what is the point in an essay

What this handout is about

This handout will define what an argument is and explain why you need one in most of your academic essays.

Arguments are everywhere

You may be surprised to hear that the word “argument” does not have to be written anywhere in your assignment for it to be an important part of your task. In fact, making an argument—expressing a point of view on a subject and supporting it with evidence—is often the aim of academic writing. Your instructors may assume that you know this and thus may not explain the importance of arguments in class.

Most material you learn in college is or has been debated by someone, somewhere, at some time. Even when the material you read or hear is presented as a simple fact, it may actually be one person’s interpretation of a set of information. Instructors may call on you to examine that interpretation and defend it, refute it, or offer some new view of your own. In writing assignments, you will almost always need to do more than just summarize information that you have gathered or regurgitate facts that have been discussed in class. You will need to develop a point of view on or interpretation of that material and provide evidence for your position.

Consider an example. For nearly 2000 years, educated people in many Western cultures believed that bloodletting—deliberately causing a sick person to lose blood—was the most effective treatment for a variety of illnesses. The claim that bloodletting is beneficial to human health was not widely questioned until the 1800s, and some physicians continued to recommend bloodletting as late as the 1920s. Medical practices have now changed because some people began to doubt the effectiveness of bloodletting; these people argued against it and provided convincing evidence. Human knowledge grows out of such differences of opinion, and scholars like your instructors spend their lives engaged in debate over what claims may be counted as accurate in their fields. In their courses, they want you to engage in similar kinds of critical thinking and debate.

Argumentation is not just what your instructors do. We all use argumentation on a daily basis, and you probably already have some skill at crafting an argument. The more you improve your skills in this area, the better you will be at thinking critically, reasoning, making choices, and weighing evidence.

Making a claim

What is an argument? In academic writing, an argument is usually a main idea, often called a “claim” or “thesis statement,” backed up with evidence that supports the idea. In the majority of college papers, you will need to make some sort of claim and use evidence to support it, and your ability to do this well will separate your papers from those of students who see assignments as mere accumulations of fact and detail. In other words, gone are the happy days of being given a “topic” about which you can write anything. It is time to stake out a position and prove why it is a good position for a thinking person to hold. See our handout on thesis statements .

Claims can be as simple as “Protons are positively charged and electrons are negatively charged,” with evidence such as, “In this experiment, protons and electrons acted in such and such a way.” Claims can also be as complex as “Genre is the most important element to the contract of expectations between filmmaker and audience,” using reasoning and evidence such as, “defying genre expectations can create a complete apocalypse of story form and content, leaving us stranded in a sort of genre-less abyss.” In either case, the rest of your paper will detail the reasoning and evidence that have led you to believe that your position is best.

When beginning to write a paper, ask yourself, “What is my point?” For example, the point of this handout is to help you become a better writer, and we are arguing that an important step in the process of writing effective arguments is understanding the concept of argumentation. If your papers do not have a main point, they cannot be arguing for anything. Asking yourself what your point is can help you avoid a mere “information dump.” Consider this: your instructors probably know a lot more than you do about your subject matter. Why, then, would you want to provide them with material they already know? Instructors are usually looking for two things:

• Proof that you understand the material
• A demonstration of your ability to use or apply the material in ways that go beyond what you have read or heard.

This second part can be done in many ways: you can critique the material, apply it to something else, or even just explain it in a different way. In order to succeed at this second step, though, you must have a particular point to argue.

Arguments in academic writing are usually complex and take time to develop. Your argument will need to be more than a simple or obvious statement such as “Frank Lloyd Wright was a great architect.” Such a statement might capture your initial impressions of Wright as you have studied him in class; however, you need to look deeper and express specifically what caused that “greatness.” Your instructor will probably expect something more complicated, such as “Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture combines elements of European modernism, Asian aesthetic form, and locally found materials to create a unique new style,” or “There are many strong similarities between Wright’s building designs and those of his mother, which suggests that he may have borrowed some of her ideas.” To develop your argument, you would then define your terms and prove your claim with evidence from Wright’s drawings and buildings and those of the other architects you mentioned.

Do not stop with having a point. You have to back up your point with evidence. The strength of your evidence, and your use of it, can make or break your argument. See our handout on evidence . You already have the natural inclination for this type of thinking, if not in an academic setting. Think about how you talked your parents into letting you borrow the family car. Did you present them with lots of instances of your past trustworthiness? Did you make them feel guilty because your friends’ parents all let them drive? Did you whine until they just wanted you to shut up? Did you look up statistics on teen driving and use them to show how you didn’t fit the dangerous-driver profile? These are all types of argumentation, and they exist in academia in similar forms.

Every field has slightly different requirements for acceptable evidence, so familiarize yourself with some arguments from within that field instead of just applying whatever evidence you like best. Pay attention to your textbooks and your instructor’s lectures. What types of argument and evidence are they using? The type of evidence that sways an English instructor may not work to convince a sociology instructor. Find out what counts as proof that something is true in that field. Is it statistics, a logical development of points, something from the object being discussed (art work, text, culture, or atom), the way something works, or some combination of more than one of these things?

Be consistent with your evidence. Unlike negotiating for the use of your parents’ car, a college paper is not the place for an all-out blitz of every type of argument. You can often use more than one type of evidence within a paper, but make sure that within each section you are providing the reader with evidence appropriate to each claim. So, if you start a paragraph or section with a statement like “Putting the student seating area closer to the basketball court will raise player performance,” do not follow with your evidence on how much more money the university could raise by letting more students go to games for free. Information about how fan support raises player morale, which then results in better play, would be a better follow-up. Your next section could offer clear reasons why undergraduates have as much or more right to attend an undergraduate event as wealthy alumni—but this information would not go in the same section as the fan support stuff. You cannot convince a confused person, so keep things tidy and ordered.

Counterargument

One way to strengthen your argument and show that you have a deep understanding of the issue you are discussing is to anticipate and address counterarguments or objections. By considering what someone who disagrees with your position might have to say about your argument, you show that you have thought things through, and you dispose of some of the reasons your audience might have for not accepting your argument. Recall our discussion of student seating in the Dean Dome. To make the most effective argument possible, you should consider not only what students would say about seating but also what alumni who have paid a lot to get good seats might say.

You can generate counterarguments by asking yourself how someone who disagrees with you might respond to each of the points you’ve made or your position as a whole. If you can’t immediately imagine another position, here are some strategies to try:

• Do some research. It may seem to you that no one could possibly disagree with the position you are arguing, but someone probably has. For example, some people argue that a hotdog is a sandwich. If you are making an argument concerning, for example, the characteristics of an exceptional sandwich, you might want to see what some of these people have to say.
• Talk with a friend or with your teacher. Another person may be able to imagine counterarguments that haven’t occurred to you.
• Consider your conclusion or claim and the premises of your argument and imagine someone who denies each of them. For example, if you argued, “Cats make the best pets. This is because they are clean and independent,” you might imagine someone saying, “Cats do not make the best pets. They are dirty and needy.”

Once you have thought up some counterarguments, consider how you will respond to them—will you concede that your opponent has a point but explain why your audience should nonetheless accept your argument? Will you reject the counterargument and explain why it is mistaken? Either way, you will want to leave your reader with a sense that your argument is stronger than opposing arguments.

When you are summarizing opposing arguments, be charitable. Present each argument fairly and objectively, rather than trying to make it look foolish. You want to show that you have considered the many sides of the issue. If you simply attack or caricature your opponent (also referred to as presenting a “straw man”), you suggest that your argument is only capable of defeating an extremely weak adversary, which may undermine your argument rather than enhance it.

It is usually better to consider one or two serious counterarguments in some depth, rather than to give a long but superficial list of many different counterarguments and replies.

Be sure that your reply is consistent with your original argument. If considering a counterargument changes your position, you will need to go back and revise your original argument accordingly.

Audience is a very important consideration in argument. Take a look at our handout on audience . A lifetime of dealing with your family members has helped you figure out which arguments work best to persuade each of them. Maybe whining works with one parent, but the other will only accept cold, hard statistics. Your kid brother may listen only to the sound of money in his palm. It’s usually wise to think of your audience in an academic setting as someone who is perfectly smart but who doesn’t necessarily agree with you. You are not just expressing your opinion in an argument (“It’s true because I said so”), and in most cases your audience will know something about the subject at hand—so you will need sturdy proof. At the same time, do not think of your audience as capable of reading your mind. You have to come out and state both your claim and your evidence clearly. Do not assume that because the instructor knows the material, he or she understands what part of it you are using, what you think about it, and why you have taken the position you’ve chosen.

Critical reading

Critical reading is a big part of understanding argument. Although some of the material you read will be very persuasive, do not fall under the spell of the printed word as authority. Very few of your instructors think of the texts they assign as the last word on the subject. Remember that the author of every text has an agenda, something that he or she wants you to believe. This is OK—everything is written from someone’s perspective—but it’s a good thing to be aware of. For more information on objectivity and bias and on reading sources carefully, read our handouts on evaluating print sources and reading to write .

Take notes either in the margins of your source (if you are using a photocopy or your own book) or on a separate sheet as you read. Put away that highlighter! Simply highlighting a text is good for memorizing the main ideas in that text—it does not encourage critical reading. Part of your goal as a reader should be to put the author’s ideas in your own words. Then you can stop thinking of these ideas as facts and start thinking of them as arguments.

When you read, ask yourself questions like “What is the author trying to prove?” and “What is the author assuming I will agree with?” Do you agree with the author? Does the author adequately defend her argument? What kind of proof does she use? Is there something she leaves out that you would put in? Does putting it in hurt her argument? As you get used to reading critically, you will start to see the sometimes hidden agendas of other writers, and you can use this skill to improve your own ability to craft effective arguments.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Booth, Wayne C., Gregory G. Colomb, Joseph M. Williams, Joseph Bizup, and William T. FitzGerald. 2016. The Craft of Research , 4th ed. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.

Ede, Lisa. 2004. Work in Progress: A Guide to Academic Writing and Revising , 6th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Gage, John T. 2005. The Shape of Reason: Argumentative Writing in College , 4th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A., and John J. Ruszkiewicz. 2016. Everything’s an Argument , 7th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, the 3 popular essay formats: which should you use.

General Education

Not sure which path your essay should follow? Formatting an essay may not be as interesting as choosing a topic to write about or carefully crafting elegant sentences, but it’s an extremely important part of creating a high-quality paper. In this article, we’ll explain essay formatting rules for three of the most popular essay styles: MLA, APA, and Chicago.

For each, we’ll do a high-level overview of what your essay’s structure and references should look like, then we include a comparison chart with nitty-gritty details for each style, such as which font you should use for each and whether they’re a proponent of the Oxford comma. We also include information on why essay formatting is important and what you should do if you’re not sure which style to use.

Why Is Your Essay Format Important?

Does it really matter which font size you use or exactly how you cite a source in your paper? It can! Style formats were developed as a way to standardize how pieces of writing and their works cited lists should look. 

Why is this necessary? Imagine you’re a teacher, researcher, or publisher who reviews dozens of papers a week. If the papers didn’t follow the same formatting rules, you could waste a lot of time trying to figure out which sources were used, if certain information is a direct quote or paraphrased, even who the paper’s author is. Having essay formatting rules to follow makes things easier for everyone involved. Writers can follow a set of guidelines without trying to decide for themselves which formatting choices are best, and readers don’t need to go hunting for the information they’re trying to find.

Next, we’ll discuss the three most common style formats for essays.

MLA Essay Format

MLA style was designed by the Modern Language Association, and it has become the most popular college essay format for students writing papers for class. It was originally developed for students and researchers in the literature and language fields to have a standardized way of formatting their papers, but it is now used by people in all disciplines, particularly humanities. MLA is often the style teachers prefer their students to use because it has simple, clear rules to follow without extraneous inclusions often not needed for school papers. For example, unlike APA or Chicago styles, MLA doesn’t require a title page for a paper, only a header in the upper left-hand corner of the page.

MLA style doesn’t have any specific requirements for how to write your essay, but an MLA format essay will typically follow the standard essay format of an introduction (ending with a thesis statement), several body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

One of the nice things about creating your works cited for MLA is that all references are structured the same way, regardless of whether they’re a book, newspaper, etc. It’s the only essay format style that makes citing references this easy! Here is a guide on how to cite any source in MLA format. When typing up your works cited, here are a few MLA format essay rules to keep in mind:

• The works cited page should be the last paper of your paper.
• This page should still be double-spaced and include the running header of your last name and page number.
• It should begin with “Works Cited” at the top of the page, centered.
• Your works cited should be organized in alphabetical order, based on the first word of the citation.

APA Essay Format

APA stands for the American Psychological Association. This format type is most often used for research papers, specifically those in behavioral sciences (such as psychology and neuroscience) and social sciences (ranging from archeology to economics). Because APA is often used for more research-focused papers, they have a more specific format to follow compared to, say, MLA style.

All APA style papers begin with a title page, which contains the title of the paper (in capital letters), your name, and your institutional affiliation (if you’re a student, then this is simply the name of the school you attend). The APA recommends the title of your paper not be longer than 12 words.

After your title page, your paper begins with an abstract. The abstract is a single paragraph, typically between 150 to 250 words, that sums up your research. It should include the topic you’re researching, research questions, methods, results, analysis, and a conclusion that touches on the significance of the research. Many people find it easier to write the abstract last, after completing the paper.

After the abstract comes the paper itself. APA essay format recommends papers be short, direct, and make their point clearly and concisely. This isn’t the time to use flowery language or extraneous descriptions. Your paper should include all the sections mentioned in the abstract, each expanded upon.

Following the paper is the list of references used. Unlike MLA style, in APA essay format, every source type is referenced differently. So the rules for referencing a book are different from those for referencing a journal article are different from those referencing an interview. Here’s a guide for how to reference different source types in APA format . Your references should begin on a new page that says “REFERENCES” at the top, centered. The references should be listed in alphabetical order.

Chicago Essay Format

Chicago style (sometimes referred to as “Turabian style”) was developed by the University of Chicago Press and is typically the least-used by students of the three major essay style formats. The Chicago Manual of Style (currently on its 17th edition) contains within its 1000+ pages every rule you need to know for this style. This is a very comprehensive style, with a rule for everything. It’s most often used in history-related fields, although many people refer to The Chicago Manual of Style for help with a tricky citation or essay format question. Many book authors use this style as well.

Like APA, Chicago style begins with a title page, and it has very specific format rules for doing this which are laid out in the chart below. After the title page may come an abstract, depending on whether you’re writing a research paper or not. Then comes the essay itself. The essay can either follow the introduction → body → conclusion format of MLA or the different sections included in the APA section. Again, this depends on whether you’re writing a paper on research you conducted or not.

Unlike MLA or APA, Chicago style typically uses footnotes or endnotes instead of in-text or parenthetical citations. You’ll place the superscript number at the end of the sentence (for a footnote) or end of the page (for an endnote), then have an abbreviated source reference at the bottom of the page. The sources will then be fully referenced at the end of the paper, in the order of their footnote/endnote numbers. The reference page should be titled “Bibliography” if you used footnotes/endnotes or “References” if you used parenthetical author/date in-text citations.

Comparison Chart

Below is a chart comparing different formatting rules for APA, Chicago, and MLA styles.

How Should You Format Your Essay If Your Teacher Hasn’t Specified a Format?

What if your teacher hasn’t specified which essay format they want you to use? The easiest way to solve this problem is simply to ask your teacher which essay format they prefer. However, if you can’t get ahold of them or they don’t have a preference, we recommend following MLA format. It’s the most commonly-used essay style for students writing papers that aren’t based on their own research, and its formatting rules are general enough that a teacher of any subject shouldn’t have a problem with an MLA format essay. The fact that this style has one of the simplest sets of rules for citing sources is an added bonus!

What's Next?

Thinking about taking an AP English class? Read our guide on AP English classes to learn whether you should take AP English Language or AP English Literature (or both!)

Compound sentences are an importance sentence type to know. Read our guide on compound sentences for everything you need to know about compound, complex, and compound-complex sentences.

Need ideas for a research paper topic? Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you.

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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Holly R. "I am absolutely overjoyed and cannot thank you enough for helping me!”

So much is at stake in writing a conclusion. This is, after all, your last chance to persuade your readers to your point of view, to impress yourself upon them as a writer and thinker. And the impression you create in your conclusion will shape the impression that stays with your readers after they've finished the essay.

The end of an essay should therefore convey a sense of completeness and closure as well as a sense of the lingering possibilities of the topic, its larger meaning, its implications: the final paragraph should close the discussion without closing it off.

To establish a sense of closure, you might do one or more of the following:

• Conclude by linking the last paragraph to the first, perhaps by reiterating a word or phrase you used at the beginning.
• Conclude with a sentence composed mainly of one-syllable words. Simple language can help create an effect of understated drama.
• Conclude with a sentence that's compound or parallel in structure; such sentences can establish a sense of balance or order that may feel just right at the end of a complex discussion.

To close the discussion without closing it off, you might do one or more of the following:

• Conclude with a quotation from or reference to a primary or secondary source, one that amplifies your main point or puts it in a different perspective. A quotation from, say, the novel or poem you're writing about can add texture and specificity to your discussion; a critic or scholar can help confirm or complicate your final point. For example, you might conclude an essay on the idea of home in James Joyce's short story collection,  Dubliners , with information about Joyce's own complex feelings towards Dublin, his home. Or you might end with a biographer's statement about Joyce's attitude toward Dublin, which could illuminate his characters' responses to the city. Just be cautious, especially about using secondary material: make sure that you get the last word.
• Conclude by setting your discussion into a different, perhaps larger, context. For example, you might end an essay on nineteenth-century muckraking journalism by linking it to a current news magazine program like  60 Minutes .
• Conclude by redefining one of the key terms of your argument. For example, an essay on Marx's treatment of the conflict between wage labor and capital might begin with Marx's claim that the "capitalist economy is . . . a gigantic enterprise of dehumanization "; the essay might end by suggesting that Marxist analysis is itself dehumanizing because it construes everything in economic -- rather than moral or ethical-- terms.
• Conclude by considering the implications of your argument (or analysis or discussion). What does your argument imply, or involve, or suggest? For example, an essay on the novel  Ambiguous Adventure , by the Senegalese writer Cheikh Hamidou Kane, might open with the idea that the protagonist's development suggests Kane's belief in the need to integrate Western materialism and Sufi spirituality in modern Senegal. The conclusion might make the new but related point that the novel on the whole suggests that such an integration is (or isn't) possible.

Finally, some advice on how not to end an essay:

• Don't simply summarize your essay. A brief summary of your argument may be useful, especially if your essay is long--more than ten pages or so. But shorter essays tend not to require a restatement of your main ideas.
• Avoid phrases like "in conclusion," "to conclude," "in summary," and "to sum up." These phrases can be useful--even welcome--in oral presentations. But readers can see, by the tell-tale compression of the pages, when an essay is about to end. You'll irritate your audience if you belabor the obvious.
• Resist the urge to apologize. If you've immersed yourself in your subject, you now know a good deal more about it than you can possibly include in a five- or ten- or 20-page essay. As a result, by the time you've finished writing, you may be having some doubts about what you've produced. (And if you haven't immersed yourself in your subject, you may be feeling even more doubtful about your essay as you approach the conclusion.) Repress those doubts. Don't undercut your authority by saying things like, "this is just one approach to the subject; there may be other, better approaches. . ."

Copyright 1998, Pat Bellanca, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

How to Write an Argumentative Essay with Impact

When it comes to persuading others, legal professionals are masters. They use persuasive skills, like crafting compelling stories, to win cases in court. This shows how important it is to argue effectively, especially when the stakes are high. In our journey into argumentative essays, we'll learn how to structure our writing well, predict counterarguments, and tell a convincing story.

With help of our argumentative essay writer , you'll learn how to organize your ideas, support your arguments, and see examples that make it all clearer. Whether you're new to writing an argumentative essay or have some experience, come along to become better at arguing your point.

What Is an Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays deal with topics that spark different opinions. Here, writers take a stand on an issue and back it up with evidence and reasons. The topic should be something people can have different views on. The goal isn't just to share an opinion but to persuade others to agree with the writer.

In these essays, writers use strong and convincing language, similar to when learning how to write persuasive essay . They try to make readers see their point of view. For example, in an essay about online education, the writer might say:

'Online education offers more flexibility and access compared to traditional classrooms.'

This statement sets up the essay to discuss reasons, evidence, and examples supporting this view. These essays rely on facts, stats, research, and examples to prove the writer's points.

If you find writing such essays daunting, don't worry. There are skilled writers who can help. If you feel like saying, ' Write essay for me !' let experienced writers handle it with their expertise.

Argumentative Essay Examples

Let's check out some example essays where convincing arguments, backed by facts and clear language, have made a big difference. These stories not only inspire us but also teach us valuable lessons on how to effectively sway opinions and create compelling narratives that resonate with others.

Argumentative Essay Example ‍

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Argumentative Essay Outline

Understanding how to structure an argumentative essay goes beyond having strong opinions. It involves creating a clear framework that helps both the writer and the reader follow a logical flow of ideas. In this part, we'll look closely at three different ways to outline an argumentative essay: the Aristotelian (Classic) method, the Toulmin model, and the Rogerian strategy. Each method has its own structure, giving writers various tools to craft convincing and well-organized arguments.

Aristotelian (Classic)

The Aristotelian approach, also known as the Classic method, pays homage to the ancient wisdom of Aristotle's rhetorical principles. This argumentative essay structure is composed of three distinct movements: introduction, body, and conclusion.

Introduction :

• Initiate with a captivating hook to captivate the reader's attention.
• Offer background context to illuminate the significance of the topic at hand.
• Articulate a clear and concise thesis statement that unequivocally states your position.
• Deploy the power of logos (logical appeal) by presenting concrete evidence, factual information, and cogent reasoning.
• Establish ethos (ethical appeal) by integrating reputable sources to bolster your credibility and authority.
• Evoke pathos (emotional appeal) to resonate with the reader's emotions and forge a deeper connection.

Conclusion :

• Synthesize the main arguments and insights discussed throughout the essay.
• Reiterate the thesis to leave a lasting impression on the reader.
• Conclude with a poignant and thought-provoking closing statement that lingers in the reader's mind.

Crafted by philosopher Stephen Toulmin, this model zooms in on the pieces of an argument puzzle and how they fit together. Here's the breakdown, tailor-made by our team at dissertation writing services :

Claim : Clearly state your main argument or point.

Grounds : Back up your claim with evidence and support.

Warrant : Connect the dots between your claim and the evidence provided.

Backing : Give more backup for your reasoning.

Qualifier : Recognize any limitations or boundaries to your argument.

Rebuttal : Take on opposing views and arguments head-on.

Inspired by psychologist Carl Rogers, the Rogerian method for writing an argumentative essay prioritizes building bridges and fostering empathy.

• Set a neutral tone to encourage open-mindedness.
• Acknowledge the complexity of the topic to show understanding.
• Introduce the issue from various viewpoints to provide a broader understanding.
• Clearly state your stance while acknowledging opposing viewpoints to demonstrate fairness.
• Explore common ground and areas of agreement to foster understanding.
• Present your perspective with empathy, respecting differing opinions.
• Highlight shared objectives and potential areas for compromise to promote cooperation.
• Encourage ongoing dialogue to continue exploring solutions.

Argumentative Essay Structure

Understanding how to write an argumentative essay requires a structured approach that leads both writer and reader through a compelling narrative. Let's break it down into key parts: introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs, and conclusion.

• Capture attention with a striking opener. 'In a world driven by environmental concerns, the debate over renewable energy sources becomes increasingly critical.'
• Offer a brief context to the topic. 'With the looming threat of climate change, society grapples with the urgent need for sustainable energy solutions.'
• Clearly state your stance. 'This essay argues that investing in solar energy is imperative for combating climate change and securing a greener future.'

Thesis Statement:

• Example: 'Investing in solar energy infrastructure is not only environmentally responsible but also economically advantageous.'

Body Paragraphs:

• Introduce the main idea. 'Solar energy presents a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels.'
• Provide supporting facts or examples. 'Research shows that solar power installations have steadily increased over the past decade, demonstrating growing global interest in renewable energy.'
• Explain the significance of the evidence. 'This trend indicates a shifting mindset towards clean energy, driven by concerns over climate change and dwindling fossil fuel reserves.'
• Recap key arguments. 'In summary, investing in solar energy offers a viable solution to mitigate climate change and reduce dependence on non-renewable resources.'
• Restate your thesis. 'Embracing solar energy not only addresses environmental challenges but also promotes sustainable economic development.'
• End with a compelling thought. 'By harnessing the power of the sun, we can pave the way for a brighter, cleaner future for generations to come.'

Building a Compelling Argumentative Essay Thesis

Crafting a strong thesis statement is essential for a persuasive argumentative essay. Let's dive into a guide that will help you create a thesis statement that grabs attention and sets the stage for your essay.

Ask a Provocative Question and Answer It

Start by igniting curiosity with a thought-provoking question that directly connects to your topic. Then, provide a clear and insightful response that not only sets the stage for your argument but also hints at the complexities and nuances surrounding the issue.

Example: 'Is the use of smartphones beneficial for children's development? This essay argues that while smartphones offer educational opportunities, excessive screen time may hinder social skills.'

Introduce Your Argument and Address Contrary Views

A good argumentative essay should begin with a bold assertion of your main claim. However, to truly enrich your position, it's important to delve deeper by acknowledging and addressing opposing perspectives. This not only showcases a nuanced understanding of the topic but also reinforces the validity of your argument.

Example: 'While many believe that technology improves productivity, it's crucial to consider its potential drawbacks. This essay asserts that while technology enhances efficiency, it can also lead to information overload and burnout.'

Outline Your Main Points for Clarity

Provide a brief overview of the key points you'll explore in your essay. This helps clarify your direction and prepares your reader for the arguments ahead.

Example: 'In examining the impact of technology on work-life balance, we'll explore the benefits of remote work, the challenges of constant connectivity, and strategies for achieving harmony between work and personal life.'

By adding these steps from our experts in research paper help to your thesis-building process, you establish a base that not only clearly expresses your standpoint but also captivates readers with interesting questions, challenges, and key points that will unfold in your essay.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay with Quick Steps

Let's break down each part of your writing process step by step. By embracing these steps, you'll sail through the challenges of argumentative writing, crafting a piece that not only shares your thoughts clearly but also grabs the attention and persuades your readers along the way.

Generating Ideas

Before you start writing, take some time to brainstorm ideas. Research different viewpoints and gather information about your topic. Try techniques like freewriting or mind mapping to explore various angles and gather a range of perspectives. This phase is all about gathering a pool of ideas so that you can choose the strongest arguments to support your essay later on.

Getting Ready

Preparation is key before diving into the writing process. Organize your thoughts and argumentative essay topics into a coherent structure. Develop a focused thesis statement that not only communicates your main point but also sets the tone for your entire essay. This stage is crucial for refining your focus and ensuring that each part of your essay supports your central argument effectively.

Putting Pen to Paper

Now it's time to start writing! Maintain a logical progression in your essay as you draft your ideas. Begin with an engaging introduction that introduces your topic and presents your thesis statement. In the body paragraphs, explore each argument thoroughly, providing supporting evidence and examples. Don't forget to address potential counterarguments to demonstrate a well-rounded understanding of the topic. This step is all about fleshing out your ideas and constructing a compelling narrative.

Perfecting Your Work

Once you've finished drafting, it's time to refine your essay. Review your arguments to ensure they flow logically and contribute effectively to your thesis. Pay attention to the clarity of your language and the strength of your evidence. This stage allows you to fine-tune the persuasiveness of your essay, transforming it from a draft into a polished piece of writing.

Polishing the Final Product

Now it's time for the finishing touches! Meticulously proofread your essay to ensure it's polished and impactful. Check for grammar, punctuation, and sentence structure errors. Make sure your writing style remains consistent throughout and clarify any parts that may be unclear. In the conclusion, revisit your thesis statement and leave your reader with a thought-provoking statement that lingers in their mind. This attention to detail ensures that your argumentative essay not only captivates but also showcases your writing skills effectively.

Essential Argumentative Essay Tips

Our tips on writing an argumentative essay work just as effectively as they do for any other type of essay. So, if you're in need of additional guidance, here are some specific tips that can help you craft persuasive arguments:

Strengthen Your Case with Solid Facts

Ensure your argument is supported by reliable facts and evidence. Utilize research, data, and examples to reinforce your points. You can also use our essay writing help helping you ground your argument in verifiable information, demonstrate credibility and strengthen your position.

Example: Drawing from recent studies by leading environmental organizations, it's clear that deforestation has reached alarming levels, with devastating consequences for ecosystems worldwide. For instance, a study published in the Journal of Environmental Science found that deforestation contributes to biodiversity loss, soil erosion, and disruptions in the water cycle, highlighting the urgent need for conservation efforts.

Take Charge with Language

While learning how to write an argumentative essay, remember to choose your words carefully to convey your argument persuasively. Adopt a tone that is confident yet respectful, and craft your sentences to engage and convince your audience. The language you use can influence how your argument is perceived, so wield it skillfully to make a compelling case.

Example: Without a doubt, the urgency of addressing climate change demands immediate action and concerted efforts from policymakers and individuals alike. As evidenced by recent climate reports, the consequences of inaction are dire, with rising global temperatures leading to more frequent and severe weather events, loss of biodiversity, and threats to food security.

Employ Tools for Effective Writing

Similar to learning how to write an explanatory essay , structure your arguments logically, with a clear introduction, well-developed body paragraphs, and a concise conclusion. Use transition words to guide your reader smoothly through your argument. Incorporate rhetorical devices to add depth and resonance to your writing, making your arguments more impactful and memorable.

Example: Transitioning from the causes of environmental degradation to potential solutions, the essay navigates a range of approaches, each offering a unique perspective on balancing ecological preservation with human needs. For instance, implementing reforestation projects and promoting sustainable land management practices are crucial steps in mitigating the effects of deforestation and preserving natural habitats for future generations.

In this guide, we've covered the basics of crafting great argumentative essays. We've looked at everything from coming up with ideas to refining your final draft, sharing helpful strategies and tips along the way. With these insights into language, facts, and writing techniques, you're all set to create essays that really grab attention and persuade your readers. Consider this your starting point for smooth and confident argumentative writing.

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Arizona’s Zombie Abortion Ban Is Back. It’s Every State’s Future If Trump Wins.

On Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled that its total abortion ban, a seemingly dead law dating back to 1864, is once again enforceable, despite more recent legislation that seemed to supercede it. The zombie ban makes virtually all abortions a felony, imposing a prison sentence of two to five years for any provider. There is no exception for rape or incest. The law was enacted before women could vote, and was long presumed to be permanently unenforceable. But the Arizona Supreme Court’s conservative majority, by a 4–2 margin, has now revived it. Republican governors appointed all seven justices on the bench, and the GOP recently expanded the court to entrench this far-right majority—which had no trouble finding that a ban enacted in an era in which women were chattel remains good law in 2024. As a result of this ruling, in 14 days almost every abortion in Arizona will be a crime, and nearly every clinic will close its doors. For all intents and purposes, it’s 1864 again for pregnant people in Arizona.

The decision should serve as a warning for the rest of the country, in light of ongoing efforts to revive the Comstock Act: In the hands of a far-right court, a dead, openly misogynistic, wildly unpopular abortion ban can spring back to life with a vengeance.

This zombie law was passed in 1864, long before Arizona was a state, and was codified in 1901, at which point it included a narrow exception to save the patient’s life. Much more recently, Arizona has passed less restrictive abortion laws, including a 15-week ban that appeared to wipe out more severe bans that preceded it. In late 2022, after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the Arizona Court of Appeals ruled that the two conflicting abortion laws in the state had to be reconciled, or “harmonized.” It maintained that abortion would remain legal through 15 weeks when provided by licensed physicians in compliance with the state’s other laws.

But on Tuesday, the Arizona Supreme Court, tasked with finally “harmonizing” Arizona’s 15-week abortion ban with the total ban dating back to hoop skirts, ruled that in the aftermath of Roe ’s reversal in Dobbs, the total ban takes precedence: The more recent 15-week restriction, wrote the majority, “does not create a right to, or otherwise provide independent statutory authority for, an abortion that repeals or restricts” the 1864 law, “but rather is predicated entirely on the existence of a federal constitutional right to an abortion since disclaimed” by Dobbs. In other words, in “harmonizing” the two laws, the harsher one wins out—even though, as the dissenters noted, the Legislature seemed to override this absolute ban when passing the recent 15-week limit. And so, starting in two weeks, even rape victims at the earliest stage of pregnancy may not obtain a legal abortion in Arizona.

Since Dobbs, nearly two dozen states have banned or limited access to the procedure. Arizona now joins those states with almost no exceptions , according to the Guttmacher Institute. As was the case with the far-right Florida Supreme Court’s interpretation of that state’s constitution last week , the majority simply ignored any evidence that the original meaning and text of the recent law provided greater protections for reproductive freedom. Instead, the majority rejected the Legislature’s evident intent to supplant the Civil War–era law with a more lenient ban. As a consolation, it gestured toward the fact that Arizona voters will likely have an opportunity to enact a ballot initiative restoring reproductive rights. So Arizona now joins Florida as a state in which the high court takes away reproductive freedom with one hand while allowing it to go to a popular vote with the other. Abortion-rights groups say they have enough signatures to put the abortion amendment on the November ballot, creating a fundamental right to receive abortion care until viability. Unlike Florida, where amendments need 60 percent approval to pass, Arizona allows amendments to take effect with simple majority support. (Note, as well, that two justices in the majority on Tuesday have retention elections in November; if ousted, Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs can replace them with progressives.)

In an election year in which winning the state of Arizona is an absolutely essential factor for the GOP, the abortion dog continues to catch the electoral car in ways that can only hurt Donald Trump and the GOP extremists who seek to harm women’s health and equality. So long as voters are aware of the game as it’s being played and what the stakes will be, Republicans faces the potential for heaving losses. So these efforts to do that which is extraordinarily unpopular must happen via subterfuge, wink-wink nudge-nudge public statements about states’ rights and not taking a national position on abortion, while the courts and would-be Trump administration functionaries do all the quiet dirty work. The self-evident tension between the massive public rebuke of Dobbs —in the form of state ballot initiatives and referenda , local special elections , and state Supreme Court races —and the unabating efforts by rogue legislatures and fringe Supreme Courts to roll back abortion rights, was in evidence with Donald Trump’s refusal to state a coherent position on abortion on Monday : Turning back the clock for women is a demonstrably losing issue at the ballot box. And when candidate Trump says he wants to return the issue of abortion to the states, what he is really saying is that Arizona is free to return the issue to the time before doctors understood the value of hand-washing . (Also, why would anyone take his word on anything, ever?)

What happened in Alabama in February , in Florida last week, and in Arizona on Tuesday makes it clear that returning the reproductive freedom landscape to the Victorian age requires subverting whatever happens in elections. That’s why this massive rollback will be achieved by antidemocratic measures, including promises to breathe new life into the Comstock Act, and revanchist theocratic decisions from courts attempting to do away with IVF and rape exceptions in the name of fetal and embryonic personhood .

Comstock, in particular, is an instructive comparison here. That 1873 law, read expansively, bans all abortions , including both medication and in-clinic procedures. Indeed, far-right lawyers are at the Supreme Court trying to weaponize it against abortion pills right now. Trump’s top lawyers, including Jonathan Mitchell, have said that they plan to use Comstock as a nationwide ban on abortion if Trump regains office. They tell us that they intend to stay quiet about this scheme until after the election, at which point they will prepare for an executive order accompanied by prosecutions and regulations that make abortion a federal felony in all 50 states. The plot is similar to what just happened in Arizona: Republicans enacted a seemingly moderate 15-week ban, only to stand by and watch as their colleagues on a GOP-packed court resuscitated a total ban passed during the Civil War. Democratic Attorney General Kris Mayes—who beat her anti-abortion opponent in 2022 by 280 votes—has said she won’t prosecute violations of the law. But GOP county attorneys have rejected Mayes’ efforts to shield doctors and may well seek to charge any providers that stay open, throwing access into immediate jeopardy.

The next time someone tells you they really worry about abortion rights, but that President Biden is just too old , please gently remind them that Joe Biden is not, in fact 160. That is the age of the law that will soon be sending abortion providers to prison in Arizona if they attempt to assist a victim of rape or incest. If edgy modernity is truly your thing, be afraid of Republican judges who are at war with modernity itself; they will gladly welcome the assistance of pro-choice voters whose apathy facilitates the rollback of women’s equal citizenship. And it’s now abundantly clear that we’re not rolling back the tape to the 1970s or to the 1920s. The project is to set your clocks back to the time when women didn’t even matter enough to have a vote.

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Guest Essay

My Story Was Told in ‘Hotel Rwanda.’ Here’s What I Want the World to Know Now.

By Paul Rusesabagina

Mr. Rusesabagina is the president and founder of the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation.

This week, the world will again turn its eyes toward Rwanda. April 6 marks 30 years since the start of one of the most horrific events in modern history, the 1994 Rwandan genocide. Nearer in time but not unrelated, it has been just over one year since I left Rwanda and returned to the United States, released from prison after 939 days in captivity .

I have not yet spoken at length about what those years in a Rwandan prison were like, or about the daily reality for Rwandan political prisoners who, like me, found themselves behind bars for exercising their freedom of expression. It has been a long year of physical and emotional recovery that has allowed me finally to put pen to paper again, and I expect the healing process will last the rest of my life.

The experience of being kidnapped, tortured, imprisoned and silenced by those whom I had used my voice to criticize is difficult to describe. At many times during my captivity I believed I would be silenced for good, and that I would never again see my wife, my children and my grandchildren. But today I am a free man. And as we face this important and difficult milestone, I feel grateful to be able to join with my fellow Rwandans and reflect on what, if anything, we can take from this terrible chapter of our shared history.

For me and for so many Rwandans, the 1994 genocide remains the focal point of my life. The months of April to July 1994 were a time of incomprehensible horror, in which our beautiful country was dragged into hell by brutal violence and killings on a scale previously unimaginable. At some points in the crisis, as many as 10,000 people were butchered in a day, primarily by machetes and other crude weapons. Even now, three decades later, and even for those of us who saw the killings firsthand, it is impossible to process the depravity and the gravity of the loss.

At the time, I was the manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital, where I tried to protect not only my own young family but also the 1,268 people who sought shelter within the walls of the hotel. Their bravery, and our daily macabre dance with death, became the backdrop of the 2004 film “Hotel Rwanda.” This film brought to the screen our compromising, negotiating and begging with our would-be executioners to try to keep the waiting militia at bay.

This experience is still difficult for each one of us to relive. I am grateful to have survived it. I am also grateful for the two personal lessons I decided to take from living through this atrocity. The first: Never, ever, ever give up. This is what sustained me when I was kidnapped in August 2020 by an operative of the Rwandan intelligence services and wrongfully detained in Rwanda on charges of terrorism and other crimes, along with others who were critical of the current government. The second: Words are our most effective weapons when we are confronted by those who seek to oppress and victimize others.

Both of these lessons are on my mind today, as the world considers the state of Rwanda 30 years after the genocide brought us to our knees.

Now Rwanda is viewed by many nations as an important global partner — a partner that has bravely rebuilt itself into a thriving and inclusive modern society. But it is increasingly difficult to remain blind to the jailing — and even the disappearances and killings — of those who criticize or challenge the Rwandan government’s power. Independent journalists, human rights advocates and opposition political parties are nearly absent from the landscape of Rwandan civil society today. This is not a reconciled or inclusive society; it is an authoritarian state.

The rest of the world should stop looking the other way. As a global community, we are being confronted with the rise of authoritarianism and the co-opting of institutions meant to support basic liberties, such as the freedom of press, speech and association. Throughout the world, politics is being used as a tool to promote division, and in some cases violence, in order to gain or maintain power. We continue to see the fundamental human rights that we fought so hard for being upheld only for certain people in certain circumstances. And, as is so often the case, the vulnerable members of society are the ones who pay the greatest price. Rwanda, which today lacks strong democratic institutions and free and fair elections, is not immune to these problems.

I believe that it becomes the role of those of us who have been empowered by our circumstances to speak out, to act as a check on abuses of power and to resist the erosion of our fundamental rights. It is imperative to speak against those who seek to reduce civic space and basic freedoms for their own political gain, choose to fuel violence for profit and openly engage in brutal wars for material wealth. This becomes our work, even if speaking out puts us in the direct line of fire, as it has for me and my family.

Thirty years on from the Rwandan genocide, there is still cause for hope. We can see young Rwandans all over the world continuing to advocate genuine reconciliation and the building of a democratic Rwanda, despite the overt risks of doing so. We can see the bravery and unfailing resolve of the women of Iran and Afghanistan and those who support them. We can see the open resistance of people in Myanmar, Ukraine, Syria and Sudan standing up to tyranny and oppression. Their courage reminds us that it is our collective duty to counter autocratic regimes and policies and promote equality and, above all, peace.

This is my prayer, and hope, for the next 30 years, for Rwanda and beyond.

Paul Rusesabagina served as manager of the Hôtel des Mille Collines in Kigali during the Rwandan genocide, a story later told in the film “Hotel Rwanda.” In 2005, he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He is the president and founder of the Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation.

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Lizzo Pens New Essay About Her Feelings Amid Controversy Over 'I Quit' Statement

Lizzo is opening up about her feelings and how she overcame “rules” ingrained in her since childhood.

The 35-year-old singer recently alluded to various controversies surrounding her and declared, “ I didn’t sign up for this s-it. I QUIT. ”

However, days later, she clarified what she meant by saying she quits , confirming that she’s not quitting music.

Now, Lizzo shared a Tumblr post of an essay she penned, where she talks about her feelings and how she was essentially taught to suppress her own feelings when she was a kid.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Melissa hated her feelings,” the essay on her Tumblr page began. “She buried them in a chest in the 5th grade (along with her ability to express them). Other peoples’ feelings on the other hand was her forte. She could process, decipher and regurgitate other peoples emotions effortlessly.”

Lizzo went in to talk about how when she was a child, she would have to help mediate family fights, and there were three rules, “1.) Don’t cry. 2.) Stay neutral; Deescalate 3.)Don’t take anything personal. This isn’t about you.”

She shared one particular instance where she broke all the rules, then how after her father passed away, she still wouldn’t break the rules, and how “Traumas began to compact on Melissa, as they do.”

After putting pain into rock music, she started to find “reason and purpose” in her voice.

Lizzo concluded, “Melissa began to fall for her feelings. Her feelings gave life purpose. They weren’t always logical, as feelings seldom are. They were sloppy and embarrassing and rude and so fucking uncomfortable. But they were hers. And they were real. And when she sat alone sipping wine, staring at the moon…They were the only ones still by her side. Ready to break the rules for her because they loved her. And she finally loved them back.”

Check out Lizzo’s full essay below…

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:

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See an example

An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

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!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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J. Cole Shocked the World With His Kendrick Apology. But We Should Have All Seen It Coming.

This feud was never J. Cole’s path to take, and that reality is only underscored by his life and rhymes up until this point.

Words by John Kennedy — Last night, J. Cole did the unthinkable. But knowing the way he’s moved for the past decade, should we really be surprised?

In the closing performance of his Dreamville Festival in Raleigh, N.C., Cole renounced a days-old “7 Minute Drill” diss track to Kendrick Lamar and expressed regret for disingenuously succumbing to public and private pressure to respond to the Compton MC’s jabs on Future and Metro Boomin’s “Like That.” He even went so far as to call it “the lamest shit I did in my fuckin’ life.”

Hip-hop has rarely seen such a brief and anticlimactic clash of this magnitude, which has put the meme machine and hot-take spin cycle into overdrive. After hearing the surprisingly complimentary “7 Minute Drill,” which was criticized by some as the nicest diss song of all time, Joe Budden suggested that, word to De La Soul, the stakes were too high for Cole . Others questioned whether his song made its intended impact or if he was scared of Kendrick’s retort. Regardless of whether you applaud or spurn the 39-year-old rapper’s move, the truth is, this feud was never Cole’s path to take. And that reality is only underscored by his life and rhymes up until this point.

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Ten years ago, in the aftermath of Kendrick’s ground-shaking challenge to his peers on Big Sean’s 2013 “Control,” Cole decided he would do rap stardom differently. His third studio album, 2014 Forest Hills Drive , replaced a previous thirst for validation with contentment (see “Love Yourz,” where he recognizes comparison as a killer of joy). He also became more peaceful. On that project’s closer, “Note to Self,” Cole namechecks Drake, Wale, and, yes, Kendrick, insisting, “We gotta be the example, we gotta show these niggas, man. It's love at the top.” On “Fire Squad,” he adds, “Ain’t gon’ be no more kings,” evoking imagery of destroying the proverbial rap crown like Frodo completing his Mordor mission.

This self-awareness and ego-shedding became a consistent thread in Cole’s work: He preaches gratitude to a “bitter” nameless rapper (postulated by many to be Wale) on the 2016 track “False Prophets,” pays homage to Drake on 2019’s “Middle Child,” and takes a humble stance on the big three with “Heaven’s EP” two years later. When Cole appeared on an episode of Kevin Durant ’s The ETCs podcast in 2021, he specifically spoke about quelling his desire to one-up Drizzy or Kung-Fu Kenny: “As I’ve gotten older, I realize…no one is truly my peer or can relate to what’s going on in my life better than these people right here. And I really genuinely fuck with these dudes.”

Around 2018, Cole went from being a beacon of self-contained artistry to king of the guest verse, outshining his musical comrades at every opportunity. Throughout this celebrated feature run, his boasts became more and more brazen. He found increasingly inventive ways to insist your favorite rapper can’t fuck with him, coming up with elaborate scenarios about lyrical spars with Jesus and spooky collaboration requests via FaceTime. Cole is a traditionalist and student of the sport. He understands as well as anyone that competition comes with the territory—even if he didn’t name names or belittle anyone specifically while applying pressure.

The braggadocio seemed par for the course until Cole name-dropped Kendrick on a song with Dot’s rap nemesis (Drake’s “First Person Shooter”) last year, citing the three artists as the “hardest” MCs. That praise apparently wasn’t high enough for Kendrick, who tossed the gauntlet on “Like That” in response. Although most of his smoke was for Drake, Cole was indirectly hit with some shrapnel. After he’d been beating his chest over these past few years, Cole had all but been cornered into shooting back—a reaction that recalls his 2021 track “Let Go My Hand” (“With my reputation at stake/I was scufflin’ just to save face"). Instead of taking a beat to whoosah , Cole called into question one of his generation’s most sterling musical catalogs: “Your first shit was classic, your last shit was tragic/Your second shit put niggas to sleep, but they gassed it.” 

Based on Cole’s M.O. this past decade, it’s clear he didn’t want to trade shots with an artist he’s supported since his breakout. (It’s apparent in “7 Minute Drill,” too, from the dispassionate delivery to the time spent penning it , as alluded to in the title.) Yet, as an artist who grew up idolizing battle-tested rappers like Jay-Z, Pac, Nas, Canibus, and Eminem, he likely considered it a necessary career canon event. So he went against his nature, backpedaled, and apologized, which only created a bigger mess than if he’d simply ignored Kendrick. And here we are.

J. Cole speaks on “7 Minute Drill” 👀 “We’re taking that song off f***ing streaming services.” pic.twitter.com/I8SqyTMfRu — Complex Music (@ComplexMusic) April 8, 2024

“I got the world and I got my niggas like, ‘What you gonna do, Cole?’” he said last night, adding that he didn’t take offense to “Like That” and has great respect for Kendrick. “I felt conflicted because I don’t really feel no way. But the world wants to see blood.”

Pride is the devil, indeed. But what’s done is done. There’s a whole multiverse of ways this saga could’ve played out, but Cole’s ’s disengagement from rap’s royal rumble could have major  implications for his career (and potentially, the whole hierarchy of rap). It’s already eclipsed conversation around Might Delete Later , a strong batch of throwaways. Does it also negate the grandeur of Cole’s dazzling guest verse run? Will it forever relegate him to the third place—or worse—in conversations about the best blog-era rappers ever hosted on a Z-Share server? Does the fallout dampen the lofty expectations for The Fall Off ? At a time when he’s been rapping with competitive fire and obsessively committing himself to writing exercises , will this apology take the sting out of any brash lyrical boasts on the new album? Will he recover?

And then there’s Kendrick.

While attention will soon shift to the next phase of Drake and Kendrick’s long-simmering rivalry, it’s plausible that Cole will continue to catch heat from the latter. And even if Cole does manage to escape this inconvenient group chat, it feels inevitable that his apology will find its way into someone else’s rhyme book (likely his own too).

All that said, the internet has a short memory, so one can only be so pessimistic about Cole’s future. He built his personal brand on candor, transparency, and accountability. He’s been telling us, over and over for the past decade, what kind of man he is. His ability to admit that he moved in a misaligned manner—with sincere words about his friend and fellow rhymer—will likely endear fans to those qualities. And, ultimately, as Cole mentions in “7 Minute Drill” (which, interestingly, has yet to be pulled from streaming services, like he promised), he’s in his lyrical prime. At the end of the day, the day gotta end, but great music endures.

Take a moment to mourn how Cole’s cease-fire set ablaze our rap battle fantasies. But don’t get too down on him for 'humaning' in public. Yes, we may never know how a back-and-forth between these giants would’ve played out. Instead, we witnessed a gift we didn’t know we needed: an example of what it looks like to step onstage, scan an audience of more than 50,000 bloodthirsty fans, recognize your ego, and then choose peace over drama. Even if it might have career repercussions.

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Critic's Notebook: Sharper Than Ever, French Crime Classic ‘Le Samouraï' Might Be the Coolest Film Ever Made

SPOILER ALERT: The following essay discusses key plot points, including the ending.

Last weekend, I took in "Le Samouraï" for what must have been the sixth or seventh time, relishing the new 4K restoration of Jean-Pierre Melville's masterpiece (now playing at Laemmle theaters in Los Angeles). As I exited the screening, I discreetly eavesdropped on my fellow audience members. Most seemed impressed. A few were still processing what they'd seen: an existential study of a lone killer, told with radically little dialogue. "That wasn't at all what I expected," one woman told her friend. "I thought we were going to see some kind of samurai movie."

It's a reasonable assumption, given the film's title, although the 1967 crime classic takes place half a world away, in Paris, almost exactly a century after Japan's samurai era came to an end. I first saw "Le Samouraï" in the late '90s, encouraged by a rerelease that touted Hong Kong director John Woo's endorsement: "The closest thing to a perfect movie that I have ever seen." We agree on that point (Woo credits the film with shaping both "Hard Boiled" and "The Killer," and by extension much of Hong Kong cinema), to which I might add that it stars the most handsome actor ever to have appeared on-screen, Alain Delon.

The enigmatic title refers to the main character's mentality more than his métier: As played by a stone-faced Delon, Jef Costello is a hit man who kills on command. His master is whoever writes his checks, and his motive is simple: because he was paid. "What kind of man are you?" asks Valérie (Caty Rosier), the nightclub pianist who sees Jef exiting her boss's office moments after his murder. Later, when asked to identify Jef in a police lineup, she lies to the cops, swearing it couldn't have been him. Whatever Valérie's reason, that decision indebts Jef to the jazz musician, for he is governed by a code of honor greater than his own self-interest. Jef's internal sense of ethics trumps his contract and paves the way for the film's iconic ending.

"Le Samouraï" marked a new kind of role for Delon. By that point in his career, the star had worked with such titans as Luchino Visconti ("Rocco and His Brothers"), Michelangelo Antonioni ("L'Eclisse") and René Clément ("Purple Noon"), but he clicked with Melville as with no other, and considered the tough-minded war hero (who changed his last name, Grumbach, to disguise his Jewish identity during his service) to be their superior. The pair made three films together: "Le Samouraï," "Le Cercle Rouge" and "Un Flic." That partnership changed the course of Delon's career, establishing him as a worldwide action star alongside Jean-Paul Belmondo, who'd also starred in three Melville classics (of which "Le Doulos" could be seen as a rough draft for this movie).

"There is no greater solitude than that of the samurai, unless it is that of the tiger in the jungle, perhaps," announces an opening quotation attributed to "Bushido (Book of the Samurai)." Come to find, Melville made up the line, much as he did Joan McLeod's "The Ronin," from which he claimed to have adapted the story. No such novel exists. And yet, Melville was clearly inspired by Eastern philosophy, especially the code by which samurai put others' lives before their own. Variations on this theme echo throughout his filmography.

At the same time, Melville's most ardent obsession was American cinema. "Obsessed" isn't a strong enough word to describe his infatuation with Hollywood movies, as Melville - who sported a Stetson hat and sunglasses behind the wheel of his Ford Galaxy convertible - screened multiple films a day, cataloging them in his mind. Melville maintained a list of 63 prewar American directors whom he revered (to make the cut, they need only have made one film he truly adored), weaving homages to many of them into his own work. Long before Quentin Tarantino made it fashionable to make genre-movie pastiches, Melville was stealing and remixing elements that had impressed him. As such, "Le Samouraï" represents a cross between American crime films and Eastern chivalry, transposed to the streets, subways and shadier corners of Paris.

What may read as Zen-like to some could just as easily be described as Melville's attempt to achieve what Alfred Hitchcock called "pure cinema": telling a story visually, without dialogue. In "Le Samouraï," many scenes unfold wordlessly, with little more than jazz music or the chirp of the protagonist's pet bullfinch on the soundtrack. What's more, Melville meticulously limited the palette, describing his nearly monochromatic aesthetic as "black and white in color" (that approach extended even to the caged bird in Jef's apartment: Melville cast a female bullfinch, since they had more muted colors than the species' orange-breasted males).

Released the same year as "Bonnie and Clyde," "Le Samouraï" is in many ways the yin to that film's yang. The American gangster picture represents an attempt by New Hollywood talents to follow what the directors of France's Nouvelle Vague had introduced overseas, whereas Melville (whose independent spirit had inspired critics such as Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut to become filmmakers) was more of a classicist, taking his cues from American film noir. Jef Costello's silhouette - the dark fedora and the pale gray raincoat cinched at the waist, with its sharp upturned collar - was lifted directly from Alan Ladd's look in "This Gun for Hire." The assassin's white gloves were a personal addition of Melville's (film editor's gloves, which practically all his killers wear).

Both "Bonnie and Clyde" and "Le Samouraï" end with their (anti)heroes perforated by gunfire, even if the two films are otherwise quite different. As Clyde Barrow, Warren Beatty could hardly be more seductive, disarming audiences with his brown eyes and brilliant grin (it's always struck me as ironic, and more than a little unconvincing, that this Hollywood stud played the character as impotent). Arthur Penn's film is warm and sunny, jumping with life. In "Le Samouraï," by contrast, Delon actively suppresses his natural charisma. He embodies Jef as inexpressively as possible, which suits Melville's cool, methodical style.

Apart from the piercing stare of his icy blue eyes, Delon appears almost passive through much of the picture, to the extent that French critics dismissed "Delon's vacant face" (Le Nouvel Observateur") as being "as boring as a piece of wood" (Positif). In fact, there's an alertness to his gaze that conveys the character's coiled-spring potential. He's an intensely focused professional whose every move seems to be in service of the job at hand. In the opening scene, we see him lying in bed in a dingy gray apartment, so still he might go unnoticed if not for the puffs of smoke from his cigarette. (A disorienting camera move, in which Melville tracks and zooms in opposite directions, suggests a certain schizophrenia in the character.)

Melville had courted Delon on two previous projects, but the star had declined both roles. Now, as the director told film critic Rui Nogueira, "The reading took place at his apartment. With his elbows on his knees and his face buried in his hands, Alain listened without moving until suddenly, looking up to glance at his watch, he stopped me: ‘You've been reading the script for seven and a half minutes now and there hasn't been a word of dialogue. That's good enough for me. I'll do the film. What's the title?' ‘Le Samourai,' I told him. Without a word he signed to me to follow him. He led me to his bedroom: all it contained was a leather couch and a samurai's lance, sword and dagger."

In writing the role for Delon, the filmmaker had intuited something fundamental about the actor's persona. For his part, Delon stripped back what audiences were accustomed to seeing from a star to a bare minimum: no backstory, no psychology, composing his performance of deliberate, efficient gestures (drawing his gun, straightening the brim of his Borsalino) and the subtlest of micro-expressions. That choice, along with the character of Jef Costello, has since proven unquantifiably influential - even if the film itself wasn't released in the U.S. until 1972. It shaped the way James Caan played the title role in Michael Mann's "Thief," and explains Ryan Gosling's poker-faced turns in the Nicolas Winding Refn thrillers "Drive" and "Only God Forgives."

More than 10 minutes go by before the first word is spoken in "Le Samouraï," and it is Delon's then-wife, Nathalie, who breaks the silence. She plays Jane, a woman who'd sooner die than betray her lover to the police. "Jef?" she asks when he appears at her door. Jef has been preparing an airtight alibi, and he needs her to say he was there at the time of the anticipated murder. Their exchange is terse. Jef speaks in an emotionless monotone, which may be lost on readers of subtitles, but would become Delon's signature going forward.

After the shooting, Jane is called into police headquarters by the inspector (François Périer), and she sticks to the story Jef gave her. In most of Melville's movies - nearly all of which explore complex homosocial dynamics - female characters are incidental to the unspoken codes between men, whether it be partners in crime or adversaries on opposing sides of the law. Not so in "Le Samouraï." Apart from the shady garage operator who supplies Jef with fresh plates and a firearm, the only people loyal to Jef are women. Later, in a distinctly Melvillian twist, the cops confront Jane at home, aiming to pressure her into changing her testimony. "In other words, you want me to perjure myself, in return for which I'll be left alone. But if I stick to the truth and get in your way, then I won't hear the end of it. Is that it?" she challenges the inspector. (Just as telling, when two officers break in and bug Jef's apartment, Melville depicts another way in which the police bend the law.)

The blurring of the lines between right and wrong, crime and justice, run throughout Melville's oeuvre. In his next film, 1969's "Army of Shadows" - which did not receive a proper American release until 2006, at which point it topped The Village Voice's annual critics' poll - French Resistance fighters are constantly making tough moral choices. And in his next collaboration with Delon, 1970's "Le Cercle Rouge," the inspector blackmails a tight-lipped source by falsely arresting his son, only to have the young man kill himself in jail. Summarizing Melville's own philosophy, the police chief in that film says, "All men are guilty. They're born innocent, but it doesn't last."

Coming out of the Resistance himself, Melville had comrades in both law enforcement and the criminal underworld. He understood the complexity of both milieus, and didn't hold people to the same standards that the justice system might. A man's worth was defined by his actions, and even hoodlums ought to behave with honor. That explains the choice Jef makes in the film's inevitable yet surprising finale, a twist that proves every bit as calculated in its construction as his earlier double alibi. As Melville revealed to Nogueira, "The moment a man tells you ‘I was wrong,' I think he is completely, absolutely pardoned for his wrongs." And so, his climactic act should be read as a symbolic form of seppuku, a poetic self-sacrifice through which this coldblooded killer ultimately redeems himself.

More from Variety

• Remembering Jean-Paul Belmondo, the Suave French Film Icon Who Inspired Spielberg and Tarantino Alike
• Thierry Fremaux Says 'Cannes Will Always Side With Artists' at Alain Delon's Tribute