How to Write an Argumentative Essay
Writing an argumentative essay requires doing an extensive amount of research regarding a topic that is controversial in nature. In order to successfully learn how to write an argumentative essay, it is important that you understand the topic thoroughly, including the facts and opinions that support the opposite opinion that you will be writing about.
One of the most important components of writing argumentative essays is determining the topic you will discuss. The topic must be one that is debatable but that still offers a great deal of facts and data to back up your opinion. Similarly, if you are writing an argumentative essay for a class, you might want to stay clear of topics that are "overdone," such as gun control and abortion. Rather, try to think of a fresh topic that your teacher likely has not seen many times before.
After determining the topic of your argumentative essay, you will need to conduct an extensive amount of research on the topic. In essence, you need to become an expert on the subject, which includes becoming an expert on the opinions that support the opposing view. By doing so, you can develop arguments to contradict those opinions or to prove that there is more data to support your point-of-view.
One mistake that many people make when writing an argumentative essay is using the first person, which means they use the word "I" in the report, or wavering on their opinion. It is important that you do not concede to the opposing viewpoint. Similarly, rather than stating "I believe animal experimentation is cruel," it is far more powerful to say "Animal experimentation is a cruel practice that must be stopped immediately." By stating it in a factual manner rather than as an opinion, it carries more weight and has a greater impact upon the reader.
Once you have chosen your topic and thoroughly researched the matter, it is time to begin formulating the document. In your first paragraph, you should provide an introduction to the article that includes a thesis statement, which is the one sentence that describes what the report will be about. You should also write something that will grab the reader's attention, such as a shocking fact that supports your thesis statement.
The next paragraph or two of your argumentative report should then describe the historical record of the problem. These paragraphs might include a brief discussion on the attempts that have been made to resolve the issue.
Following these paragraphs, you will then devote one or two paragraphs to discussing the extent of the problem. This might include a discussion as to who is affected by the problem and how bad it really is. The following paragraphs should then follow up on this discussion and tell the reader what could happen if the problem is not effectively resolved. Make sure you have been citing references, facts, and data throughout the body of your essay in order to support your argument.
Your conclusion will then wrap up the document. Be sure to restate your thesis and summarize what you wrote, while also leaving a lasting impression on the reader.
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