How To Write an Argumentative Essay

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How To Write an Argumentative Essay

• A web site by Andrew Foskaris

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An Argumentative Essay

• Want to know what you think about something? Then
  write an argumentative essay. To be fair,
  however, you'll find that one of the first things
  you must do is become an expert on the issue.
• The art of argumentation is not an easy skill to
  acquire. Many people might think that if one
  simply has an opinion, one can argue it
  effectively.
• Additionally, writers of argumentation often
  forget that their primary purpose in an argument
  is to "win" it--to sway the reader to accept
  their point of view. (RSCC OWL)

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Elements of an Argumentative Essay

• As a writer you need to do four things to write a
  good argument.
• You need
• A well-defined, controversial issue- the issue
  should be debatable and easily understood by the
  reader
• A clear position- in your thesis, state your
  stance without using the first person.
• A convincing argument- not just an opinion, but
  an argument backed by facts and data.
• A reasonable tone- assume the reader will
  disagree with you and you wish to sway them.

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Links

• Tip for an Argumentative Essay http//www.rscc.cc.
  tn.us/owlwritingcenter/OWL/Argument.html
• MLA format
• http//owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/557/01/

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Sample Essay
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When using MLA format

• Remember
• Last name and page number on right corner. Ex.
  Doe 4
• All cites in alphabetical order
• The second line and all the lines after are
  indented
• Quotation marks around the title of the article
• Book titles underlined
• All commas, periods and colons are in the right
  place
• Ex.
• Adeline, Mark. Love in Black and White. New
  York Harper Collins Publishers, 1992