Argumentative Essay

Some say that all writing is an argument of some kind. Even if you’re writing an informative essay, you still have the job of trying to convince your audience that the information is important. However, there are times you’ll be asked to write an essay that is specifically an argumentative piece.

An argumentative essay is one that makes a clear assertion or argument about some topic or issue. When you’re writing an argumentative essay, it’s important to remember that an academic argument is different from a regular, emotional argument. In an academic argument, you have more constraints to consider, and the focus is more on evidence and logic, and less on raw emotion.

Argumentative essays are common in academic writing and show up in all disciplines. You may be asked to take a stand on a social issue in your introduction to writing course, but you could also be asked to take a stand on an issue related to health care in your nursing course, or perhaps make a case for solving a local environmental problem in your biology class. So, it's important to learn some basic elements of a good argumentative essay.

Argument Types

When your instructor asks you to write an argumentative essay, you’ll often be given something specific to write about. However, there are times when you’ll be given a choice of topics. You might even be asked to write an argumentative essay on any topic related to your field of study or a topic you feel that is important personally. Depending on the topic, you are likely to use one or more of the following argument types.

• Proposal Arguments – In this type of argument, you must propose a solution to a problem. First, you must establish a clear problem and then propose a specific solution to that problem. For example, you might argue for a proposal that would increase retention rates at your college.

• Rebuttal Arguments – In a rebuttal argument, you build your case around refuting an idea or ideas that have come before. In other words, your starting point is to challenge the ideas of the past.

• Causal Arguments – In this type of argument, you argue that something has caused something else. For example, you might explore the causes of the decline of large mammals in the world’s ocean and make a case for your cause.

• Definition Arguments – In this type of argument, you use a definition as the starting point for making your case. For example, in a definition argument, you might argue that college basketball players should be defined as professional players and, therefore, should be paid.

Techniques

1. Know your audience. Consider your audience. In many courses, your actual audience is presumably the class and instructor, but you're writing as if other people could also be reading it. In other situations, the target audience could be different. Make reasonable assumptions about the reader's background knowledge. You can't explain everything, and if you explain things everyone knows, they will either get bored or feel insulted. Also, imagine what objections the audience might raise, and write about those. If you can't think of how a reader might react, share your outline with a few classmates and ask for their thoughts.

2. Limit your appeal to emotion. Relying too much on emotion could be seen as manipulative. The goal is that the reader believes your message because it's true or reasonable, and not because you toyed with their heart. That being said, there is a place for emotional appeal, particularly in the introduction or conclusion. Presumably you chose a topic that you feel is interesting or important; show the reader why they should care.

3. Be fair and charitable. Common topics for argumentative essays include topics such as school uniforms, single-sex vs. coed schooling, abortion, gun control, the death penalty, animal testing, whaling, gender, and other hot-button topics. If you choose a topic about which you're passionate, it's easy to get excited. There's nothing wrong with excitement, but be understanding and generous. Try to frame an opposing view as reasonably as you can, and then explain why you think it's incorrect or unconvincing.

4. It's not a persuasive essay. In a persuasive essay, the goal is to change the reader's belief. To make that happen, the writer might make heavy use of emotional appeals, they might ignore strong counterarguments, or they might rely on anecdotal evidence. Those strategies are typically permissible in persuasive essays but less so in argumentative essays. An argumentative essay should show what evidence and reasoning indicates, whereas a persuasive essay should change the reader's mind. Those two goals can overlap, but they're not the same thing.

5. There are several common structures. If your argument and the counterargument has one main complicated point, consider using a block structure. If the two arguments are composed of many smaller claims, consider using a point-by-point structure. Many writers prefer to address the counterargument before explaining their own argument because the resulting essay ends constructively and positively. Adapt these structures to fit the information and arguments that you have.

Vocabulary

If you want to state a person's position strongly, consider the following verbs: advocate, allege, argue, believe, claim, contend, deny, insist, maintain, reject.

If you're stating a position with less firmness, consider these verbs: favor, imply, indicate, question, recommend, suggest, support.

Here are some useful expressions for introducing and addressing contrary positions.

• Although it has been suggested that MSG is unhealthy, recent research indicates otherwise.

• Some people believe that MSG is unhealthy. However, recent studies demonstrate the opposite.

• Opponents of MSG consumption claim that it is unhealthy, but recent findings show no nutritional drawbacks.

• It has been stated that MSG is harmful. Yet, evidence indicates that it is safe.

References

• Argumentative Essay. (2023). Excelsior Online Writing Lab, Excelsior University. Retrieved 2024. CC BY-SA 4.0. Some of the above content was copy/pasted from here.

• Argumentative Essays. (2024). Purdue Online Writing Lab. Retrieved 2025.

• Meyers, A. (2013). Longman Academic Writing: Essays to Research Papers. Pearson.

• Sexton J. and Soles D. (2019). Composition and Literature. B.C. Open Textbook Collection.

• Smith, S. (2022). Persuasion essays. EAP Foundation. Retrieved 2024.