How to Write Your Argumentative Essay

In some ways, writing an effective argumentative essay is a lot like cooking up a gourmet meal. You have a list of necessary ingredients and instructions to follow, but how you ultimately put them together is something of an art form. A novice and a gourmet chef may use identical ingredients and follow the same recipe, but it’s highly unlikely that they will produce the same quality of dish. Similar to cooking, writing and most other things require practice. If you want to move from novice to master argumentative writer, study the basic ingredients, and hone your skills until you can put them together in just the right way.

Logic, reason and evidence are the key elements of an argumentative essay. These elements demonstrate the validity of one idea over another. An argumentative essay needs an introduction with a clear thesis statement, reasons and evidence to support the thesis, a refutation of the opposing argument and a conclusion.

Before you dive right in, determine the topic you will be arguing for and carefully consider both sides of the issue. Then choose your position and know which side of the issue your argument will support. Next, research the topic and collect evidence to support your argument. Once you have enough information and feel confident in your argument, begin structuring your essay.

First, write an introductory paragraph that grabs the reader’s attention, introduces the topic and states the thesis statement.

Second, write at least two or more body paragraphs that provide reasons, examples and evidence that supports the argument. Each of the body paragraphs should start with a topic sentence focusing on the reason that particular paragraph will support. They should also include at least three pieces of evidence, linking sentences that elaborate on each piece of evidence and a concluding sentence.

Third, at least one of your body paragraphs should include a refutation, which is an acknowledgement of the opposing argument, and evidence to demonstrate that the argument you are making is more legitimate than its counterpart.

Fourth, write a conclusion paragraph that restates the thesis in a new way and offers some type of resolution for the problem at the heart of the argument.

If you are unsure of how to begin your own argumentative essay, take some time to read sample arguments online. A quick internet search will yield ample opportunities to study the difference between effective and ineffective arguments. Pay attention to the essay structure and how the argument flows from one idea to another.

Example

People who change the world for the better are few and far between. Most people go their entire lives without doing anything particularly important or leaving a lasting impact on their community, but luckily there are also people who do things that make a difference. Louis Pasteur and Marie Curie are two examples of people whose life work led to significant improvements in society. The world is a better place thanks to both, but Marie Curie’s contributions to society were greater than Pasteur’s because in addition to discovering new elements and creating x-ray technology, she helped open new doors for women in science and higher education.