How do I write an argumentative essay?

Answer 1

To write an argumentative essay, could you follow a similar outline to the following:

1. Introduction
2. Hook to grab attention. (rhetorical question, a fact, etc)
3. Background information on the topic. (introduces the topic to readers)
4. Thesis statement. (one sentence of what you will be arguing)
5. Body Paragraphs
6. Point 1: Topic sentence, evidence, and analysis.
7. Point 2: Another supporting point with evidence.
8. Counterargument: Address opposing views and refute them. (strengthens your position and shows that you have acknowledged other perspectives)
9. Note: each paragraph should revolve around 1 point
10. Conclusion
11. Restate the thesis in light of the evidence presented.
12. Summarize key points.
13. End with a strong closing thought or call to action.

Answer 2

Argumentative essays are a normal requirement for most university students. The point of an argumentative essay is how you construct an argument to answer the specific question or prompt provided by the instructor. Argumentative essays are not meant to showcase the amount of knowledge you might have, rather they are meant to highlight your critical thinking skills in light of that knowledge. In other words, argumentative essays are concerned with what you do with what you know.

Argumentative essays as a type are most often conflated with analytical essays, especially when a prompt for an argumentative essay asks the student to analyze or assess a phenomenon. Always be sure to clarify with your instructor or the syllabus/course module what type of essay is required of you before you start working. 

As someone who has graded countless essays and papers at the University of Oxford, here are my top four tips for how to write a winning argumentative essay:

1. Argument and Critical Thinking
2. Question the question (my first piece of advice to all of my students). Prompts are often meant to be provocative and they almost always hold a number of different meanings. This means that two students writing an argumentative essay in response to the same prompt might interpret that prompt differently and produce vastly different essays. Therefore, it is critical to question the question (or prompt) by considering what are its key concepts, what are its parameters, is it based on any underlying assumptions or theories, and, often a sneaky one, is it a quote from one of the readings?
3. Always present an argument in an argumentative essay. This needs to be clearly stated, after examination of the prompt, along the lines of, ‘This essay argues…’ or ‘The following sections seek to substantiate the argument that….’ etc.
4. Fluency, Cohesion, and Organisation
5. The opening paragraph should contain the research question/prompt, the argument in response, and explanation of the type of evidence that will be explored in the body of the essay to support the argument.
6. Each paragraph should contain a topic sentence explaining what it is that paragraph does for the argument/paper.
7. Signposting is one of the easiest ways to ensure examiners can find your argument and evidence. Signposting is done with the use of key words that act as flags for examiners when they skim papers. Typically, they look for words that are in the prompt (so be sure to stay focused on answering the prompt) and for other flag words such as ‘argue’, ‘propose’, ‘explains,’ ‘substantiates’, ‘connects’, ‘links’, and phrases identifying your evidence such as ‘The first/second/third example of…’
8. Critical Evaluation and Application of Sources
9. Scholarly sources and primary sources are different categories of references. They are used quite differently in the body of an essay. Five scholarly sources is the typical minimum requirement that most instructors expect for a references list of a 1,500-2,000 word essay.
10. The best essays present scholarship related to the argument in such a way that connects various different works in a sort of conversation. Scholarship is typically applied to contextualize the argument, key concepts, theoretical lens, and opposing views.
11. Aside from scholarly works and relevant literature, an argumentative essay requires evidence (usually primary sources) that substantiate the argument.
12. Style, Voice, and Tone
13. Although it is at the bottom of the list, this category is critical to making an outstanding essay actually stand out. A good way of thinking about this is that style, voice, and tone are like the window by which the examiner views your essay. Think of distinction-level style, voice, and tone as a sparkling window by which one can see the beauty of what lies on the other side (i.e. your essay). However, stylistically messy, casual, or unclear style, voice, and tone can be thought of as a dirty window through which no one can actually see. Even if the above three criteria all meet distinction level, poor use of style, voice, and tone will always hold an essay back because examiners cannot ‘see’ through the ‘dirty window’ to appreciate your work.
14. Importantly to note, this does not mean that your essay must use the most sophisticated vocabulary or eloquent sentences. I have marked a number of essays that read beautifully but do not actually say anything substantial. There is a balance between sophisticated language and substantive argumentation.

Need more writing advice for essays, big paper projects, and theses/dissertations? I have loads of experience teaching strategies such as these to students at Oxford University and would love to share them with you, too. Feel free to reach out to schedule a tutoring session.