Add a citation whenever you quote, paraphrase, or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.
An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.
Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.
Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence. Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument
Concluding your argument
No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.
The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA, MLA, and Chicago.
The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.
You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.
Planning is key to writing an effective essay. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to just start writing without creating a rough outline.
So, to make this task slightly easier, we’ve put together critical do’s and don’ts that you must keep in mind while writing an introduction for an argumentative essay.
For example, if you’re writing an argumentative essay on whether smoking needs to be banned in public places - here’s where you need to introduce it first to set the foundation for everything that’s coming next.
While this might be stress-inducing, with these essential do’s and don’ts in mind, we’re sure you’ll be able to write better and stronger introductions that leave a positive impression.
5. Present your thesis
Coming to the final and most important part of the introduction - the thesis statement.
So, think of ways to write a strong and engaging introductory paragraph - one that keeps them invested in what you have to say. Don’t spend time repeating the assignment specifications or writing definitions as none of these are necessary.
An argumentative essay involves investigating a topic, doing comprehensive research, collating evidence and presenting your argument. The first step is writing the introduction.
From telling a joke and stating a shocking fact to sharing an anecdote and asking a rhetorical question - there are various ways to start your argumentative essay with a bang. The ideal hooks for argumentative essays are those that intrigue the reader and reel them in.
The Measure D soda tax was approved by 76% of Berkeley voters on 4 November 2014, and took effect on 1 January 2015 as the first such tax in the United States. The measure imposes a tax of one cent per ounce on the distributors of specified sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened iced teas. In August 2016, a UC Berkeley study showed a 21% drop in the drinking of soda and sugary beverages in low-income Berkeley neighbourhoods after a few months showing that the sin tax was lowering consumption of sugary drinks.
Example: Case study of where sin tax resulted in lower consumption.
A good argumentative essay will also have paragraphs that address counter arguments. This demonstrates your knowledge of the topic and awareness of existing opposing arguments, which will impress most readers. However, if you are writing at university level, this will almost always be expected of you.
This demonstrates that imposing a sin-tax on sugary drinks is one way to reduce the consumption of sugar based products. (A ssuming that your thesis is about reducing consumption of sugary products and ways to do it).
Three steps to writing an argumentative essay
Body Paragraphs: Develop your Arguments and Provide Evidence
The success of these additional paragraphs will lie in how you refute these counter arguments and turn them around to strengthen your thesis statement and/or supporting points. It’s always useful to discuss these counter arguments with classmates or someone with an opposing view to understand how to break it down and counter it.
- - Read broadly to ensure you have a good overview of the topic including the main debates that have occurred or are occurring, arguments and counter arguments, and the main experts in the area.
- - Keep an open mind and attempt to view the issues from the perspective of different individuals and stakeholders. Acknowledging these views and addressing them in your essay will ensure that you have a good balanced essay.
- - Keep an eye out for any unique angles that may not have been thoroughly explored yet.
Applying sin tax to products based on the amount of sugar will directly reduce the excessive consumption of heavily sugary products amongst consumers.
However, it is important to remember that it must be presented in a debate format. In other words, explain why option A is better than option B, or vice versa. Even in the Rogerian approach, you need to be able to pick a side, but do it very carefully.
Here are some good argumentative essay topics to get you started:
- Apple vs. Microsoft: Which software brand is more useful for students?
- Do violent video games have a negative psychological impact on children?
- From a financial perspective, should one invest in cryptocurrencies?
- From an economic standpoint, are electric cars better overall?
- Has society become too reliant on technology?
- coherency and relativity to your studied subject
3. Toulmin Approach
This strategy can be quite useful in polemical arguments. It aims to find common ground within an argument and eliminate unnecessary arguments. For example, if your topic revolves around the question of whether drugs should be legal, then you would need to explore the biggest issues on both sides of the argument. Here you can talk about the pros and cons.
- What is the most important second language to learn as a student in the US?
- Should the minimum driving age be lowered?
- Are standardized tests a fair reflection of a student’s skills?
- Are athletes overpaid?
- Should high school students be free to choose their classes?
This type of paper is assigned to train a student’s ability to debate. It can therefore greatly influence the public speaking skills of a person later on in their life. When writing an argumentative essay, it is important to focus on facts and information rather than personal ideas or preferences. The author may present arguments equally, or support one in favour of others. Regardless, the thesis must include all of the primary points (and counterpoints) that will appear in the essay. It is almost like a political debate with oneself.
If you need help with the approaches listed above, feel free to use "write essay for me" help
Founded by Philosopher Stephen E. Toulmin, the Toulmin model presents evidence that makes it difficult to argue with a claim. Rather than presenting both sides of the argument, it only presents one.
- Summarize the argument: Sum up the entire essay and rewrite the thesis statement
- Stick to the plan: Don’t introduce any new argument here
Here are three steps you can follow to write a very persuasive argumentative essay introduction:
In the classical model, the writer tries to convince the reader with his/her side of the argument. The writer discusses both sides of the argument and then presents the evidence to support his claim.
Toulmin Model
Argumentative essays are the most common type of essays for High School and College students. They require strong critical thinking skills and an ability to analyze a topic at a deeper level.
This counter-argument paragraph contains the opposing point of view that a reader may pose against your main argument. This paragraph aims to prove that the opposing side is wrong by providing facts and evidence.
Choosing a topic for an argumentative essay is way more complicated than choosing a topic for any other essay. To get enough material to write about, your topic should be