Tips for Writing an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a real test of reasoning and argumentation skills of a student. It is aimed to prove standpoint and disprove an opposing point of view on the basis of evidence and facts. Therefore, it is of utmost importance for you to conduct thorough research on your topic so that you have enough evidence to back up your standpoint.

An argumentative essay follows the basic essay composition. Firstly, you need an introduction to inform readers about what you want to discuss in your essay. Then, you need to present your arguments in body.  Lastly, you conclude your whole discussion in the conclusion and wrap up your essay in such a way that makes the readers endorse your viewpoint.

Introduction: Introduction is an important part of an argumentative essay. This is where you present your standpoint about an issue.

Main Body: The main body is where you put forward your reasons in support of your standpoint. Here, you present relevant examples and evidence to back up your claim and also mention opposing arguments and refute them. Remember! Your aim is to prove that your viewpoint is more logical and valid than the opposing point of view, therefore support your claim with solid evidence and examples.

Conclusion: In this section, you need to conclude your discussion. Here, you need to provide summary of your arguments in support of your claim and give succinct reasons about why your standpoint is stronger than an opposing viewpoint. Write concisely here and end your essay with a strong concluding statement.

Important Tips

•    Keep away from using informal language

•    Avoid using slang. The key to write a winning argumentative essay is: formal tone and good use of language

•    Avoid unknown abbreviations

•    Write concisely. Keep your writing short and to the point

•    Use relevant materials to support your claim but acknowledge the sources with proper referencing style

•    Be firm with your standpoint. You must be determined about your viewpoint on an issue. This will help you sound convincing and believable.

•    Be direct and to the point. Write in natural and conversational style. Your aim is to convince your readers that what you think is totally right.

•    Write down all reasons and examples that support your viewpoint. Use them to press the emotional buttons of readers. You can also employ some anecdote writing techniques to add substance to your viewpoint.

•    Structure your arguments in proper order starting from the most important and ending with the least important one. Use proper conjunctions and connecting words to make smooth transition between words, paragraphs and ideas.

•    Always base your claim on something that is arguable, valid and that you find interesting. Never attempt on something that you do not endorse or believe in.