How to write a argumentative essay

Writing as the phenomenon

Surfing the Internet, you can come across various types of writing. Such process develops your skills and mental force. Sometimes we cannot catch the main idea of the essay; in such case, we need some guidelines and tutorials. You are lucky one as you have the opportunity to use our article and gain success. Do not hesitate and learn more about this type of writing.

What is an Argumentative Essay?

The ability to find an argument that convinces your opponents of a particular position on an issue is a profoundly desirable skill. In almost any position that we take in our society, we are challenged to contrast arguments defending our points of views. For example, we build the indispensable arguments as a way of resolving disagreements with partners, colleagues, mates, parents, neighbors, friends, relatives, etc.  People daily construct arguments of themselves and others, on the ground of religious, moral, ethical, political, and entertainment issues. We can state the same about the argumentative essay.

There are different types of work, but the argumentative paper is anacademicwork, which uses the arguments for and against writer’s viewpoint; meaning that he or she is presenting both sides of a discussed issue. The primary aim of this type of essay is to convince the target audience (a professor orteacher) to accept your argument. According to the main intent of the argumentative paper, the writer provides evidence, facts, reasons, statistic data that both support and oppose his attitude.

Argumentative Essay Structure

How to start writing properly? How to make a perfect essay step by step? The academic essay must consist of several paragraphs. The first one is an introductory paragraph, which opens the paper and states the thesis statement. Then comes body paragraphs containing facts, evidence, opposing and supporting ideas. A concluding paragraph reviews essay major points or ideas and gives it a sense of closure, perhaps rephrasing the thesis statement. Hope you are familiar with the main rule of the finishing paragraph: it shouldn’t contain new information and facts that you haven’t described in the body. The conclusion should be the logical ending that makes the positive characteristics of the whole paper. It is better to consult some guidelines rather than to make mistakes.

Argumentative Essay Format

A brilliant idea before manifesting your argument is to indicate why the topic of the issue is a relevant one. After you have shortly described the importance of the problem, you should declare your position on it right at the introduction of the essay. That should be done likewise to the manner a prosecutor does it in his or her opening statement at the beginning of a hearing. Your investigation has already guided you to the conclusion you will be advocating, so you should represent it as quickly and as simply as possible.

If it is a problem to be resolved, you should make it clear that you believe your proposal will solve it. You don’t need to waste a lot of time regarding the complexity of the topic. You can decrease the complicated nature of the question thanks to its clear representation. Moreover, you can support your position with relevant arguments. Be sure that it will convince readers of the high quality of the paper.

The section in which you support your position is the most significant part of your argumentative essay. It is here, where you will present the supporting argument of your thesis statement. The argument for your position should look like a considerably expanded version of a traditional argument. As a rule, your task is to use one section for each argument in order to make the structure of the paper clear and concise. Moreover, you will prevent he case that the reader will be confused with the paper. Remember that everything you say should help support the position, so you have not included any extraneous material, even if it would make the essay more entertaining or colorful.

We highly recommend you not to restate the conclusion at the beginning of the piece, if you have done it at the beginning. However, you probably will want to show how the position you have supported resolves the question, resolves the problem, or settles the conflict, which was the main reason for writing the essay. Finally, you may wish to suggest areas related to the question where further analysis may be usefully conducted; but do not leave the reader with any doubt about where you stand on the issue.

Argumentative Essay Outline

An argumentative essay relies on five basic steps to writing and several additional:

1. Choosing and clarifying the topic of the essay
2. Statement of your position on the issue
3. Argument in support of your position
4. Rebuttal of anticipated criticisms
5. Resolution of the issue

According to these steps, several tips are formed:

• Comprehend the Theme

The primary step in formulating an argumentative essay is to become thoroughly familiar with the complexity of the subject at stake. Your interest should not be that of defending the position that you may already have an issue. Your purpose is to find out which of the possible positions on the question is the most proper one. It is not unlikely that researching the question may cause you to reject your original position.

• Create the “ idea file,” do some research and take notes

High-grade argumentation requires examining and acceptance of all sides of an issue. While preparing to formulate a thesis, it might be a great idea to create an “ idea file” on your computer, dividing it into the five parts of the recommended outline of an argumentative essay shown above. As you read about the issue, do some research on the Internet, and discuss with others about the subject. Write down ideas as they occur to you and arrange them in the appropriate part of the document. From time to time, you may want to rearrange these notes. Choose to delete some of your ideas, develop or revise other, or make connections between the segments of your outline as you witness the major highlights of your essay slowly emerge.

• Use appropriate language and explanations if needed

You should be very accurate in the way you claim your statement on the issue. Use words that are free of vagueness and avoid wordy phrases (example: centers on, deals with, involves, revolves around, has a lot to do with, is primarily concerned with). A thesis is not subject to multiple interpretations, and no more technical in nature than is necessary. Explaining or writing a definition of key concepts or terms that you use in your stated position. Finally, properly explain the statement of your position. That is if there are possible exceptions that you are willing to make, identify them as a part of the position. Such qualification will often strengthen your position and make it less vulnerable to attacks from your opponents.

• “ No ”

“ I hope to demonstrate” and “ It seems to me” shouldn’t be included in your thesis statement. Those expressions decrease reliability by suggesting your judgments are tentative or based entirely on belief rather than on research. Additionally, your position should not promise more than it can provide regarding solving the problem addressed. It should suggest how your ideas are related, in what order your major points will be discussed, and where you will place your highlights, as the following effective thesis does.

e. g., “ Widely ridiculed as escape reading, romance novels are becoming increasingly important as a proving ground for many never-before-published writers and, more significantly, a showcase for strong heroines.”

The considered-above thesis statement is valid because it tells readers that the essay will center on two major new parts of the romance novel: markets for new writers and powerful female characters.

• Correct usage of the evidence

Set forth the strongest proof you have in support of your conclusion, making all your premises as clear as possible and managing them so that they flow from on to the next logical order. Use examples sparingly so that the reader is less likely to confuse a sample with a part of the proof. Also, if possible, try to make your argument a deductive one, to improve the corresponding power of the argument.

• About a loose end

If you think that one of your assumptions may be weak or if you predict that a critic may suggest an objection about a particular assumption, you may want to provide some additional sub premises in support of the premise. If you suppose that your critic’s objection is not damaging, point out what you consider to be the weakness in the objection and show how the premise in subject competently suffices the articulated “ standards of premise acceptability.” If you think that the objection is a damaging criticism, and you have no valid response to it, you should not be using that proof in the first place. Discharge it and replace it with a stronger one.

• Remember about the Audience

Always expect a skeptical audience. Even if your readers are sympathetic to your position, you cannot hope that they will admit your ideas without question. Sympathetic readers must understand that your argument is logical and that your argument is firm. More skeptical readers will require a good deal of reassurance that you know their concerns, and you admit some of their points. However, no matter what you do, you may never be able to convince hostile readers that your judgment is valid. The best you can hope for is that these readers will acknowledge the strengths of your argument even if they reject your conclusion.

• Effective Argument

A good argument should present an effective rebuttal to all serious difficulties to the argument and the position it supports. This is the most ignored feature of most arguments. Almost any arguer can find relevant and acceptable premises as well as what appears to be an adequate number of premises to support a conclusion, but such an argument would not be a good one unless it could also effectively answer the criticism of those who challenge its credit. You should include effective rebuttals to the strongest of those criticisms as a part of your essay. If you do not have an effective reply to them, then you probably should not be advocating that position. You should have discovered this during the research phase of the argumentative essay assignment.

Remember that only one issue can be central to the question. It should identify the principal direction of the supporting arguments of the alternative issues. Sounds rather strange but it is far easier on practice. Another key thing to know is that you should make the clear coincidence of those positions in order to meet all the necessary criteria of the strong argument. In the end, you point out whether the issue was resolved or not, by rephrasing the thesis in the separate paragraph.

Argumentative Essay Introduction

The introduction of an argumentative essay is a very important part in which you try to get the attention of the reader and present your thesis. That is why your first sentences have to be catchy, containing a hook phrase. A hook will gain reader’s mind and keep them reading. Include some background information and do not write too much in your introduction, keep it concise.

Argumentative Essay Example

Here is short, but vivid example of major parts of the argumentative essay.

Topic: Suicideas the Result of Cyber-bullying

“ It is a modern kind of child-terrorism(catchy phrase). Constant cyber-bullying leads to suicide (thesis statement, the writer will prove throughout the paper).

One of the simplest ways to get rid of offenders is suicide (supporting argument 1).

Recent sociological research implemented by the Social Institute show that cyber-bullying motivates 45% of students to hurt themselves (supporting argument 2).

All things considered, it seems reasonable to conclude that cyber-bullying is a social factor that can kill (conclusion). “

Now you know how to define argumentative essay. Keep calm and enjoy your argumentative writing assignments!