How To Write An Argumentative Essay: Step By Step Guide

The argumentative essay is not the most commonly assigned topic in schools. The task can be complicated for even the best of students due to various involved aspects. It becomes much easier though, if you are aware of the basics.

As an argumentative essay writer, one has to have the patience to do a lot of research and preparation. If executed correctly, your work will reflect the extent of your writing and research skills in a most positive light. Our guide is going to demonstrate how to write an argumentative essay step by step. If you follow it through, you will never find yourself at a loss when assigned this task.

Definition of an argumentative essay

It is impossible to write in a certain way when you don’t know how to identify it. So, before we get into the techniques, it should be first clarified what an argumentative essay is. In this type of essay, the author presents their perspective on a topic and convinces the readers in its favor. They have to provide strong and valid evidence to support their arguments.

The format of an argumentative essay is similar to other types of academic writing. However, it is wrong to assume that the objective is merely to voice your opinion on a subject. It is essential for the writer to state effective ideas that actually make the audience think about what they have to say.

What sets it apart from a descriptive essay?

Both these types of essays are vastly different from each other. In a descriptive writing, the author does not have to prove a point to the reader. The main goal is to tell describe something to utmost perfection. While an argumentative essay calls for the writer to be able to make readers accept their point of view. Therefore, it is a much more complex task than the latter and should not be confused with it.

What is the focus of an argumentative essay?

The main thing to focus upon, when writing an argumentative essay, is the presentation of the argument. The rest of the elements are there to bring support and context to the topic. The argument can be seen as the backbone of the entire essay. Thus, it should be strong enough to hold everything together. Begin with revealing your basic argument in the introduction. It will be referenced repeatedly further on, so keep it clear and concise for the understanding of the readers.

The structure

A proper structure is one of the factors that make any paper successful. A well-planned essay outline will not only make it comprehensive for readers, but will also make sure that your thoughts stay on track. Following are the basic elements that make up an argumentative essay:

• Introduction
• Main Body (3 paragraphs more or less)
• A conclusion

Introduction

The starting can be the most daunting part of any writing. But fret not, as we have it covered for you. For an essay, a single paragraph introduction is all that is needed. But it does count a lot when it comes to the effectiveness of your paper. Its main purpose is to help audience comprehend the topic and your take on it.

Start the introduction by giving a precise yet brief background of the main issue. Discuss how it affects our lives, its history and whether it has been researched previously. It is wiser to pick a topic that has not undergone much research so you can provide something new to the readers.

The introduction will end on a thesis statement. This is where you will fully state your main argument. It should clearly convey your opinion on the topic, which then you can continue to enhance further on. Make sure to keep it short and interesting so the audience stays engaged.

The body

Moving on the body, each of the three paragraphs, should explore separate evidences to support your argument. It is important not to repeat the same reason in the next paragraph as it will seem like a lack of information.

Begin each paragraph with a topic sentence. It should introduce a new evidence to convince the audience of your views. Enhance it by adding citations, examples, results from other researches and studies and statistics.

If you are prepared to work a bit more to make it look even more professional, offer counterarguments. Inserting a counterargument and using strong evidence to deny it, showcases your academic knowledge. It is very impressive when you boldly present opposite views and then manage to show how your perspective negates them.

Conclusion

Sum up all the ideas you have presented in the paper in the final paragraph. Do not add any new views to the conclusion. An ideal conclusive paragraph will give the audience some thing new to think about regarding your topic. If you are really successful then they will be tempted to get further into the topic. It is also a good idea to include relevant anecdote at the end to give a personal touch and keep it refreshing.

How to determine you have covered all bases

The final step of your essay is to read through it and decide if it is really good enough to submit. Examine it critically from every angle and perceive it from the reader’s point of view. Here are some points for you to consider once you have finished writing:

• Are the argument and thesis statement comprehensive enough?
• Is the sequence of ideas easy to follow?
• Check if the wordings and structure are appropriate.
• There is enough evidence to support the presented argument.
• Will the readers be convinced of your viewpoint?

Here ends our complete guide to write a successful argumentative essay. These tips to write an argumentative paper, will be sure to attain admiration and top marks from your professor. Practicing this method improves your writing ability and research skills. Once you have perfected them you will find little trouble writing academic papers of any type.