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Humanities LibreTexts

9.3: The Argumentative Essay

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Learning Objectives

  • Examine types of argumentative essays

Argumentative Essays

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.

A cartoon person with a heart in one hand and a brain in the other.

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.

Causal Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you argue that something has caused something else. For example, you might explore the causes of the decline of large mammals in the world’s ocean and make a case for your cause.

Evaluation Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you make an argumentative evaluation of something as “good” or “bad,” but you need to establish the criteria for “good” or “bad.” For example, you might evaluate a children’s book for your education class, but you would need to establish clear criteria for your evaluation for your audience.

Proposal Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you must propose a solution to a problem. First, you must establish a clear problem and then propose a specific solution to that problem. For example, you might argue for a proposal that would increase retention rates at your college.

Narrative Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you make your case by telling a story with a clear point related to your argument. For example, you might write a narrative about your experiences with standardized testing in order to make a case for reform.

Rebuttal Arguments

  • In a rebuttal argument, you build your case around refuting an idea or ideas that have come before. In other words, your starting point is to challenge the ideas of the past.

Definition Arguments

  • In this type of argument, you use a definition as the starting point for making your case. For example, in a definition argument, you might argue that NCAA basketball players should be defined as professional players and, therefore, should be paid.

https://assessments.lumenlearning.co...essments/20277

Essay Examples

  • Click here to read an argumentative essay on the consequences of fast fashion . Read it and look at the comments to recognize strategies and techniques the author uses to convey her ideas.
  • In this example, you’ll see a sample argumentative paper from a psychology class submitted in APA format. Key parts of the argumentative structure have been noted for you in the sample.

Link to Learning

For more examples of types of argumentative essays, visit the Argumentative Purposes section of the Excelsior OWL .

Contributors and Attributions

  • Argumentative Essay. Provided by : Excelsior OWL. Located at : https://owl.excelsior.edu/rhetorical-styles/argumentative-essay/ . License : CC BY: Attribution
  • Image of a man with a heart and a brain. Authored by : Mohamed Hassan. Provided by : Pixabay. Located at : pixabay.com/illustrations/decision-brain-heart-mind-4083469/. License : Other . License Terms : pixabay.com/service/terms/#license

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This presentation is designed to introduce your students to the elements of an organized essay, including the introduction, the thesis, body paragraphs, topic sentences, counterarguments, and the conclusion.

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  • Argumentative Writing
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Parts of an Argumentative Essay

Parts of an Argumentative Essay

This lesson is created through the online platform SoftChalk. The lesson will take students through the 5 parts of an argumentative essay with videos and short interactive activities. When students have completed the lesson they will have a better understanding of what an argumentative essay should look and sound like. 

SoftChalk Lesson:  Parts of an Argumentative Essay 

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argumentative essay

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

Mar 31, 2019

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ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY. ARGUMENTATION. The aim of writing argumentative essays is to convince or persuade the reader. O ne attempts to change the reader’s mind and convince the reader to agree with the point of view or claim of the writer.

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ARGUMENTATION • The aim of writing argumentative essays is to convince or persuade the reader. • One attempts to change the reader’s mind and convince the reader to agree with the point of view or claim of the writer. • So an argumentative essay needs to be highly persuasive and logical.

Argumentation _____ Refutation _____ Proponent _____ Opponent _____ Counter Argument (CON) ____ Pro Argument (PRO) _____ Key Terms to Learn (p. 112) 1. a person who disagrees with something and speaks against it 2. the act or process of forming reasons, drawing conclusions, and applying them to acase in discussion 3. point or statement that supports one’s ideas and/or thesis 4. point or statement in opposition to the argument being made in a written documentor speech 5. the process of discrediting the arguments thatoppose your thesis statement 6. someone who argues in favor of something; advocate 2 5 6 1 4 3

WHAT ARE THE GOALS OF ARGUMENTATION? • present an opinion on a controversial topic to the reader; • explain, clarify and illustrate that opinion; • persuade the reader that the opinion supported in the essay is valid by: a. moving the reader to action, b. convincing the reader that the opinion is correct, or c. persuading the reader that the opinion is at least worth considering; • support the opinion by means of giving evidence: facts, examples, physical description, support of authority, and statistics; • present counterarguments to the thesis and refute them respectfully and critically.

ADVERTISING MANIPULATES VIEWERS In the simplest form, advertising can be defined as a kind of message or message transmission that is designed to promote a product, service, or an idea. Today this basic marketing strategy has become a natural part of our daily life. Considering that the 20 billion dollars spent on advertisements in 1979 had drastically risen to 120 billion dollars in 1999 and that in the course of a lifetime, one will see about three years worth of advertisements on television and approximately 3,000 ads per day, a person may easily acknowledge the impact of advertising(DiChiara, 2008, para. 3). Nonetheless, as Giselle Touzard (2008) explains, advertising, which originally intended to be a source of information for people on the availability of products, “has developed into an industry that shapes people’s identity” (para. 2). Coming in various forms – in print, audio, or visual form – advertisements not only bombard audience with their messages, but they also sell the ideas of who we are and what we should do or be. Thus, advertisements are harmful for the society owing to their disruptive influence. Sample Essay - Introduction definition facts authority’sopinion Thesis statement

Some may argue that advertisements are beneficial.It is the opinion of these supporters that advertisements are essential in keeping the market alive and rivalry hot. They believe that it is thanks to advertisements that companies working on the same line can display their products on the market equally and fairly. However, this idea cannot go further than being an immature claim because this rivalry is unfair. It is only the companies who can “afford” broadcasting strong claims of their product that can actually survive in this competitive environment. In that sense, small companies are destined to be wiped out from the market. Followers of advertisements may also assert that consumers become more “aware” and “conscious”. This position goes on to say that advertisements help the undecided customers come to a decision seeing all the available products on the media.This point has advantages on the surface and could be acceptable to an point. It is true that advertisements inform the consumers on the availability and variety of goods. Yet, serious doubts can be raised against this view when one considers the shortcomings of the messages the viewers are exposed to.The target audience, that is the consumers, are forced to believe in illusions about the product rather than realities. When an advertiser focuses merely on the advantages of a product, it creates a false impression. Or when a commodity is equated with positive feelings such as happiness and self-confidence, this image builds up a false hope that once you buy it, you will be happy and self-confident. Eventually, when these illusions are not realized – as they have been lies of the advertiser all along -, the consumer is disappointed. The advertiser achieves the ultimate end and turns a gear in the consumer society, but it is a deception that is ethically unacceptable. The advertiser not only pushes the public deeper into consumption, but also disillusions it with false messages. The conclusion one needs to draw from these is that advertisements are detrimental. Sample Essay – Con Refute Paragraph An idea that is contrary/opposedto the thesis statement Showing the weaknesses of this opposite argument Another opposing claim Showing the weaknesses of this opposite argument

It is clear that advertisements manipulate viewers; first of all, they destroy public balance as they draw on gender stereotypes.Frequently advertisements make use of models and myths for the sake of making the message striking and memorable. Thus, it is a common practice to represent women as pretty objects at home who are obedient to men.Studies have identified that in advertising women are less often used in work representations compared with men (as cited in Jacobson & Mazur, 2007, p. 217). In the advertisements of house appliances, especially, women are typically equated with housewives and mothers. Even when women are portrayed in professional environments, they are often in lower positions, receiving instructions. Hence, professional women are reduced to order-takers. Men, on the other hand, are commonly associated with power, leadership, and efficiency. It is especially in car advertisements that these features are paired with masculinity. Also, professional men are shown in powerful and influential positions, giving orders. It is mostly men who solve the problems, lead a company or pursue professional goals. This double standard in the illustration of genders not only reveals the mainstream view but also affirms it because when consumers buy the advertised products, one indirectly approves of the advertisements, and therefore contributes to keeping and reproducing certain representations.Hence, advertisements destroy the possibility of a society where both genders are equal. Sample Essay – Pro Paragraph Back to the thesis statement and original argument Supporting techniques (example, explanation, authority’s opinion)

Secondly, advertisements present impossible body images both for men and women, and thus create an insecure society. Everywhere advertisements tell the audience what it means to be a desirable man or woman, just as directly as the advertisement that claims, “Image is everything”. For a man, the message is: You need to be athletic. It seems that whether a man is 20or 40, whether he has brown or silver hair, an athletic body is crucial for a strong, powerful, and confident man. The opposite is an exaggeration, just like the poor man, the anti-Mr. Muscle in the detergent advertisement. For a woman, too, the message is similar: You need to be beautiful and skinny. Women are constantly exposed to gorgeous looking women who have the perfect hair or skin, and a body like that of a model. Although all these images are simple illusions, women unfortunately ignore this. Due to this lack of self-satisfaction, today 25 percent of women are dieting and another 50 percent have recently started or quitted a diet (Jacobson & Mazur, 2007, p. 214). Some women take even more dangerous steps to be like the women they see in advertisements. They develop an eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia. It is quite striking that today approximately one in five women have an eating disorder (p. 214). Hence, advertisements perpetuate disappointment as well as dissatisfaction in both genders. Sample Essay – Pro Paragraph 2 Another argument which is parallel to the thesis statement Examples, explanations, authority’s opinions, statistics to clarify the topic sentence

All in all, attempts trying to justify the gentleness of advertisements are destined to being weak because advertisements cause apparent harms on public. These written, audio or visual messages reinstate stereotypes and consequently crush gender equality. They also portray impossible body images for men and women, which eventually manipulates the public and shakes self-esteem. Finally, advertisements abuse the future generations for their own end and cause irreversible weakening on their health and psychology. As Sarah Bernhardt (n.d, para. 3) remarks, “The monster of advertisement... is a sort of octopus with innumerable tentacles. It throws out to right and left, in front and behind its clammy arms, and gathers in, through its thousand little suckers, all the gossip and slander and praise afloat, to spit out again at the public.”Therefore, we need to save ourselves from the evil tentacles of this monster and learn to make our own free choices, before it is too late. Sample Essay - Conclusion Linker signalling the conclusion + summary of the main points Authority’s opinion warning

HOW TO WRITE ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS • STAGE 1: CHOOSING A TOPIC AND WRITING THE THESIS STATEMENT • Decide on a controversial topic(debatable and interesting) • Write an argumentative thesis statement. • Generate ideas (free writing or brainstorming)

The Argumentative Thesis Statement • The thesis statement should define the scope of the argument and make a statement that is open to debate.

Sample Argumentative Thesis Statements • Something should be done on media bias. This is not an effective argumentative thesis statement because it does not clearly state the writer’s idea. The answers of questions like “what is that ‘something’ that should be done?” or “who should do it?” are not clear.

Sample Argumentative Thesis Statements • CNN is the best TV channel. This is not an effective thesis statement. This sentence is not debatable as it involves personal choice or preference.

Sample Argumentative Thesis Statements • There are three ways of media censorship. This is not an argumentative thesis statement as the writer aims at listing the types of media censorship. Therefore, the writer’s purpose of writing this essay is not to persuade the reader but to give information. Also, the ways of media censorship are not open to debate, thus, not suitable for argumentation.

Sample Argumentative Thesis Statements • Newspapers should not identify people by color, race, or religious faith in any way. This is an effective argumentative thesis statement. Firstly, the topic is open to discussion. There may be people who would oppose this argument claiming that this kind of restriction would damage the objectivity of the news. Therefore, the writer holds a clear stance. Above all, it is obvious that the writer’s aim is not simply to inform the readers but to convince them to take his or her side in the debate.

THE EXPOSITORY THESIS STATEMENT VS. THE ARGUMENTATIVE THESIS STATEMENT • Both expository and argumentative thesis statements express a certain opinion about a topic. • However, an expository thesis statement does not include a sharp opinion; rather, it discusses advantages, disadvantages, types, reasons, results, problems, solutions, processes, or categories of an issue often in the form of listing, enumeration, classification, or sequencing. • An argumentative thesis statement, on the other hand, has a clear stance on a debatable topic, fiercely argues that the writer’s opinion is correct and reflects this prejudiceboth in its style and tone.

More Examples to Show the Difference • There are three main reasons why the media manipulate the news. This thesis statement is not argumentative. Although the writer has the assumption that the media manipulate the news, the aim of this essay is not to convince the reader on this issue, but to simply list the three reasons for media manipulation. The reader, too, expects to learn the three reasons.

More Examples to Show the Difference • The media should not manipulate the news in any way. This thesis statement is acceptable as an argumentative thesis statement because the writer clearly takes a stand in the debate about whether the media should manipulate the news or not. Here, the writer intends to influence the mind of readers rather than to merely inform them.

On the Whole • On the whole, while writing argumentative thesis statements, be sure to have a debatable topic, state your claim and stance as strongly as possible and make the reader understand that your aim is to persuade rather than only to inform.

Time to Practice! Choose two of the topics, and write an argumentative thesis statement for each. 1. war journalism 2. advertisements / commercials 3. reality programs 4. radio programs 5. the government 6. newspapers

STAGE 2: GENERATING IDEAS • After formulating your argumentative thesis statement, you need to brainstorm a variety ofsupporting ideas, counter arguments and ways to refute these opposing views.

One important concern in writing an argumentative essay is tostrengthen your argument. Todo this, you need to base your argument on sound evidence. In supporting your argument,the evidence that you include can be facts, examples, support from authority (testimony), andstatistics. Facts: data that have been objectively proven and are generally accepted (suchas historical facts, scientific data, statistics etc.) Examples: should be sufficient number of examples toprove the case. Support from authority:Opinionsof experts Statistics: Averages, percentages, numbers etc. When Supporting your Argument

TASK 6 1. It is clear that TV triggers violence. According to a study by the American PsychologicalAssociation (2005), the average child living in a developed country will view 8000 murdersand 100.000 other acts of violence before finishing elementary school. The average 27 hours aweek kids spend watching TV - much of it violent - makes them more prone to aggressive andviolent behavior as adolescents and adults (p. 10). TV executives have known this for a longtime. One of the most comprehensive studies of the impact of violent TV was commissionedby CBS back in 1978. It found that teenage boys who watched more hours of violent TV thanaverage before adolescence were committing such violent crimes as rape and assault at a rate49 percent higher than boys who watched fewer than average hours of violent TV (as cited inAPA, 2005, p. 3). Supporting technique used: ____________________________________________________ Statistics / Research Findings

Task 6 2. Not letting their children watch television as a punishment is a futile effort of parents sincealmost every effect of punishment is negative. Dr. Bruno Bettleheim (2003, p. 8), famouspsychologist and professor at the University of Chicago, writes, “Punishment is a traumaticexperience not only in itself but also because it disappoints the child’s wish to believe in thebenevolence of the parent, on which his sense of security rests.”… Supporting technique used: ________________ Authority’s opinion / testimony

Counter Arguments One way to strengthen your argument is to show that you have a deep understanding of the issueand also to show that you can anticipate and address the counterarguments or objections thatyour audience may have. In this way, you show that you have thought the issue in detail.

Generating Counter Arguments • How strong is the opposition? • What arguments might be used against my thesis statement? • How can I refute these arguments? • Will I have to agree with some of these points? • Which of my arguments might the opposition try to discredit? • How closely does my audience identify with the opposition? • Can I see any weak links in the opposition’s thinking?

Pro-Con Chart • After finding pro and counter ideas for your topic, it may be a good idea to put these on a pro-conchart.

Pro-Con Chart

Counter Arguments Sometimes it may be difficult to anticipate the counterarguments. Here are some strategies thatyou can make use of if you are having difficulty at this stage: • Do some research. It may seem to you that no one could possibly disagree withyour position, but you will be astonished to find that someone most probably alreadyhas. • Talk with a friend or your instructor. Someone else may point out certaincounterarguments that may never have occurred to you. • Consider the thesis and your supporting arguments and think of how people mayobject to each of them.

Refuting the Counter Arguments Refuting Counter Arguments by Claiming that they are: 1. Incorrect:demonstrating that your opponent’s reasoning is wrong because it isbased on incorrect or misleading information 2. Irrelevant:showing that your opponent’s viewpoint is inappropriate and unrelatedbecause it is not relevant to the key point 3. Insufficient:showing that your opponent’s reasoning is weak because it is based oninsufficient information or ignores significant information. Partially agree with theopponent’s point of view but on the whole prove that it is weak

Important Reminder! • When writing an argumentative essay, arguments which have been suggested by opponentsand proponents should be made clear. Otherwise, the reader may be confused.

STAGE 3: ORGANIZING IDEAS INTO AN OUTLINE

Important Reminder! • As you have seen above, the writers of argumentative essays need to generate many supportingand opposing ideas to construct their argument and this much of information might cause someorganizational problems. Here are the most common mistakes:

Common Errors The refutation does not refute the counter argument. In other words, the refutation is irrelevant to the counter argument. • Thesis Statement: The medium of university education should be Turkish. • CON: Supporters of English as the medium of university education believe that English as is the language in which most academic studies are published. Therefore, they maintain, our education shoulf be in Englsih so as to be able to better understand and respond to these studies. • REF: However, learning English is very difficult and not everyone can master it.

Common Errors 2. In the counter argument refutation paragraph, one of the pro arguments, which is dealt with in another paragraph as well, is repeated as the refutation of the counter argument. In other words, the ideas are repetitious. Thesis statement: The medium of university education should be Turkish. I. PRO: It will make Turkish more prestigious if we use it in the academic and scientific context. II. The students will be more successful. III. CON: Supporters of English medium universities believe that English is the language of the academic publication, so having education in English will contribute to the students’ future accomplishments. REF: By doing so we miss the opportunity to make Turkish accepted in the academic circles; Turkish needs to be used in academic and scientific context so as to gain more prestige and be a world language.

Common Errors 3. The counter argument presented is not contradictory to the thesis statement. In other words, the counter argument does not present a direct opposition to the stance of the thesis statement. Thesis statement: The medium of university education should be Turkish. I. CON: Opponents of this idea believe that English is a world language and everybody should learn it.

Final Tips for Writing an Argumentative Essay • Find a debatable topic. • Word your thesis carefully to provoke thought or action. • Do research. • Make a pro-con chart. • Outline your arguments so that they are focused and organized. • Anticipate objections and differing viewpoints and show why your argument is strongereven if the others have some merit. • Support all your claims with convincing evidence and reasoned analysis. • Avoid logical fallacies; they weaken any argument.

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Argumentative Essay – Outline, Form, and Examples

Daniel Bal

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.)

Steps to write an argumentative essay

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

Credible sources

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.

Steps to write an argumentative essay

Argumentative essay outline

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.

Argumentative essay outline

How to write an argumentative essay

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

Components of an argumentative essay

Argumentative essay introduction

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.

Argumentative essay thesis

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

Argumentative essay body paragraphs

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.

Argumentative essay conclusion

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

Argumentative essay examples

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

COMMENTS

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