When it comes to writing assignments, one of the common types that you might be expected to produce is an argumentative essay. This is basically an essay in which you choose a side and then argue your case in order to convince the reader by presenting facts and information to support your claim. This may seem a little daunting at first, but once you know how to approach this type of essay it can be much easier to achieve. That’s why we have put together this guide on how to write an argumentative essay.
Preparing to Write an Argumentative Essay
One thing that you must remember in writing an argumentative essay, or any essay for that matter, is that you need to do some preparation before you ever put pen to paper! First, if you have not been allocated a topic then you need to choose one which has two clear conflicting conclusions. Once you have the topic you will need to choose which side of the argument you are going to be in favour of. Something that is worth noting is that the better essay may not actually match your own personal belief regarding the topic.
It is wise to evaluate the available resources and decide which side of the argument has the most information to work with in terms of backing up your points. This is the side that you need to argue for – the one with the strongest evidence! Once you know which side of the fence you are on you can start to jot down some points and match them up with potential sources of evidence. For each point you present you need to have at least one piece of evidence to support what you are saying.
Structure of the Argumentative Essay Outline
If you have done the appropriate preparation work as outlined above, then you should be ready to create an essay plan that will help you to structure your argumentative essay appropriately. All essays are made up of the same three elements: an introduction, a body and a conclusion.
In an argumentative essay your introduction should present the topic of your essay and make it clear which side of the argument you will be presenting a case for. Introductions should always be clear and straight to the point. It is recommended that you spend no more than 5% to 10% of your required word count on crafting your introduction. Some students actually find it easiest to write an introduction last, so that the argument is clear in their own mind!
The body of your argumentative essay is perhaps the most important part of your essay as this is where you will make your case. This will consist of several paragraphs, each dealing with a different point and the relevant evidence you have to support it. You will also have a paragraph or two which will address the opposing argument.
This will give you a chance to refute the main points of the opposition. It is worth creating a collection of subheadings within the body section of your essay plan detailing which points each paragraph is to cover as this will help you to determine the correct order to ensure the essay flows well.
Finally, you will need to draw a conclusion. In an argumentative essay you already know what your conclusion is going to be and so your final paragraph simply needs to restate your position in terms of the topic argument and then summarise the points that you have just made to support that position. The conclusion will probably be of a similar length as your introduction and should be a single paragraph.
How to Present a Firm Stance in Your Argument
One of the most common problems that students have when writing an argumentative essay is that they fail to present a firm stance. The key thing to remember is that you are trying to convince readers that you are correct, so you cannot afford to display any doubt in your argument. Never be afraid to state your opinion clearly. Here are some tips you can use to help with presenting a firm stance:
One thing that you need to avoid is the use of weak qualifiers. Never fall into the trap of telling the reader ‘I think..’ or ‘I believe’ – just tell them exactly how it is using passionate language. For example, rather than writing ‘I believe that the drink driving limit should be reduced because… ‘ you should instead simply state that ‘The drink driving limit should be reduced because…’. When you remove the weak qualifier from your sentence you are being more forceful in your beliefs.
Another common problem in writing argumentative essays is that there is a temptation to present yourself as an expert on the topic. Many students try to do this believing it will create a more forceful argument. However, unless you can back up your claims you will lack any real credibility which is ultimately going to weaken your argument. Instead, you should cite experts who agree with the points that you are making as this will support your argument and make it stronger.
Never try to make the opposing side look bad by insulting them or questioning their credibility. You should address the opposing argument, but do so in such a way that you refute the claims they make by offering proven facts supporting your own side of the argument. This will have the added bonus of illustrating the fact that your knowledge of the topic is well rounded and not just one sided.
Final Steps Before Submitting Your Argumentative Essay
Once you have written your essay you are by no means finished. It is always best to put it to one side for a while before coming back to your work for some final steps. You will need to proofread your essay for mistakes to begin with as you do not want to lose marks for simple typos. Then you need to read over your work and edit it, perhaps making some revisions along the way.
It could be that on returning to your essay you feel like some of your points are unnecessary or need to be strengthened with additional evidence. Make sure that you leave yourself time to do these revisions when planning to work on your assignment. Finally, you can check the following points :
- Have you avoided the use of emotional language?
- Do you have a source to cite for each piece of evidence that you present?
- Is your argument clearly stated and do the points you have made support your stance?
When you can answer ‘yes’ to all of these questions, it is likely that you are ready to submit your essay.
If you follow this guide and carry out all of the steps from preparing your essay all the way to making those final edits, then you should have no trouble at all in producing an argumentative essay. Just make sure that you fully research your topic and gather as much evidence as you possibly can to support your points.