How to Write an Argumentative Essay ENGLISH 12 WRITING

Outline 1. TITLE 2. INTRODUCTION: explain the thesis (be precise but do not present evidence yet) 3. BODY: 1. Paragraph #1 1. Topic sentence (main argument of the paragraph) 2. Specific examples to support the topic sentence 2. Paragraph #2 and so on 1. Same as Paragraph #1 4. CONCLUSION: quick summary of thesis; then muse on implications of the thesis

The Title  The best titles provide a brief and catchy summation of your essay’s argument.  EXAMPLE: Suppose you are writing an essay that will argue that cats make great house pets.  Bad – “English Argument Essay”  Better – “Are Cats Good Pets?” or “Assessing the Merits of Cats”  Best – “The Hidden Genius of the Playful Cat”  It is usually best to write the title AFTER you have drafted the essay.

The Introduction (1 st paragraph)  Start with an opening hook to catch your reader’s interest. Maybe a puzzle or question your essay will resolve.  Avoid general statements that make sweeping and unsupported claims:  “Since the beginning of time people have wondered….”  “Americans have always valued their material possessions.”  Avoid the empty “warm up” sentence.  “In order to assess the causes of the revolution, it is important that we carefully consider numerous factors.”

The Introduction (1 st paragraph)  Thesis statement  one or two sentences long  At a minimum, present thesis to readers.  “Cats are better than dogs.”  Ideally, explain main reasons behind thesis.  “Cats are better than dogs because they possess a sense of independence, dignity, and hygiene that dogs lack.”  Keep it brief!

The Body  Each paragraph in the body of the essay should start with a topic sentence.  Announce the argument of the paragraph and make clear how the paragraph’s evidence will support the essay’s overall argument.  Then present and explain the evidence that will support the topic sentence.  Each paragraph should develop one distinct idea.  Each supporting body paragraph should be about a half-page in length.

The Conclusion (last paragraph)  Sometimes this is a simple summary of the main argument, but this is boring.  Advanced writers will use the conclusion to raise broader ideas that flow from your argument and evidence. (Further Inquiries)  After presenting careful evidence in the body of the essay, you have earned the right as an author to share broader ideas with your readers in the conclusion.

Plagiarism!  Be careful when using “copy & paste,” you need to keep track of what is yours and what is someone else’s  Most cases of plagiarism occur when someone unintentionally forgets to credit an author for something they paraphrase or refer to.  A good rule of thumb is that your paper shouldn’t have more than 20-25% of its information from quotes or paraphrase, even if it’s cited. You need to have your own ideas too.

Stylistic problems to avoid:  Avoid unattributed quotations:  BAD: Idealism soared in “Our purpose is noble.”  BETTER: Idealism soared in As President McKinley told Congress that year, “our purpose is noble.”  Avoid passive voice sentences:  BAD: The movement was accused of being Communist.  BETTER: Truman’s White House accused the movement of being Communist.  BAD: By 1942 the unemployment problem was solved.  BETTER: By 1942 military spending solved the unemployment problem.  Subject/verb agreement:  BAD: In his 1898 letter to Congress, President McKinley writes that “our purpose is noble.”  BETTER: In his 1898 letter to Congress, President McKinley wrote that “our purpose is noble.”

Stylistic problems to avoid:  Avoid casual language and slang  Use a thesaurus, but make sure you know the words; sometimes words suggested by a thesaurus do not fit your exact needs.  Who vs. That  Who refers to people, that refers to things  Affect vs. Effect  Affect is an action on something; noun, meaning “to have influence on”  Effect – noun; “an event that means a change occurred”  “Have an effect on” is a synonym for affect