Top Tips On Writing A Strong Argumentative Essay: Comprehensive Guidelines

When you are writing an argumentative essay, you require more than an opinion to take a stance at your point. Even the strongest point will only be compelled if it is framed properly with solid evidence.

Thus, the goal of an argumentative paper is to deliver information that supports the reader’s understanding.

However, the main intention is not to persuade them but to take a stand from your own perspective in contradiction to the opinions made by them or other researchers.

This is the reason why you need to emphasize critical information rather than personal thoughts and preferences.

In this article, you will discover the right format and effective strategies for writing an argumentative essay.

Elements Of Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay comprises four essential components:

Position: First, consider defining the side of the argument you support. Followed by explaining the statement and thereby proving your ideas.

Evidence: You can support the position with actual data from outside sources. Furthermore, include citations and source references, as it adds extra weight to the argument.

Counterarguments: In this section, you need to highlight the problem side. Thus, deliver the opposition argument and the interpretations.

Rebuttal: After presenting the counterclaims, you can refute them with counterarguments and state evidence that weakens the opposing point of view.

Steps To Write An Argumentative Essay

Follow the below-mentioned tips to write an impressive argumentative essay.

1. Select A Topic

If the professor does not provide you with the topic, select one that will allow you to conduct a strong argument.

When choosing an argumentative topic, ensure it is related to the subject. Similarly, you can never go wrong when you mention something an author has shared insights on.

Therefore, base your topic choice on the following attributes:

Inalienable values.

Significance.

Connection between the subject being studied.

Perspectives for future investigation.

2. Carefully Research

When researching supporting evidence, it is important to have an open mind and respect all viewpoints. It includes gathering information from academic journals, reputable websites, and books.

Make sure you use sources that are reliable and relevant. This is because it will help you build a strong argument and showcase a thorough understanding of the topic.

Therefore, citing all the resources and including a recognized citation style is also important.

Thus, defining your point of view and researching evidence are mandatory steps in writing an excellent argumentative essay. By doing so, you will ensure that the paper is well-reasoned and supported, demonstrating a thorough understanding.

3. Outline Argument

Before you start working on the essay, create an outline and engage in the pre-writing step.

This process indicates maintaining records where all the thoughts come from. Thus, sit down with a pen and paper and write down every phrase and word that comes into your mind.

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After you have finished writing, you will have a collection of thoughts and ideas that will be helpful for your writing.

4. Revisit For Clarity And Impact

After completing the outline for the argumentative essay, the next step is to revise and edit the content.

Therefore, it is essential to make sure that the essay is clear, impactful, and coherent. Thus, follow these tips to revise your paper:

To ensure the paper is coherent, use transition words and phrases, for instance, “on the other hand,” “in addition,” and “however”.

Check if each paragraph contributes to the main argument or not.

Review if the essay is clearly written or not. Proper flow of sentences denotes a consistent style in your writing. Moreover, avoid jargon, complex language, and slang.

Proofread the paper and make necessary rectifications for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors.

If you have a rough draft, then submit it to your mentor and collect feedback to make the necessary changes. This will help you improve your writing skills and build a rapport with the professor.

5. Add Citation And Reference

There are many citation formats, such as Harvard, MLA, APA, and Chicago, that you can use as citations.

However, a professor will most likely anticipate the formatting style in which you present your paper. For instance, format your paper in middle alignment with APA citation style.

Thus, follow the citation style that the requirement file instructs to and do not deviate from it.

Therefore, ensure that you properly cite the sources of information you are using to support the ideas in accordance with the professor’s formatting guidelines.

Moreover, if you forget to do so, you are justifying your own research ideas on the paper. Even if you have done it unintentionally, it is considered accidental plagiarism.

Argumentative Essay Layout

Before you start working on the essay, create an outline for your paper. The framework will help you differentiate the segment between the counterargument, evidence, and rebuttal.

Here is a basic layout for your argumentative essay.

In the introduction section, you need to attract the reader’s attention. Thus, use hooks to capture the attention of the readers.

Include background information.

Include the main argument in the last sentence of your introduction.

The topic sentence begins with a phrase that will divert the focus from the last paragraph to the present idea.

State the background topic and present the reader with facts supporting your information’s assertion.

After you deliver the claim, defending and persuading with the information is important.

In the concluding paragraph, mention the thesis statement again and present the readers with the essential facts discussed in the essay.

You can also use anecdotes explaining which topic has impacted you the most.

The Bottom Line

It can be overwhelming to write an argumentative essay when you are in high school, but you can score the best once you know the right technique and format.

Therefore, learn to use transitions between all parts of an argumentative essay. It will help you know which words to use to connect paragraphs properly.

However, follow this guide to learn the elements of an argumentative essay, and you will eventually form the right structure.