How to Write an Argumentative Essay

How to Write an Argumentative Essay

The argumentative essay is one of the many types of essays. This type of essay aims to convince the reader to believe its author and to be on their side. It requires thorough research because you need to persuade your reader by presenting a logic and concrete evidence. As you have probably already guessed, this kind of essay is most common in the academic setting.

The argumentative essay

As the name suggests, an argumentative essay has to have an argument to defend. The author of such an essay must have a firm stand on the chosen topic. He can’t just present facts and sides of the argument and then let the reader decide for himself. Although ultimately, the reader has the freedom to decide, the author’s goal is to steer the reader towards accepting his argument as true.Need help with your term paper or essay?

HIRE A WRITER IN JUST A FEW CLICKS

Parts of an argumentative essay

The argumentative essay follows the same structure of the basic essay: it has an introduction, body, and a conclusion. However, this type of essay has specific content in the body. The introduction is where you tell your readers your topic. More importantly, this is where you introduce your thesis statement. 

In the argumentative essay, the introduction can extend to another paragraph, or even more, because you need to provide background to your reader. You should tell your readers about the different sides of the issue before presenting your own claims. The body is where you present your main arguments and evidence. This is where the actual persuasion happens. The body of your essay should have three claims and one counterclaim.

• The claims are the reasons or facts that support and promote your stand on the issue. Keep in mind, however, that this is not just your opinion. These should be based on facts and should be logical.
• The claims are usually followed by pieces of evidence or examples. This shows that your claims are realistic. These are meant to make your argument airtight.
• After presenting all your claims, present a counterclaim. This counterclaim should be carefully selected. Firstly, it should present a strong counterargument to your stand. Secondly, you should be able to counter it with any or all of your arguments. Lastly, the presentation of the counterclaim should further strengthen your argument.
• The last part of your essay, the conclusion, is where you repeat your thesis statement and arguments in brief. You may also mention additional takeaway ideas for your reader here.
  
  

References

The references are an equally crucial aspect of the argumentative essay. It is the backbone of your arguments since these are where you get your facts. So, for your essay to be persuasive, your sources should be credible. Be wary of websites that propagate incorrect or biased information to promote their own views or agenda without regard for the truth. If possible, stick to primary sources such as books and peer-reviewed journals, mainstream news agencies, articles with reputable authors, and sites that end with .org, .edu, .gov.

Most importantly, don’t forget to cite your sources! Writing an argumentative essay may take up some time, but it’s not that difficult once you get the hang of it. Remember, practice makes perfect. As you go along with your essay, don't hesitate to ask for our assistance. 

Related Posts