How to Write an Argumentative Essay

Some students may struggle when it comes to creating an argumentative essay because it might seem too complex and multilayered. Don’t worry, we’re here to help you. Argumentative essays are usually assigned to students on SAT, ACT, IELTS, and TOEFL tests. This type of paper can also be assigned as coursework.

Learning this style of writing is the beginning of your journey to getting the grades that you deserve. Read this article to learn how to write an argumentative essay with an expert essay writing service.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a style of academic writing where an author presents both sides of an argument or issue. The main purpose of an argumentative essay is to inform rather than convince – that’s why this type of paper should not be confused with a persuasive essay.

The following skills are evaluated when grading an argumentative essay:

• Research skills
• Writing skills
• Analytical skills

This type of paper is assigned to train a student’s ability to debate. It can therefore greatly influence the public speaking skills of a person later on in their life. When writing an argumentative essay, it is important to focus on facts and information rather than personal ideas or preferences. The author may present arguments equally, or support one in favour of others. Regardless, the thesis must include all of the primary points (and counterpoints) that will appear in the essay. It is almost like a political debate with oneself.

Elements of an Argumentative Essay

• Position: It’s essential to determine which side of the argument you are taking. For example, you may be arguing that tobacco products or cannabis should be made illegal. Make a point to express why you took your initial position. For example, you may provide exact reasons to show how tobacco products may be damaging people’s health.
• Evidence: This is where you should provide factual substantiation for your reasons from outside resources. It is very important to give citations and references for where you gathered your evidence. If there is no proof, the evidence may not be taken into account. For example, you could cite health studies or scientific papers related to the effects of tobacco products on peoples’ health to prove your statement.
• Counterarguments: This is where you need to present the other side of the issue. Provide the opposing argument from your point of view. After stating these counterarguments, you should state why they are false, weak, or ineffective by presenting further evidence.

3 Ways to Approach Argumentative Writing

There are three main ways to approach an argumentative essay. These techniques will help you create a proper structure.

1. Classical Approach

This is the most common approach and consists of the following:

• An introduction where you introduce the central message of your paper (the thesis statement). Example: Tobacco products can induce various health problems, including cancers, heart attacks, and obesity.
• Background of the subject where you introduce early studies about children who have grown up in adoptive environments. Here you can also talk about the long-term effects of smoking.
• Main arguments — Talk about the main points of your position. For example, you could write about the feeling of addiction that makes it difficult to give up smoking.
• Refutation — Here is where your counterarguments come into place. Introduce the opposite side you will need to refute as being invalid. Example: Some people think that smoking does not affect health and that genetic predisposition is more impactful in causing problems for one’s health. However, there is major evidence which shows that smoking can cause bigger long-term damage to lungs than a genetic predisposition to cancer.
• Conclusion — Present all of the main arguments and provide solutions or studies that need to be conducted in the future.

2. Rogerian Approach

This approach works best if the topic of your argumentative essay is highly polemical or is a potential seed for different discussions. For instance, such issues as causes of global warming, gender identification problems, and philosophical problems work best if the Rogerian approach is applied. There is no specific structure that needs to be followed in the Rogerian approach. It’s more about how you present the information: be sympathetic to both sides of the argument. It’s important to concede that the opposing side may also be valid. So, the more wide-scoped view of a subject you take, the better. You don’t have to solve the issue, it’s more important to explore the compromise between the two sides to arrive at a solution to a pressing problem.

3. Toulmin Approach

This strategy can be quite useful in polemical arguments. It aims to find common ground within an argument and eliminate unnecessary arguments. For example, if your topic revolves around the question of whether drugs should be legal, then you would need to explore the biggest issues on both sides of the argument. Here you can talk about the pros and cons.

Steps for Writing Your Argumentative Essay

Step 1: Look for Argumentative Essay Topics

Just like with all other essay types, here are a ton of topics to choose from. The main criteria should be the following:

• coherency and relativity to your studied subject;
• importance;
• inherent values;
• potential for further research.

However, it is important to remember that it must be presented in a debate format. In other words, explain why option A is better than option B, or vice versa. Even in the Rogerian approach, you need to be able to pick a side, but do it very carefully.

Here are some good argumentative essay topics to get you started:

• Apple vs. Microsoft: Which software brand is more useful for students?
• Do violent video games have a negative psychological impact on children?
• From a financial perspective, should one invest in cryptocurrencies?
• From an economic standpoint, are electric cars better overall?
• Has society become too reliant on technology?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for High School
As students begin writing this type of content in school, it is essential to give them easy essay topics for them to get a grasp of the task. Here are some examples:

• What is the most important second language to learn as a student in the US?
• Should the minimum driving age be lowered?
• Are standardized tests a fair reflection of a student’s skills?
• Are athletes overpaid?
• Should high school students be free to choose their classes?

Topics for College
As we transition to the university level, the complexity of the question asked should also grow. With that being said, here are some challenging topics for college students:

• Is there enough evidence to prove that news sources have biased agendas?
• Would the legalization of marijuana as a recreational drug be economically justifiable?
• Can we constitute Russia as a superpower alongside the USA and China?
• What was the most influential technological advancement in the history of humanity?
• Should we sacrifice some public services for lower taxes?

Step 2: Conducting Research

Conducting research includes several steps:

• Choosing the side you will represent.
• Picking an argument that can appeal to your audience.
• Researching who else supports this argument.
• Researching the objections your reader might raise.
• Organizing your evidence.

In addition, you should check criteria for the validity of your information:

• Accuracy
• Credibility of sources
• Timeliness
• Objectivity or bias
• Reliability

Step 3: Writing an Argumentative Essay Outline

Now that we understand what this type of writing is all about, we can start putting the pieces of the argumentative essay outline together. So, let’s take a look at how to start an argumentative essay.

Usually written in the five-paragraph structure, the argumentative essay format consists of an introduction, 2-3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Logically, each of those three sections will have a unique structure, so understanding them on an individual level will help ensure a smooth writing process. We will be using “the Internet” as the most significant technological advancement in society as an example.

1. Introduction

• Hook Statement: As with most other types of assignments, an argumentative essay introduction should attempt to captivate readers’ interest from the very beginning. Сreate a sentence that stands out from the rest of the text. Consider using a rhetorical question, a meaningful quote, or an intriguing idea. The goal is to get your audience reaching for a bag of popcorn right after reading the hook.

Example:
Could you imagine how different our world would be without the creation of the Internet?

• Background Information: After gathering the audience’s attention, the next step is to present any necessary context to narrow the focus of the discussion. This information should not yet reveal any of the main arguments from the body. Also, it should ideally transition the train of thought towards the thesis statement.
• Thesis Statement: The last sentence of the introduction should present the focal point/central argument of your entire paper. Remember – your primary objective is to defend your idea, so the thesis must directly state what your idea is and why it is correct.

Example:
The invention of the Internet has helped interconnect the world like nothing else ever seen before, created millions of jobs and being used by the majority of the world’s population.

2. Body Paragraphs

• Topic Sentence: Start with a sentence that transitions the focus from the previous paragraph to the current one. It should also introduce the main sub-argument for its particular section.

Example:
Alongside global connectivity, the Internet and IT has helped create over 10 million jobs worldwide.

• Claim: After presenting your topic sentence, it is time to link your main sub-argument to your thesis statement. The goal is to explain how this point validates and strengthens your central message.

Example:
Thanks to the job creation provided by IT, a large percentage of students are finding an enjoyable career path that helps its field’s development and offers high wages.

• Evidence: After providing a valid claim, you must defend it with factual support. Examples of this can be statistics, references, or logical ideas that support your claims; if this information comes from credible external sources, it will add to the essay’s overall validity.

Example:
Internet technology has given 0.15% of the world’s population a stable income. Also, since IT-related positions consistently make over 6 figures per year, this salary is enough to support a family of 4-5. Therefore, IT-related positions single-handedly back slightly less than 1% of the world’s income.

• Concluding Statement: After presenting a defendable claim and supporting it with evidence, end the body paragraph with a concluding statement. The primary goal of this sentence is to summarize the overall significance of the claim to the thesis. In other words, why was this particular point so essential?

Example:
From digital marketing to software engineering, the development of IT has had a predominantly positive impact on society regarding utility, economics, and finding one’s passion.

Note that this structure works for each body paragraph. The main difference is in the paragraph’s actual claim, supporting evidence, etc.

3. Conclusion

• Restate the Thesis: The first sentence of any conclusion should always be a restatement of your central message (thesis statement). Using assertive language, restate your thesis in an “I have 100% proven this point” kind of way. When information is presented to an audience with confidence, they become more inclined to position themselves with that side of the argument.
• Brief Summarization of Sub-Arguments: Most likely, the audience has already forgotten some of the information you presented. For this reason, go back through and review your main points, giving your argument closure.

Example:
As can be seen with the information presented above, the creation and development of the Internet is indisputably the most significant technological advancement of all time.

• Overall Concluding Statement: To end your argumentative essay outline with a bang, present a memorable concluding statement. Usually, this sentence will express the universal importance of the information and should leave the reader with a prompt to further investigate the topic.

Example:
Realistically speaking, our society would not have developed as exponentially fast without the invention of the internet; the unparalleled value of global connectivity within seconds is an unrivalled perk, and with thorough exploration, more development will inevitably be uncovered.

Step 4: Editing

When editing, make sure to do the following:

• Leave the first draft to lay for some time before picking it again.
• Double check grammar and punctuation while revising the draft.
• Double check the evidence you used in your arguments.
• If you have somebody to proofread your work, take advantage of it.

Here are questions to check by yourself before submitting your argumentative essay:

• Does your thesis include a statement that anybody could argue for or against?
• Are all your arguments clearly worded and coherent?
• Did you use the best examples to support your arguments?
• Have you managed to successfully present and refute any counterargument(s)?
• Does the conclusion give an interesting look into the future of this topic?

Argumentative Essay Examples

Below you can find some good argumentative essay examples. The first essay talks about the value that comes with the freedom of being able to strike for public workers.

Say goodbye to ‘stress at work’ and welcome the ‘freedom to express yourself’. Most public workers are denied their right of expression even after being exposed to bad working conditions and rights violations. These violations deny them the morale for performing well on their duties. Enabling workers to strike motivates them to work since it encourages them to speak out whenever they feel their rights, safety, and/or regulations have been compromised. Countries across the globe should always allow public workers to strike.

The second essay discusses the importance of economic equality in a nation, alongside possible repercussions and potential threats if not met.

Wealth inequality is not just how much a particular nation possesses, rather it concerns how wealth is shared within a society. Every society has a variety of factors that make them different; inequality leads to a host of problems, as various aspects of a society are made uneven, including views, attitudes, and beliefs. Financial inequality is the level in which wealth is shared unevenly to members of a particular group or society. Wealth is not only encompassed by a certain individual’s yearly pay, but of all of the assets or resources received by employment, investments, state benefits, rent, and/or royalties. Economic inequality can be experienced through pay, wealth, or income. Income is any pay received through investments, savings, employment, rent, etc., while pay inequality is the disparity between the pay received through employment only. When there is too much economic inequality, there are high levels of poverty and minimal opportunities for kids to overcome their parent’s efforts. It is important to note that levels of economic inequality are not the same in different societies.

Final Tips

When it comes to writing and constructing your final draft, make sure each tip listed below is considered.

• Find a topic and make sure it has counter arguments.
• Gather of research on both sides of the argument to avoid sounding biased.
• Make sure all of the facts included in your argumentative essay are accurate.
• Follow guides that illustrate how to write an argumentative essay step by step to improve the way your performance on these assignments.
• Structure the essay properly with: Introduction, Body, and Conclusion or you will lose marks.
• Before writing, list all information in an outline.
• Remember to cite the sources used and avoid plagiarism.
• Get other people to read your work to see if they’re persuaded by your writing.
• Don’t include your own opinion in work. Stick to key facts and evidence.
• Run your paper through a grammar checker — just in case.

Once these writing tips have been revised and applied, you are one step closer to mastering the art of argumentative essay writing.