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Essays are of different types, including argumentative, persuasive, and compare and contrast. Each essay serves a unique purpose. All of these essays are assigned to students in high school, college, or university. Therefore, students must understand how to write them. To write an argumentative essay, you must be familiar with its basics. This blog will discuss successful argumentative essay writing techniques as well as the structure, genres, and formats of argumentative essays. If you encounter any difficulty or are seeking professional assistance, you can always buy an argumentative essay online from Nerdpapers.

What is an argumentative essay?

It is a type of essay in which you have to make an informed opinion or argument and support it with logical facts. The basic purpose of an argumentative essay is to deliver information to the readers rather than to convince them. Hence, argumentative essays focus on presenting both sides of an issue and arguing for one side, unlike persuasive essays, which emphasize convincing the reader to agree with the writer's viewpoint. So, it's important to concentrate on facts and data instead of personal preferences and thoughts as required in an analytical essay.

When do you need to write an argumentative essay? It may be a writing assignment for students in composition class or at the university to improve their debating skills, which are the foundation for great public speaking. It's fun to write an argumentative essay since you may express your opinions on the topics covered in class.
 
Don't be misled by the name: argumentative essays do not have to be aggressive or combative. Instead, the name comes from the style of argumentation in which the author provides enough evidence to refute the claims of the opposition and validate their own. Keep in mind that the purpose of an argumentative essay is to show why your thesis is the only reasonable conclusion.
 
The quality of your argument is crucial in argumentative essays, and developing a strong argument requires more than just willpower (though that certainly helps!). Here, we discuss several useful techniques for writing a strong argumentative essay. But don't just take our word for it—our evidence proves how effective they are!

Approaches to Write an Argumentative Essay

If you are unsure about how to write an argumentative essay, you can apply one of three strategies in your essay. These are the most effective types of argumentative essays that are coherent and well-structured.

Toulmin

This approach is employed when presenting complex issues without clear solutions or when your thesis is a refutation or counterargument. The purpose of the Toulmin method was to evaluate arguments. So, it makes sense to apply it to argumentative essays. This method is most effective when applied to complex problems that require in-depth analysis and reasoning. However, it can also be used to disprove an opposing viewpoint piece by piece. 
 
When you write a Toulmin argument essay, you have to focus on six main areas. But you can organize them freely. Remember that your argument may also challenge someone else's idea, so your entire essay may be devoted to denying their thesis rather than stating your own. Follow these steps to write a Toulmin argument essay.

  1. State your thesis statement very clearly.
  2. Add evidence and facts to support your claim.
  3. Show the relationship between your claim and supporting evidence (you must make assumptions clear in order to avoid confusion).
  4. To back up your argument, include more evidence.
  5. Put limits on your own assertion, even if it means compromising.
  6. Respond to the opposing point of view and critiques of your claim.

Classical

This is a very popular approach used to make straightforward arguments. You have to follow the following steps to write a classical argument essay:

Introduction

The main idea of the paper should be presented.

✔️For instance: Vegetarianism is growing in popularity around the world due to the health benefits of a plant-based diet.

Add background information

In this section, explain the significance of the subject and provide the information your readers need to better understand your position.

✔️For instance: A plant-based diet is popular among people for a variety of reasons. They want to lose weight, become healthier, help the environment, and save the lives of animals.

Provide relevant information to support your argument

To make your research more convincing in your essay, you should finish it with facts, figures, and/or references to other studies on this topic.

✔️For instance: Statistics show that vegetarians have nearly no risk of diabetes and hypertension, lower blood pressure, and lower levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. Compared to meat eaters, the majority of them typically weigh less and have fewer chronic illnesses.

Make counter arguments

Here, you must present the arguments of the opposition and show that they are false.

✔️For example: Some individuals believe that vegetarians may experience deficiencies in calcium, iron, and the vitamins D and B12. However, when food intake is carefully planned, this issue is no longer relevant.

Wrap up your essay

Briefly restate each of your points, and then provide a conclusion that outlines the potential for future research.

☑️Reading suggestion: How to write a compare and contrast essay

Rogerian

The Rogerian argumentative essay follows a middle-ground approach where you acknowledge that both your and your opponent's points of view are valid. It's the most courteous and least confrontational and helps in persuading readers who are naturally opposed to your main argument. Formally, it has the following five steps:

  • Outline the issue.
  • Firstly, explain your opponent's point of view. Support their points when they are right.
  • Describe your viewpoint.
  • Bring both ends together. Provide a middle path where the two points of view coexist.
  • Then, conclude your argument.

Basic Elements of an Argumentative Essay

Here are a few elements of an argumentative essay that you must keep in mind.

Position

Identifying your preferred side of the argument should be your first step.

✔️Let's look at an example: You continue to emphasize the fact that a vegetarian diet is healthier for individuals.

Why did you initially choose that position? You can use evidence that eating animal products can harm people's health to support your point of view.

Facts or Evidence

Provide true data from outside sources to back up your claim. Citations and source references are required to strengthen your argument. For instance, you may present data to demonstrate that vegetarians live longer and suffer from fewer diseases.

Counter Arguments

Show the other side of the problem in this section. Present your interpretation along with the opposing argument. You then need to provide more evidence to support your claims about these counterarguments' weakness and ineffectiveness.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay?

Follow these steps to write an effective argumentative essay:

how_to_write_an_argumentative_essay

How to start an argumentative essay?

It may seem difficult to start writing an argumentative essay. You have a lot of ideas, but you can't convey them all at once. That makes sense because our minds function far more quickly than we can think. The secret is to slow down these procedures and consider the following:

  • Pick an interesting topic
  • Thorough research
  • Drafting
  • Make an outline
  • Writing
  • Proofreading & Formatting

How do you choose a topic for an argumentative essay?

Mostly, two things happen in class. First, an instructor may allow you to select the topic of your choice, or he may assign you a topic from the list of available topics for an argumentative essay. If the professor gives you the topic, then you have to work more on it. But if he allows you to choose a topic, then writing an argumentative essay will become interesting and enjoyable. 
 
Verify that the topic you choose is relevant to the lesson by consulting your notes and the textbook. You can never go wrong by writing about a professor's lecture. You can choose a topic based on the following standards:

  • Relationship to the topic of study
  • Unalienable principles
  • Importance
  • Viewpoints for additional research

Conduct Detailed Research

You must have a clear understanding of the topic you chose before starting. Do research because your argument properly relies on facts and statistical data, not on your thoughts and opinions. A professor might expect that you will use various primary and secondary sources. What's the best way to find them? Your textbook is the best resource for appropriate sources for your work. A bibliography or a "recommended reading list" is included in every textbook. These books contain more than enough research material. The reference section of a Wikipedia article about the topic under investigation has a wealth of information as well.

Making notes on what you read and noting the publishing details of all the sources you used is a really good idea. You'll find these notes useful for creating an annotated bibliography. Additionally, understanding how to gather relevant information through research is essential not only for crafting effective argumentative essays but also for mastering the art of how to write an opinion essay.

Pre write your essay

Before making your argument essay outline, sit down, take a pen and paper and note down every point that comes into your mind. This way, you can record all your thoughts and ideas on paper. It will be helpful to remember all the important points to add to your argumentative essay. 

How do you make the structure of argumentative essay?

The essay structure is important because your argumentative essay entirely depends on how you present your arguments. Let's begin with the most basic five paragraph essay structure.

  • First Paragraph
    • Your first paragraph will cover the introduction of your argumentative essay. This section should clearly represent your argument essay thesis statement and set up the basis for the whole essay. Use an argumentative essay hook to capture the audience's attention.
  • Second, Third & Fourth Paragraph
    • The second, third and fourth paragraphs of your essay are known as argument essay body paragraphs, where you will represent your arguments and evidence to support them. Every paragraph should highlight one piece of evidence in favour of the thesis or refute one opposing viewpoint.
  • Fifth Paragraph
    • The last and fifth paragraph is your conclusion for argument essay. In this section, you have to revisit your thesis statement and wrap up everything that you have discussed throughout the essay. 

Start writing an argumentative essay

Do you know how to write a good argumentative essay? Writing an argumentative essay is a challenging task, but if you have followed the above mentioned steps, then you have fought half the battle. All you have to do now is allocate a specific time each day to compose a text, which will increase the effectiveness of your approach. It's best to start early rather than wait until the last minute because this will make your work appear rushed and may give the impression that you are a poor writer. Rather, work a little each day until the task is completed.
 
Another important skill to master is the use of transitions between all parts of an argumentative essay. Your writing will greatly improve if you know the right words and phrases to use to connect your paragraphs. Apart from that, think about readers who might need to learn more about the topic.

Proofread your essay

After finishing, proofread your argumentative essay, looking for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Additionally, ask your professor for assistance during his working hours. Get his opinion on your rough draft and ask him to read it. It can help you and your professor get along better on your paper.

Best Argumentative Essay Tips

If you're looking for additional guidance, you can try these tips:

Choose words wisely

It may surprise you to know how crucial tone and style are in an argumentative essay, particularly when you're criticizing the viewpoint of another person. Use appropriate language and phrasing. Even if you are refuting a contemptible viewpoint, adopting an aggressive tone reflects more on you than the target.

Backup your argument with solid facts

Make sure you gather enough information to back up each of your main points by conducting a lot of research. Please don't hesitate to reference additional research or sources to strengthen your argument. It is best to let the evidence speak for you and try to keep your personal opinions and feelings to yourself.

Make use of grammar and style guides

Your carefully crafted argument essay can be ruined by even the smallest typo in your writing. The truth is, if you're constantly struggling with spelling and grammar, it can be difficult to craft a compelling argument.
Run your essay on Grammarly. It identifies every error in your writing so you can focus on the important things. It also considers your voice and ensures that your main idea is consistently conveyed in the way that you desire.

Which Format Is Best for an Argumentative Essay?

There are numerous citation formats available for use, including MLA, Harvard, and APA. The formatting style will most likely be decided by a professor. Do not deviate from the citation style your professor mentioned.
 
As you follow the formatting guidelines provided by your professor, don't forget to give credit to the sources you use to support your arguments. Failing to do this could give the impression that you are stealing ideas from someone else. Even if it is a mistake, it is still considered accidental copying.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the format for argument essay?

The argumentative essay consists of three main parts:

  • Introduction
  • Body
  • Conclusion

Can I start an argumentative essay with a question?

It is acceptable to begin an argumentative essay with a thesis statement or a question. You can also do both: ask a question and then immediately reply with a statement.

Let's Wrap

To become an expert at winning arguments, all you need to do is study logic science. And it gets much easier to make compelling arguments, both orally and in writing if you know how to take a strong position on a subject and back it up with a ton of evidence. Assignments play a crucial role in this process by providing students with opportunities to practice constructing and defending arguments, thereby reinforcing the benefits of assignments in academic growth.
 
When most people hear the word "argument," they immediately picture a heated dispute between two or more people, but in reality, arguments are simply conversations between individuals who hold different opinions. Additionally, practicing the building of logical arguments will benefit you in the classroom, in your current job, and in the future. Writing can be difficult, but mastering the techniques outlined in this article will pay off in the long run, paving your journey to write an essay like a pro essay writer.

What is hindering you, then? Use what you've learned today to begin writing your best argumentative paper yet. You've got this! And remember, Nerdpapers is a great resource if you need any academic help. 

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