argumentative essay tips

argumentative essay tips

Effective Strategies for Writing a Persuasive Argumentative Essay

1. Introduction to Argumentative Essays

1. Introduction to argumentative essays 2. Pro Tips: Economy with proper citation 3. Formatting the paper to the T: The basic structure (Introduction, Body, and Ending) 4. In conclusion, sum up and consolidate your stance in a note. Pages like Pro Essay Writers provide full insight and support you throughout the process from well-knit writing to refining and sharing wisdom on all that is external to the argumentative essay.

Essays are an intellectual judgment and these require you to have a keen analytical insight to express your opinion on the topic of an essay. However, the analytical intelligence should be properly juxtaposed with your argumentative, cogent writing style, and mode of presentation, which should be as brief and concise as we can.

Have you ever adopted catchy, evidence-based persuasive speaking to convince your parents for a later curfew, to get a better allowance, or to upgrade from an e-reader to the beloved real books? These moments are indeed moments when you have dipped into the argumentative art, engaging effectively with an argumentation. If you can talk, you can write! Here we will discuss how you can apply your argumentation skills to an academic text that you can adapt throughout the various subjects you are engaged with in school and university and the world outside. The same rules apply to academic, formal, and informal topics that you are engaged with in your daily life.

2. Crafting a Strong Thesis Statement

Your thesis statement should be compelling. The tone of your thesis statement is important in the argument essay, but it should also contain the kind of language that can be replicated in the essay and also used to present your argument most effectively. A thesis statement should be strong and straightforward. Mostly, this kind of statement provides the best cautions in the argumentative essay. For example, stating a fact about an issue that indicates a consistent problem which needs to be addressed could be a thesis statement. Remember, the thesis statement should effectively announce your argument in the paper. In making an argument, it should strive for dramatic language and powerful ideas. Your use of specific, repetitive words with strong emotional context and empirical claims could effectively argue the stance you are identifying. The wording of your thesis statement should specify and show the position of your argument in a good style. It should be memorable and able to counter statements that may not be the same as yours.

Being “too narrow” is also bad. A too-narrow thesis statement is a form of puff; it is supported by an essay which covers whole facets of an issue, and fails to adequately discuss the question. In order to avoid a thesis statement which is too general or too specific, you can focus your opinion about the topic either by brainstorming your ideas, or induction through research.

Your thesis statement should be explicit and specific, not general or vague; this allows for greater accuracy and understanding as it provides clear and sure support for your readers. Example: “Cheating is an immoral way of achieving success.” There are two problems with this thesis statement. First of all, it is too general and does not really set forth the main focus of discussion. Second, it does not provide a reason why cheating would be said to be immoral. “When a student cheats, despite his weaknesses, he attempts to prove his academic competence.” In this statement, the idea becomes more specific with a clear reason.

Your thesis statement should express a strong, exact, and clear idea. Avoid phrasing it as a question–it should be a statement. “Why has capital punishment been abolished in Canada, and what are the resulting effects?” could be rephrased as “Capital punishment has been abolished in Canada as the result of a sharp rise in child-protection laws. The result of its abolition has been a 44% increase in the cost of life insurance as a direct consequence.”

A thesis statement should be a clear and direct answer to the assignment question (or prompt). It should be a main point that only your paper mentions, a “stand” on the topic, a persuasive and arguable claim, and supportable with evidence. Here are some guidelines and examples for crafting an effective thesis statement:

3. Supporting Your Arguments with Evidence

When you introduce your evidence, be sure to use various verb phrases such as asserts, claims that, argues, insists, ascertains, points out, is convinced that, believes, suggests, presents evidence that, agrees, refutes, raises, admits, flakes off, admits, handles, opposes, denies, or exposes. Find different options to introduce your evidence, so you don’t overuse the same language. Careful word choices will help keep your reader engaged while supporting your stance and convincing the reader to agree with your position. Be sure to consider the needs and concerns of your readers as you choose and organize your evidence throughout the writing process. Use an appropriate mix of primary and secondary evidence for your chosen topic. Finally, share your excitement or urgency about the topic with your readers, as this urgency or excitement is likely to influence the readers’ feelings about your argument.

The word evidence might make you think of professional research, but it’s not just for scientists. Evidence, in the form of examples, facts, statistics, and expert opinions, can help make your arguments more persuasive to your readers. Use your evidence to support the main claim of your essay, and then explain how each piece of evidence helps to prove your argument. Evidence helps keep your reader engaged in the big questions and helps them decide the answer to your argument. In addition to explaining your evidence, it’s crucial to acknowledge any opposing arguments and evidence. Showing your reader that you’ve analyzed different perspectives on a topic helps to prove that your argument is strong and valid. Acknowledging the other side tells the reader you’re confident in your grasp of the topic and eager to prove that you’ve thoughtfully considered all possible angles.

4. Counterarguments and Rebuttals

Provide students with an opportunity to refute counter-argument. Once the students realized how difficult this could be, they avoided considering other viewpoints. Considering possible challenges that arguments might face from alternative viewpoints is hard work and is the mark of a prepared thinker. Insisting on this level of thought in students’ persuasive writing in line with standards and what future employers, college, and community will expect ensures the students have a firm foundation for a prosperous future.

A crucial part of a persuasive argumentative essay is taking into account a counter-argument. This is an aspect of the essay that many students leave out. When students present possible objections to an argument and then rebuff them, it is very persuasive. Doing so demonstrates that the writer has considered reasonable alternative perspectives, thus lending credibility to the essay. Often, students think this will lessen their arguments, but as students get pushed on more in their writing and speaking, they will see that it adds rather than diminishes the forcefulness of what they are trying to persuade others to believe. By doing this, the writer is far more likely to engage the readers and make them more likely to see things from his/her perspective.

5. Concluding Your Argumentative Essay

As such, a conclusion should imitate the introduction, only that it is a more concentrated and not a more expanded version of your introductory paragraph. An option to provide a logical ending of your discussion in a bookend of an intro should also be used, which links the essay to a nice conclusion, so that your reader’s full circle can finally be completed. Do not tie it to some specific recent event as the real conclusion should be a reasoned, well-argued decision and not just a random sentence. Really speaking, whereas the personal opinion of yourself may put your argumentative essay well through argumentation, but the only argument that is concrete should seem to come from the argumentation itself but not from the personal points. In conclusion, your own argumentative essay, try to choose an easy, but interesting topic for many student writers. Writing about a more advanced, complex and substantive topics such as gun control, same-sex marriage or death penalty can be a more daunting task.

Do not introduce new points in your conclusion and do not simply restate the overall case that you have stated in the introduction. Although the conclusion might restate some of the thesis statement’s key points, do so with less formal language that does not scold the reader for their opinions. A realization that their opinion is right is 100% acceptable, but it would be nice to add in a statement of appeal as well. Also, be sure to ensure that it does not contrast with your thesis. A common error is to begin a final paragraph with the words “In conclusion,” and it is a rarely used conclusion for the writers still at the junior school levels.