Good essays argue for something! Umm, no they don’t!? Ohh, yes they do!!!

While I have already stated detailed guidance on how to acheive this is beyond the scope of these posts, I would none-the-less like to provide a little bit of guidance. So, what follows is a few guiding principles that will get you thinking about how to build a good argument when writing essays, followed by some links to resources that can help you more than I can alone.

Let me start by saying one of the key things to keep in mind as you sit down to write an essay is that you want to say something worthwhile. You’re seeking to make a point (or two); a case for a topic; arguing for it; trying to convince the reader that what you are saying is correct or worthy of consideration at the very least.

Doing this well does not allow for unsubstantiated opinion. You will need to cite academic sources (e.g. books, journal articles, etc) as you build a sound argument. There should be an element of logical development. You achieve this by providing evidence, using reason and forming a series of valid sub-conclusions which ultimately lead to a logically valid final conclusion.

One point will typically build upon another, as you develop a convincing case. For the most part, each sentence and paragraph should flow into the next, forming a coherent whole. With that said, as addressed in the post on Structure, each section and sub-section can be addressed individually to a point too.

It is necessary to consider all the elements needing to be covered, including naming and addressing counter-arguments. There needs to be a realistic tension between your argument and counter-arguments, with your argument ultimately triumphing in the end.

Developing your essay writing, in the long-term, is best done by reading other’s work; specifically, those written by accomplished authors of academic journals and books, paying attention to how they write and emulating their styles. This takes time, and improvement is usually incremental. In the short-term, getting coaching from others, or reading online articles or books on writing essays may prove more helpful, and bring about a greater and quicker transformation of your writing abilities.

For the most part, I would recommend students do not worry too much about this unless it has been identified as an area of concern requiring addressing. If you are reading this and do have some time to work on this area, and you think it really needs to be worked on, then the content which the links in the next, final post will prove helpful.

Next post: Further Resources

March 2018 (Updated January 2021)