How to Write a Perfect Argumentative Essay

An argument essay is a piece of writing where you are expected to take a stance on an issue and use coherent and compelling evidence to convince the audience that the position taken is valid. Putting it differently, your primary goal is to prove the validity of your view. But, to achieve that, you must conduct in-depth research first. Researching enables you to identify supporting evidence. That will lend credence to your stance and help you weaken or neutralize the opposing arguments.

You may be familiar with a persuasive essay but you're unable to tell the difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, aren't you? Well, your answer should be: they're not the same. Although similar, they still have differences you should bear in mind in order to come up with a soundly written paper. If before reading this article you thought they were the same, now it is your opportunity to learn how they differ from each other. An argumentative essay is aimed at showing the validity of a view whereas the persuasive one aims to convince the reader to accept the writer's claim. Unlike persuasive essays, argumentative ones emphasize logical arguments.

When writing an argumentative essay, students should not spend too much selecting a topic. For them, the best way to go would be to consult with their course instructor or professor. If you are given a list of essay topics or allowed to pick your own, you should keep in mind the following factors:

• Your personal interest in the topic
• Availability of materials for researching the topic
• The complexity of the topic
• Expected submission time (or deadline)

The Structure

Just as with other essay types, an argumentative essay also has its main sections. They are:

• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion

Introduction

The introduction is the opening section of the paper. An introduction which briefly explains the goal of your paper is absolutely essential because it helps your audience get a grasp of the entire paper. An introduction that is capable of arousing the reader's curiosity is an absolute must. A crucial element of this section is the thesis statement, which clearly reveals the author's stance - a claim of the paper which they will have to either support or disprove. It is usually found in the final or penultimate sentence of the introductory paragraph. Using a catchy sentence or hook (e.g., an anecdote, a joke, or a famous quote) is a great way to start an argumentative essay.

Body paragraphs

When it comes to writing the main paragraphs, care should be taken to consider each side of an argument. You should not focus only on your viewpoint but provide as many alternative viewpoints as you can. By admitting the strength of the counterclaim, you bring a sense of balance to both sides of the issue and make it worthy of debate. You should explain why the opposing argument (unlike the one that you chose) is irrelevant.

Organize the body into paragraphs that have a good sequence and clear, logical connections so that the reader has no trouble moving from one paragraph to another. Each of the paragraphs should convey a key message. It could be a piece of evidence that supports your claim or that establishes why the opposing stance is invalid. Connecting them to previously used anecdotes and important statistics can bolster the argument you make in each paragraph.

Conclusion

The conclusion is a section which brings your paper to an end. Get it to connect with your main paragraphs instead of making it a simple summary of them. Don't attempt to write many long sentences in a bid to reiterate the key points. It should be clear that you are about to finish writing. Also, you don't have to include all the ideas discussed in the body paragraphs.

The Creation Process

Here are the key steps to creating a good essay:

1. Planning
2. Writing
3. Revising

At the planning stage, researching allows you to carefully study the material gathered. This will help you gain a better understanding of the topic and form educated views. Also, create an outline section to help you organize your points. Adhere to formal writing conventions and endeavor to proofread your paper to eliminate mistakes. Those could be grammar errors, spelling mistakes, formatting errors, quotation and structure issues.

Actionable Tips for Writing

Here, you'll get more detailed tips on how to write an excellent argumentative essay. What is the idea behind providing essay writing tips? Many students who lack writing experience find it hard to adhere to the numerous conventions or rules. Hence, they can use the below tips as a quick reference guide during the writing process:

• The topic should be relevant.
  If you are allowed to pick a topic for your argumentative essay, select one that is interesting not only to you but also to your target audience. It should be easily researched because if you can't find strong points and evidence to support your claims, it defeats the essence of the paper.
• Start with a catchy sentence.
  It could be done by using a bold statement or citing some intriguing statistic relevant to the issue. It should serve as a hook to grab the attention of the reader. It will also help to motivate or instigate the audience to continue reading to find out how you present arguments for the claims of your work, and whether their own curiosity is satisfied.
• Write a thesis that is easy to understand.
  Why is it important? Because it is a kind of roadmap for the entire paper which provides you and your readers with an opportunity to easily navigate around it. It will also prevent you from deviating from the subject.
• The importance of the conclusion cannot be underestimated.
  When working on the conclusion, make certain that you creatively mention the main points or your thesis statement in the concluding paragraph. Come up with a way to connect your conclusion to the body paragraphs or ideas therein as opposed to a simple summary of them. Don't create too many long sentences in a bid to reiterate the key points. It should be obvious that you are finalizing your writing. Also, you don't have to bring in all the ideas discussed in the body paragraphs.

In conclusion, the best way to make use of the tips you have learned here is to implement them in your paper. By doing this, you'll spot your weak points and improve them. If you find yourself pressed for time, you can always turn to our writers and get professional argumentative essay help.