example of argumentative essay writing

example of argumentative essay writing

Mastering the Art of Argumentative Essay Writing

1. Introduction to Argumentative Essays

An argumentative essay is an essay in which a person asks a question, asserts a position, and then proceeds to defend that position with sound evidence. It is a genre in which a person tries to persuade an audience to adopt a particular position. Essentially, the aim is to “win” a case. What is its purpose? The purpose of the argumentative essay is to persuade others to agree with the writer’s position or claim. There are four important elements to an argumentative essay: the thesis or claim, the support, the executive control plan, and the appeal methods. The thesis must be clear. The support in the essay must have facts and details. The support is the evidence. A good introduction entices the reader with the thesis statement and sparks interest in the argument. It also establishes the rhetorical situation, including a topic and side affirming the topic. The introduction can focus on important correlations with the topic or mention a moving story if it helps to get the reader involved. Credibility is a term used to express concrete evidence and the reader’s material respect for the writer. The reader will follow the rest of the essay fully when credibility is offered in the beginning. Reasoning is the process of drawing a conclusion on the basis of evidence that supports a valid argument.

Argumentative essays are formal essays used for various disciplines. They are used in both college and professional environments to inform all parties of one’s unique perspective or solutions. The essay normally consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction lets the reader know what you are going to present and whether an argument is presented or facts of the topic, stating your intended position/thesis regarding the topic. The body is filled with paragraphs of details on the topic and sources, and the conclusion restates the argument and does not introduce new material.

2. Structuring Your Argument

This type of essay usually follows a basic format, wherein it starts with an introduction, goes on to establish the body sections, and ultimately ends with a conclusion. Of course, it is also totally acceptable to use personal anecdotes or creative introductions to grab attention, but the introduction goes far beyond that. It must clearly state the argument, summarize the evidence, and finally, preview what is to come in the body of the essay. With the body paragraph usually forming the bulk of a typical essay, there needs to be a clear argument, good form, good support, and a topic sentence, which essentially signs off on all of these. A good argument is not haphazard, and it does not meander. These are good characteristics of an academic essay, but they are especially critical to an argumentative essay, which must follow a coherent structure so that it flows from one point to the next. Even an argumentative essay must possess good flow and logical division. To that end, topic sentences and transitions are critical. A topic sentence offers a direct argument within each paragraph, clearly setting out what the para will be about and advancing an idea.

An argumentative essay is one that takes a clear claim and then elaborates on its meaning through the use of research and evidence. This is done over the course of various body paragraphs, which help to support the main argument and make sure that it all comes together in the conclusion. Argumentative essays are structured in such a way as to be coherent, logical, and to have good flow.

3. Research and Evidence Gathering

Now that you have a bibliography, you can get started reading the sources and fishing out your debates. This doesn’t mean you need to read every article or book from scratch. Skim the content, pick out debates, and read in only as much as will give you the background that you need. CPM has more reading strategies. The argument is in different places. It’s not always in the thesis. Sometimes, a book may be arguing X, but not tell you that until Chapter 4. Be mindful as you keep track of that info. Different forms of evidence have different weights, meaning that some topic sentences will be quite broad, making for a very slappable piece of evidence, while a different topic sentence might be much more specific and need a very precisely-shaped quotation to match it. Different forms of evidence are also appropriate for your different paragraph types. Data can be just as slappable as a generalization. Anecdotes are of the “stars” variety, because they’ll be standing alone, separate from evidence. These can range from a fun story that supports your thesis to a piece of evidence for a conversational tone paragraph. This is not to say any strategy is one to reach for over the other, well, sometimes it is. Type one helps you argue and type two is the indirect takes you by the hand and helps you put boot to butt as you make your point. You want the one that does that to you. Also, it is okay if the same piece of evidence takes on different forms. Given the purpose of the paragraph, you might use it in different ways. Finickynnies, enjoy. The only one who does not like it is me when I have to grade. Evidence must start and begin with a quote with air quotes, a ¨, and end in a quotation mark. And both occur no e at the end of sentence, unless it is a colon. It occurs relatively early but not at the very beginning of a sentence. Brevity denotes. Anyway. “When the Soviets finally pulled out of Budapest and the Budapest Party went bloody bent, not even the army of an old man so senescent he didn’t know the younger of the two Kennedy brothers was already dead could keep the lid on. Out they came, running through sniper fires and going on about the future, babbling words that in action were like poked chalk” (Vonnegut 266).

The exciting part of starting this essay is hunting down appropriate sources, and we’ve made a whole “How to” on that very topic. The essay genre is especially appropriate for being filled with outside sources, so put some time into doing methodical research. You want a debate to be the main event in each body paragraph, and research helps supply this. Plus, in an argumentative essay, you’re looking for the most up-to-date info, especially on current affairs, which means your sources will likely be recent. The “smells” to look for when it comes to research: almost everything you read leaves you with thoughts, whether positive or negative, because you agree or disagree. Highlight that text and skim the reading to see if there’s a main argument that your thoughts are based upon. If you’re “fnargled” about it, put a ⚠️ in the margin. This means that the part you read is potentially a debate resource. Make a full and complete bibliography of your potential sources.

4. Counterarguments and Rebuttals

When addressing the oppositional argument, the author must introduce it in a separate paragraph to ensure that it does not assimilate with the main points. argues that it is best to discuss the components of the opposition one-by-one in separate paragraphs, but the handbook does not share that particular vision. The introductory statements to the refutation process must be strong. The former emphasizes the reality of the readers indeed having their own views on the matter, irrespective of what the opposition is. The handbook emphasizes the importance of starting the counterargument by attributing other people’s opinions concerning the topic. The capacity to see from their viewpoint is the grand reason to include a counterargument. All of this is to make it as clear as day that the opposition is acknowledged, not just understood but appreciated, and embraced as part of the stream of present.

An argument in its very nature defines the boundaries of positive, negative, and neutral vantage points, and that implies that the struggles to see between two antithetical entities could either result in the validation of one and the deflation of the other or the formation of a cohesive opinion that encapsulates pieces of both arguments. If the latter is the aspiration, the acknowledgement of the opposition is mandatory, as well as the kindling of the opposition’s position. However, the central argument is one that capitalizes on logic, ethos, and pathos to the point of making it hard for the reader to refute any of the subpoints or strongly state that said subpoints don’t augment the piece of writing. Not mentioning oppositional arguments doesn’t mean that you’ve made a better argument; it means that all possible opposition can be squashed not by addressing it but by hushing it.

Counterarguments and Rebuttal

5. Concluding Your Argument

Summarize your argument by paraphrasing key points. Avoid using the same phrases or sentences: try to reword the information so this paragraph adds overall logic and cohesion to your essay. Restate the importance of your argument. Show and highlight its relevancy once again so that there is no chance it would be forgotten by your reader. Consider redefining your thesis statement. There should be no way to misunderstand your position. A bit of fresh language is also good. Showcase the consequence of your argument for the final part of your last paragraph. Inspire your reader to think further: your position might cause some thoughts or an urgent necessity to make some actions. This is the logic, provoking the reader to think that will finalize your argument nicely. Reassert the significance of the argument. Encourage further thinking or action. The concluding paragraph is essential for creating a lasting impression with the reader. Summarize the relevance of the argument. Showcase the sequel – a solid conclusion functions as a mechanism that takes your essay full circle by showing the impact your argument has in a broader context. A piece of evidence. Provide a quote, fact, or statistic that pertains to your contention. It should be an apt wrap-up for the evidence you have provided. Using a quote from a famous, call to action, or resource of one sort is a good content strategy. This creates a closing sense of the subject. Restatement of the thesis. Consider employing a more specific language than in the prior assertions. A bit of fresh language is also good. A brief finish. Your conclusion doesn’t need to be long. Just a couple or three refined sentences is adequate for a solid ending. You can use the conclusion as a boost to provoke much deeper thought rather than to tell the reader what to think.

The conclusion is the final segment of your essay, where you need to remind the readers of the main issues and points of your argument. You need to underline the importance of your argument, emphasize its significance, and demonstrate your position in relation to the subject and your arguments. Use the following tips to help you conclude effectively.