How to Write an Argumentative Essay Step by Step 

It is complicated to find a college student who has never had problems writing a compare and contrast essay, working on the coursework or dealing with the report. What makes these types of the assignment similar? The necessity to have and master writing skills may promote the quality of the papers to a completely different level and make you a real expert.

As a college student, you will have to accomplish the most complicated tasks and deal with various types of academic writing. However, it is hard to deny that an argumentative paper constitutes over 70% of your writing. Therefore, it is crucial to realize that a good argumentative essay will reveal your point of view and provide readers with sufficient evidence on a specific topic. So, what is an argumentative essay? There are numerous definitions offered in various sources, but Brandon helped me word the simplest one. Thus, it is a type of a custom academic paper, the purpose of which is to provide readers with extended arguments and their sufficient proofs. No matter if you choose your topic for an argumentative essay or the instructor does it, instead, you need to follow the purpose of the writing and create it in accordance with the basic specifications and requirements.

In the overwhelming majority of instances, an argumentative essay calls for profound research of the existing data. Therefore, the student will have to spend some time investigating relevant sources of information, learning the main arguments highlighted there and making personal conclusions. In fact, there are two indispensable components of an argumentative essay, irrespective of its volume, topic or other characteristics:

  • A clear and accurate thesis.
  • Strong evidence to prove the presented arguments.

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

It may be unusual to hear, but the very first question I asked Brandon was, “What is the purpose of an argumentative essay?” It was really challenging to accomplish the task without a clear understanding of its peculiarities. Consequently, every time somebody asks me about my experience writing essays, the first piece of advice I give is related to the comprehension of the task. Make sure you fully understand the essence of the paper, its specifications, parts to be included and the requirements you need to meet. Once you are done with this stage, you can proceed to your topic and start working on the content.

An argumentative essay is about making a statement and proving it with relevant evidence. A good argumentative essay has to include deep and profound research, which will result in a well-structured paper with clear, accurate and transparent reasoning. The detailed research is the only way for you to learn the topic, understand the difference between contradicting points of view and add your paper with quality arguments and counter-arguments.

text with facts about arumentative essay

What Makes a Good Argumentative Essay?

Similar to cause and effect essay and other types of academic writing, an argumentative essay should be precise, consistent and structured, in order to meet all the requirements and specifications. Check out three essential features your paper should have to retain its scholarly value.

  • The precision of the arguments. Have you ever worked on the persuasive essay? That is exactly the same route you need to follow. Make sure you start your work with a flawless outline, which includes an introductory paragraph, main arguments and a conclusion. Once you have a frame, you can concentrate on the final goal and achieve the desired result much faster.
  • Dependable evidence. Have you got the topic of the essay? Your task is to investigate each and every aspect of the subject and provide the audience with the most detailed information on the topic. Your purpose is to almost 'force' the reader to agree with your argument. Therefore, there is no way you achieve the goal by presenting your subjective thoughts and ideas. Instead, search for the relevant and up-to-date sources of information that will contribute to the dependability of your essay.
  • Excellent structure of an argumentative paper. If you are a college student, one of the first lessons you have learned is to craft excellent five-paragraph essays. When you are aware of the perfect structure, your only task is to modify and improve it, rather than change. All arguments or body paragraphs should be mentioned as separate parts of the paper and presented in the logical order.

What Steps Do You Need To Take To Write An Argumentative Essay?

Similar to other types of college writing assignments, steps to writing an argumentative essay may coincide. However, it is always important to remember the minor differences between various types of assignments, especially as you work on some of them. As I am just practicing and learning to improve my writing skills, I will gladly share Brandon's recommendations and tips that help me a lot.

Traditionally, you need to divide your paper into three main parts, subdividing into smaller components:

  • Introduction. The introductory paragraph has an exceptional value for the whole paper. It should be developed around the thesis statement, provide the audience with background information and pique the interest. Enticing hook, the context data, thesis statement, and introduction of the arguments are key components of any paper. Although the argumentative essay is quite straightforward, when it comes to the organization, the writer should start with the outline.
  • Main body. Smooth transition between different parts of the essay is one of the most peculiar features of a well-written argumentative essay. Make sure the thesis statement, mentioned in the introduction, is extended and proved in the body paragraphs. Divide your text into meaningful parts, each of them presenting a different piece of evidence. The purpose of the whole body is still to support your thesis and explain every argument in detail.
  • Conclusion. While the writer presents the main arguments and tries to convince the reader in the body paragraphs, he/she fulfils a completely different task in conclusion. Do not include any new information, but rather rephrase your introduction to sound convincing and consistent. A well-crafted conclusion mirrors the thesis statement and calls the audience for further research.

What Is The Structure of an Argumentative Essay?

Flexibility and an opportunity to adjust your skills to a certain situation are the basic qualities students should cherish. Even if you are a professional narrative essay writer, it does not mean you will cope with the argumentative paper the same fast and easy. Take your time to investigate the above-mentioned structure of the essay and check out simple tricks to make your text look accurate, relevant and impeccable.

  • Include a clear thesis statement in the introductory paragraph. Presenting an argument that you need to defend is one of the most important parts of the whole work. You need to be exceptionally accurate, crafting a thesis statement, as it is the idea you will have to develop through the whole paper.
  • Preserve a logical transition between the body paragraphs. Once you are ready with the introduction, it is indispensable to develop it into a first body paragraph. Sounds good, right? But how is it possible to accomplish this task? As Brandon keeps saying, there is nothing easier than to continue the previous idea. Follow this rule to avoid devastating structure collapse.
  • Support every single idea with relevant evidence. Do you want to sound convincing? Start searching for up-to-date, trustworthy sources of information right away.
  • Mention only 100% accurate facts to prove your point of view. There are different types of evidential support you can use in the argumentative essay. Opt for the most suitable one and make your paper even more influential.
  • Restate the thesis and provide a reader with an opportunity to reconsider it. If you do not want to sound trivial, you need to make an effort and review the thesis.