The Perfect Guidelines to Writing an Argumentative Essay
What is an argumentative essay?
An argumentative essay refers to a form of writing requiring the writer to defend their position regarding a topic by using evidence whether from historical examples, personal experience, research and literature to support their viewpoint.
While getting ready to write this kind of essay, it is vital to evaluate various aspects of the issue. You should research your selected topic by looking at both the primary (original documents) and secondary references (information from primary document, as well as carry out an evaluation of anecdotal experiences.
Once you collect enough data to support multiple perspectives regarding the issue, make a choice regarding the side with the strongest argument or the one you intend to support. Knowing how to write an argumentative essay is not enough, it is crucial that you present evidence that is relevant and capable of convincing your audience of the stance you have taken.
The sample essay on should handguns be banned is a good example of an argumentative essay.
Here is also another good sample: should bankruptcy be made more difficult in order to discourage overspending?
To deliver a similar essay, you need to:
Understand the format of writing an argumentative essay
The purpose of an argumentative essay is investigating a topic or issue fully. To accomplish this, there are a couple of things you must do:
- First, you need to come up with a summary that is well-rounded regarding the issue by indicating your point of view and the reason it is the sensible option over others.
- You should be able to parse different aspects of your topic and lead your readers towards a logical and obvious conclusion
- You must aim to sway the opinion of your readers regarding your chosen topic.
Bear in mind that it is imperative for you to be in full command of your topic. Therefore, you must:
- Find an argument that is provocative and concrete to base your essay on
- Use the appropriate format. This helps you formulate your thoughts on paper clearly
- Carry out thorough research not only on your topic but other topics that might be in opposition of your chosen topic.
Note your ability to flush a good topic and ensure it is backed by proper research is what determines whether you deliver a quality essay. A good example of an essay that accomplishes this is software patents and copyright written by our professional writers.
It is time to build an effective essay
Now that the essentials are out of the way, it is time to start writing an argumentative essay that is impressive. Picking a good yet controversial topic is the first step towards putting your thoughts on paper. Start by building an outline. Here are tips you need to consider:
- Think of the stance you are going to take. Will you be for or against the topic? Whatever stance you take, make sure you are not only confident with it but comfortable. Remember that you must substantiate facts and defuse them clearly so as to arrive to a conclusive argumentative essay.
- Do proper homework-Undoubtedly, others have already argued for or against your selected topic in the past. Take time to review the stance they took without necessarily mirroring it. This will point you in the right direction.
- Get your facts right-While writing an argumentative essay, it is imperative to get your facts right. Since the topic is a controversial one, you do not want to appear to be out of your depth. Hence, you need verifiable and cognitive facts to back your argument. If you lack such facts, your essay will look unprofessional and ill prepared.
- Passion-While picking a topic, ensure it is one you feel passionately about. An argumentative essays cannot capture the reader’s attention unless you write it with passion. Unless you believe in your essay topic, you cannot convince others to believe your stance.
- Keep the audience in mind-Understanding your audience is a crucial part of writing an argumentative essay. Are you writing it for your classmates or professor? Or are you writing it for a larger group? Whatever the case, ensure you understand where your audience comes from so you can lead them to your preferred outcome. Additionally, use the appropriate language while addressing your audience.
- Have an understanding of the rhetorical situation-It is crucial for you to have a clear understanding of the factors that surround your topic. Rhetorical situations in this instance comprise of 5 basic elements which include; the text (essay), the author (you), the audience, the aim of communication and the essay’s setting.
Structuring the Argument of the Essay
To accomplish this end, some of the aspects you need to consider include the following:
- Create a title that is catchy
The best way to hook your writer from the start is to create an original and creative title. This will create in them the desire to read more than just the introduction. An excellent title is a ‘preview’ of what the paper is about. Most titles have two parts that are separated by a colon. The first title part must have a hook that is catchy involving an impactful quote or topic while the second part sums the sentence and provides clear details of your argument.
- Thesis statement
You have to come up with this statement and ensure it is a clear idea summing up your view regarding the topic. Keeping this in mind early on will ensure you properly guide your readers throughout the paper. While writing an argumentative essay, an excellent thesis statement must be clear and concise. It ought to tell the reader the point of the essay as well as its importance. It should make some sort of claim whether it is of definition, effect or cause.
- Steer clear off the 3-part thesis
Often, this format is taught to new writers. It is constricting and limits your ideas to 3 basic paragraphs. Without following this format, it will be easy for you to expound on your ideas freely and incorporate them properly.
- Write the introduction
The introduction is supposed to explain briefly what the topic is about and it should have relevant background information that familiarizes the reader with your topic. Your thesis statement therefore, should be at the end of your introduction.
- Write the essays body
Present information that supports both your opposition and argument. Ensure you acknowledge evidence supporting the opposition but use powerful evidence for purposes of asserting your claim.
- There are numerous techniques to organize the statement but the most imperative aspect is to cover all aspects regarding the issue. Leaving information that contradicts your thesis is not just unethical but it fails to provide a precise outlook of the topic.
- Be certain to include some counterarguments in the paper but at the same time, explain your point of view to readers in a more accurate and logical manner. Do not allude to opposing views as wrong as it could alienate readers.
- Write your conclusion
The purpose of a conclusion is reasserting the argument you presented as well as persuading readers into supporting your claim. Do your best to connect to your essay topic and take into consideration the values and interests of your audience. At the same time, you should:
- Be certain to review the main points of the essay and reaffirm your thesis. New information should not be introduced as it can taint or discredit what you already said.
- It is important to end your paper with an expectation for additional research in the future.
- Include sources and research
It is imperative to include your research material and resources in the paper. This fact should not be left out while writing an argumentative essay.
- Ensure you use the library and books to research your topic. Use the internet as well and find sources covering all views regarding the issue. Collect information that supports and opposes your view. This will help in strengthening your essay by striking a balance.
- While at it, make sure the sources you pick are accurate and they provide information that is up to date. Any excellent research acknowledges foundational work on a topic and interrogates divergences from status quo. Be careful to look at both old and new sources.
- Select your quotes wisely. These should be from reputable sources that are deemed as scholarly. Scholarly sources are written by experts in your field or they can be published in peer-reviewed or scholarly outlets. Remember the internet has all kinds of publications written by just about using. Therefore while writing an argumentative essay, you should not use websites or blogs as they tend to lack accurate information.
Note, failure to cite your sources results to plagiarism as you fail to give credit to people whose ideas you use in your paper. Use quotation marks (“) around verbatim quotes and include parenthetical in-text citation at the end of quotes referring to the course of the Works Cited and Bibliography page at the bottom of the paper. There are different forms of formatting, therefore make sure you use the appropriate one.
Editing and Final Touches
Now it is time for you to take a breather. It is possible for you to get wrapped up in writing such that you skip obvious mistakes and errors. Take a break for a couple of hours or days if you have time. This will give you the opportunity to look at the essay with new, fresh eyes. It makes it possible to point out errors you overlooked previously.
- Be on the lookout for grammar issues, such as subject-verb agreement, sentence fragments an parallelism.
- Check quote incorporation and formatting problems. Quotes allow the reader to find information you reference easily. It also increases your credibility.
Trust us with writing your argumentative essay
There is no question writing an argumentative essay requires excellent skills. We have professional writers backed by years of experience writing argumentative essays on diverse topics. Place your order with us and we will help you sharpen and hone your writing skills today! Get in touch with us today for assistance in writing argumentative essays or visit our homepage for more information about our custom writing services. Alternatively you can continue reading more essay writing guidelines and samples on our blog.
References
http://www.assignmentwritinghelp.net/blog/argumentative-essay-writing/
http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/for-students-and-parents/argumentative-essay-writing-tips.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Write-an-Argumentative-Essay