Introduce the topic.
Provide background information.
Present the thesis statement or main argument.
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An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here’s an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3
1. Introduction :
Example: “Did you know that plastic pollution is threatening marine life at an alarming rate?”
Example: “Plastic pollution has become a global environmental concern, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering our oceans yearly.”
Example: “We must take immediate action to reduce plastic usage and implement more sustainable alternatives to protect our marine ecosystem.”
2. Body Paragraphs :
Example: “The first step towards addressing the plastic pollution crisis is reducing single-use plastic consumption.”
Example: “Research shows that plastic straws alone contribute to millions of tons of plastic waste annually, and many marine animals suffer from ingestion or entanglement.”
Example: “Some argue that banning plastic straws is inconvenient for consumers, but the long-term environmental benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience.”
Example: “Having addressed the issue of single-use plastics, the focus must now shift to promoting sustainable alternatives.”
3. Counterargument Paragraph :
Example: “While some may argue that individual actions cannot significantly impact global plastic pollution, the cumulative effect of collective efforts must be considered.”
Example: “However, individual actions, when multiplied across millions of people, can substantially reduce plastic waste. Small changes in behavior, such as using reusable bags and containers, can have a significant positive impact.”
4. Conclusion :
Example: “In conclusion, adopting sustainable practices and reducing single-use plastic is crucial for preserving our oceans and marine life.”
Example: “It is our responsibility to make environmentally conscious choices and advocate for policies that prioritize the health of our planet. By collectively embracing sustainable alternatives, we can contribute to a cleaner and healthier future.”
A claim is a statement or proposition a writer puts forward with evidence to persuade the reader. 4 Here are some common types of argument claims, along with examples:
Understanding these argument claims can help writers construct more persuasive and well-supported arguments tailored to the specific nature of the claim.
If you’re wondering how to start an argumentative essay, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with the argumentative essay format and writing process.
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Here are eight strategies to craft a compelling argumentative essay:
Let’s consider a sample of argumentative essay on how social media enhances connectivity:
In the digital age, social media has emerged as a powerful tool that transcends geographical boundaries, connecting individuals from diverse backgrounds and providing a platform for an array of voices to be heard. While critics argue that social media fosters division and amplifies negativity, it is essential to recognize the positive aspects of this digital revolution and how it enhances connectivity by providing a platform for diverse voices to flourish. One of the primary benefits of social media is its ability to facilitate instant communication and connection across the globe. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram break down geographical barriers, enabling people to establish and maintain relationships regardless of physical location and fostering a sense of global community. Furthermore, social media has transformed how people stay connected with friends and family. Whether separated by miles or time zones, social media ensures that relationships remain dynamic and relevant, contributing to a more interconnected world. Moreover, social media has played a pivotal role in giving voice to social justice movements and marginalized communities. Movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #ClimateStrike have gained momentum through social media, allowing individuals to share their stories and advocate for change on a global scale. This digital activism can shape public opinion and hold institutions accountable. Social media platforms provide a dynamic space for open dialogue and discourse. Users can engage in discussions, share information, and challenge each other’s perspectives, fostering a culture of critical thinking. This open exchange of ideas contributes to a more informed and enlightened society where individuals can broaden their horizons and develop a nuanced understanding of complex issues. While criticisms of social media abound, it is crucial to recognize its positive impact on connectivity and the amplification of diverse voices. Social media transcends physical and cultural barriers, connecting people across the globe and providing a platform for marginalized voices to be heard. By fostering open dialogue and facilitating the exchange of ideas, social media contributes to a more interconnected and empowered society. Embracing the positive aspects of social media allows us to harness its potential for positive change and collective growth.
Writing a winning argumentative essay not only showcases your ability to critically analyze a topic but also demonstrates your skill in persuasively presenting your stance backed by evidence. Achieving this level of writing excellence can be time-consuming. This is where Paperpal, your AI academic writing assistant, steps in to revolutionize the way you approach argumentative essays. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Paperpal to write your essay:
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The length of an argumentative essay can vary, but it typically falls within the range of 1,000 to 2,500 words. However, the specific requirements may depend on the guidelines provided.
You might write an argumentative essay when: 1. You want to convince others of the validity of your position. 2. There is a controversial or debatable issue that requires discussion. 3. You need to present evidence and logical reasoning to support your claims. 4. You want to explore and critically analyze different perspectives on a topic.
Argumentative Essay: Purpose : An argumentative essay aims to persuade the reader to accept or agree with a specific point of view or argument. Structure : It follows a clear structure with an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, counterarguments and refutations, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is formal and relies on logical reasoning, evidence, and critical analysis. Narrative/Descriptive Essay: Purpose : These aim to tell a story or describe an experience, while a descriptive essay focuses on creating a vivid picture of a person, place, or thing. Structure : They may have a more flexible structure. They often include an engaging introduction, a well-developed body that builds the story or description, and a conclusion. Tone : The tone is more personal and expressive to evoke emotions or provide sensory details.
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By Julie Petersen
It doesn’t matter what courses you decide to take during college; your professors will probably expect you to write argumentative essays for most of them.
Argumentative writing is different from other types of papers (such as narrative, descriptive, or cause/effect). With this essay, you should investigate a topic from multiple angles. You’ll do that by collecting and evaluating evidence. Then, you’ll establish your position and support your thesis with undisputable facts.
The purpose of this type of academic writing is to convince the reader to consider your point of view.
How exactly do you write a powerful argumentative essay? You’re aware of the effect you should achieve, but how do you get there? We have some tips that will help you get better at argumentative writing.
Specific qualities you need for argumentative writing, developing the essay through stages, submit clean writing, looking for more solutions to improve your writing.
Before you start doing the research and writing the essay, you need to understand this type of assignment. Your professor gave you general instructions, but they didn’t tell you how to write a great paper. These are the main things you need to understand before you start:
Professors value great argumentative writing upon three qualities:
Before you start writing on a particular topic, make sure to craft an outline. Draft out the introduction points with the main thesis statement, the main arguments in the body paragraphs, and the point you’re going to make in the conclusion. This frame will keep you focused on the goal to provide precise arguments.
If, for example, you’re writing about the effects of air pollution on our environment, you cannot base your arguments on personal opinions. You’ll have to search for research studies that support those claims. The evidence is a crucial aspect of an argumentative paper. It’s what makes the reader believe that you have a point worthy of consideration.
This one is all about the style. It’s not okay to use big words just to make yourself sound smarter. When there’s a simple word for something, use that one. In addition, make sure the thoughts flow in a logical order, without any gaps that make the sections of the paper appear disconnected.
The argumentative essay usually comes in five paragraphs: introduction, three body paragraphs, and conclusion.
Some professors read only this part before deciding if they should continue spending time with your paper. Think as a lawyer: you have a unique chance to present your case and hook the audience. You can start by defining the major terms and providing some background on the topic. Then, at the end of the introduction, you will state your thesis in a clear, single sentence. The thesis shouldn’t be an obvious fact. It’s something that you can argue and support with evidence.
For example, a statement like “Traffic is contributing towards greater pollution” is not a solid thesis, since you can’t really argue about it. “Although eco-friendly cars are polluting the air less than traditional engines, they do not have the potential to decrease the levels of air pollution.” Now, that’s something we can argue with research and statistics.
The last thing you should do is waste time with fillers. Do not repeat the same statements in different words. In the usual structure of an argumentative essay, you should show three claims; one at the beginning of each paragraph. Then, you’ll support those claims with arguments and facts. Another alternative is presenting two claims supported with facts, and using the third body paragraph for showing and defying opposing opinions.
In the conclusion, you should restate your thesis statement and remind the reader how important this issue is. You connect all threads into a logical ending, which leaves the reader with an impression that they have learned something new. The conclusion should be logical and based on all arguments you presented throughout the body of the paper.
If you submit a paper that is poorly written and riddled with mistakes, it doesn’t matter how good your argument is. Your grade will be poor. Professors read all day long and so common errors like passive voice, over-reliance on adverbs, and poorly constructed sentences drive them crazy. Run your paper through an editing tool like ProWritingAid before you even think of handing anything in.
Try our Free Essay Checker today! Learn more about ProWritingAid's education solutions .
Editing technology like prowritingaid provides immediate, personalized feedback that will help students to better understand grammar and writing techniques., in this guide , we walk you through exactly how to use prowritingaid in your classroom and give you tools and templates for creating a rigorous, effective independent writing practice with your students..
Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.
Julie Petersen is a freelance writer and a blogger. She shares her experience with students on her educational blog askpetersen.com.
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Bonus Material: 10 complete example essays
Writing an essay can often feel like a Herculean task. How do you go from a prompt… to pages of beautifully-written and clearly-supported writing?
This 12-step method is for students who want to write a great essay that makes a clear argument.
In fact, using the strategies from this post, in just 88 minutes, one of our students revised her C+ draft to an A.
If you’re interested in learning how to write awesome argumentative essays and improve your writing grades, this post will teach you exactly how to do it.
First, grab our download so you can follow along with the complete examples.
Then keep reading to see all 12 essential steps to writing a great essay.
Download 10 example essays
One of the most common mistakes that students make when writing is to just dive in haphazardly without a plan.
Writing is a bit like cooking. If you’re making a meal, would you start throwing ingredients at random into a pot? Probably not!
Instead, you’d probably start by thinking about what you want to cook. Then you’d gather the ingredients, and go to the store if you don’t already have them in your kitchen. Then you’d follow a recipe, step by step, to make your meal.
Here’s our 12-step recipe for writing a great argumentative essay:
Grab our download to see the complete example at every stage, along with 9 great student essays. Then let’s go through the steps together and write an A+ essay!
Sometimes you might be assigned a topic by your instructor, but often you’ll have to come up with your own idea!
If you don’t pick the right topic, you can be setting yourself up for failure.
Be careful that your topic is something that’s actually arguable —it has more than one side. Check out our carefully-vetted list of 99 topic ideas .
Let’s pick the topic of laboratory animals . Our question is should animals be used for testing and research ?
Download our set of 10 great example essays to jump to the finished version of this essay.
One of the big differences between the way an academic argumentative essay and the version of the assignment that you may have done in elementary school is that for an academic argumentative essay, we need to support our arguments with evidence .
Where do we get that evidence?
Let’s be honest, we all are likely to start with Google and Wikipedia.
Now, Wikipedia can be a useful starting place if you don’t know very much about a topic, but don’t use Wikipedia as your main source of evidence for your essay.
Instead, look for reputable sources that you can show to your readers as proof of your arguments. It can be helpful to read some sources from either side of your issue.
Look for recently-published sources (within the last 20 years), unless there’s a specific reason to do otherwise.
Good places to look for sources are:
Some of these sources are typically behind a paywall. This can be frustrating when you’re a middle-school or high-school student.
However, there are often ways to get access to these sources. Librarians (at your school library or local public library) can be fantastic resources, and they can often help you find a copy of the article or book you want to read. In particular, librarians can help you use Interlibrary Loan to order books or journals to your local library!
More and more scientists and other researchers are trying to publish their articles for free online, in order to encourage the free exchange of knowledge. Check out respected open-access platforms like arxiv.org and PLOS ONE .
How do you find these sources?
If you have access to an academic database like JSTOR or EBSCO , that’s a great place to start.
Everyone can use Google Scholar to search for articles. This is a powerful tool and highly recommended!
Of course, if there’s a term you come across that you don’t recognize, you can always just Google it!
How many sources do you need? That depends on the length of your essay and on the assignment. If your instructor doesn’t give you any other guidance, assume that you should have at least three good sources.
For our topic of animal research, here’s a few sources that we could assemble:
Geoff Watts. “Animal Testing: Is It Worth It?” BMJ: British Medical Journal , Jan. 27, 2007, Vol. 334, No. 7586 (Jan. 27, 2007), pp. 182-184.
Kim Bartel Sheehan and Joonghwa Lee. “What’s Cruel About Cruelty Free: An Exploration of Consumers, Moral Heuristics, and Public Policy.” Journal of Animal Ethics , Vol. 4, No. 2 (Fall 2014), pp. 1-15.
Justin Goodman, Alka Chandna and Katherine Roe. “Trends in animal use at US research facilities.” Journal of Medical Ethics , July 2015, Vol. 41, No. 7 (July 2015), pp. 567-569.
Katy Taylor. “Recent Developments in Alternatives to Animal Testing.” In Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change . Brill 2019.
Thomas Hartung. “Research and Testing Without Animals: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Heading?” In Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change . Brill 2019.
Bonus: download 10 example essays now .
Once you have a nice pile of sources, it’s time to read them!
As we read, we want to take notes that will be useful to us later as we write our essay.
We want to be careful to keep the source’s ideas separate from our own ideas . Come up with a system to clearly mark the difference as you’re taking notes: use different colors, or use little arrows to represent the ideas that are yours and not the source’s ideas.
We can use this structure to keep notes in an organized way:
Bibliographic details | – Specific evidence that the source uses – Ideas and themes in the source that seem useful | Figure out the main arguments in the source – Figure out the supporting arguments in the source – How does this source relate to the other sources that you’re using? Does it agree/disagree? Does it use the same or different evidence and reasoning? – What kind of bias does the author have? – Any other thoughts or observations |
Download a template for these research notes here .
For our topic of animal research, our notes might look something like this:
Kim Bartel Sheehan and Joonghwa Lee. “What’s Cruel About Cruelty Free: An Exploration of Consumers, Moral Heuristics, and Public Policy.” Journal of Animal Ethics , Vol. 4, No. 2 (Fall 2014), pp. 1-15. | Because there are many definitions of the phrase “cruelty-free,” many companies “can (and do) use the term when the product or its ingredients were indeed tested on animals” (1). The authors compare “cruelty-free” to the term “fair trade.” There is an independent inspection and certification group (Flo-Cert) that reviews products labeled as “fair trade,” but there’s no analogous process for “cruelty-free” (2). Companies can also hire outside firms to test products and ingredients on animals (3). | → So anyone can just put that label on a product? Apparently, apart from in the European Union. That seems really easy to abuse for marketing purposes. |
Andrew Knight. “Critically Evaluating Animal Research.” In . Brill 2019. | Knight cites “significant methodological flaws” in “most published animal experiments” (326). For example, “randomized allocation of animals to test groups was reported in only 12%” of a set of 271 studies—in the rest of the studies, researchers could select (whether consciously or not) weaker animals to serve as the control group, for example (326). Similarly, only 14% of papers in a different survey reported the use of blinding in making qualitative assessments of outcomes (327). The ARRIVE guidelines have been widely endorsed by leading research journals (including Nature, PLoS, and BioMed Central) and major UK funding agencies, and they’re part of the US National Research Council Institute for Laboratory Animal Research guidelines (330). But…compliance with the guidelines “remains poor” (330). | → Many people championing or opposing animal testing have their careers at stake. They’re either researchers who use animals as a fundamental part of their research, or they are working on alternatives to animal testing (like Harding). This seems like a potential problem with the debate. → So one way to improve the methodological quality of studies would be to encourage (or regulate) randomization and blinded assessment of outcomes. |
(continued) Andrew Knight. “Critically Evaluating Animal Research.” In . Brill 2019. | Knight advocates that compliance with the ARRIVE guidelines and other standards “must become mandatory,” and that “compliance with such standards should be a necessary condition for security research funding and ethical approval; licensing of researchers, facilities, and experimental protocols; and publication of subsequent results” (331). Knight also argues that “prior to designing any new animal study, researchers should conduct a systematic review to collate, appraise, and synthesize all existing, good-quality evidence relating to their research questions,” and that this step should also be required by grant agencies, licensing bodies, and journals (332). He notes that systematic reviews are really helpful and should be funded more frequently (332). The article then covers impacts on laboratory animals—invasive procedures, stress, pain, and death (333). These aren’t very widely or clearly reported (333). | → This seems like a reasonable position. What would there be to lose from requiring compliance with these guidelines? I suppose it could make research more difficult or expensive to conduct—but probably it would weed out some bad research. → Good to remember that research requires money and is shaped by market forces—it’s not some neutral thing happening in an ivory tower. |
Grab our download to read the rest of the notes and see more examples of how to do thoughtful research!
What major themes did you find in your reading? What did you find most interesting or convincing?
Now is the point when you need to pick a side on your topic, if you haven’t already done so. Now that you’ve read more about the issue, what do you think? Write down your position on the issue:
Animal testing is necessary but should be reduced.
Next, it’s time to add more detail to your thesis. What reasons do you have to support that position? Add those to your sentence.
Animal testing is necessary but should be reduced by eliminating testing for cosmetics, ensuring that any testing is scientifically sound, and replacing animal models with other methods as much as possible.
Add qualifiers to refine your position. Are there situations in which your position would not apply? Or are there other conditions that need to be met?
For our topic of animal research, our final thesis statement (with lead-in) might look something like this:
The argument: Animal testing and research should not be abolished, as doing so would upend important medical research and substance testing. However, scientific advances mean that in many situations animal testing can be replaced by other methods that not only avoid the ethical problems of animal testing, but also are less costly and more accurate. Governments and other regulatory bodies should further regulate animal testing to outlaw testing for cosmetics and other recreational products, ensure that the tests conducted are both necessary and scientifically rigorous, and encourage the replacement of animal use with other methods whenever possible.
The highlighted bit at the end is the thesis statement, but the lead-in is useful to help us set up the argument—and having it there already will make writing our introduction easier!
The thesis statement is the single most important sentence of your essay. Without a strong thesis, there’s no chance of writing a great essay. Read more about it here .
See how nine real students wrote great thesis statements in 9 example essays now.
Think of three good arguments why your position is true. We’re going to make each one into a body paragraph of your essay.
For now, write them out as 1–2 sentences. These will be topic sentences for each body paragraph.
For our essay about animal testing, it might look like this:
Supporting argument #1: For ethical reasons, animal testing should not be allowed for cosmetics and recreational products.
Supporting argument #2: The tests that are conducted with animals should be both necessary (for the greater good) and scientifically rigorous—which isn’t always the case currently. This should be regulated by governments and institutions.
Supporting argument #3: Governments and institutions should do more to encourage the replacement of animal testing with other methods.
Think of a potential counterargument to your position. Consider writing a fourth paragraph anticipating this counterargument, or find a way to include it in your other body paragraphs.
For our essay, that might be:
Possible counterargument: Animal testing is unethical and should not be used in any circumstances.
Response to the counterargument: Animal testing is deeply entrenched in many research projects and medical procedures. Abruptly ceasing animal testing would upend the scientific and medical communities. But there are many ways that animal testing could be reduced.
With these three arguments, a counterargument, and a thesis, we now have a skeleton outline! See each step of this essay in full in our handy download .
Look through your research. What did you find that would support each of your three arguments?
Copy and paste those quotes or paraphrases into the outline. Make sure that each one is annotated so that you know which source it came from!
Ideally you already started thinking about these sources when you were doing your research—that’s the ideas in the rightmost column of our research template. Use this stuff too!
A good rule of thumb would be to use at least three pieces of evidence per body paragraph.
Think about in what order it would make most sense to present your points. Rearrange your quotes accordingly! As you reorder them, feel free to start adding short sentences indicating the flow of ideas .
For our essay about animal testing, part of our populated outline might look something like:
Argument #1: For ethical reasons, animal testing should not be allowed for cosmetics and recreational products.
Lots of animals are used for testing and research.
In the US, about 22 million animals were used annually in the early 1990s, mostly rodents (BMJ 1993, 1020).
But there are ethical problems with using animals in laboratory settings. Opinions about the divide between humans and animals might be shifting.
McIsaac refers to “the essential moral dilemma: how to balance the welfare of humans with the welfare of other species” (Hubel, McIsaac 29).
The fundamental legal texts used to justify animal use in biomedical research were created after WWII, and drew a clear line between experiments on animals and on humans. The Nuremburg Code states that “the experiment should be so designed and based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the disease or other problem under study that the anticipated results will justify the performance of the experiment” (Ferrari, 197). The 1964 Declaration of the World Medical Association on the Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects (known as the Helsinki Declaration) states that “Medical research involving human subjects must conform to generally accepted scientific principles, be based on a thorough knowledge of the scientific literature, other relevant sources of information, and adequate laboratory and, as appropriate, animal experimentation. The welfare of animals used for research must be respected” (Ferrari, 197).
→ Context? The Nuremberg Code is a set of ethical research principles, developed in 1947 in the wake of Nazi atrocities during WWII, specifically the inhumane and often fatal experimentation on human subjects without consent.
“Since the 1970s, the animal-rights movement has challenged the use of animals in modern Western society by rejecting the idea of dominion of human beings over nature and animals and stressing the intrinsic value and rights of individual animals” (van Roten, 539, referencing works by Singer, Clark, Regan, and Jasper and Nelkin).
“The old (animal) model simply does not fully meet the needs of scientific and economic progress; it fails in cost, speed, level of detail of understanding, and human relevance. On top of this, animal experimentation lacks acceptance by an ethically evolving society” (Hartung, 682).
Knight’s article summarizes negative impacts on laboratory animals—invasive procedures, stress, pain, and death (Knight, 333). These aren’t very widely or clearly reported (Knight, 333). → Reading about these definitely produces an emotional reaction—they sound bad.
Given this context, it makes sense to ban animal testing in situations where it’s just for recreational products like cosmetics.
Fortunately, animal testing for cosmetics is less common than we might think.
A Gallup poll published in 1990 found that 14% of people thought that the most frequent reason for using animals to test cosmetics for safety—but figures from the UK Home Office in 1991 found that less than 1% of animals were used for tests for cosmetics and toiletries (BMJ 1993, 1019). → So in the early 1990s there was a big difference between what people thought was happening and what actually was happening!
But it still happens, and there are very few regulations of it (apart from in the EU).
Because there are many definitions of the phrase “cruelty-free,” many companies “can (and do) use the term when the product or its ingredients were indeed tested on animals” (Sheehan and Lee, 1).
The authors compare “cruelty-free” to the term “fair trade.” There is an independent inspection and certification group (Flo-Cert) that reviews products labeled as “fair trade,” but there’s no analogous process for “cruelty-free” (Sheehan and Lee, 2). → So anyone can just put that label on a product? Apparently, apart from in the European Union. That seems really easy to abuse for marketing purposes.
Companies can also hire outside firms to test products and ingredients on animals (Sheehan and Lee, 3).
Animal testing for recreational, non-medical purposes should be banned, like it is in the EU.
Download the full example outline here .
Occasionally you might realize that there’s a hole in your research, and you don’t have enough evidence to support one of your points.
In this situation, either change your argument to fit the evidence that you do have, or do a bit more research to fill the hole!
For example, looking at our outline for argument #1 for our essay on animal testing, it’s clear that this paragraph is missing a small but crucial bit of evidence—a reference to this specific ban on animal testing for cosmetics in Europe. Time for a bit more research!
A visit to the official website of the European Commission yields a copy of the law, which we can add to our populated outline:
“The cosmetics directive provides the regulatory framework for the phasing out of animal testing for cosmetics purposes. Specifically, it establishes (1) a testing ban – prohibition to test finished cosmetic products and cosmetic ingredients on animals, and (2) a marketing ban – prohibition to market finished cosmetic products and ingredients in the EU which were tested on animals. The same provisions are contained in the cosmetics regulation , which replaced the cosmetics directive as of 11 July 2013. The testing ban on finished cosmetic products applies since 11 September 2004. The testing ban on ingredients or combination of ingredients applies since 11 March 2009. The marketing ban applies since 11 March 2009 for all human health effects with the exception of repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and toxicokinetics. For these specific health effects, the marketing ban applies since 11 March 2013, irrespective of the availability of alternative non-animal tests.” (website of the European Commission, “Ban on animal testing”)
Alright, now this supporting argument has the necessary ingredients!
You don’t need to use all of the evidence that you found in your research. In fact, you probably won’t use all of it!
This part of the writing process requires you to think critically about your arguments and what evidence is relevant to your points .
Once you’ve organized your evidence and decided what you want to use for your essay, now you get to start adding your own analysis!
You may have already started synthesizing and evaluating your sources when you were doing your research (the stuff on the right-hand side of our template). This gives you a great starting place!
For each piece of evidence, follow this formula:
If you follow this fool-proof formula as you write, you will create clear, well-evidenced arguments.
As you get more experienced, you might stray a bit from the formula—but a good essay will always intermix evidence with explanation and analysis, and will always contain signposts back to the thesis throughout.
For our essay about animal testing, our first body paragraph might look like:
Every year, millions of animals—mostly rodents—are used for testing and research (BMJ 1993, 1020) . This testing poses an ethical dilemma: “how to balance the welfare of humans with the welfare of other species” (Hubel, McIsaac 29) . Many of the fundamental legal tests that are used to justify animal use in biomedical research were created in wake of the horrors of World War II, when the Nazi regime engaged in terrible experimentation on their human prisoners. In response to these atrocities, philosophers and lawmakers drew a clear line between experimenting on humans without consent and experimenting on (non-human) animals. For example, the 1947 Nuremberg Code stated that “the experiment should be so designed and based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the disease or other problem under study that the anticipated results will justify the performance of the experiment” (Ferrari, 197) . Created two years after the war, the code established a set of ethical research principles to demarcate ethical differences between animals and humans, clarifying differences between Nazi atrocities and more everyday research practices. However, in the following decades, the animal-rights movement has challenged the philosophical boundaries between humans and animals and questioned humanity’s right to exert dominion over animals (van Roten, 539, referencing works by Singer, Clark, Regan, and Jasper and Nelkin) . These concerns are not without justification, as animals used in laboratories are subject to invasive procedures, stress, pain, and death (Knight, 333) . Indeed, reading detailed descriptions of this research can be difficult to stomach . In light of this, while some animal testing that contributes to vital medical research and ultimately saves millions of lives may be ethically justified, animal testing that is purely for recreational purposes like cosmetics cannot be ethically justified . Fortunately, animal testing for cosmetics is less common than we might think . In 1990, a poll found that 14% of people in the UK thought that the most frequent reason for using animals to test cosmetics for safety—but actual figures were less than 1% (BMJ 1993, 1019) . Unfortunately, animal testing for cosmetics is not subject to very much regulation . In particular, companies can use the phrase “cruelty-free” to mean just about anything, and many companies “can (and do) use the term when the product or its ingredients were indeed tested on animals” (Sheehan and Lee, 1) . Unlike the term “fair trade,” which has an independent inspection and certification group (Flo-Cert) that reviews products using the label, there’s no analogous process for “cruelty-free” (Sheehan and Lee, 2) . Without regulation, the term is regularly abused by marketers . Companies can also hire outside firms to test products and ingredients on animals and thereby pass the blame (Sheehan and Lee, 3) . Consumers trying to avoid products tested on animals are frequently tricked . Greater regulation of terms would help, but the only way to end this kind of deceit will be to ban animal testing for recreational, non-medical purposes . The European Union is the only governmental body yet to accomplish this . In a series of regulations, the EU first banned testing finished cosmetic products (2004), then testing ingredients or marketing products which were tested on animals (2009); exceptions for specific health effects ended in 2013 (website of the European Commission, “Ban on animal testing”) . The result is that the EU bans testing cosmetic ingredients or finished cosmetic products on animals, as well as marketing any cosmetic ingredients and products which were tested on animals elsewhere (Regulation 1223/2009/EU, known as the “Cosmetics Regulation”) . The rest of the world should follow this example and ban animal testing on cosmetic ingredients and products, which do not contribute significantly to the greater good and therefore cannot outweigh the cost to animal lives .
Edit down the quotes/paraphrases as you go. In many cases, you might copy out a great long quote from a source…but only end up using a few words of it as a direct quote, or you might only paraphrase it!
There were several good quotes in our previous step that just didn’t end up fitting here. That’s fine!
Take a look at the words and phrases highlighted in red. Notice how sometimes a single word can help to provide necessary context and create a logical transition for a new idea. Don’t forget the transitions! These words and phrases are essential to good writing.
The end of the paragraph should very clearly tie back to the thesis statement.
If it’s not specified in your assignment prompt, it’s always appropriate to ask your instructor who the intended audience of your essay or paper might be. (Your instructor will usually be impressed by this question!)
If you don’t get any specific guidance, imagine that your audience is the typical readership of a newspaper like the New York Times —people who are generally educated, but who don’t have any specialized knowledge of the specific subject, especially if it’s more technical.
That means that you should explain any words or phrases that aren’t everyday terminology!
Equally important, you don’t want to leave logical leaps for your readers to make. Connect all of the dots for them!
See the other body paragraphs of this essay, along with 9 student essays, here .
By now you should have at least three strong body paragraphs, each one with 3–5 pieces of evidence plus your own analysis and synthesis of the evidence.
Each paragraph has a main topic sentence, which we wrote back when we made the outline. This is a good time to check that the topic sentences still match what the rest of the paragraph says!
Think about how these arguments relate to each other. What is the most logical order for them? Re-order your paragraphs if necessary.
Then add a few sentences at the end of each paragraph and/or the beginning of the next paragraph to connect these ideas. This step is often the difference between an okay essay and a really great one!
You want your essay to have a great flow. We didn’t worry about this at the beginning of our writing, but now is the time to start improving the flow of ideas!
Follow this formula to write a great introduction:
(Pro tip: don’t use phrases like “throughout history,” “since the dawn of humankind,” etc. It’s good to think broadly, but you don’t have to make generalizations for all of history.)
This makes a smooth funnel that starts more broadly and smoothly zeroes in on the specific argument.
Your conclusion is kind of like your introduction, but in reverse. It starts with your thesis and ends a little more broadly.
For the conclusion, try and summarize your entire argument without being redundant. Start by restating your thesis but with slightly different wording . Then summarize each of your main points.
If you can, it’s nice to point to the larger significance of the issue. What are the potential consequences of this issue? What are some future directions for it to go in? What remains to be explored?
See how nine students wrote introductions in different styles here .
Check what bibliographic style your instructor wants you to use. If this isn’t clearly stated, it’s a good question to ask them!
Typically the instructions will say something like “Chicago style,” “APA,” etc., or they’ll give you their own rules.
These rules will dictate how exactly you’ll write your citations in the body of your essay (either in parentheses after the quote/paraphrase or else with a footnote or endnote) and how you’ll write your “works cited” with the full bibliographic information at the end.
Follow these rules! The most important thing is to be consistent and clear.
Pro tip: if you’re struggling with this step, your librarians can often help! They’re literally pros at this. 🙂
Now you have a complete draft!
Read it from beginning to end. Does it make sense? Are there any orphan quotes or paraphrases that aren’t clearly explained? Are there any abrupt changes of topic? Fix it!
Are there any problems with grammar or spelling ? Fix them!
Edit for clarity.
Ideally, you’ll finish your draft at least a few days before it’s due to be submitted. Give it a break for a day or two, and then come back to it. Things to be revised are more likely to jump out after a little break!
Try reading your essay out loud. Are there any sentences that don’t sound quite right? Rewrite them!
Double-check your thesis statement. This is the make-or-break moment of your essay, and without a clear thesis it’s pretty impossible for an essay to be a great one. Is it:
Try giving your essay to a friend or family member to read. Sometimes (if you’re lucky) your instructors will offer to read a draft if you turn it in early. What feedback do they have? Edit accordingly!
See the result of this process with 10 example essays now .
You did it! Feel proud of yourself 🙂
We regularly help students work through all of these steps to write great academic essays in our Academic Writing Workshop or our one-on-one writing tutoring . We’re happy to chat more about what’s challenging for you and provide you customized guidance to help you write better papers and improve your grades on writing assignments!
Want to see what this looks like when it’s all pulled together? We compiled nine examples of great student essays, plus all of the steps used to create this model essay, in this handy resource. Download it here !
Emily graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay.
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What is an argumentative essay.
An argumentative essay requires the writer to investigate a specific topic by collecting and evaluating evidence to establish a position on the subject matter.
When preparing to compose a good argumentative essay, utilize the following steps:
Step 1: Select a topic.
Step 2: Identify a position.
Step 3: Locate appropriate resources.
Step 4: Identify evidence supporting the position. ( NOTE: If there is little evidence in support of the claim, consider re-examining the main argument.)
When gathering evidence, use credible sources . To determine the credibility of the source, consider authority, currency, accuracy, and objectivity:
Who is the author ? Are they an expert in the field? Has a reputable publisher published the work?
How current is the information in the source? Does the currency of the source matter? Does the age of the source impact the content? Is there newer information that disproves the source’s information?
Can other sources verify the accuracy of the information? Does the information contradict that found in other commonly accepted sources?
Is there any evidence of bias, or is the source objective ? Is the research sponsored by an organization that may skew the information?
The following are typically recognized as providing appropriate, credible research material:
Peer-reviewed journals/research papers
Government agencies
Professional organizations
Library databases
Reference books
Writers should avoid using the following sources:
Social media posts
Out-of-date materials
Step 5: Utilize the research to determine a thesis statement that identifies the topic, position, and support(s).
Step 6: Use the evidence to construct an outline, detailing the main supports and relevant evidence.
After gathering all of the necessary research, the next step in composing an argumentative essay focuses on organizing the information through the use of an outline:
Introduction
Attention Grabber/Hook
Background Information: Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the reader needs to know to understand the argument.
Thesis: State the position in connection to the main topic and identify the supports that will help prove the argument.
Topic sentence
Identify evidence in support of the claim in the topic sentence
Explain how the evidence supports the argument
Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)
Support 2 (Continue as needed)
Restate thesis
Review main supports
Concluding statement
Invite the audience to take a specific action.
Identify the overall importance of the topic and position.
Regardless of the writer’s topic or point of view, an argumentative essay should include an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, a conclusion, and works cited.
Background information
Body Paragraphs
Analysis of evidence
Rephrased thesis
Review of main ideas
Call to action
Works Cited
The introduction sets the tone for the entire paper and introduces the argument. In general, the first paragraph(s) should attract the reader’s attention, provide relevant context, and conclude with a thesis statement.
To attract the reader's attention , start with an introductory device. There are several attention-grabbing techniques, the most common of which consist of the following:
The writer can emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or indicating that the subject is influential.
Pertinent statistics give the paper an air of authority.
There are many reasons for a stimulating statement to surprise a reader. Sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is shocking; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.
An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the subject and focus of what follows.
Provide the reader with relevant context and background information necessary to understand the topic.
Conclude with a thesis statement that identifies the overall purpose of the essay (topic and position). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.
Avoid the following when writing the introduction to argumentative writing:
Starting with dictionary definitions is too overdone and unappealing.
Do not make an announcement of the topic like “In this paper I will…” or “The purpose of this essay is to….”
Evidence supporting or developing the thesis should be in the body paragraphs, not the introduction.
Beginning the essay with general or absolute statements such as “throughout history...” or “as human beings we always...” or similar statements suggest the writer knows all of history or that all people behave or think in the same way.
The thesis statement is the single, specific claim the writer sets out to prove and is typically positioned as the last sentence of the introduction . It is the controlling idea of the entire argument that identifies the topic, position, and reasoning.
When constructing a thesis for an argumentative paper, make sure it contains a side of the argument, not simply a topic. An argumentative thesis identifies the writer’s position on a given topic. If a position cannot be taken, then it is not argumentative thesis:
Topic: Capital punishment is practiced in many states.
Thesis: Capital punishment should be illegal.
While not always required, the thesis statement can include the supports the writer will use to prove the main claim. Therefore, a thesis statement can be structured as follows:
TOPIC + POSITION (+ SUPPORTS)
No Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION).
Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION) because they sacrifice their minds and bodies (SUPPORT 1), cannot hold
Body paragraphs can be of varying lengths, but they must present a coherent argument unified under a single topic. They are rarely ever longer than one page, double-spaced; usually they are much shorter.
Lengthy paragraphs indicate a lack of structure. Identify the main ideas of a lengthy paragraph to determine if they make more sense as separate topics in separate paragraphs.
Shorter paragraphs usually indicate a lack of substance; there is not enough evidence or analysis to prove the argument. Develop the ideas more or integrate the information into another paragraph.
The structure of an argumentative paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence, and a transition.
The topic sentence is the thesis of the paragraph that identifies the arguable point in support of the main argument. The reader should know exactly what the writer is trying to prove within the paragraph by reading the first sentence.
The supporting evidence and analysis provide information to support the claim. There should be a balance between the evidence (facts, quotations, summary of events/plot, etc.) and analysis (interpretation of evidence). If the paragraph is evidence-heavy, there is not much of an argument; if it is analysis-heavy, there is not enough evidence in support of the claim.
The transition can be at the beginning or the end of a paragraph. However, it is much easier to combine the transition with the concluding observation to help the paragraphs flow into one another. Transitions in academic writing should tell the reader where you were, where you are going, and relate to the thesis.
Some essays may benefit from the inclusion of rebuttals to potential counterarguments of the writer’s position.
The conclusion should make readers glad they read the paper. It can suggest broader implications that will not only interest readers but also enrich their understanding in some way. There are three aspects to follow when constructing the conclusion: rephrase the thesis, synthesize information, and call the reader to action.
Rephrased the thesis in the first sentence of the conclusion. It must be in different words; do not simply write it verbatim.
Synthesize the argument by showing how the paper's main points support the argument.
Propose a course of action or a solution to an issue. This can redirect the reader's thought process to apply the ideas to their life or to see the broader implications of the topic.
Avoid the following when constructing the conclusion:
Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as "in conclusion," "in summary," or "in closing;" although these phrases can work in speeches, they come across as trite in writing
Introducing a new idea or subtopic in the conclusion
Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of the paper
Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper
Examples of argumentative essays vary depending upon the type:
Academic essays differ based upon the topic and position. These essays follow a more traditional structure and are typically assigned in high school or college. Examples of academic argumentative essay topics include the following:
Advantages or disadvantages of social media
Animal testing
Art education
Benefit or detriment of homework
Capital punishment
Class warfare
Immigration
School uniforms
Universal healthcare
Violence in video games
Argumentative literary essays are typically more informal and do not follow the same structure as an academic essay. The following are popular examples of argumentative literary essays:
“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf
“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell
“Thoughts for the Times on War and Death” by Sigmund Freud
“Does the Truth Matter? Science, Pseudoscience, and Civilization” by Carl Sagan
“Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
The argumentative essay, learning objectives.
You may have heard it said that all writing is an argument of some kind. Even if you’re writing an informative essay, you still have the job of trying to convince your audience that the information is important. However, there are times you’ll be asked to write an essay that is specifically an argumentative piece.
An argumentative essay is one that makes a clear assertion or argument about some topic or issue. When you’re writing an argumentative essay, it’s important to remember that an academic argument is quite different from a regular, emotional argument. Note that sometimes students forget the academic aspect of an argumentative essay and write essays that are much too emotional for an academic audience. It’s important for you to choose a topic you feel passionately about (if you’re allowed to pick your topic), but you have to be sure you aren’t too emotionally attached to a topic. In an academic argument, you’ll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you’ll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions.
Figure 1 . When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience.
Argumentative essays are quite common in academic writing and are often an important part of writing in all disciplines. You may be asked to take a stand on a social issue in your introduction to writing course, but you could also be asked to take a stand on an issue related to health care in your nursing courses or make a case for solving a local environmental problem in your biology class. And, since argument is such a common essay assignment, it’s important to be aware of some basic elements of a good argumentative essay.
When your professor asks you to write an argumentative essay, you’ll often be given something specific to write about. For example, you may be asked to take a stand on an issue you have been discussing in class. Perhaps, in your education class, you would be asked to write about standardized testing in public schools. Or, in your literature class, you might be asked to argue the effects of protest literature on public policy in the United States.
However, there are times when you’ll be given a choice of topics. You might even be asked to write an argumentative essay on any topic related to your field of study or a topic you feel that is important personally.
Whatever the case, having some knowledge of some basic argumentative techniques or strategies will be helpful as you write. Below are some common types of arguments.
For more examples of types of argumentative essays, visit the Argumentative Purposes section of the Excelsior OWL .
How To Write An Argumentative Essay : The Virtue’s English Dictionary (Encyclopaedic Edition) defines an Essay as a literary composition intended to prove some particular point or illustrate a particular subject. We all had at one time and the other written an essay. Did we ever consider the type and format of such writings? Of course there could be more than one type of essay writing incorporated or employed in a single writing.
Essays can be argumentative, expository, narrative and descriptive. These are the four main types of essay. There could be combination of two or more of these four types of essay employed in one essay. For instance, elements of descriptive essay can be found in an argumentative essay. This does not make it any less an argumentative essay.
Narrative Essay tells a story. There is usually a central point at which the writing is centered. The story could be from personal experience and of course can be figurative. Narrative essay gives an account of an event in a well-structured plot.
Descriptive Essay is a writing that attempts to describe an event, experience, object, person, place, idea or anything capable of being described. In other words, the essay attempts to characterize a given event, idea, person or place.
An expository essay attempts to explain, explicate, elucidate, illustrate, uncover and clarify a given concept or event.
This article is targeted at discussing how to write an argumentative essay.
Argumentative essay from the word “ Argument ”, according to Virtue’s English Dictionary (Encyclopaedia Edition) defines argument as a subject of a discourse or writing; a reason offered for or against something; a debate, controversy, discussion and a process of reasoning. Therefore argumentative essay can be defined as a debatable writing which upon choosing a stance, attempts to persuade and convince the mind of the readers into finding reasons with the points established by the writer.
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Table of Contents
The goal of an argumentative essay is to convince the mind of the readers that your position is preferable and should be considered. In order to produce a logical and sound argumentative essay, it is important that the writer be well abreast with the features of an argumentative essay. This guides the writer not to derogate from the argumentative genre of essay intended, and also to render a logically structured and sound essay.
For a writing to be considered argumentative, it has to conform to a particular format and fulfil certain requirement, otherwise one may be writing any other type of essay in the thought of an argumentative one. This would lead us to discussing the features of an argumentative essay together with the structure.
Also see: How to introduce yourself in a debate
The main five features of an argumentative essay are:
a. Introduction and Thesis
b. Opposing and Qualifying Ideas
c. Evidence in Support of Claim
d. Style and Tone of Language
e. Compelling Conclusion
a. Introduction and Thesis: An argumentative essay must begin with introduction. This is simply to give the general introduction of the topic to be discussed. The introduction shall then include the thesis which is the writer’s point of view.
b. Opposing and Qualifying Ideas: While writing an argumentative essay, the writer has to state and acknowledge the possible points and ideas of the opposing side which are certainly not in his favour. Acknowledging those points and ideas enable lay a grounded foundation of his own points by juxtaposing the sides. This also has a way of arousing the interest of the readers to finding reasoning with your points.
c. Evidence in Support of Claim : A good argumentative essay should has a strong evidence to support the claims asserted. Evidence in the context of an argumentative essay is simply the information sourced for and logically analyzed for the purpose of justifying a stated claim. A writer is expected to source for articulated, logical and statistical points to support the claims asserted.
d. Style and Tone of Language : The language and tone of an argumentative essay must be persuasive and convincing. The tone must be confident enough to lure or compel the mind of the readers into finding reasons with the argument of the writer.
An argumentative essay should be well paragraphed. Paragraphing contributes to the logicality of the structure as well as suggest the appropriate intended tone of the writer.
Style is the manner of expression and choice of words employed by the writer, whereas tone is the attitude of the writer towards the topic and the audience.
e. Compelling Conclusion : An argumentative essay should have a compelling conclusion. Compelling here means that it has to be sound and convincing. The conclusive point should resolve the thriving issues implicated in the course of the argument.
There are basically four parts of an argument. They include:
b. Counterclaims
d. Evidence
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a. Claims: Claim is simply as assertion stated as a fact and backed up with evidence. It is also known as thesis. It fact includes the writer’s position in an argumentative essay. Assertion of claim directs the readers mind to the writer’s position, purpose and line of argument. Typical example of claim – “ Gold Values More That Silver”
b. Counterclaim: Counterclaim is also known as counterargument. It is the point of view of the opposing side of an argument which is capable of weakening the argument of the writer. The writer is however expected to raise these points and discredit them in his own favour by marshaling out points which is capable of rendering them wrong, inapplicable or invalid.
The writer is advised not to avoid those points which seem to be against his line of argument as this can leave doubts in the mind of the readers or audience. The writer is expected to acknowledge them and criticize them to his or her own advantage.
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c. Reasons: An argumentative essay should incorporate points and facts which are the suggested reasons why the writer’s line of argument should be considered. Therefore, a reason is a kind of justification for the writer’s claims.
d. Evidence: Evidence includes objectively verifiable facts which demonstrates and strengthens the writer’s claim. They are those verifiable facts which the writer can show in order to establish his point of view for the purpose of tilting the mind of the audience into affirming the claims asserted, and finding reasons with the writer’s line of argument.
Evidence can be factual, logistical and or statistical but in all, it has to be verifiable.
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On writing a compelling argument, the writer must be meticulous in considering the points on which his or her argument should base, otherwise one may end up antagonizing his or her own point of view. Employment of fallacies should be avoided as much as possible. The writer should be careful not to make hasty generalization. Understanding the opposing point of view is a key element because this goes a long way guiding the writer in preparing the evidence and defence. For an argument to be compelling, the writer must clarify and resolve every point raised in order that questions would not be created in the minds of the audience. The writer’s point must be realistic, practicable and obtainable.
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It is advised that the conclusion be as explicit as possible and at the same time, concise and precise. In other words, conclusion should be straight to the point and exhume confidence.
In all, an argumentative essay must be suggestive and convincing, otherwise the purpose of the essay would be entirely defeated.
Edeh Samuel Chukwuemeka, ACMC, is a lawyer and a certified mediator/conciliator in Nigeria. He is also a developer with knowledge in various programming languages. Samuel is determined to leverage his skills in technology, SEO, and legal practice to revolutionize the legal profession worldwide by creating web and mobile applications that simplify legal research. Sam is also passionate about educating and providing valuable information to people.
An argumentative essay is a free topic text whose objective is to convince or persuade the reader of the ideas presented. Its purpose is to incite in the reader an inclination towards the author’s opinion. In other words , an argumentative essay will always contain elements of an expository essay, since it needs to explain its position on a certain problem or topic. The author, through coherently exposed concepts, will try to justify and demonstrate his reasons. Argumentative essay characteristics structure
Arguing is that, defending the ideas that have been exposed in the essay in a logical and orderly way. The author can even present contrary premises to dismantle them with his reasons, and give more force to his argument.
What is important about this type of essay is the author’s point of view, and the way in which he approaches the argument. They are usually of an academic nature and free subject , as already said, since they reflect the personal opinion of the author, where he tries to demonstrate their validity.
In any case, regardless of whether or not it manages to convince the reader, the argumentative essay will be a starting point to reflect on a topic.
An argumentative essay shares a literary language with other types of essay, and in that sense uses metaphors and other rhetorical figures to validate its thesis. It is a space where the subjectivity of the issuer fits , but also conceptual rigor.
In general, an argumentative essay has the following characteristics:
The author’s point of view is presented in the introduction to the essay , through the thesis with which he adheres.
The analysis is an indissoluble part of the argument, since by contrasting ideas or contrasting the advantages and disadvantages, pros and cons of positions, the author gradually unravels why he assumes a certain position.
In the argumentative essay, various literary resources can be used:
It uses various argumentative connectors : to start the text, to add new ideas, include examples, draw conclusions, compare, contrast and finish.
Throughout the text, the author will rely on expressions that qualify and designate what he is arguing. An example would be: Argumentative essay characteristics structure
“A conservationist attitude is necessary on the part of all humanity to face a possible environmental catastrophe. The idea is that we can live together on the same planet ”.
An essay is a literary text, and in that sense, the author will use careful language, respecting the grammatical rules and avoiding colloquialisms as much as possible that can make understanding difficult. That does not prevent the language from being close.
From start to finish, the argumentative essay must present an internal coherence between the ideas. That is, you must respect an order when presenting the arguments, so that the reader can follow the reasoning.
In principle, an argumentative essay serves to convince readers of the thesis presented by the author. The essay, by definition, is a text that establishes a theme and reflects on it. Many times the subject discussed generates controversy, and hence the author argues in favor of his thesis.
And although it is the opinion of the author, in an argumentative essay what is important are the foundations it exposes, it is the way in which the issuer, in addition to informing the reader, reasons on the subject and supports his reasons.
This is how you can convince, by showing that your point of view is correct. It is not enough to argue, you must back it up with figures, quotes and other information , always saying where you got it from.
An argumentative essay has a similar structure to other types of essay: introduction, development or arguments and conclusion .
In the introduction, the author will explain what the essay is about. It will do so in a way that engages the reader to keep reading . Apart from pointing out the general theme , it will also indicate which party is going to argue, whether it is for or against, and why.
It is the body of the essay . The arguments are presented in paragraphs ; if there is more than one, ideally each paragraph corresponds to one argument. In any case, they must be very clear and explain precisely the reasoning, so as not to lose the reader.
There are one-page argumentative essays, and others that can be a complete book. It does not matter, the important thing is the clarity with which it is argued.
You can even present a rebuttal that offers ideas contrary to your thesis, and the author will counter-argue to demonstrate the validity of his reasons. It is a resource that many authors use to defend their ideas.
You have to start with the most important argument and end with the one that has less relevance, that indicates an order , determined by the author. Argumentative essay characteristics structure
In the conclusion, the author highlights the topic again but in the light of a larger context, showing the reader that thanks to his argumentation , understanding and opinion should change after reading.
A mistake that is made often, especially in writing thesis, is introducing new arguments. The conclusion should close the issue, not open a new controversy.
Taking into account that the essay is only a contribution, it is good to recognize and guide (in any case) the possible investigations that others want to carry out, starting from that initial reading .
1-choice of theme.
To write an argumentative essay, you must first select a topic about which you have knowledge or about which you feel some inclination.
Suppose we want to write about the effect that happiness (or feeling happy) has on the body and overall health. It interests us from a physiological point of view. So we would already have a tentative topic: “The effect of happiness on the body.”
Although we have an idea on the subject , it is necessary to document as much as possible, to inquire in various sources. We must remember that, although we present a personal opinion, if we want to argue it must be with reasons, in this case, scientific.
What substances are produced in the brain when we feel happy? Can happiness be a constant state? Is it possible to feel happy even when you are going through difficulties? Is it possible to stay healthy by being happy?
By virtue of these questions , we will search for information, and for this we will resort to legitimate sources (neurological, psychological, scientific studies) that support our thesis.
The above questions can serve as a skeleton to order the preparation of the essay.
When we have the ideas in order , we will proceed to write a first draft, which will further define the topics to be discussed.
You have to be consistent: develop ideas in a logical way. That also means structuring the sentences logically, and then the paragraphs . If our thesis is that happiness has a specific effect on the body, we will have to argue step by step. Argumentative essay characteristics structure
For example, to establish the existence of hormones produced in the brain (endorphins) when the person feels good and happy, and also, the existence of substances that are toxic when the person is stressed, angry, sad or worried, which also produces the brain.
If the person becomes ill with these toxic substances, it is possible to think that benevolent substances can also heal the body. Hence, then, the importance of properly managing stress would be highlighted to prevent toxicity from deteriorating health.
The coherence of the essay , linguistic and stylistic cohesion, the succession of ideas and arguments, syntax and spelling will be thoroughly reviewed. If it is noticed that there is some “jump” in the order of the ideas, then it will be necessary to correct it.
It is advisable to make the initial outline and follow it, although it can be modified in the course of writing and review.
Next, we present an argumentative essay whose title is “To conserve the environment is to conserve human life on Earth.” To facilitate understanding, the beginning, development and conclusion are indicated.
In recent years, the environment has been the subject of discussion in several international meetings, where the most powerful powers in the world have come together to try to reach agreements that involve the most industrialized countries and those that pollute the most.
Interestingly, the nations that pollute the most are currently the two strongest economic powers, China and the United States , followed by the European Union, India, Russia and Japan.
The objectives of these international agreements are to fight against global warming and climate change, and for this they agreed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , since it is calculated that they are the cause of the increase in temperature on Earth.
China, which until at least 10 years ago did not seem to care about the pollution of its cities, has been one of the most important actors in the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement , and at present, it is one of the countries that carry out large-scale production of infrastructure for the transition to solar energy and other renewable sources. Apparently, the Asian giant has understood the risks of climate change. Argumentative essay characteristics structure
However, the United States , one of the most powerful countries in the world, left these agreements after the arrival of Donald Trump to the presidency, claiming that they are a brake on the economic growth of his country.
It also alleges that the studies on climate change are not conclusive, and that it is more economical to continue exploiting coal mines and oil fields than to invest in energy production based on clean sources.
The immediate stance of the North American president is obvious, as well as the irresponsibility in discarding all the scientific work carried out by thousands of professionals, such as biologists, geologists, ecologists, who account for environmental deterioration.
If the temperature of the planet continues to rise, it will affect the ecological balance, from plants to larger animals , including humans.
Little by little the viability of human life will be restricted, the progressive desertification of the lands will cause the rivers to dry up. Water will be lacking, and what are we without water? Water is life, without water there is none: it is a simple equation. And if we talk about the pollution of the oceans, the problem goes on and on.
It is necessary to assume a proactive and responsible attitude in the conservation of the environment. It concerns us all equally, no country will be saved if we go to extinction. So both nations and individuals must take action on the matter.
It is not about believing or not in climate change. Climate change doesn’t make tornadoes, but it does make them stronger and more intense; it causes unforeseen floods, polar ice melts, species disappear.
In a century we have done what nature has not done in millions of years: destroy the conditions for human life to exist. If we want to continue living on Earth with water , food and air to breathe, we must make changes. Argumentative essay characteristics structure
The planet will go on without us. We can’t go on without him.
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Published on January 11, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on August 15, 2023 by Eoghan Ryan.
A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . It usually comes near the end of your introduction .
Your thesis will look a bit different depending on the type of essay you’re writing. But the thesis statement should always clearly state the main idea you want to get across. Everything else in your essay should relate back to this idea.
You can write your thesis statement by following four simple steps:
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What is a thesis statement, placement of the thesis statement, step 1: start with a question, step 2: write your initial answer, step 3: develop your answer, step 4: refine your thesis statement, types of thesis statements, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about thesis statements.
A thesis statement summarizes the central points of your essay. It is a signpost telling the reader what the essay will argue and why.
The best thesis statements are:
Professional editors proofread and edit your paper by focusing on:
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The thesis statement generally appears at the end of your essay introduction or research paper introduction .
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 and among young people more generally is hotly debated. For many 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 many benefits for education: the internet facilitates easier access to information, exposure to different perspectives, and a flexible learning environment for both students and teachers.
You should come up with an initial thesis, sometimes called a working thesis , early in the writing process . As soon as you’ve decided on your essay topic , you need to work out what you want to say about it—a clear thesis will give your essay direction and structure.
You might already have a question in your assignment, but if not, try to come up with your own. What would you like to find out or decide about your topic?
For example, you might ask:
After some initial research, you can formulate a tentative answer to this question. At this stage it can be simple, and it should guide the research process and writing process .
Now you need to consider why this is your answer and how you will convince your reader to agree with you. As you read more about your topic and begin writing, your answer should get more detailed.
In your essay about the internet and education, the thesis states your position and sketches out the key arguments you’ll use to support it.
The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its many benefits for education because it facilitates easier access to information.
In your essay about braille, the thesis statement summarizes the key historical development that you’ll explain.
The invention of braille in the 19th century transformed the lives of blind people, allowing them to participate more actively in public life.
A strong thesis statement should tell the reader:
The final thesis statement doesn’t just state your position, but summarizes your overall argument or the entire topic you’re going to explain. To strengthen a weak thesis statement, it can help to consider the broader context of your topic.
These examples are more specific and show that you’ll explore your topic in depth.
Your thesis statement should match the goals of your essay, which vary depending on the type of essay you’re writing:
If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!
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A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your paper or essay . Everything else you write should relate to this key idea.
The thesis statement is essential in any academic essay or research paper for two main reasons:
Without a clear thesis statement, an essay can end up rambling and unfocused, leaving your reader unsure of exactly what you want to say.
Follow these four steps to come up with a thesis statement :
The thesis statement should be placed at the end of your essay introduction .
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Início > Blog > Exemplos de ensaios de declaração de tese
Escrever uma redação pode parecer desafiador, mas uma declaração de tese sólida pode tornar isso mais fácil. Uma declaração de tese é uma parte crucial de qualquer redação. Ela dá ao seu leitor uma compreensão clara da sua ideia principal. O objetivo deve ser entregar uma declaração forte, concisa, mas convincente, que mergulhe o leitor em sua escrita. Uma declaração de tese forte significa uma começo forte para seu ensaio !
Desenvolvemos este guia abrangente para explorar o que constitui uma boa declaração de tese. Discutiremos diferentes exemplos de ensaios de declaração de tese e mostraremos a você os passos sobre como escrever uma declaração forte. Não importa se você está escrevendo um artigo de pesquisa, um ensaio argumentativo ou uma proposta de política, uma declaração de tese sólida é essencial.
Para simplificar, uma declaração de tese resume todo o seu artigo. Ela geralmente aparece no final do primeiro parágrafo, conhecido como introdução do ensaio. Sua tese deve ser específica, concisa e clara.
Ela deve expressar uma ideia principal e orientar sua escrita. Por exemplo, se seu artigo explica a mudança climática, sua tese pode afirmar que “A mudança climática representa uma ameaça significativa aos ecossistemas globais”.
Nesta seção, incluímos como escrever uma declaração de tese com um exemplo para ajudar você no processo. Abaixo, listamos algumas das etapas envolvidas, ao compilar uma declaração de tese.
Toda boa declaração de tese começa com uma pergunta. Pense sobre o que você quer explorar ou decidir sobre seu tópico. Por exemplo, “A internet teve um impacto positivo ou negativo na educação?”
Após alguma pesquisa, escreva uma resposta simples e provisória para sua pergunta. Isso guiará seu processo de pesquisa e escrita. Por exemplo, “A internet teve um impacto positivo na educação.”
Sua tese final deve, em última análise, dizer ao leitor por que você mantém essa posição. Você pode elaborar e explicar o que eles aprenderão com seu ensaio e os pontos-chave do seu argumento.
Por exemplo, “O impacto positivo da internet na educação supera seus negativos ao fornecer acesso mais fácil à informação. A exposição a diferentes perspectivas e um ambiente de aprendizagem flexível para alunos e professores contribuem para isso”.
Uma boa declaração de tese é concisa, coerente e contenciosa. Ela deve declarar claramente sua ideia principal e ser apoiada por evidências específicas. Dê uma olhada no seguinte exemplo de boa declaração de tese:
“Embora muitas pessoas acreditem que a mudança climática seja um fenômeno natural, as evidências mostram que as atividades humanas contribuem significativamente para sua aceleração.”
Esta declaração é clara, concisa e discutível. Ela apresenta uma posição forte que pode ser apoiada com evidências.
Sua tese deve combinar com o tipo de ensaio que você está escrevendo. Aqui estão alguns exemplos de diferentes tipos de declarações de tese.
Em um ensaio argumentativo , sua tese deve assumir uma posição forte.
Por exemplo:
“O governo deve implementar regulamentações mais rigorosas sobre emissões de carbono para combater as mudanças climáticas.”
Um artigo argumentativo faz uma afirmação clara e discutível que requer evidência e raciocínio. Esta tese apresenta um argumento claro que será apoiado com evidência ao longo do ensaio.
Em um Ensaio expositivo , sua tese deve explicar os fatos de um tópico ou processo.
“A invenção do braille melhorou a vida das pessoas cegas, permitindo-lhes ler e escrever de forma independente.”
Esta declaração explica o impacto do braille sem tomar posição.
Vamos dar uma olhada em alguns exemplos de ensaios de declaração de tese para entender como elaborá-los de forma eficaz.
Tópico: O impacto da vigilância na sociedade
Declaração de tese: “Embora a vigilância seja frequentemente vista de forma negativa, seus efeitos positivos na segurança pública superam suas desvantagens.”
Esta tese apresenta um argumento claro que será apoiado por evidências ao longo do ensaio.
Tópico: A história da internet
Declaração de tese: “A internet revolucionou a comunicação ao permitir acesso instantâneo à informação e conectar pessoas globalmente.”
Esta declaração explica como a internet mudou a comunicação sem apresentar argumentos.
Em ambos os exemplos, as declarações de tese são claras e concisas e fornecem um roteiro para o ensaio.
Tópico: O impacto das mídias sociais na saúde mental
Declaração de tese: “A mídia social influencia a saúde mental aumentando a ansiedade, promovendo imagens corporais irrealistas e melhorando as conexões sociais.”
Uma declaração de tese analítica divide uma ideia em partes para examinar e interpretar. Este exemplo mostra o impacto da mídia social em componentes específicos para análise detalhada. Um artigo analítico divide assuntos complexos em componentes para exame e análise detalhados.
Uma declaração de tese eficaz é a espinha dorsal de um ensaio bem estruturado. Exemplos de declaração de tese ajudam a ilustrar as diferenças entre declarações de tese fortes e fracas. Aqui estão as características essenciais de uma boa declaração de tese.
As melhores declarações de tese devem ser breves e diretas. Evite palavras desnecessárias. Por exemplo, em vez de dizer: "Neste ensaio, discutirei as razões pelas quais a mudança climática é uma questão crítica que precisa de atenção urgente", você pode dizer: "A mudança climática exige atenção urgente devido ao seu impacto severo nos ecossistemas globais". Isso mantém sua tese clara e focada.
O objetivo é levar a declaração ao ponto final tão eficazmente quanto possível.
Na escrita acadêmica, sua declaração de tese deve ser apoiada por evidências específicas. Ela não deve apenas fazer uma afirmação, mas também fornecer uma dica da evidência que a apoia. Por exemplo, “Atividades humanas, como desmatamento e consumo de combustíveis fósseis, contribuem significativamente para a mudança climática”, indica que o ensaio discutirá essas atividades específicas.
Uma declaração de tese forte declara claramente sua ideia principal. Ela deve transmitir o ponto central do seu ensaio de uma forma que seja fácil de entender. Por exemplo, “Fontes de energia renováveis são essenciais para reduzir as emissões de carbono e combater as mudanças climáticas”, declara claramente a ideia principal do ensaio.
De acordo com o Guardian , os professores estão observando que os alunos estão continuamente tendo problemas para escrever redações. Isso pode ser devido a vários motivos, como falta de habilidades básicas para escrever ou a probabilidade de eles cometerem erros específicos ao compilar suas redações e declarações de tese.
Abaixo listamos alguns dos erros comuns que os alunos podem cometer ao escrever uma declaração de tese para seu artigo.
Uma declaração de tese que é muito ampla não tem foco e não fornece um argumento claro. Por exemplo: “A mudança climática é ruim”, é muito amplo. Em vez disso, restrinja seu foco a algo mais específico, como, “A mudança climática impacta significativamente as cidades costeiras ao aumentar a frequência de inundações”.
Uma declaração de tese vaga não dá detalhes específicos, dificultando que o leitor entenda seu argumento. Por exemplo, “A mudança climática afeta o meio ambiente” é muito vago. Uma tese mais precisa seria, “A mudança climática acelera o derretimento das calotas polares, levando ao aumento do nível do mar”.
Em um ótimo artigo de pesquisa, uma declaração de tese que declara um fato em vez de um argumento não é discutível. Por exemplo, “A mudança climática existe” é uma declaração de fato e não é discutível. Uma tese mais discutível seria, “Ação imediata é necessária para mitigar os impactos da mudança climática nas gerações futuras”.
Se sua declaração de tese for fraca, veja como você pode fortalecê-la:
Uma declaração de tese fraca, como “A internet é útil”, é muito geral e carece de especificidade. Ela não fornece nenhuma direção para o ensaio, deixando os leitores confusos sobre o que o ensaio abordará. Uma declaração de tese fraca:
Por exemplo, um ensaio baseado na tese fraca “A internet é útil” pode divagar por vários tópicos, como compras online, mídia social e pesquisa, sem uma estrutura ou argumento claro. Isso dificulta que os leitores entendam o ponto principal ou o propósito do ensaio.
Uma declaração de tese forte, como “A internet é útil para a educação porque fornece acesso a uma riqueza de informações e recursos”, é específica e fornece um argumento claro apoiado por evidências. Ela também indica o que o ensaio discutirá, o que ajuda a guiar o leitor.
Portanto, uma declaração de tese forte deve:
O que está incluído em uma declaração de tese.
Uma declaração de tese é uma frase que resume o ponto principal do seu ensaio. Ela geralmente aparece no final do primeiro parágrafo.
O ideal é que uma declaração de tese tenha uma ou duas frases.
Sua declaração de tese deve estar no final do primeiro parágrafo, conhecido como introdução do ensaio.
Uma boa declaração de tese é a espinha dorsal do seu ensaio. Ela orienta sua escrita e diz ao seu leitor o que esperar. Seguindo os passos que descrevemos nesses exemplos, você pode escrever uma declaração de tese forte.
Pronto para melhorar suas habilidades de escrita e criar ensaios convincentes? Melhore sua escrita com a ferramenta de escrita de IA do Smodin. Não importa se você está escrevendo um artigo de pesquisa ou um ensaio argumentativo, o Smodin pode ajudar você a elaborar uma declaração de tese forte. Junte-se a nós agora no Smodin.io e leve sua escrita para o próximo nível.
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A good argumentative essay will use facts and evidence to support the argument, rather than just the author's thoughts and opinions. For example, say you wanted to write an argumentative essay stating that Charleston, SC is a great destination for families. You couldn't just say that it's a great place because you took your family there ...
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.
It focuses on the six elements that make up a good argument: claim (thesis), grounds (data and reasons), warrants, backings, qualifiers, and rebuttals. The argumentative essay outline example below shows the recommended order in which to put these elements: I. Introduction. A. Open with a hook, if you can, to garner interest
Focus Area #3: Writing the Conclusion. It's common to conclude an argumentative essay by reiterating the thesis statement in some way, either by reminding the reader what the overarching argument was in the first place or by reviewing the main points and evidence that you covered.
An argumentative essay comprises five essential components: 1. Claim. Claim in argumentative writing is the central argument or viewpoint that the writer aims to establish and defend throughout the essay. A claim must assert your position on an issue and must be arguable. It can guide the entire argument.
When you're writing a persuasive essay, you need more than just an opinion to make your voice heard. Even the strongest stance won't be compelling if it's not structured properly and reinforced with solid reasoning and evidence. Learn what elements every argumentative essay should include and how to structure it depending on your audience ...
The argumentative essay is commonly assigned as a capstone or final project in first year writing or advanced composition courses and involves lengthy, detailed research. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository essays are often used for in-class writing exercises or tests, such as the GED or GRE.
3 Drafting: Write a rough draft of your essay. It helps to include any data and direct quotes as early as possible, especially with argumentative essays that often cite outside sources. 4 Revising: Polish your rough draft, optimize word choice, and restructure your arguments if necessary. Make sure your language is clear and appropriate for the ...
An argumentative essay is a structured, compelling piece of writing where an author clearly defines their stance on a specific topic. This is a very popular style of writing assigned to students at schools, colleges, and universities. Learn the steps to researching, structuring, and writing an effective argumentative essay below. Requirements ...
What is argumentative essay? The fundamentals of a good argumentative essay. Let's explore the essential components that make argumentative essays compelling. 1. The foundation: crafting a compelling claim for your argumentative essay. The claim is the cornerstone of your argumentative essay. It represents your main argument or thesis statement ...
An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance. An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the ...
In an academic argument, you'll have a lot more constraints you have to consider, and you'll focus much more on logic and reasoning than emotions. Figure 1. When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience.
An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here's an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3. 1. Introduction: Hook: Start with a compelling statement, question, or anecdote to grab the reader's attention.
Do not repeat the same statements in different words. In the usual structure of an argumentative essay, you should show three claims; one at the beginning of each paragraph. Then, you'll support those claims with arguments and facts. Another alternative is presenting two claims supported with facts, and using the third body paragraph for ...
The argument you are making should be clearly stated within your thesis statement. You should have several reasons or points of discussion that help you to support your argument. You will explain and support these reasons and points of discussion within the body paragraphs of your paper. As with all academic writing, you'll need to cite any ...
Here's our 12-step recipe for writing a great argumentative essay: Pick a topic. Choose your research sources. Read your sources and take notes. Create a thesis statement. Choose three main arguments to support your thesis statement —now you have a skeleton outline.
When preparing to compose a good argumentative essay, utilize the following steps: Step 1: Select a topic. Step 2: Identify a position. Step 3: Locate appropriate resources. Step 4: Identify evidence supporting the position.(NOTE: If there is little evidence in support of the claim, consider re-examining the main argument.)Steps to write an argumentative essay
Figure 1. When writing an argumentative essay, students must be able to separate emotion based arguments from logic based arguments in order to appeal to an academic audience. Argumentative essays are quite common in academic writing and are often an important part of writing in all disciplines. You may be asked to take a stand on a social ...
An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and ...
c. Evidence in Support of Claim: A good argumentative essay should has a strong evidence to support the claims asserted. Evidence in the context of an argumentative essay is simply the information sourced for and logically analyzed for the purpose of justifying a stated claim. ... 10 Qualities you need. c. Reasons: An argumentative essay should ...
An argumentative essay shares a literary language with other types of essay, and in that sense uses metaphors and other rhetorical figures to validate its thesis. It is a space where the subjectivity of the issuer fits, but also conceptual rigor. In general, an argumentative essay has the following characteristics:
An essay is a brief work of writing which presents a story, point of view, interpretation, or analysis. The argumentative essay definition, then, is an essay that relies on facts and evidence to ...
In an argumentative essay, your thesis statement should take a strong position. Your aim in the essay is to convince your reader of this thesis based on evidence and logical reasoning. In an expository essay, you'll aim to explain the facts of a topic or process. Your thesis statement doesn't have to include a strong opinion in this case ...
In conclusion, writing an essay on the topic "Example of an Argumentative Essay" is a challenging task that demands a combination of critical thinking, research skills, and effective communication. Navigating through the complexities of constructing a persuasive argument, organizing ideas coherently, and selecting relevant examples requires ...
Whether you're writing a research paper, argumentative essay, or policy proposal, a solid thesis statement is key. What Is a Thesis Statement? ... Characteristics of a Good Thesis Statement. An effective thesis statement is the backbone of a well-structured essay. Thesis statement examples help illustrate the differences between strong and ...