What Is an Argumentative Essay?

Argument essays seek to state a position on an issue and give several reasons, supported by
evidence, for agreeing with that position.

Finding Ideas to Write About

Argument essay topics can be found everywhere. Check the headlines of a newspaper, or just listen
in on a conversation at Starbucks. Chances are, you will hear someone trying to persuade another
person to believe in their claim about:

 Is it true?
 What caused this?
 How important is it?
 What should we do about it?
Still can't come up with an idea? Check out the full list of my easy argumentative essay topic
ideas or if you'd prefer something fun, look at my funny argument essay ideas.

How important are fathers? What makes a good father? | Source

5 Types of Argument Claims

1. Fact: Is it true or not?

2. Definition: What does it really mean?

3. Value: How important is it?
4. Cause and Effect: What is the cause? What are the effects?

5. Policy: What should we do about it?

How to Write a Thesis Statement

What Is a Thesis Statement?

A thesis statement is one sentence in your introductory paragraph that concisely summarizes your
main point(s) and claim(s), and should present your stance on the topic. It's worth spending some
time crafting a strong thesis statement since it lets the reader know what the essay will be about and
determine whether they want to read it.

Three Ways to Write a Thesis Statement (With Examples)

1. Question/Answer Format: The easiest way to write a thesis statement is to turn the topic or
prompt into a question, and answering that question. For example:

 Does divorce cause serious problems for the children? (Fact)

 What is "domestic violence?" (Definition)
 What are the causes of divorce? (Cause)
 How important is it for couples to avoid divorce? (Value)
 What can you do to make your marriage divorce-proof? (Proposal)
Answer: Your question often can be the title of your paper, or it can be the first line of the
introduction. Your answer to this question is your thesis.

Example: The most important way to make your marriage divorce-proof is to make sure you have
carefully prepared for that commitment.

In this example, you answered the question, "What can you do to make your marriage divorce-
proof?" You also let the reader know that the focus of the article will be on being "carefully prepared
for that commitment."

2. Refute Objections: Another way to craft a thesis statement is to state one side of the argument
and present a refuting statement.
Example: While some people think there is no way to divorce-proof your marriage, studies have
shown that there are fewer divorces when people carefully prepare for that commitment.
In this example, you state one side of the argument—"there is no way to divorce-proof your
marriage"—and refute it by saying "there are fewer divorces when people carefully prepare for that
commitment." What makes this statement stronger (and more appealing) is the reference to studies
that will back up your argument.

3. Roadmap: An additional way to make a strong thesis is to do a "Roadmap" which tells in just a
few words the three or more main points you will cover.

Example: While some people think there is no way to divorce-proof your marriage, studies have
shown that there are fewer divorces when people carefully prepare for that commitment by taking
the time to get to know the other person before becoming engaged; by spending time with one
another's family and friends; by talking about hot-button issues like finances; and by getting
extensive premarital counseling.
This is an example of a really strong thesis statement in which you state a claim, your stance on the
claim, and the main points that will back up your stance. Although it is a little long-winded, it
thoroughly outlines what the essay will discuss. Not only is this helpful for the reader, but it will help
you when crafting your essay by keeping you focused on these specific points.

Are larger families happier? Does having children prevent divorce? | Source

How to Start an Argumentative Essay

Your introductory paragraph should be crafted around your thesis statement, providing background
information needed to understand your argument and presenting pieces of evidence that back up
that argument.

Start With an Enticing Hook

Lead with an interesting fact or statistic, a quote, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking
question. Your first sentence should draw the reader in and get them interested about the topic
you're writing about.

Provide Some Background and Context

What's the situation? What are the events that lead you to your argument? Why should people care?
Give enough background on the topic so that the reader can understand your argument—nothing
more, nothing less.

State Your Thesis

The background should transition smoothly into your main argument.

Introduce Your Evidence

The keyword is "introduce." State the main points that back up your argument and end it there.
Leave the actual argument and analysis for the body paragraphs.

Essay Introduction Ideas

1. Tell a true story.
2. Present a hypothetical situation that illustrates the problem.
3. Ask a thought-provoking question.
4. State a startling fact or statistic (cite a reputable source).
5. Simply explain the problem.
6. Compare and contrast.

Incorporate Logos, Pathos, and Egos

The most persuasive essays are ones that have sound logic (logos), appeal to the readers' emotions
(pathos), and speak to their character or morals (ethos).

Outlining Your Paper

Argument essays are fairly straightforward in their organization. In your paper, you will need to do
the following:
1. Interest the reader in the situation. Make them want to learn more about it.
2. Explain the controversy or problem clearly.
3. Explain the different sides of the debate.
4. Tell them your side.
5. Convince them that your side is the best one to take.
6. Refute any objections they may be thinking about as they read.
7. Urge the reader to adopt your point of view.

Introduction
Explain the subject, the controversy, and end with your thesis. Here are some tips:

 Use the title to present your point of view. The title is often your thesis statement or the
question you are trying to answer.
 Be concise. You're only introducing your argument, not debating it.
 Think about your audience—what aspects of this issue would most interest or convince them?
 Appeal to the reader's emotions. Readers are more easily persuaded if they can empathize
with your point of view.
 Present undeniable facts from highly regarded sources. This builds a lot of trust and generally
indicates a solid argument.
 Make sure you have a clear thesis that answers the question. The thesis should state your
position and is usually the last sentence of your introduction.

Body
The body usually consists of three or more paragraphs, each presenting a separate piece of
evidence that supports your thesis. Those reasons are the topic sentences for each paragraph of
your body. You should explain why your audience should agree with you. Make your argument even
stronger by stating opposing points of view and refuting those points.

1. Reasons and support

 Usually, you will have three or more reasons why the reader should accept your position.
These will be your topic sentences.
 Support each of these reasons with logic, examples, statistics, authorities, or anecdotes.
 To make your reasons seem plausible, connect them back to your position by using “if…then”
reasoning.
2. Anticipate opposing positions and arguments.

 What objections will your readers have? Answer them with argument or evidence.
 What other positions do people take on this subject? What is your reason for rejecting these
positions?

Conclusion
The conclusion in many ways mirrors the introduction. It summarizes your thesis statement and main
arguments and tries to convince the reader that your argument is the best. It ties the whole piece
together. Avoid presenting new facts or arguments.

Here are some conclusion ideas:

 Think "big picture." If you are arguing for policy changes, what are the implications of adopting
(or not adopting) your ideas? How will they affect the reader (or the relevant group of people)?
 Present hypotheticals. Show what will happen if the reader adopts your ideas. Use real-life
examples of how your ideas will work.
 Include a call to action. Inspire the reader to agree with your argument. Tell them what they
need to think, do, feel, or believe.
 Appeal to the reader's emotions, morals, character, or logic.

3 Types of Arguments
1. Classical (Aristotelian)

2. Rogerian
3. Toulmin

You can choose one of these or combine them to create your own argument paper.

Classical Argument

1. Classical Argument Strategy

This is the most popular argument strategy and is the one outlined in this article. In this strategy, you
present the problem, state your solution, and try to convince the reader that your solution is the best
solution. Your audience may be uninformed, or they may not have a strong opinion. Your job is to
make them care about the topic and agree with your position.

Here is the basic outline of a classical argument paper:

1. Introduction: Get readers interest and attention, state the problem, and explain why they
should care.
2. Background: Provide some context and key facts surrounding the problem.
3. Thesis: State your position or claim and outline your main arguments.
4. Argument: Discuss the reasons for your position and present evidence to support it (largest
section of paper—the main body).
5. Refutation: Convince the reader why opposing arguments are not true or valid.
6. Conclusion: Summarize your main points, discuss their implications, and state why your
position is the best position.

Rogerian Argument

2. Rogerian Argument Strategy

Rogerian argument strategy attempts to persuade by finding points of agreement. It is an
appropriate technique to use in highly polarized debates—those debates in which neither side
seems to be listening to each other. This strategy tells the reader that you are listening to opposing
ideas and that those ideas are valid. You are essentially trying to argue for the middle ground.
Here's the basic outline of a Rogerian argument:

1. Present the issue. Introduce the problem and explain why it should be addressed.
2. Summarize the opposing arguments. State their points and discuss situations in which their
points can be valid. This shows that you understand the opposing points of view and that you
are open-minded. Hopefully, this will make the opposition more willing to hear you out.
3. State your points. You won't be making an argument for why you're correct—just that there
are also situations in which your points can be valid.
4. State the benefits of adopting your points. Here, you'll appeal to the opposition's self-
interest by convincing them of how adopting your points will benefit them.

Toulmin Model of Argument Tutorial

3. Toulmin Model of Argument

Toulmin is another strategy to use in a highly charged debate. Instead of attempting to appeal to
commonalities, however, this strategy attempts to use clear logic and careful qualifiers to limit the
argument to things that can be agreed upon. It uses this format:

 Claim: The thesis the author hopes to prove. Example: Government should regulate Internet
pornography.
 Evidence: Supports the claim. Example: Pornography on the Internet is bad for kids.
 Warrant: Explains how the data backs up the claim. Example: Government regulation works in
other instances.
 Backing: Additional logic and reasoning that supports the warrant. Example: We have lots of
other government regulations on media.
 Rebuttal: Potential arguments against the claim: Example: Government regulations would
encroach on personal liberties.
 Qualifier: The short phrase (usually uses “typically,” “usually,” or “on the whole”) which limits
the scope of the claim. Example: In most cases, the government should regulate pornography.
 Exceptions: This further limits the claim by describing situations the writer would
exclude. Example: Where children are not involved in pornography, regulation may not be
urgent.

How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay Introduction

Written by Soheila Battaglia

Related Articles
  1 How to Write an Essay About a Novel
 2 Teacher Tips: How to Write Thesis Statements for High School Papers
 3 How to Write a Sense-of-Place Essay
 4 How to Write a College Expository Essay

A good introduction in an argumentative essay acts like a good opening statement in a trial. Just
like a lawyer, a writer must present the issue at hand, give background, and put forth the main
argument -- all in a logical, intellectual and persuasive way.

Start With a Hook

Start your introduction with a sentence that gets the reader interested in the topic. To pique the
reader's interest, you can begin with a quote, a personal story, a surprising statistic or an
interesting question. For example, if you are arguing that smoking should be banned from all
public places, you can start your introduction by referencing a statistic from a verified source:
"Tobacco use kills more than five million people every year -- more than HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis and malaria combined, according to the World Health Organization." This strategy
grabs the reader's attention while introducing the topic of the essay.

Include Background
Providing readers with background on the topic allows them to better understand the issue being
presented. This information provides context and history that can be crucial to explaining and
arguing your point. For example, if you are arguing that there should never be a military draft in
the United States, your introduction can include information about the history of the U.S. draft
and the events that led to it being abolished.

State Your Thesis

The thesis is the essence of an argumentative essay. In a single, clear sentence, it sums up what
point you are trying to make. The thesis statement should assert a position on a particular issue --
one that a reader can potentially argue against. Therefore, the thesis cannot be a fact. For
example, if a professor assigns the general topic of war, you can formulate the following thesis
statement: "The United Nations must be redesigned because it is currently incapable of
preventing wars." The rest of your essay serves to explain and provide evidence in support of
your thesis statement.

What to Leave Out

A good introduction should not be describing arguments or providing analysis that belong in the
body paragraphs. Your introduction should introduce and set up your point, rather than lay out
evidence to support it. Also, while your intro is a road map for the rest of the essay, you
shouldn't explicitly announce what and how you will be arguing: "I am going to prove to you that
..." This type of set up does not add any pertinent information and only serves as filler.
How to write an argumentative essay? The answer is
here!
It is impossible to come up with the powerful, persuasive paper or speech
without knowing how to write a good argumentative essay. The
argumentative essay is a specific type of high school and college writing
assignment, which involves a certain argument a writer tries to prove to his
audience.

Before selecting the topic for your argumentative essay to discuss, a

student must consider the following:

 Fact: Is the statement true or false?

 Definition of the argumentative essay problem
 Value of the argumentative essay topic
 Cause & effect
 Policy, meaning what the readers should do about it and why they
should care at all

How to write a good argumentative essay

It won’t be as easy as ABC to write an argumentative essay. But if
you follow the pieces of advice provided in this article you will do it much
faster and more effectively. The key elements of a powerful paper of this
type are the balanced evaluation of the problem, powerful evidence
gathered from the credible sources and persuasive tone of the author. It is
necessary to be a field expert. Avoid argumentative essay topics that do
not interest or inspire you. To discover more information on how to write a
good argumentative essay, keep reading the expert argumentative essay
recommendations.

Argumentative essay outline: Include all questions and arguments

An argumentative essay outline is an initial stage of writing articles, essays,

and other types of papers. A detailed plan will help you not to miss any
significant detail or data. Don’t waste time on the search for the
argumentative essay structure in Google. You will find all the necessary
information below.
  Introduction: Focus on explaining the matter, opposite opinions, and
conclude the opening paragraph with the meaningful argumentative
essay thesis statement. Apply the title to introduce the argumentative
essay idea. Pay attention to the reading audience – decide on the
aspects of the problem necessary to persuade the reader on the
importance of your position. Prepare a clear, concise argumentative
essay thesis sentence to answer the main questions. It appears in the
closing sentences of any introduction to pop up later in conclusion.
Include the background of the argumentative essay topic in the first
sentences of the introductory part.
 Argumentative essay body paragraphs: State the reasons people
must agree with the author. Make sure to include the opposite
position’s opinions. Read them aloud to make sure that your reasons
sound really persuasive.
 Reasons & support. Get ready with a minimum of 3 reasons to
explain the importance of accepting the author's position – it would be
a topic sentence.
o Provide arguments, facts, statistics, jokes (if acceptable), and
real-life examples to support the stated reasons. You can tell a
story, which supports your point of view.
o Apply “if…then” reasoning to relate the reasons back to the
main position. Support your main claim.
 Anticipate the opinion of rivals. Think about the objections the
reading audience might have. Decide on the other possible
positions the target audience may develop while reading more about
the issue presented in the argumentative essay
 Conclusion. The final word in your argumentative essay should
explain the audience what to think/do based on both personal opinion
and opposing position on the subject. List the reasons for the readers
to adopt the offered position. Provide the rest of the most effective
ways out for the issue discussed in the argumentative essay paper.
Professional Hint:
“Students often ignore the fact 3 types of argument strategies are available:
Classical, Rogerian, and Toulmin. Each strategy plays its own role. Try
mixing these 3 types of strategies to achieve the best result and create a
strong thesis.”

Andy DeVille, linguistics professor and academic editor at

WriteMyPaper4Me
How to write a strong thesis statement for the argument
essay?
The most important part of learning how to write an argument essay is
developing a clear, strong thesis statement. The best thing is to involve a
question-answer format. Appeal to the argumentative essay reader and
present the answers to all questions he or she may have.

1. Change the topic idea into a question before making a thesis out of
it:
o Does school bullying lead to serious mental problems among
children?
o A definition of high school bullying
o The causes of bullying at school
o How important is it to prevent bullying?
o What can you do to help teachers and parents fight high school
bullying & aggression among young people in the United
States?
o By the way, headings in the form of questions also sound good.
2. Response: The question frequently is the paper’s title, or minimum
the closing line of the opening paragraph. The answer is the thesis
itself.
3. Refute objections: Include some kind of an opening phrase at the
beginning of the thesis to stress that you are refuting other existing
opinions on the issues.
4. Roadmap: A bonus method is to create a roadmap, which has to
describe the main 3 or more points the author plans to discuss.

I AM READY TO ORDER
Argumentative essay writing: Interesting topic ideas

The argumentative essay examples will help to understand the solution:

 Prevent the paper from an emotional language as it sounds irrational.

 Realize the difference between a logical conclusion and emotional
opinion. Be straight to the point.
 Develop an outline even if the complete teacher’s requirements ask
for nothing else than the body text and list of the applied sources.
 Keep away from unreliable sources such as Wikipedia, Hubpages, or
Reddit where any users can edit the posts. Give preference to those
 resources, which have a reliable privacy policy and have control over
the content.
 People must obey all rules of their government even if they seem
senseless
 Provide meaningful in-text citations and corresponding bibliography.
 Be ready to protect your position by stressing the most powerful real
arguments to convince not only the target audience but the opposing
side. You may be forced to challenge another student or teacher!

Top recommended argumentative essay topics for you to

start
Don’t spend months to find an eye-catching idea for your work. Find the
one you like most in a few minutes. Look through the list of argumentative
essay topics to choose the best idea to impress the teacher. Here are a lot
of great argumentative essay ideas but you should be guided by your
personal interests.

 Cloning animals and using them for laboratory experience is an

immoral situation.
 The obvious reasons to penalize abortion in the US.
 Modern jails in Kearney are way better than modern asylums.
 Abolishing the death penalty in the state of Virginia will make no
sense.
 Doctors should be given the right to implement euthanasia.
 Should students use mobile phones to improve their academic
performance?
 Media has a great influence on people’s decisions today.
 A social network is the best place to find a new friend.
 The government should provide a possibility to learn without
schooling fees.
 Are US citizens paying fair taxes for years?
 It is impossible for a person to survive in a business environment
without a mobile device.
 It is not necessary to give an expensive present if you know that the
person can’t afford to give you the same because he/she may feel
confused.
 Parents should restrict Internet access to let their children focus on
education.
  Only the child has a right to decide whether he/she would like to stay
with mom or dad in case of divorce-proof.
 Political news isn’t true to the full extent.
 Every person should have a right to use a gun in case of the self-
protection.
 Amazon is the best place to go shopping if you need to find a good
price-quality ratio.

Those were one of the most effective ideas to use in the argumentative
essay writing, which includes some kind of debate. Have you decided
on the topic? Are there any obstacles for writing an argumentative essay?
Do not panic – solve any type of academic problem with the help of the
certified writer for hire available at the top academic writing service!

Require academic assistance? – Get it right here and right now!

Argumentative Essay
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An Introduction to Essay Writing

 Choosing a Topic
o
o
o

 Writing an Introduction
o
o
o
o
o

 Structuring and Outlining

o
o
o
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 Types of Essays
 o How to Write a Narrative Essay
o How to Write an Argumentative Essay
o How to Write an Expository Essay
o How to Write a Personal Narrative
o How to Write an Opinion Essay
o How to Write a Profile
 Editing and Improving
o
o
o

ThoughtCo.

byGrace Fleming

Updated October 27, 2018

To be effective, an argumentative essay must contain elements to help persuade

the audience to see things from your perspective. These components include a
compelling topic, a balanced assessment, strong evidence, and persuasive
language.

Find a Good Topic and Point of View

To find a good topic for an argumentative essay, consider several issues and
choose a few that spark at least two solid, conflicting points of view. As you look
over a list of topics, find one that really piques your interest, as you'll be more
successful if you're passionate about your topic.

Once you have selected a topic you feel strongly about, make a list of points for
both sides of the argument. When shaping an argument you'll have to explain
why your belief is reasonable and logical, so list points you can use as evidence
for or against an issue. Ultimately, determine your side of the argument and
make sure you can back up your point of view with reasoning and evidence. Work
against the opposing point of view and prove why your stance is correct.

Gather Evidence
One of your essay's first objectives will be to assess both sides of your issue.
Consider strong arguments for both your side, as well as the "other" side—in
order to shoot their statements down. Provide evidence without drama; sticking
to the facts and clear examples that support your stance.
You may look for research that provides statistics on your topic that support your
reasoning, as well as examples of how your topic impacts people, animals, or even
the Earth. Interviewing experts on your topic can also help you structure a
compelling argument.

Write the Essay

Once you've given yourself a solid foundation of information, begin to craft your
essay. An argument essay, as with all essays, should contain three parts:
the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. The length of paragraphs in these
parts will vary depending on the length of your essay assignment.

As in any essay, the first paragraph of your argument essay should introduce the
topic with a brief explanation of your topic, some background information, and
a thesis statement. In this case, your thesis is a statement of your position on a
specific controversial topic.

Present Both Sides of the Controversy

The body of your essay should contain the meat of your argument. Go into more
detail about the two sides of your topic and state the strongest points of the
counter-side of your issue.

After describing the "other" side, present your own viewpoint and then provide
evidence to show why your position is the correct one. Work to discredit the other
side using some of the information you discovered in your research. Choose your
strongest evidence and present your points one by one. Use a mix of evidence,
from statistics to other studies and anecdotal stories.

Conclusion
A strong conclusion can help summarize your point of view and reinforce with
your reader why your stance is the best option. You might consider reserving one
overwhelmingly shocking statistic for the conclusion, one that leaves no room for
doubt in your reader's mind. At the very least, use this final paragraph or two as
an opportunity to restate your position as the most sensible one.

Final Tips
When writing your essay, consider these tips to help craft the most rational and
poignant argument for your readers. Avoid emotional language that can sound
irrational. Know the difference between a logical conclusion and an emotional
point of view.

Don't fabricate evidence and don't use untrustworthy sources for evidence, and
be sure to cite your sources.

Structure of the Argumentative Essay Outline

If you distill your argumentative essay outline down to its basics, you’ll find that it’s made of four
main sections:

1. Intro
2. Developing Your Argument
3. Refuting Opponents’ Arguments
4. Conclusion

That’s not so bad! There’s really nothing to be afraid of.

Here’s how your argumentative essay outline would look if you turned it into a pretty picture:
Each of these four sections requires some important elements. Let’s break those down now.
Argumentative Essay Outline Section 1: Your Intro
Your introduction is where you lay the foundation for your impenetrable argument. It’s made up of a
hook, background information, and a thesis statement.

1. Hook. Your first sentence is comprised of a “hook.” Don’t know what a hook is? A hook is a
sentence that grabs your reader’s attention just like a good Jackie Chan movie grabs the attention of
a martial arts fan.

Let’s say I’m writing an argumentative essay about why American people should start eating insects.

My hook could be, “For those interested in improving their diets and the environment, say ‘goodbye’
to eating chicken, fish, and beef and ‘hello’ to eating silk worms, crickets, and caterpillars.”

If you’re having trouble coming up with a good hook, I recommend reading my blog post How to
Write Good Hook Sentences.

2. Background information. The next part of your intro is dedicated to offering some detailed
background information on your topic.

Try answering the following questions:

What is the issue at hand? Who cares? Where is this issue prevalent? Why is it important?

For example, “Insects are abundant, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable. Currently, people in
the United States shun the idea of eating insects as part of their diets, favoring instead less nutritious
and environmentally destructive food options, such as beef and pork. The UN recently issued a
statement calling for more world citizens to embrace the many benefits of eating insects.”

3. Thesis. Your thesis typically makes up the last sentence of your intro paragraph. This is where
you clearly state your position on the topic and give a reason for your stance.
For example, “A diet of insects can help fix problems related to starvation, obesity, and climate
change, and therefore, United States citizens should learn to rely on a variety of insects over
chicken, beef, and fish as their main source of protein and nutrition.”

Notice the word “should” in my thesis statement? Using this word makes it clear I’m taking a stance
on the argument.

You’ll also notice that my thesis statement sets up the three claims I’m going to expand on later: a
diet of insects can help fix problems related to starvation, obesity, and climate change.

Here are even more example argumentative thesis statements.

Let’s talk about adding those claims to our argumentative essay outline now.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 2:

Developing Your Argument

Now that you have filled in the general points of

your topic and outlined your stance in the introduction, it’s time to develop your argument.

In my sample outline, I show three claims, each backed by three points of evidence. Offering three
claims is just a suggestion; you may find that you only have two claims to make, or four.

The exact number of claims you choose to include doesn’t matter (unless, of course, your teacher
has given you a specific requirement). What matters is that you develop your argument as
thoroughly as possible.

1. What is a claim? A claim is a statement you make to support your argument.

For example, “Bugs are highly nutritious and eating them can fix the problem of hunger and
malnutrition in the United States.”

Great! So I’ve made my claim. But who’s going to believe me? This is where evidence comes into
play.

2. What is evidence? For each claim you make, you need to provide supporting evidence. Evidence
is factual information from reliable sources.

It is not personal knowledge or anecdotal.

For example, “Researchers at the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United States state that
‘Termites are rich in protein, fatty acids, and other micronutrients. Fried or dried termites contain 32–
38 percent proteins.’“

My outline shows three pieces of evidence to support each claim, but you may find that each claim
doesn’t necessarily have three pieces of evidence to back it. Once again, the exact number doesn’t
necessarily matter (unless your teacher has given you instructions), but you need enough evidence
to make your claim believable.

Once you have gathered your evidence to support your claims, it’s time to add the next important
element of your argumentative essay outline: refuting your opponents’ arguments.

Let’s talk about that now.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 3: Refuting

Opponents’ Arguments

In this section, you state your opponents’ views and

then offer a rebuttal.

For example, “Opponents of insect eating from the Beef Council of America say that it is too difficult
and time consuming to catch crickets, so it is not easy to gather enough food for a meal, whereas a
cow is large and contains a lot of meat for many meals.”

Oh diss! We know the Beef Council just wants us to keep eating McD’s hamburgers and skip the
cricket soup. (By the way—I just made that up. The Beef Council did not say that. In your essay,
make sure to use real facts.)

Now it’s time to set the opponents straight with a refutation that is full of hard evidence and that will
bring them to their knees.

For example, “According to researchers Cerritos and Cano-Santana, the best time to harvest
crickets is to catch them in the hour just before sunrise when they are least active. What’s more, it is
easy to develop the infrastructure to farm crickets in a way that is more sustainable than cattle
farming.”

Booyah! The Beef Council has been served (crickets).

Once you have refuted your opponents’ viewpoints, it’s time to sail to the finish line with
your conclusion.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 4:

Conclusion

In your conclusion, you are going to accomplish two important tasks.

1. Restate the importance of your issue. Similar to what you did in your introduction, you want to
restate why this topic is critical.

For example, “Simply by incorporating insects into their diets, U.S. citizens can improve the
sustainability and nutrition of the American diet.”

2. Paint a picture of the world if your argument is (or is not) implemented. In the final part of
your conclusion, make your audience think about the ramifications of your argument. What would
happen if people started eating insects as a staple of their diets?

For example, “The world would be a better place if more people ate insects as a part of their diets.
Fewer people would go hungry, more people would get the vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients
they need to live healthy lifestyles, and our planet would be relieved of the burden of an
unsustainable food system.

Closing with a clear picture of the world as you would like it to be can leave your reader convinced
that your argument is valid.

Argumentative Essays
Summary:
The Modes of Discourse—Exposition, Description, Narration, Argumentation (EDNA)—
are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. Although
these genres have been criticized by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL
recognizes the wide spread use of these approaches and students’ need to understand
and produce them.
What is an argumentative essay?
The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a
topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a
concise manner.
Please note: Some confusion may occur between the argumentative essay and the
expository essay. These two genres are similar, but the argumentative essay differs
from the expository essay in the amount of pre-writing (invention) and research
involved. The argumentative essay is commonly assigned as a capstone or final project
in first year writing or advanced composition courses and involves lengthy, detailed
research. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository
essays are often used for in-class writing exercises or tests, such as the GED or GRE.
Argumentative essay assignments generally call for extensive research of literature or
previously published material. Argumentative assignments may also require empirical
research where the student collects data through interviews, surveys, observations, or
experiments. Detailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to
understand different points of view regarding the topic so that she/he may choose a
position and support it with the evidence collected during research. Regardless of the
amount or type of research involved, argumentative essays must establish a clear
thesis and follow sound reasoning.
The structure of the argumentative essay is held together by the following.

 A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of
the essay.

In the first paragraph of an argument essay, students should set the context by
reviewing the topic in a general way. Next the author should explain why the topic is
important (exigence) or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students
should present the thesis statement. It is essential that this thesis statement be
appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student
does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective
or persuasive essay.

 Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without
logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and
the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section
and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.

 Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow
for clarity and direction throughout the essay. In addition, such conciseness creates an
ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the
body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the
opening paragraph. Some paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with
evidence collected during research. It is also important to explain how and why the
evidence supports the thesis (warrant).
However, argumentative essays should also consider and explain differing points of
view regarding the topic. Depending on the length of the assignment, students should
dedicate one or two paragraphs of an argumentative essay to discussing conflicting
opinions on the topic. Rather than explaining how these differing opinions are wrong
outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not
be well informed or how they might be out of date.

 Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).

The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current

information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some
factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However,
students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence. As noted in the
paragraph above, a successful and well-rounded argumentative essay will also discuss
opinions not aligning with the thesis. It is unethical to exclude evidence that may not
support the thesis. It is not the student’s job to point out how other positions are wrong
outright, but rather to explain how other positions may not be well informed or up to date
on the topic.

 A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of
the evidence provided.

It is at this point of the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion of
the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader.
Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the
conclusion; rather, synthesize the information presented in the body of the essay.
Restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis. You
may also want to include a short discussion of more research that should be completed
in light of your work.
A complete argument
Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a
classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of World War II and its current effect on those
who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to
the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the argument in the middle of my second point,
questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the
conflict. Therefore, the argumentative essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving
no doubt as to its intent or argument.
The five-paragraph essay
A common method for writing an argumentative essay is the five-paragraph approach.
This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds
straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of (a) an introductory
paragraph (b) three evidentiary body paragraphs that may include discussion of
opposing views and (c) a conclusion.
Longer argumentative essays
Complex issues and detailed research call for complex and detailed essays.
Argumentative essays discussing a number of research sources or empirical research
will most certainly be longer than five paragraphs. Authors may have to discuss the
context surrounding the topic, sources of information and their credibility, as well as a
number of different opinions on the issue before concluding the essay. Many of these
factors will be determined by the assignment.