Data : Studies show that people who own a gun are less likely to be mugged.
• Warrant : People want to be safe.
• Backing : May not be necessary. In this case, it is common sense that people want to be safe.
• Rebuttal : Not everyone should own a gun. Children and those will mental disorders/problems should not own a gun.
• Qualifier : The word “probably” in the claim.

How would you assess the strength of the warrant in this argument?

• Claim : Flag burning should be unconstitutional in most cases.
• Data : A national poll says that 60% of Americans want flag burning to be unconstitutional.
• Warrant : People want to respect the flag.
• Backing : Official government procedures for the disposal of flags.
• Rebuttal : Not everyone in the U.S. respects the flag.
• Qualifier : The phrase “in most cases.”

How would you assess the strength of the data in this argument?

Sample Essay

Now that you have had the chance to learn about Toulmin, it’s time to see what a Toulmin argument might look like. Here you’ll see a sample argumentative essay , written according to MLA formatting guidelines, with a particular emphasis on Toulmin elements.

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• Toulmin's Schema. Provided by : Utah State University. Located at : http://ocw.usu.edu/English/intermediate-writing/english-2010/-2010/toulmins-schema.html . Project : Intermediate Writing: Research Writing in a Persuasive Mode. License : CC BY-NC-SA: Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike
• Toulmin Argument and Types of Argument. Provided by : Excelsior College OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/argument-and-critical-thinking/organizing-your-argument/organizing-your-argument-toulmin/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
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Unit 6: Argumentative Essay Writing

39 Patterns of Organization for Argumentative Essays

There are three typical ways to construct the body of an argumentation essay. Each type meets the expectations for an argumentative essay. The motivation for choosing any particular type, however, is different.

1 “You First ”

This essay is called “You First” because the writer starts with the other side’s arguments and ends with their own arguments. The body begins with a paragraph that outlines the main counterargument. At the end of this paragraph, there needs to be an acknowledgement of the full or partial validity of the opposing viewpoints. After that paragraph, you can begin your arguments for your perspective.

2 “Me First ”

This essay is called “Me First” because the writer starts with their own arguments and ends with the other side’s arguments. The paragraph that outlines the main counterargument comes at the end of the discussion of your arguments. This paragraph is formed and developed exactly the same as the 1st body paragraph in a “You First.” The only difference is that the counterargument/refutation paragraph in “Me First” occurs after one’s own arguments

3 “Point-by-Point ”

In a Point-by-Point essay, each body paragraph lists a single counterargument. After describing this opposing argument, there needs to be a transition before starting the detailed refutation of the counterargument. In the Point-by-Point essay, your refutation serves as your argument of each point you want to make. In other words, you deal with each counterargument separately, whereas “You First” and “Me First” essays group all the counterarguments together and develop one’s own arguments separately.

For this course you are recommended to use the “you first” or “me first” patterns.

Which pattern should I use?

In order to answer this question, you need to answer some questions:

• What are the strongest counterarguments? (It might be helpful to spend some time with a person or people who believe the opposite of you so that you can hear why they believe what they do.)
• What do your readers generally believe about this topic? How strongly do they believe that? (You might need to ask a sample of people what they think about your topic.)

There are three basic scenarios that typically arise:

• Your readers are against your position.
• Your readers are for your position.
• Your readers have not made up their mind yet.

*Which pattern of organization does the writer use in the model essay?

• Introduction
• (Argument 3)
• Counterargument
• Refutation (=Argument 3 or 4)

Point by Point Pattern

• Refutation (= Argument 1)
• Refutation (= Argument 2)
• Refutation (= Argument 3)

You First Pattern

• (Argument 4)

Academic Writing I Copyright © by UW-Madison ESL Program is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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Organizing Your Arguments

Alys Avalos-Rivera

The way the argumentation is presented in a persuasive essay is also special because writers do not only care about presenting their stance. They also want to include the point of view of their opponents to show that they have considered all possible angles of the controversy and have enough evidence to prove that the other side is wrong.

Two Sides and One Controversy

Taking into account the need to incorporate both sides of the controversy, observe the arguments presented in the Room for Debate page, which have been paraphrased for you below. If you were given the task to write a persuasive essay on the MLDA topic, how would you organize these arguments to compose three body paragraphs?

Ideas for body paragraph 1:

Ideas for body paragraph 2:, ideas for body paragraph 3:.

• How did you arrange the arguments?
• Did you present the CONs and the PROs in all the paragraphs?
• How did you make the organization work to make your point of view more persuasive?
• Discuss your organization with one of your colleagues. How do your ideas to present your arguments and defend your point of view differ from your colleague’s?
• Did you present a different point of view per paragraph? If so, what did you include in the third paragraph?

Organization Templates

Although the persuasive essay includes the two sides of a controversy, it does pay more attention to the position with which the writer is siding. The order in which the arguments are introduced is crucial to make the piece more persuasive. Traditionally, writers choose between three possible organization templates:

In organization template 1, writers present three of the arguments that support their point of view (PRO) and one that supports their opponents’ (CON). In the first body paragraph, the presentation of the opponents’ argument is immediately followed by a counterargument. This counterargument is an argument in favor of the authors’ point of view that directly addresses the opponents’ point and nullifies its persuasive power. Organization template 2 shows a variation of the same strategy that presents the counter argumentation on the third body paragraph. By contrast, in organization template 3, the argument/counterargument opposition is used along the three body paragraphs.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Each Template

Which could be the advantages and disadvantages of these two different organization templates? List them down in the chart below. Compare and discuss your list with your colleagues:

Sample Essay

Read the essay entitled “Legal Drinking Age: Twenty-One or Eighteen? Persuasion Time” to answer the following questions

• What is the author’s Thesis Statement?
• What are the arguments used to support the Thesis Statement?
• Where are the topic sentences that develop each argument?
• What organization template did the author choose?
• Is the information presented in the argumentation reliable and persuasive?
• Do you think this essay would persuade parents about supporting the reduction of the MLDA? Why? Why not?
• What would you change in this essay? Why?

Legal Drinking Age: Twenty-One or Eighteen? Persuasion Time

By Victoria DeCesare [1]

Alcoholic consumption began for many as a symbol of friends and acquaintances coming together to simply enjoy life and “be merry.” However, in the United States, alcoholic consumption and the law have collided quite often in the past. The most recent and ongoing controversy regarding drinking is whether the legal drinking age should be lowered from twenty-one to eighteen. This is a huge controversy specifically relevant to college students, as drinking at American universities has grown to become a defining part of college life despite the fact that a majority of college students cannot even legally drink. It is clear through the prevalence and dangers of binge drinking among college students and the high percentage of DUI and alcohol-related accidents and deaths that something needs to change in this country. Lowering the drinking age from twenty-one to eighteen would be an effective and beneficial step in changing the binge-drinking culture in this country, encouraging drinking alcohol as a safe and enjoyable activity, and facilitating medical attention for those involved in alcohol-related accidents.

First of all, lowering the drinking age to eighteen will eliminate the thrill of breaking the law for eighteen to twenty year olds. The idea of being rebellious and breaking the law while still having fun and not harming others in the process is an appealing and exciting idea for many underage college students. With drinking being illegal for those under twenty-one and with the risk of “getting caught” always present and stimulating, drinking tends to become a more furtive act with it taking place in people’s dorm rooms, basements, etc. It is in these situations where drinking becomes the most dangerous, where pre-gaming, taking multiple shots in a row, and trying to get as drunk as quickly and efficiently as possible fosters binge drinking. If the drinking age was lowered to eighteen, there wouldn’t be that thrill to want what we can’t have because it would be legal. In traveling to England recently, where the legal drinking age is set at eighteen, I have observed how Americans visiting, studying, or living in England who are in the eighteen to twenty-year-old range treat drinking completely differently than the eighteen to twenty-year-olds here. In England, those Americans treated drinking as simply a normal social activity because it was legal and there wasn’t that thrill to break the law; in contrast, I only witness the binge drinking and “Get drunk” mentality, rarely, the mentality to drink in a relaxed and normal atmosphere for those under twenty-one range are going to drink regardless of if it’s legal or not. The difference lies in the fact that if it’s legal, there is no peer pressure or temptation to commit something illegal so less risky behaviors and treatment of alcohol will result.

In the second place, because alcoholic consumption is considered an illegal activity for people until they reach age twenty-one, oftentimes teenagers are never really taught how to drink in moderation beforehand and therefore are more likely to abuse alcohol and binge drink. While the National Institute of Drug Abuse (2014) shows that drinking levels among younger people (and the American population in general), are decreasing, younger people are more likely to binge drink when they do consume alcohol (Kennet, 2008). However, I hold that binge drinking could be substantially lowered if the drinking age was lowered. This is because 18-20-year olds would then be able to experience moderate drinking in bars, restaurants, and other venues where there is supervision. Since this is currently illegal under the law, 18-20 year olds are now forced to drink in unsupervised venues were moderation is untaught and binge drinking is encouraged. In fact, having the drinking age set at the age of 21 has not stopped drinking among the 18-20-year-old age group, but has rather encouraged the movement of drinking to such unsupervised places were dangerous drinking behaviors are more likely to take place. The legal drinking age being set at 21 simply perpetuates the lack of a moderating culture in this country. Oftentimes, parents dismiss the idea that they need to educate their child on alcohol. With a lower drinking age, more parents would feel responsibility to introduce their children to alcohol in the controlled environment of the household beforehand as a means of education and instruct them on how to use alcohol in moderation. A Penn State research study (Abar & Turrisi, 2008) even showed a direct correlation between parents’ talking to their child about alcohol before entering college and subsequently lower rates of binge drinking. A lower drinking age would expose 18-20-year olds to a greater multitude of adults who can provide supervisory guidance over how to use alcohol moderately and therefore encourage less risky drinking behaviors.

Many opponents to the lowering of the drinking age argue that it will result in more alcohol-related accidents and deaths, especially while driving. Drunk driving deaths have actually steadily decreased in the past thirty years. In fact, this trend began occurring since 1982, two years before the legal drinking age became twenty-one through the Uniform Drinking Age Act. It has shown that this trend occurred throughout all age groups and various other categories and therefore cannot be directly attributed to the drinking age. An estimated 90% of drunk driving deaths in the United States were found in the over 21 age group so drunk driving cannot be necessarily attributed to age (SAMHSA, 2010). Furthermore, the same source reports that the amount of drunk driving deaths in the United States has decreased at a slower rate than that European of European countries that have their legal drinking age at eighteen or lower. As many people argue that lowering the drinking age is fatal, lowering the drinking age is actually going to save lives. This is because it will reduce the amount of people that become injured due to alcohol or that simply die because of alcohol poisoning who fail, or have others fail, to report their injuries to the police or the ambulance out of fear of legal consequences for underage drinking. Many states currently have laws that protect an underage person from the legal consequences of underage drinking if they go and seek medical attention; however, not many college students are aware of these laws and are still hesitant nevertheless out of fear that it may get back to their parents. Lowering the drinking age would encourage those in the 18-20-year-old range to seek medical attention for potentially fatal alcoholic injuries without fear of potential consequences for doing so, in turn saving the lives of many young adults, especially those in college.

We are all aware of the drinking culture that takes place in this country. Particularly among college students, drinking has turned into a dangerous practice that is the result of the excitement of alcohol’s illegality for most college students and the fact that public officials and adults use drinking as a tool to punish and prevent a potentially enjoyable activity among an age group instead of encouraging the enjoyable and safe practice that drinking can be fore them. Lowering the drinking age, as exhibited around the world, can show how drinking can bring young adults and adults together in a fun, safe way instead of creating a disparity among them. If those young adults in the 18-20-year-old range share the adult same responsibilities that other adults do, then having the right to choose to drink should be no exception. It is time that alcoholic use, especially by college students, becomes a safe practice in this country instead of one whose culture lies concealed from sight and forced to grow uncontrollably and treacherously. It is time that eighteen, nineteen, and twenty year olds finally be trusted as the adults we are considered in every other way.

Abar, C., & Turrisi, R. (2008). How important are parents during the college years? A longitudinal perspective of indirect influences parents yield on their college teens’ alcohol use. Addictive behaviors, 33(10), 1360-1368. Doi: 10.1016/j.addbeh.2008.06.010

Kennet, J. (2008). Alcohol Use. In SAMHSA, Results form the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (SMA 08-4343). Retrieved from: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/cbhsq-reports/2007_NSDUH_Detailed_Tables/Intro.pdf

NIDA (2014) Teen prescription opium abuse, cigarette, and alcohol abuse trends down. Retrieved from: http://www.drugabuse.gov/news-events/news-releases/2014/12/teen-prescription-opioid-abuse-cigarette-alcohol-use-trends-down

SAMHSA (2011). Results from the 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings (SMA 11-4658). Retrieved from: https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/Revised2k11NSDUHSummNatFindings/Revised2k11NSDUHSummNatFindings/NSDUHresults2011.htm

Citations and References

• How does the author cite her sources?
• What type of citation system is being used? How do you know it?
• What formatting features do you recognize in the reference page? Have they been appropriately used? Why? Are there any formatting errors? Which ones?
• What type of source is the document authored by Abar and Turrisi (2008)? How do you know it?
• What type of source is the document authored by Kennet (2008)? What information did you use to find this out?
• Adapted and published with permission of the author ↵

Organizing Your Arguments Copyright © 2020 by Alys Avalos-Rivera is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 101 Guide [+ Examples]

An argumentative essay is a genre of academic writing that investigates different sides of a particular issue. Its central purpose is to inform the readers rather than expressively persuade them. Thus, it is crucial to differentiate between argumentative and persuasive essays.

While composing an argumentative essay, the students have to demonstrate their research and analytical skills. The secret of a successful paper lies behind strong arguments and counterarguments. So, the writer should focus on facts and data rather than personal values and beliefs.

Besides, a good argumentative essay should be structured appropriately:

• The introduction and conclusion have to create a frame for the entire essay.
• The body paragraphs are supposed to cover the essential points.
• Supporting evidence should make a paper more professional and reputable.

Are you still wondering what an argumentative essay is and how to write it? Check out the sections below prepared by our experts . Here, you can find the most valuable info, helpful tips, and useful examples.

📜 Classic Strategy

📋 toulmin strategy, 🗣️ rogerian strategy, ✒️ fill in the blanks, 🔍 edit and proofread, 🔗 references, 📌 argumentative essay in a nutshell.

Are you trying to figure out what an argumentative essay is? It’s a type of academic paper that covers both sides of a given issue. An author can decide whether they aim to present both sides equally or support one side more dynamically.

One of the mistakes among students is the confusion of argumentative and persuasive essays . Do you want to figure out the differences? Take a look at the following table.

Before writing an argument essay, it would be helpful to choose an appropriate model to rely on. There are three strategies to consider: Classical, Toulmin, and Rogerian.

Look at the following sections and choose the most suitable one for you.

Are you wondering how to write an argumentative essay? Consider using the classical approach. It is the most popular way of composing an argumentative paper.

Under the classical strategy, the author has to follow these rules:

• research the issue;
• present both sides;
• express own opinion;
• prove the reader the validity of the conclusion.

It is up to the audience to decide whether your position is right or wrong. Yet, you should try to convince the readers of the effectiveness of your opinion.

Usually, the classical argument paper is structured in the following way:

• Introduction . Use the hook to catch the readers’ attention. State the problem and explain why your topic is relatable to the audience.
• General background. Introduce the general info and several facts about your issue.
• Thesis statement . State your position clearly and concisely.
• The central argument. Provide valid evidence and appropriate examples to support your position. Refer only to reliable sources.
• Rebuttal . Include a counter paragraph in your essay, presenting the opposing arguments. Provide specific examples to make the reader understand your position. Also, explain to the audience why the counterclaims are incorrect.
• Conclusion . Synthesize your arguments and counterarguments. Give the readers a question for further investigation of your problem. To make your essay more impressive, compose a memorable concluding sentence.

Toulmin strategy is the most suitable for the discussion of controversial issues. This model aims to find common ground through clear logic and valid evidence. Besides, the Toulmin strategy eliminates unnecessary things and limits the points to agree upon.

An argumentative essay written by the Toulmin model includes the following elements:

• Claim . A viewpoint that the author aims to prove.
• Evidence . Supportive facts from reliable resources that highlight the significance of the claim.
• Warrant . An element that connects the claim and that evidence.
• Backing . Additional reasoning that underlines the warrant’s validity.
• Rebuttal . Counterarguments that contradict the author’s position.
• Qualifier . An additional element (usually, a word or a short phrase) that narrows the claim’s capacity. Several examples of qualifiers: “typically,” “usually,” “occasionally,” etc.
• Exceptions . Specific limitations that indicate the cases where that claim may not be valid.

Like the Toulmin approach, Rogerian strategy attempts to find common ground between two sides of one issue. However, the technique is slightly different.

The Rogerian model is often used in highly controversial debates when the parties do not accept each other’s position. Thus, the given strategy focuses on finding the agreement by proving the validity of the opposing arguments.

Below, you can find the primary outline for the Rogerian argumentative essay:

• Introduce the problem. Present the issue clearly and explain why it is worth the readers’ attention.
• Summarize and analyze the counterarguments. Take into consideration all the possible counterpoints and look at them from different perspectives. Discuss the cases in which the opposing claims could be valid. Demonstrate your open-mindedness. This will make the opposite party more loyal to you.
• Present your position. After discussing the counterpoints, state your opinion. Convince the audience about the validity of your points.
• Prove the advantages of your position. Explain to the opposite party how the acceptance and adoption of your points will benefit them.

🧐 How to Write an Argumentative Essay

Before working on your essay, carefully read the assignment. Make sure you understand all the instructor’s requirements and the purpose of the paper.

• Pay enough attention to the task. Did your professor assign you a topic? Or do you need to choose it yourself ? Make sure you have an idea that will turn into an outstanding essay.
• Select the strategy you are going to apply. An argumentative essay format will depend on the model you choose to compose your paper. Analyze the issue you will arise and decide what strategy is the most suitable. Is it the Classical model, the Toulmin, or the Rogerian one?

After that, start composing your argumentative essay. Check out the following sections. We have a lot of insightful info to share with you!

📚 Research the Topic

The first step of writing an argumentative paper is an in-depth investigation of the topic. To validate your arguments, you have to refer to credible resources. The essay will look more professional if you use reliable sources in it.

To research like a professional , do the following:

• Use only credible sources. You can refer to the books, research articles, materials from academic databases, or Google Scholar. Webpages registered as governmental or educational institutions (.gov, .edu.) and widely-known news websites (New York Times, BBC, CNBC) are also considered appropriate. Avoid using blog posts, outdated materials, and any other data from unreliable sources. You may get into huge trouble, taking information from random websites, since it may be invalid.
• Pay attention to the publishing date . You may be required to use the sources released no later than five years ago. Yet, it is not always the case, especially when you’re dealing with historical documents. Thus, double-check your instructions regarding recommended sources.
• Keep your topic in mind. Concentrate on what you are writing about and select the sources for your exact issue. Avoid sources that provide too general information and look for more limited ones. If your idea is World War II’s economic consequences, the history book from ancient times to modern days will not be the best option.
• Become an expert. Take enough time to investigate the issue you are writing about. Read numerous articles, compare and contrast the scientists’ opinions. Prove your reader that you are a reliable person who selected the best sources.

📝 Outline Your Essay

The majority of students tend to underestimate the power of outlining. Don’t do this! An argumentative essay outline is a helpful tool for planning, structuring, and composing.

Firstly , a well-developed outline helps the writer to put all their thoughts in an appropriate order. None of the essential points will be lost if the student plans the essay before writing.

Secondly , it lets the writer figure out what evidence suits what argument most. Before writing, draft your essay first. Put examples, facts, etc. in the right parts of the paper. Then, write the entire text.

Thirdly , an outline provides a perfect opportunity to change the essay’s parts without rewriting the paper. Are you unsure of specific details? Not a problem. Change them in the outline without ruining the text.

There are essential elements that your outline should contain. Check out the following section to see them.

Introduction

How to start an argumentative essay? First and foremost, include an argumentative essay introduction in your outline.

This part should grab the readers’ attention from the first words. Thus, put enough effort into composing a compelling hook . What can it be? An impressive statistic or an exciting fact? Be creative – decide yourself! But make sure that your intro is catchy enough.

After the hook, introduce your topic’s general background . Prove the readers the significance of your issue and gradually come to the thesis statement .

The concept of studying abroad is becoming increasingly popular in both developed and developing countries. Students around the globe strive to explore the world and broaden their minds, and studying in a foreign country is an excellent opportunity to do so. Such experience may be extremely beneficial because meeting new people and discovering foreign cultures help students to gain valuable knowledge and see the world from a new perspective. However, while presenting significant opportunities for personal growth, it may also bring about some challenges.

Thesis Statement

A thesis is an essential part of your argumentative essay. It should state your position regarding the issue clearly and concisely. Avoid general statements, vague words, and be as specific and possible. Your thesis statement should guide the readers throughout the main points of the paper.

The location of the thesis in the essay plays a crucial role. The most appropriate place for it is the last sentence of the introductory paragraph.

Although students face difficulties such as loneliness while studying abroad, it is a worthy experience to introduce them to new knowledge, people, and culture and promote their independence.

Body Paragraphs

The body of your paper is supposed to develop your position, provide valid evidence and examples. Each paragraph has to focus only on one idea. This will ensure the logical structure of your argumentative essay.

A body paragraph should start from the topic sentence and end with the concluding sentence . Such a frame around every section will make your readers stay concentrated on your ideas and get your opinion.

• The topic sentence is the first sentence of the passage. It should reflect its point and correspond to the thesis statement.
• The concluding sentence aims to wrap up the author’s thoughts. Thus, make sure that the last sentence of a paragraph is insightful enough.

Each body paragraph should include an argument (or a counterargument) with supporting evidence. Get your proof from credible sources and ensure that it directly corresponds to the point.

An example of a topic sentence :

The benefits of education abroad are almost innumerable, prominent examples being gaining new knowledge, making friends with people who have different mindsets, and discovering new cultures.

An example of a concluding sentence:

Participants of student exchange programs usually return more driven and eager to develop both themselves and their country.

A conclusion plays a critical role in understanding the entire paper. It summarizes the body and leaves the final impression. Besides, it may push the readers on further investigation of the issue.

• To make your argumentative essay conclusion powerful, it is not enough just to summarize the arguments. It has to synthesize your ideas and show the connection between them. In other words, your points should be summarized and analyzed.
• Moreover, a conclusion refers to the thesis statement . A mere restatement of the central idea is not the most successful way of finishing your paper. You should try to develop it to demonstrate the reason you’ve written the previous paragraphs.

One more tip:

• Give the audience an incentive to explore the topic more in-depth. Insert the questions for further investigation at the end of your essay. It would play a significant role in making an impressive conclusion.

To sum up, studying abroad is beneficial as it helps a person evolve and perceive a world from new perspectives. It is an opportunity for a participant to explore the world, meet new people, gain valuable knowledge and experience, and broaden their horizons. Education abroad might pose problems like homesickness, loneliness, and trouble with getting accustomed to a new environment. However, all of them can be easily overcome if a student is flexible and eager to become autonomous and independent.

The list of references is a crucial part of any argumentative essay. It should contain all the sources the writer uses in the paper.

Before organizing your reference list , double-check your argumentative essay format. Is it written in MLA, APA, or maybe in Chicago style? How many references does the professor expect you to include? What kind of sources are you required to use?

After figuring out these issues, move to the format requirements of the writing style you use for your paper. The most popular ones are APA (7th edition), MLA, and ChicagoAD (author-date) styles. Below, you can find the examples of a reference for the same book in different formatting styles.

Did you develop a good outline? Congratulations! You are almost done with the essay. Now, you need to fill in the blanks and create a final version of your paper. Here is where you need to demonstrate a high level of your writing skills.

• Make sure your paper has no logical fallacies. Information from an untrustworthy source, a hasty generalization, or a false conclusion may put your reliability as an author under threat. So double-check all the data you include in your essay. Moreover, make sure all your statements are well-developed and supported by valid evidence.
• Check your argumentative essay structure . All the arguments should refer to the thesis statement and must be presented in the logical sequence. The supporting evidence and examples have to be inserted in the text logically, according to the arguments.
• Pay enough attention to the citations. References and in-text citations are incredibly tricky. Always check every detail according to your essay format. If you are unsure of specific issues, refer to a citation guide and make your paper free of formatting mistakes.
• Ensure the coherence of your argumentative essay. Often, the paper’s material seems raw only because it is presented without a logical connection. To ensure a smooth connection between the ideas, use transitions between the paragraphs and linking words inside them. Insert them in the text to connect the points. As a result, you will have a coherent essay with the logical flow of the arguments.

The final step of your writing process is editing and proofreading. Although it is not that energy and time consuming, it still plays a critical role in the work’s success.

While writing your argumentative paper, plan your time accordingly. This will provide you with an opportunity to polish your essay before submitting it. And take a look at our checklist and always use it to improve your papers:

• NO first and second person. Use only the third person in your argumentative essay. It is a general requirement for any kind of academic paper.
• NO slang. The word choice is an essential part of the essay writing process. Ensure you use only formal vocabulary and avoid using informal language (jargon, slang, etc.).
• NO unchecked words. Sometimes, words can raise questions and lead to misunderstandings. If you are unsure whether the term is used appropriately, double-check its meaning or replace it with another.
• NO plagiarism. While proofreading, make sure your citations are either properly paraphrased or taken in quotation marks. You can change the sentence structure to avoid plagiarism.
• NO minor mistakes. Grammar, spelling, punctuation play a crucial role. Want to make your paper look professional? Make sure it is free of minor mistakes then.

Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should student-athletes benefit from sports?  
• Do celebrities really have influence on people behavior?  
• Will decriminalization of drugs increase drug menace?  
• Does social and environmental reporting promote organizations’ financial success? 
• Should online learning be promoted?  
• Can space exploration resolve human problems?  
• Is success really the outcome of hard work?  
• Is there discrimination against women in sports?   
• Will banning tobacco sales promote public health?  
• Is euthanasia a clemency?  
• Should college education be free and accessible for every student?  
• Should football be banned for being too dangerous?  
• Is it time to change social norms ?  
• Should public servants’ strikes be prohibited?  
• Does media create a negative image of ageing and older people?  
• Is capitalism the best economic system?  
• Can children under 18 make an appropriate decision on getting tattoo ?  
• Should net neutrality be protected?  
• Can an improper use of social media provoke a family crisis?  
• Is it right to use animals in biomedical research ?  
• Does the climate change affect our indoor environment? 
• Are children’s crimes a result of poor parenting?  
• Should health care be universal?  
• Does the increased use of technology hurt students’ efficiency? 
• Is transformative education a key to the system modernization?  
• Why should patients have access to truthful information?  
• How does language barrier affect health care access?  
• Would allowing adoption by same-sex couples benefit the country’s child welfare system? 
• Is spanking children a proper way to improve their behavior?  
• Does gun control law lowers crime rates?  
• Will ban on spamming improve users’ internet experience?  
• Should behavior be made illegal because it’s immoral?  
• Is globalization really a progress?  
• Does aid to developing countries bring more harm than good?  
• Can parents improve children mental health by restricting internet use ?  
• Is trusting our senses the best way to get the truth?  
• Why parents should not have the right to choose their children based on genetics.  
• Is college education really worth it? 
• Will wearing a body camera by police officer enhance public trust?    
• Immigration : a benefit or a threat?  
• Is it a duty of adult children to take care of their elderly parents?  
• Should abortions be legal?  
• Are agents an integral part of professional sports?  
• Will ban of cellphones while driving decrease the car accident rates? 
• Should marijuana be legal for medical use?  
• Is veganism diet universally beneficial?  
• Should museums return artefacts?  
• Is water birth beneficial for women’s health?  
• Will paying people to stay healthy benefit the nation in the long-term perspective?  
• Is obesity a disease or a choice?  

It is up to you to decide how many parts to include in your essay. However, the 5 paragraph structure is the most appropriate model for an argumentative paper. So, write an introduction, a conclusion, and three body paragraphs.

The pronoun “you” is acceptable for informal writing. Yet, in academic papers, avoid using the second person. The same situation is with the first person. Generally, academic papers require the use of the third person.

A hook aims to grab the readers’ attention. Thus, you could start your essay with an interesting fact about your issue. Another way to create a catchy hook is to prove the audience the relatability of your topic. Make the readers want to explore your essay by demonstrating the significance of your issue.

Yes, you can. A question might become a compelling hook. Just make sure that it is profound, thought-provocative, and concise. A too broad or complicated question will only confuse your readers.

A title is an essential part of the essay since it causes the first impression. While selecting a heading, take into consideration the following points:

1. The title must be catchy.

2. It has to be not too long (5-12 words).

3. The title has to reflect the topic of the paper.

4. It should not be too complicated: the simpler – the better.

Thank you for visiting our page! We hope the information was helpful and insightful. Do you have friends who seek help with writing an argumentative essay? Share our article with them. And don’t forget to leave your comments!

• Sample Argument Essays: Mesa Community College
• Argument: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• Tips for Organizing an Argumentative Essay: Judith L., Beumer Writing Center, Valparaiso University
• Argumentative Essay: Oya Ozagac, Bogazici University, Online Writing Lab
• Argumentative Essays: Purdue Online Writing Lab, College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University
• How to Write an Argumentative Essay Step by Step: Virginia Kearney, Owlcation
• Counterargument: Gordon Harvey for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• Basic Steps in the Research Process: North Hennepin Community College, Minnesota
• How to Recognize Plagiarism, Overview: School of Education, Indiana University Bloomington
• 15 Steps to Good Research: Georgetown University Library
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