Last Updated on June 2, 2023 by
What is an Argumentative Essay?
An argumentative essay is an essay that employs well-researched facts and arguments to support a claim or an opinion to persuade the readers to buy into the mindset too. Also known as a persuasive essay, it is probably the most common type of essay written by college students. The author is presented with a discussion topic, which he is expected to support or oppose using fact-based and researched evidence and convince the readers that the proposed point of view is the best and most preferable.
If you know how to organize notes correctly, then it helps you to see all data about the topic and to be able to write the essay in a more structured way.
Structure of an Argumentative Essay
So what makes up an argumentative essay? Like any other essay, and as discussed here an argumentative essay has a basic structure made up of ;
- Introduction
- Body
- Conclusion
However, as mentioned above, this is a basic essay structure and does not define the unique structure of an argumentative essay. When you want to write like a pro, your essay must have a more detailed structure. In this case, your structure should have the following sections within the above basic outline;
- The claim
- The reasoning
- Counterclaim
- Rebuttal
- Evidence
- The claim is the author’s argument that they are attempting to prove in the essay. This is included as part of the introduction section of the basic structure. As you are introducing your readers to the thesis statement, you also introduce the claim in your arguments and that forms the basis of the rest of the essay.
- Reasoning is the logic used to prove a claim. As you would have already presented your claim you must express to the reader your point of view through a reasonable flow of logic, with each logical thought taking up a paragraph of its own to make it easy for the reader to follow through.
- The counterclaim is the opposite argument that the author addresses in order provide a rebuttal. An argumentative essay always has two opposing sides and so the counterclaim is part of the body of the essay in this section, you explore the opposite side of your argument and let the reader know what has been presented by other authors as your research reveals.
- The rebuttal is the part where you explain what is flawed about the other side’s argument. Use this section to anticipate and refute possible arguments against your thesis.
- The evidence is the facts, data, and quoted experts used to provide support for the reasoning. in healthcare, evidence-based practice papers can easily be categorized as argumentative essays as they are purely based on facts and researched data.
Types of Argumentative Essays
It is important to note that there are different types of argumentative essays. The difference comes in how you choose to present your argument to the readers. The argument presented however also depends on the topic of discussion. When a discussion topic is highly polarized, the writer should acknowledge both sides of the argument before proceeding to present their opinion and convince the reader as to why it is the most preferred side of the argument.
Based on this, there are several ways to present your arguments
- Toulmin. When writing on a polarized topic, present your claim then present facts supporting your claim in a manner that will make your argument solid to the reader. In this method, you take up one side of the argument and support it with solid and convincing facts.
- Aristotelian – this is the most commonly used method of presenting arguments. Also known as the classical method, this method allows you to state the problem being discussed, then offer your opinion and support it while trying your best to convince the readers that your stance if the best point of this in that particular issue. This method is simple and mostly used when the audience is less informed on the topic of discussion. It is also best for beginners and when writing on less controversial topics.
- Rogerian – In this type of argument, the writer acknowledges the opposing sides of the argument but emphasizes his point of view as the correct one with supporting evidence. This method is the most effective when presenting a very polarizing topic as it acknowledges both sides of the argument and offers a middle ground for both.
No matter what your argumentative essay topic of discussion is, presenting your argument correctly is essential for your success, the second point being the structure and of course validity of your points of argument.
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Examples of Argumentative Essay Topics
When choosing an argumentative essay topic, always consider a topic that easily piques your interest, and that of your readers and convincingly leaves room for persuasive writing. It would be good to note that the more controversial topic is, the easier it is to take a stand and present your argument. Such topics also engage the readers more and leave room for new perspectives either in support or against the thesis statement.
Best Argumentative Essay topics for 2022
- Should expectant women take the COVID -19 vaccine?
- Is social media harming the social thread among young adults?
- Is Euthanasia, a necessary evil?
- Should abortion be legalized?
- Is fake news a societal problem?
- Should illegal immigrants be granted residency?
- Are illegal immigrants contributing to the human traffic crisis?
- Is America ready for a female president?
- Does gender present a bias in technology-related roles?
- Should men earn higher salaries than their female counterparts in the same role?
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