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Purdue Owl - Organizing Your Expository/Persuasive Essay

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Organizing You Expository/Persuasive Essay

How can I effectively present my argument?

Use an organizational structure that arranges the argument in a way that will make sense to the reader. The Toulmin Method of logic is a common and easy to use formula for organizing an argument.

The basic format for the Toulmin Method is as follows:

Claim: The overall thesis the writer will argue for.

Data: Evidence gathered to support the claim.

Warrant (also referred to as a bridge): Explanation of why or how the data supports the claim, the underlying assumption that connects your data to your claim.

Backing (also referred to as the foundation): Additional logic or reasoning that may be necessary to support the warrant.

Counterclaim: A claim that negates or disagrees with the thesis/claim.

Rebuttal: Evidence that negates or disagrees with the counterclaim.

Including a well thought out warrant or bridge is essential to writing a good argumentative essay or paper. If you present data to your audience without explaining how it supports your thesis they may not make a connection between the two or they may draw different conclusions.

Don't avoid the opposing side of an argument. Instead, include the opposing side as a counterclaim. Find out what the other side is saying and respond to it within your own argument. This is important so that the audience is not swayed by weak, but unrefuted, arguments. Including counterclaims allows you to find common ground with more of your readers. It also makes you look more credible because you appear to be knowledgeable about the entirety of the debate rather than just being biased or uniformed. You may want to include several counterclaims to show that you have thoroughly researched the topic.

Claim: Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.

Data1: Driving a private car is a typical citizen's most air polluting activity.

Warrant 1: Because cars are the largest source of private, as opposed to industry produced, air pollution switching to hybrid cars should have an impact on fighting pollution.

Data 2: Each vehicle produced is going to stay on the road for roughly 12 to 15 years.

Warrant 2: Cars generally have a long lifespan, meaning that a decision to switch to a hybrid car will make a long-term impact on pollution levels.

Data 3: Hybrid cars combine a gasoline engine with a battery-powered electric motor.

Warrant 3: This combination of technologies means that less pollution is produced. According to ineedtoknow.org "the hybrid engine of the Prius, made by Toyota, produces 90 percent fewer harmful emissions than a comparable gasoline engine."

Counterclaim: Instead of focusing on cars, which still encourages a culture of driving even if it cuts down on pollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging use of mass transit systems.

Rebuttal: While mass transit is an environmentally sound idea that should be encouraged, it is not feasible in many rural and suburban areas, or for people who must commute to work; thus hybrid cars

Additional Information on Organization and Content of the Expository/Persuasive Essay from Other Areas of Purdue OWL

The structure of the argumentative/expository/persuasive essay is held together by the following:

A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.

In the first paragraph of an argument essay, students should set the context by reviewing the topic in a general way. Next the author should explain why the topic is important (exigence) or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students should present the thesis statement. It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective or persuasive essay.

Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.

Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. In addition, such conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph. Some paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with evidence collected during research. It is also important to explain how and why the evidence supports the thesis (warrant).

However, argumentative/expository/persuasive essays should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. Depending on the length of the assignment, students should dedicate one or two paragraphs of the essay to discussing conflicting opinions on the topic. Rather than explaining how these differing opinions are wrong outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not be well informed or how they might be out of date.

A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

It is at this point of the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize the information presented in the body of the essay. Restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis.

A Complete Argument

Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of World War II and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the argument in the middle of my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the conflict. Therefore, the argumentative essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.

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Argumentative Essays

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The Modes of Discourse—Exposition, Description, Narration, Argumentation (EDNA)—are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. Although these genres have been criticized by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recognizes the wide spread use of these approaches and students’ need to understand and produce them.

What is an argumentative essay?

The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner.

Please note : Some confusion may occur between the argumentative essay and the expository essay. These two genres are similar, but the argumentative essay differs from the expository essay in the amount of pre-writing (invention) and research involved. The argumentative essay is commonly assigned as a capstone or final project in first year writing or advanced composition courses and involves lengthy, detailed research. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository essays are often used for in-class writing exercises or tests, such as the GED or GRE.

Argumentative essay assignments generally call for extensive research of literature or previously published material. Argumentative assignments may also require empirical research where the student collects data through interviews, surveys, observations, or experiments. Detailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to understand different points of view regarding the topic so that she/he may choose a position and support it with the evidence collected during research. Regardless of the amount or type of research involved, argumentative essays must establish a clear thesis and follow sound reasoning.

The structure of the argumentative essay is held together by the following.

• A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.

In the first paragraph of an argument essay, students should set the context by reviewing the topic in a general way. Next the author should explain why the topic is important ( exigence ) or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students should present the thesis statement. It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective or persuasive essay.

• Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.

• Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. In addition, such conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph. Some paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with evidence collected during research. It is also important to explain how and why the evidence supports the thesis ( warrant ).

However, argumentative essays should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. Depending on the length of the assignment, students should dedicate one or two paragraphs of an argumentative essay to discussing conflicting opinions on the topic. Rather than explaining how these differing opinions are wrong outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not be well informed or how they might be out of date.

• Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).

The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However, students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence. As noted in the paragraph above, a successful and well-rounded argumentative essay will also discuss opinions not aligning with the thesis. It is unethical to exclude evidence that may not support the thesis. It is not the student’s job to point out how other positions are wrong outright, but rather to explain how other positions may not be well informed or up to date on the topic.

• A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

It is at this point of the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize the information presented in the body of the essay. Restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis. You may also want to include a short discussion of more research that should be completed in light of your work.

A complete argument

Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of World War II and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the argument in the middle of my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the conflict. Therefore, the argumentative essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.

The five-paragraph essay

A common method for writing an argumentative essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of (a) an introductory paragraph (b) three evidentiary body paragraphs that may include discussion of opposing views and (c) a conclusion.

Longer argumentative essays

Complex issues and detailed research call for complex and detailed essays. Argumentative essays discussing a number of research sources or empirical research will most certainly be longer than five paragraphs. Authors may have to discuss the context surrounding the topic, sources of information and their credibility, as well as a number of different opinions on the issue before concluding the essay. Many of these factors will be determined by the assignment.

Structure of An Argumentative Essay

Table of Contents

Introduction to argumentative essay writing.

Argumentative essay writing, in a nutshell, is about persuading or convincing readers about a certain point of view through facts and reasoning. Contrary to popular belief, argumentative essays are not about charged language with emotional tone and voice. They are objective to their core and do the convincing by developing sound arguments and then backing them through empirical evidence.

Writers use different approaches to develop and prove their arguments, including the Classical approach, also called Aristotelian, Toulmin, and Rogerian. The former is commonly used by students in schools and colleges because it is the easiest.

There are three major types of argumentative essays Persuasive essays, analysis essays, and research papers . They are all written in academia based on the level, scope, and depth of a problem and the academic understanding of the writer. 

An a rgumentative essay is recognized by its rigid structure, objective approach, and reliance on proofs and citations to develop and validate an argument.

Elements of An Argumentative Essay

A thesis statement is an integral part of any essay, but it has a special place in argumentative essay writing. It is a summary of the writer’s stance about a problem or an issue that is discussed in the essay. Again, instead of being subjective and opined, it is rather objective and based on sound arguments. Writers need to state it in the opening of the essay so that readers can know what is the stance of the writer. The ideal place is at the closing of the introductory paragraph.

Contrary to other writing styles, argumentative essays need to cover the reader’s persona. Since the writing is about convincing and persuading readers about a belief or point of view, the audience of the essay constitutes an element in the bigger scheme of things. While writing the essay, writers should consider the reader’s persona in mind so that they can go to the appropriate lengths and depths of the arguments and proofs to make a point. This is most common in argumentative essays so it makes a distinguishing mark on the essay.

Exigence may seem like an alien word for students in schools and colleges, but the meaning and application are far from it. Exigence is about providing an environment to the readers where they become better receptive to the main argument or postulate. This is where the utility of an introduction comes to the fore. An introduction is often opened with a hook and then provides the background information about the problem before moving on to the main body of the essay. So, the opening is where the writers can achieve that.

As the name indicates, this element is about providing concrete evidence and proof for the arguments and stance. Argumentative essays are about basing the personal stances or positions of the writers on facts and then covering the foundations of those arguments with citations and references from credible sources. There is no point in writing an argumentative essay if a writer does not have support and material evidence to support the claims. Usually, support comes from because statements that not only identify the stance but provide prompt support to the argument

Reasoning is another crucial element of argumentative essays. It covers the response to the hypothetical challenge and the “proof” that the writer provides through logic and mathematical reasoning. Many writers struggle with reasoning, finding a proper place for it, or how to expound it for a better impact. Also, reasoning should not be confused with a thesis statement which is only one in an essay. However, reasons can be multiple to support various sub-claims throughout the essay. If you are having a hard time identifying reasoning in an argumentative essay, look for statements that were answering the “but why” questions.

An argumentative essay is not about arguing about a claim for what it is but also about what it is not. This may seem confusing to novice writers but we will explain it to help them understand better. Rebuttals are the answers to objections and challenges in the essay. While explaining an argument, it is necessary to anticipate these objections and claims and ensure that they are taken care of in the body. By covering the objections and their answers, you will be able to further tighten your arguments and stance.

How To Write An Argumentative Paragraph

Argumentative essays are written in schools and colleges to gauge the research and writing skills of the students. For the same issue, academic institutions also employ paragraph writing. Since we have gone through the mechanics and dynamics of essay writing, let us go through that of paragraph writing.

An argumentative paragraph is a miniature of an argumentative essay. It shares the same features and elements with the grander counterpart but it has a limit of words and space. central main premise and format remain the same.

In this light, the highlights of writing an argumentative paragraph are as follows:

• Introducing and developing an essay question
• Providing support and evidence for the answer or argument
• Covering rebuttals and objections to strengthen the argument

This is where the argumentative essay starts. The opening sentences are often molded and styled in such a way that they grab the readers’ attention. These are called hooks and they can be different types of sentences or statements, including a question, a statistic, a bold statement, or a fact. Make sure that the hook is relevant to the main claim or topic of the essay. After the hook, writers have the space to cover some ground in the form of context or exigence.

The main body is the bulk of an argumentative essay. It covers the arguments and their evidential information through an even and balanced picture for the readers. Since there is only a single argument in a persuasive essay, it needs to have several sub-claims and evidence to that. In a typical essay structure, the main body covers three paragraphs, this is usually ample to develop arguments and then provide support and rebuttals. After connecting the dots in the main body, this section transitions into the conclusion.

This is another important part of an essay. It is where all the loose ends are tied and sign off the essay on a higher note. In the case of argumentative writing, writers need to cover all the main ideas in the body but they should reiterate them in this section. The best way to do so is to summarize them logically and then rely on one-liners and catchy sentences to make them more memorable for the readers. This section should be well-planned and executed.

What are the 4 main elements of argumentative essays in schools and colleges?

There is a debate regarding the major parts or components of an argumentative essay. In essence, it is no point in contesting the stance with simple evidence or proof. So, here are the four main components of argumentative essays:

• Counter-claims

How can you describe the three main parts of an argumentative essay?

Like other essays, argumentative essays follow a rigid structure with elements and traits combined to convey the message. The text of the essay is based on facts and that is the main point of the essay.

Here is a rundown of the major sections in an argumentative essay:

How can I ideally structure an argumentative essay?

Argumentative and expository essays need a lot of research and reasoning to stay afloat. This is the essence of the structure and formatting of an argumentative essay. The best way to structure an essay is to research and outline at the same time. This way, writers can understand the depth and scope of the essay without stumbling across roadblocks.

What is the format of an argumentative paragraph?

An argumentative paragraph follows the same format as that an essay. It has three sections to form and explain an argument. The opening should have the hook and the question that will be answered in the text. The body should cover the evidential information to support the claims. The concluding sentences should tie it all up.

What are the 2 common argumentative essay formats?

Depending on the subject matter and scope of the topic, two common argumentative essay formats are used by the writers. One is block structure where all the arguments or questions are covered in a single paragraph while the evidence is stated separately. The other is a chain structure where each argument or sub-claim is followed by the necessary evidence.

Argumentative essay writing is about symmetry and structure. Experts also prescribe that these essays are as good as the arguments they are based on. This is true to a great extent as writers need to convince and persuade the readers to agree with their stances. In this post, we have covered the major elements of an argumentative essay, its structure with major sections, and then top it all off by answering frequently asked questions. In addition to this, we have also dedicated a section to teach students how to write an argumentative paragraph. 

We aim to furnish students in schools and colleges to learn the art and craft of argumentative essay writing. But if they are not up for the task, we can help them with custom argumentative essays!

Courtesy of PerfectEssay

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Difference between Expository & Argumentative Essays

When your teacher tells you to write an ‘expository’ or ‘argumentative’ essay, you might just freak out, clamp up, and say “What does the word expository even mean!?”

Sometimes these words just make it harder to understand what you need to do. So, in this article, I’m going to show you the exact difference between an expository and argumentative essay .

Let’s first look at what each of these essay types are and some examples of essay questions for each. Then, I will present you with a table clearly breaking down the differences into columns.

What is an Expository Essay?

This is the most common form of essay at university level.

‘Expository’ means, simply, to give an explanation of something.

But, it’s not that easy. If you just give a dictionary definition of an idea and move on, you’re not going to get a very good mark. Read on to learn how to get a top mark on an expository essay.

An expository essay presents an informative and balanced exploration of an issue. This type of essay does not require you to take a stance on an issue. Instead, you should present a range of evidence, facts and statistics on a topic.

Your teacher will ask you to write an expository essay in order to prove your deep knowledge and understanding of an issue. This is why these essays are so common at university level.

Let’s say the topic of your course is “Depression amongst Elderly People”. Your teacher will ask you to write an expository essay about depression amongst elderly people not to convince them that it is an issue (they already know that). The teacher just wants you to show-off how deep your knowledge is about the topic.

Therefore, you’re going to want to delve very deeply into the topic and explore some major themes. Here’s some tips the help go deep in your expository essay:

• Get Great Information. Use your lecture notes , assigned readings and readings you find from google scholar to show that you have a very deep and detailed understanding of the issue;
• Compare Ideas. Ensure you present two sides of an argument and compare them. Use critical thinking strategies like pros and cons lists and Venn diagrams to assist you in thinking deeply about the topic;
• Avoid dictionary definitions. Instead, use scholarly definitions from textbooks or journal articles . If there are multiple definitions of a term or topic , compare each of them.
• Be objective. You should avoid using first person language (I, we, us, you, our) and do not take a position on the issue. Your job is to inform, not convince.

The essay question in an expository essay usually asks you to compare, contrast, explain how things work, define concepts, or classify them. Note that it does not ask you to ‘convince’ or ‘take a side’, because all you’re doing is presenting your knowledge in an unbiased manner.

Read Also: What is an Illustration Essay?

Expository Essay Examples

Here is a list of potential expository essay questions:

The ‘How To’ Expository Essay

• Explain how emergency room nurses triage patients based on need.
• Provide a clear explanation of how an internal combustion engine produces motion.
• Explore with evidence how carbon dating approximates the age of the earth.
• Examine, with examples, the ways in which nuclear engineers prevent nuclear meltdowns in power plants.
• Explore how the judicial system is designed to ensure justice is served in western democracies.
• Provide a clear and detailed explanation of how subjective mental health disorders are diagnosed and treated.
• Examine the process behind ensuring the structural integrity of bridges in the United States.

The ‘Classification’ Expository Essay

• What are the major types of rocks within the earth’s crust?
• What are the key fields of study under the broad umbrella of ‘Psychology’?
• Identify and classify the different animal species on earth today.
• What are the five most influential approaches to art theory in European history?
• Explore and explain the different learning styles proposed by Howard Gardner.
• How can the Bristol Stool Chart help to categorize and diagnose illness and disease?
• What are the main categories of financial assets that help produce wealth in Capitalist societies?

The ‘Cause and Effect’ Expository Essay

• How does the cash bail system in the United States disadvantage minorities?
• What are the effects of inserting fluoride into public water systems?
• What are the multiple projected effects of lowering the corporate tax rate?
• What impact does lowering the age of voting have on participatory democracy?
• What are the long-term impacts of the death of a parent when a child is very young?
• What are the impacts of stereotypical gender representations in Disney films?
• How would a carbon tax of $40 a tonne impact the economy?

The Comparative Expository Essay

• Compare modernist and post-modernist approaches to art.
• What are the major differences between socialism and communism?
• What are the key differences between string theory and quantum mechanics?
• Examine the advantages and disadvantages of moving from a manufacturing economy to a services economy.
• Explore the two major competing explanations for the fall of the Soviet Union.
• What are the core differences between Catholicism and Protestantism?
• Compare the healthcare systems of Canada and the United states on the key metrics of value for money, social justice, life expectancy and individual liberty.

The Problem and Solution Expository Essay

• Examine five potential solutions to the problem of automation taking the jobs of truck drivers in the mid-west.
• What solutions are on the horizon for bureaucratic bloat in the European Union?
• What are the three key ways society can overcome resource scarcity in the coming century?
• What are the major viable solutions to the opioid crisis in the United States?
• Which approaches to foreign policy could present a solution to the oppression of women in some East African nations?
• How can society help to increase the democratic participation of children?
• Explore three potential diets that could help prevent diabetes among middle-aged men.

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is also often called a persuasive essay. Persuasive / argumentative essays take a position on an issue and try to convince their readers to accept your arguments.

In other words, the major difference between expository and argumentative essays is that argumentative essays try to convince, while expository essays do not.

In an argumentative essay you can take a position. You can say things like:

• “This essay will show that the best course of action is…”
• “It is evident that the best course of action is…”
• “The position of this essay is that…”

Argumentative Essay Tip #1: Avoiding Bias

Just because you need to take a position, that doesn’t mean you can be biased in an argumentative essay. ‘Bias’ means to be prejudiced or narrow-mindedly convinced by only one side, despite evidence to the contrary.

To avoid bias in argumentative essay, you need to convince your reader that you have taken a close and open-minded look at the evidence on both sides of an issue, weighed them up, and come to your conclusions based on an informed understanding of all the issues.

Argumentative Essay Tip #2: Going Deep

You should show deep insights into the topic to avoid bias in both expository and argumentative essays. To show an in-depth understanding of the topic in an argumentative essay, you can compare and contrast two ideas and then make a value judgement after showing all sides of the issue.

My favourite approach to help you go deep is to use a pros and cons list for each of the different sides of an argument. You could, for example, brainstorm different perspectives like this:

Here, you can brainstorm a ton of different things to discuss about the topic. Then, once you have shown a thoughtful discussion of both perspectives, you can take an informed position.

Showing deep understanding and comparing perspectives before taking a position makes your argumentative essay … more persuasive !

Argumentative Essay Examples

• Take a position on the argument between raising and lowering taxes on the wealthy.
• What is the best course of action for obtaining peace in Syria?
• Persuade your reader about the importance of decreasing the voting age to 16.
• Take a position on the statement: “There should be more men in nursing.”
• Are current drug laws good or bad for young men of colour?
• Who should be the next nominee for the Supreme Court and why?
• What is the most appropriate management style for improving productivity, health and job satisfaction in your workplace?
• What is the best course of action for decreasing the amount of plastics in the Pacific Ocean?
• Should there be laws mandating the installation of solar panels on all new homes built in California?
• Should GMOs be banned?
• Should there be limits to freedom of speech?
• Should Pluto’s status as a Planet be reinstated?
• How many refugees should the United Kingdom accept per year, and why?
• Convince your reader of the relevance or irrelevance of Freud’s ideas about child development for the 21 st
• Should financial advisors be forced to take a course on ethics before taking clients?
• After weighing up the benefits and negatives of the issue, take an issue on whether we should colonize Mars.

What’s the difference between Argumentative and Expository Essays?

Now, let’s take a look at a summary of the key differences and similarities between expository and argumentative essays:

As you can see, there are more similarities between an argumentative and persuasive essay than differences. Remember, your argumentative essay and expository essay both provide in-depth, balanced information on the topic. However, the argumentative essay goes one step further and lets you take a personal position on the issue once you have presented the key information.

Chris Drew (PhD)

Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education.

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How Are Persuasive & Expository Alike?

Persuasive and expository are two writing styles -- more specifically, two types of essay writing. In fact, a persuasive essay is a type of expository essay. An expository essay simply lays out an argument about a topic, whereas a persuasive essay seeks to convince a reader to agree with an argument. Though persuasive and expository essays serve different purposes, there are many similarities in their content and construction.

Essay Structure

Persuasive and expository essays follow a similar essay structure consisting of an introduction, a definitive thesis statement, supporting body paragraphs and a strong conclusion. The introduction should present the topic of the essay and include the thesis statement, which summarizes the essay's argument. The body paragraphs provide facts supporting the argument, and the conclusion brings the essay to a close.

Defining Argument

Effective essays, both persuasive and expository, state a clear and supportable argument. The point of both types of essays is to present logical evidence supporting this argument. The essay's argument is usually stated in the introduction, often times in a thesis statement, and the bulk of the essay relates back to the original argument.

Supportive Facts

Both types of essays rely on a body of support facts to prove an argument. The support facts, or supporting evidence, are found in the middle portion of an essay, or the body paragraphs. The supporting evidence can cite studies, statistics, experiment results, professionals or any other valid sources of unbiased factual information that helps to prove a point.

Nonfiction Style

In order to successfully make an argument, both persuasive and expository essays make use of an informational tone and a nonfiction style of writing. Relying on facts rather than subjective opinions makes an essay more convincing and professional, enhancing the legitimacy of its argument. However, this does not mean there's no room for creative writing. Mixing up the writing style in an essay can sometimes make an argument more convincing.

Big Differences

The main difference between persuasive and expository writing is the author's purpose for writing the essay. In a persuasive essay, the writer goes into great detail about why a reader should agree with a given argument. In contrast, the writer of an expository essay is not expected to persuade a reader of anything but simply to present facts.

• Purdue Online Writing Lab; Essay Writing; The Expository Essay
• Study Guides and Strategies; Writing Series; Persuasive or Argumentative Essays

Camille Beredjick is a recent graduate of the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University working in the nonprofit sector. She is the sole writer and manager of GayWrites, an LGBT news blog.

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Essay Structure

Writing an academic essay means fashioning a coherent set of ideas into an argument. Because essays are essentially linear—they offer one idea at a time—they must present their ideas in the order that makes most sense to a reader. Successfully structuring an essay means attending to a reader's logic.

The focus of such an essay predicts its structure. It dictates the information readers need to know and the order in which they need to receive it. Thus your essay's structure is necessarily unique to the main claim you're making. Although there are guidelines for constructing certain classic essay types (e.g., comparative analysis), there are no set formula.

Answering Questions:  The Parts of an Essay

A typical essay contains many different kinds of information, often located in specialized parts or sections. Even short essays perform several different operations: introducing the argument, analyzing data, raising counterarguments, concluding. Introductions and conclusions have fixed places, but other parts don't. Counterargument, for example, may appear within a paragraph, as a free-standing section, as part of the beginning, or before the ending. Background material (historical context or biographical information, a summary of relevant theory or criticism, the definition of a key term) often appears at the beginning of the essay, between the introduction and the first analytical section, but might also appear near the beginning of the specific section to which it's relevant.

It's helpful to think of the different essay sections as answering a series of questions your reader might ask when encountering your thesis. (Readers should have questions. If they don't, your thesis is most likely simply an observation of fact, not an arguable claim.)

"What?"   The first question to anticipate from a reader is "what": What evidence shows that the phenomenon described by your thesis is true? To answer the question you must examine your evidence, thus demonstrating the truth of your claim. This "what" or "demonstration" section comes early in the essay, often directly after the introduction. Since you're essentially reporting what you've observed, this is the part you might have most to say about when you first start writing. But be forewarned: it shouldn't take up much more than a third (often much less) of your finished essay. If it does, the essay will lack balance and may read as mere summary or description.

"How?"   A reader will also want to know whether the claims of the thesis are true in all cases. The corresponding question is "how": How does the thesis stand up to the challenge of a counterargument? How does the introduction of new material—a new way of looking at the evidence, another set of sources—affect the claims you're making? Typically, an essay will include at least one "how" section. (Call it "complication" since you're responding to a reader's complicating questions.) This section usually comes after the "what," but keep in mind that an essay may complicate its argument several times depending on its length, and that counterargument alone may appear just about anywhere in an essay.

"Why?"   Your reader will also want to know what's at stake in your claim: Why does your interpretation of a phenomenon matter to anyone beside you? This question addresses the larger implications of your thesis. It allows your readers to understand your essay within a larger context. In answering "why", your essay explains its own significance. Although you might gesture at this question in your introduction, the fullest answer to it properly belongs at your essay's end. If you leave it out, your readers will experience your essay as unfinished—or, worse, as pointless or insular.

Mapping an Essay

Structuring your essay according to a reader's logic means examining your thesis and anticipating what a reader needs to know, and in what sequence, in order to grasp and be convinced by your argument as it unfolds. The easiest way to do this is to map the essay's ideas via a written narrative. Such an account will give you a preliminary record of your ideas, and will allow you to remind yourself at every turn of the reader's needs in understanding your idea.

Essay maps ask you to predict where your reader will expect background information, counterargument, close analysis of a primary source, or a turn to secondary source material. Essay maps are not concerned with paragraphs so much as with sections of an essay. They anticipate the major argumentative moves you expect your essay to make. Try making your map like this:

• State your thesis in a sentence or two, then write another sentence saying why it's important to make that claim. Indicate, in other words, what a reader might learn by exploring the claim with you. Here you're anticipating your answer to the "why" question that you'll eventually flesh out in your conclusion.
• Begin your next sentence like this: "To be convinced by my claim, the first thing a reader needs to know is . . ." Then say why that's the first thing a reader needs to know, and name one or two items of evidence you think will make the case. This will start you off on answering the "what" question. (Alternately, you may find that the first thing your reader needs to know is some background information.)
• Begin each of the following sentences like this: "The next thing my reader needs to know is . . ."  Once again, say why, and name some evidence. Continue until you've mapped out your essay. 

Your map should naturally take you through some preliminary answers to the basic questions of what, how, and why. It is not a contract, though—the order in which the ideas appear is not a rigid one. Essay maps are flexible; they evolve with your ideas.

Signs of Trouble  

A common structural flaw in college essays is the "walk-through" (also labeled "summary" or "description"). Walk-through essays follow the structure of their sources rather than establishing their own. Such essays generally have a descriptive thesis rather than an argumentative one. Be wary of paragraph openers that lead off with "time" words ("first," "next," "after," "then") or "listing" words ("also," "another," "in addition"). Although they don't always signal trouble, these paragraph openers often indicate that an essay's thesis and structure need work: they suggest that the essay simply reproduces the chronology of the source text (in the case of time words: first this happens, then that, and afterwards another thing . . . ) or simply lists example after example ("In addition, the use of color indicates another way that the painting differentiates between good and evil").

Copyright 2000, Elizabeth Abrams, for the Writing Center at Harvard University

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How to Structure an Essay | Tips & Templates

Published on September 18, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The basic structure of an essay always consists of an introduction , a body , and a conclusion . But for many students, the most difficult part of structuring an essay is deciding how to organize information within the body.

Table of contents

The basics of essay structure, chronological structure, compare-and-contrast structure, problems-methods-solutions structure, signposting to clarify your structure, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about essay structure.

There are two main things to keep in mind when working on your essay structure: making sure to include the right information in each part, and deciding how you’ll organize the information within the body.

Parts of an essay

The three parts that make up all essays are described in the table below.

Order of information

You’ll also have to consider how to present information within the body. There are a few general principles that can guide you here.

The first is that your argument should move from the simplest claim to the most complex . The body of a good argumentative essay often begins with simple and widely accepted claims, and then moves towards more complex and contentious ones.

For example, you might begin by describing a generally accepted philosophical concept, and then apply it to a new topic. The grounding in the general concept will allow the reader to understand your unique application of it.

The second principle is that background information should appear towards the beginning of your essay . General background is presented in the introduction. If you have additional background to present, this information will usually come at the start of the body.

The third principle is that everything in your essay should be relevant to the thesis . Ask yourself whether each piece of information advances your argument or provides necessary background. And make sure that the text clearly expresses each piece of information’s relevance.

The sections below present several organizational templates for essays: the chronological approach, the compare-and-contrast approach, and the problems-methods-solutions approach.

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The chronological approach (sometimes called the cause-and-effect approach) is probably the simplest way to structure an essay. It just means discussing events in the order in which they occurred, discussing how they are related (i.e. the cause and effect involved) as you go.

A chronological approach can be useful when your essay is about a series of events. Don’t rule out other approaches, though—even when the chronological approach is the obvious one, you might be able to bring out more with a different structure.

Explore the tabs below to see a general template and a specific example outline from an essay on the invention of the printing press.

• Thesis statement
• Discussion of event/period
• Consequences
• Importance of topic
• Strong closing statement
• Claim that the printing press marks the end of the Middle Ages
• Background on the low levels of literacy before the printing press
• Thesis statement: The invention of the printing press increased circulation of information in Europe, paving the way for the Reformation
• High levels of illiteracy in medieval Europe
• Literacy and thus knowledge and education were mainly the domain of religious and political elites
• Consequence: this discouraged political and religious change
• Invention of the printing press in 1440 by Johannes Gutenberg
• Implications of the new technology for book production
• Consequence: Rapid spread of the technology and the printing of the Gutenberg Bible
• Trend for translating the Bible into vernacular languages during the years following the printing press’s invention
• Luther’s own translation of the Bible during the Reformation
• Consequence: The large-scale effects the Reformation would have on religion and politics
• Summarize the history described
• Stress the significance of the printing press to the events of this period

Essays with two or more main subjects are often structured around comparing and contrasting . For example, a literary analysis essay might compare two different texts, and an argumentative essay might compare the strengths of different arguments.

There are two main ways of structuring a compare-and-contrast essay: the alternating method, and the block method.

Alternating

In the alternating method, each paragraph compares your subjects in terms of a specific point of comparison. These points of comparison are therefore what defines each paragraph.

The tabs below show a general template for this structure, and a specific example for an essay comparing and contrasting distance learning with traditional classroom learning.

• Synthesis of arguments
• Topical relevance of distance learning in lockdown
• Increasing prevalence of distance learning over the last decade
• Thesis statement: While distance learning has certain advantages, it introduces multiple new accessibility issues that must be addressed for it to be as effective as classroom learning
• Classroom learning: Ease of identifying difficulties and privately discussing them
• Distance learning: Difficulty of noticing and unobtrusively helping
• Classroom learning: Difficulties accessing the classroom (disability, distance travelled from home)
• Distance learning: Difficulties with online work (lack of tech literacy, unreliable connection, distractions)
• Classroom learning: Tends to encourage personal engagement among students and with teacher, more relaxed social environment
• Distance learning: Greater ability to reach out to teacher privately
• Sum up, emphasize that distance learning introduces more difficulties than it solves
• Stress the importance of addressing issues with distance learning as it becomes increasingly common
• Distance learning may prove to be the future, but it still has a long way to go

In the block method, each subject is covered all in one go, potentially across multiple paragraphs. For example, you might write two paragraphs about your first subject and then two about your second subject, making comparisons back to the first.

The tabs again show a general template, followed by another essay on distance learning, this time with the body structured in blocks.

• Point 1 (compare)
• Point 2 (compare)
• Point 3 (compare)
• Point 4 (compare)
• Advantages: Flexibility, accessibility
• Disadvantages: Discomfort, challenges for those with poor internet or tech literacy
• Advantages: Potential for teacher to discuss issues with a student in a separate private call
• Disadvantages: Difficulty of identifying struggling students and aiding them unobtrusively, lack of personal interaction among students
• Advantages: More accessible to those with low tech literacy, equality of all sharing one learning environment
• Disadvantages: Students must live close enough to attend, commutes may vary, classrooms not always accessible for disabled students
• Advantages: Ease of picking up on signs a student is struggling, more personal interaction among students
• Disadvantages: May be harder for students to approach teacher privately in person to raise issues

An essay that concerns a specific problem (practical or theoretical) may be structured according to the problems-methods-solutions approach.

This is just what it sounds like: You define the problem, characterize a method or theory that may solve it, and finally analyze the problem, using this method or theory to arrive at a solution. If the problem is theoretical, the solution might be the analysis you present in the essay itself; otherwise, you might just present a proposed solution.

The tabs below show a template for this structure and an example outline for an essay about the problem of fake news.

• Introduce the problem
• Provide background
• Describe your approach to solving it
• Define the problem precisely
• Describe why it’s important
• Indicate previous approaches to the problem
• Present your new approach, and why it’s better
• Apply the new method or theory to the problem
• Indicate the solution you arrive at by doing so
• Assess (potential or actual) effectiveness of solution
• Describe the implications
• Problem: The growth of “fake news” online
• Prevalence of polarized/conspiracy-focused news sources online
• Thesis statement: Rather than attempting to stamp out online fake news through social media moderation, an effective approach to combating it must work with educational institutions to improve media literacy
• Definition: Deliberate disinformation designed to spread virally online
• Popularization of the term, growth of the phenomenon
• Previous approaches: Labeling and moderation on social media platforms
• Critique: This approach feeds conspiracies; the real solution is to improve media literacy so users can better identify fake news
• Greater emphasis should be placed on media literacy education in schools
• This allows people to assess news sources independently, rather than just being told which ones to trust
• This is a long-term solution but could be highly effective
• It would require significant organization and investment, but would equip people to judge news sources more effectively
• Rather than trying to contain the spread of fake news, we must teach the next generation not to fall for it

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Signposting means guiding the reader through your essay with language that describes or hints at the structure of what follows.  It can help you clarify your structure for yourself as well as helping your reader follow your ideas.

The essay overview

In longer essays whose body is split into multiple named sections, the introduction often ends with an overview of the rest of the essay. This gives a brief description of the main idea or argument of each section.

The overview allows the reader to immediately understand what will be covered in the essay and in what order. Though it describes what  comes later in the text, it is generally written in the present tense . The following example is from a literary analysis essay on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein .

Transitions

Transition words and phrases are used throughout all good essays to link together different ideas. They help guide the reader through your text, and an essay that uses them effectively will be much easier to follow.

Various different relationships can be expressed by transition words, as shown in this example.

Because Hitler failed to respond to the British ultimatum, France and the UK declared war on Germany. Although it was an outcome the Allies had hoped to avoid, they were prepared to back up their ultimatum in order to combat the existential threat posed by the Third Reich.

Transition sentences may be included to transition between different paragraphs or sections of an essay. A good transition sentence moves the reader on to the next topic while indicating how it relates to the previous one.

… Distance learning, then, seems to improve accessibility in some ways while representing a step backwards in others.

However , considering the issue of personal interaction among students presents a different picture.

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The structure of an essay is divided into an introduction that presents your topic and thesis statement , a body containing your in-depth analysis and arguments, and a conclusion wrapping up your ideas.

The structure of the body is flexible, but you should always spend some time thinking about how you can organize your essay to best serve your ideas.

An essay isn’t just a loose collection of facts and ideas. Instead, it should be centered on an overarching argument (summarized in your thesis statement ) that every part of the essay relates to.

The way you structure your essay is crucial to presenting your argument coherently. A well-structured essay helps your reader follow the logic of your ideas and understand your overall point.

Comparisons in essays are generally structured in one of two ways:

• The alternating method, where you compare your subjects side by side according to one specific aspect at a time.
• The block method, where you cover each subject separately in its entirety.

It’s also possible to combine both methods, for example by writing a full paragraph on each of your topics and then a final paragraph contrasting the two according to a specific metric.

You should try to follow your outline as you write your essay . However, if your ideas change or it becomes clear that your structure could be better, it’s okay to depart from your essay outline . Just make sure you know why you’re doing so.

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How to Write the Structure of an Expository Essay

Table of Contents

In an essay, an author investigates an event, a place, or an experience and evaluates the evidence.

Knowing this idea in detail requires much effort, time, and good writing skills. Research is necessary to gather substantial evidence and provide ample information about the structure of an expository essay .

This article discusses expository essays, their types, and their structure.

Definition of an Expository Essay

Expository essays are academic writing that discusses a topic in detail. The chronological analysis explains the main subject. It is a matter of providing the reader with all the necessary information to understand a topic smoothly. 

An expository essay may seem descriptive, but it is different from it. Defensive pieces look similar, but they don’t. The primary purpose of an argumentative essay is to present an argument or prove a point of view.

Expository essays provide information, define, and illustrate a specific topic . 

Types of Expository Essays

A comparison and contrast essay; This is a sort of essay that compares and contrasts two items.

An essay on cause and effect:  This seeks to determine the origins of certain events and their consequences for others.

Essay about problem and solution; This essay outlines a problem and suggests alternative remedies.

The classification essay:  Categories are the focus of this essay. Groups are applied to each category to define all examples, ideas, and characters. 

Essay on a definition:  It defines the subject matter perfectly in this essay. Organizing a definition essay for the topic provides clear and specific information and provides examples to clarify it. 

What Comprises of the Structure of an Expository Essay?

very essay is written in the same way. There’s an introduction, a thesis statement, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The reason why these essays are written is what makes them different. As with a typical five-paragraph piece, here is the outline: 

Introduction to an Expository Essay

The author informs the readers or explains topics in expository writing. Adding a fact your reader doesn’t know can hook them and keep them reading.

Don’t think that your readers know everything there is to know about the subject. Describe your topic to your readers. It will help them better understand the issue. 

Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs provide evidence and explain the topic in detail in the body paragraphs. The subject is discussed separately in every section. 

Body paragraphs usually begin with a topic sentence, followed by facts and opinions that explain and build on the topic sentence. Transition words are used to connect the sections logically and to maintain the flow of the essay. 

The number of body paragraphs can vary depending on the topic. If you are in the essay’s body, keep in mind these points.

Conclusion of the Essay

It is essential to begin your essay by restating your thesis statement. As you present your topic, you need a firm conclusion. 

Ask questions or suggest further actions to engage the readers. Add no additional information to the conclusion paragraph; Let’s wrap up your essay and summarize your thesis. 

Expository essays can be considered as opinion essays, and they teach you how to write or explain important topics to a general audience .

They are one of the most common types of personal essays, which are most often written to persuade others to believe in a certain theory. Expository essays a great way to write about topics that are new or doesn’t have any evidence to back the theory up.

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Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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Expository Essay structure

Table of Contents

The typical structure for an expository essay is the traditional five-paragraph essay. This includes an introduction, a conclusion, and three paragraphs for the body. This is the basic essay structure. Mostly the body paragraphs are limited to one subtopic each. Also in the expository writing the number of paragraphs may vary according to context. It does not matter how long your essay is. What is really important that the introduction includes your thesis statement and that an essay is based on facts rather than your opinion. And keep in mind to connect your paragraphs with transitions, as it is in all good writing.

Once you have your thesis settled and your method of writing decided, establish an outline for it. Give it an introduction, a discussion and exposition, and conclusion. Finish your work by demonstrating how your thesis has been proven through the facts presented. And after that, you just move forward to fill your outline with the content, arranging it in a proper structure.

Writing Introduction

The introduction to an expository essay focuses the reader to the writer’s purpose as well as indicates something about what the reader can expect to find in the remainder of the essay. Most introductions contain a thesis statement that announces the main point of the writer’s intention. Although some authors may choose to let the reader conclude what their thesis is. And so they may place the thesis statement at the end of the essay rather than at the beginning. There are many ways to write an introduction. Some of them are followed:

• General to specific. You may begin with a generalization about the topic and move further to a statement of the writing purpose.
• Thesis statement. The thesis is the key of main idea to be supported by the writer throughout the essay.
• Outline. Often introductions present the problem or topic to be discussed and then salvation or several subtopics to follow. So the reader may expect that the body of the essay will cover those subtopics.
• Quotation. It is often an attention-grabbing way of opening your writing.
• Description. Sometimes an effective way to start expository writing is to describe someone or something.
• Asking a question. You may begin with a question that is another good way to hook a reader’s interest.

Remember that you are limited only by your imagination. Focus on several options and then pick the one that more appropriate for your topic and purpose of writing.

Developing the Body Paragraphs of Expository Essay

Once you made your decision about your introductions go back to your outline and see if the main points and the specific examples will logically follow from your introduction. You may want to rearrange the main point in the order that will be most clear and logical to the reader. Usually the introductions indicate the structure of the essay’s body.

The expository essay consists of factual statements, supporting details and commentary. While the factual statements are somewhat obvious and known, and supporting details illustrate or elaborate those statements, commentary offers opinions, analysis, interpretations, and so on. Commentary supports the factual statements to note something significant. An expellant expository essay should include more commentary than other supporting details.

In order to present an idea clearly you often have to do a lot of telling in expository writing. You need to state things exactly and directly. Make sure that your reader is understands what you intend to say. To illustrate those telling statements you may provide examples that show the reader what you mean.

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In order to support connection within an expository essay, it is important to develop the main ideas and supporting details in a way that move logically and build well toward your conclusion. Several methods can be used to produce the connection between introduction, main body, and conclusion; between paragraphs and between sentences.

• Subtopics are often use in a long writings as guide points for the reader to follow.
• By repeating a key word or phrase, you can strengthen links between different parts of an essay.
• By maintaining an appropriate tone in your writing, serious or humorous, you can express a clear sense of your attitude toward the topic.
• Transition words and phrases help the reader understand how your thoughts are flowing and guide them through an essay. In fact, there is a big list of transition words to be found in different sources.

 Writing Your Conclusion

A well written conclusion will not only restate the main idea of the essay but also add some intensity of its statements. The following is a few suggestions to write the conclusion:

• One way to conclude an expository essay is to simply summarize or restate the main points that were stated in your essay’s body. In order to have a more intensive effect, avoid just repeating yourself. Instead, use your conclusion to emphasize a main idea to leave the reader with.
• By asking a question you may confirm your closing statements more effectively.
• Some conclusions create a very clear sense of ending where you began, coming a full circle.
• Conclusion also provides the writer with opportunity to solve the problem.

As with introductions so there are many ways to finish you essay. While you are writing the conclusion make sure that the statements logically derive from the ideas you have presented and developed throughout your writing.

Structure of an Expository Essay

Introduction – Attention grabber

• Opening Sentence
•  Introduction Content – Background
• Thesis Statement

Body Paragraphs – The number of them depends on the context.

•  Topic Sentence
•  Supporting Evidence
• Body Paragraphs Analysis

Conclusion – Closing ideas.

How To Structure An Argumentative Essay: Hints To Create Perfect Essay

What’s the most common issue most students face when it comes to argumentative essay writing in general? Of course, there is a slew of problems that different students might face, such as topic choice, finding information, doing research, and so on. However, one challenge that cuts across the most is the issue of how to structure an argumentative essay. This is something that poses a source of concerns to not just one student, but a good number of them.

Why is that? The foremost thing anyone would tell you is that drafting a lengthy piece of text is in itself a hard task, not to talk of adding arguments into the structure. This is true because to draft a quality essay you need a lot of time and effort, besides finding the required source materials as well. Furthermore, one has to look for the perfect argumentative essay structure and format that helps project the ideas and points correctly.

It’s important to note that the challenges mentioned and many others that weren’t persisted even though an argumentative essay is one of the most popular text categories learners get exposed to, be it in high school or college. Perhaps the most important reason it is difficult is that most learners don’t know how to, or in other words – they don’t know the best way to structure an argumentative essay.

In this article, we hope to help students understand the way essay structure works and guide them towards all the tidbits of how to write an argumentative essay structure.

What Is An Argumentative Essay?

By default definition, an argumentative essay is a written text where opinions are expressed in support or against a central theme, and explanations back up the stance taken. It’s quite popular among students and teachers alike and is usually given for learners to develop good oratory and written skills when defending a particular point. It can be exposed as a written form of a debate. It’s also one of the  types of essays in college  that requires strong, excellent, and valid sources of evidence to validate one’s ideas.

Argumentative Essay Structure

The backbone of any written work is its structure. By creating the perfect structure, it becomes easy to note what’s needed and where one needs to write each idea. It’s easier to maintain a highly organized work with a well-planned argumentative essay structure. The structure is likely to consist of the following sections:

Section 1: Introduction Of An Argument Essay Outline

In this section, you provide a brief overview of the central theme, and then you need to outline the segments you are going to touch regarding the topic. An argument essay outline usually has sections like:

• Identifying the issue
• Standing for/against a perspective of the issue
• Refuting the other party’s stance in favor of your own

This is akin to debate on paper. Everything must be written in a tone that suggests you are perfectly confident of your stance. We will look at the components of the main body in the next section.

Section 2: Body Paragraphs Are The Main Part Of Argumentative Essay Structure

The main body is where writing the main debate begins. It is usually kicked off with a few words on the topic of discussion (introduction), from where you aim to bring your readers up to speed on the reason why you will be supporting/opposing a motion, just before you present your set of supporting ideas.

Deployment Of Your Arguments

Here, you begin with your points. In writing your body paragraph, remember to keep yourself aligned with the previously set structure of the argumentative essay.

When you are presenting your ideas and their backup evidence, the following should be noted:

• Do not speculate. Be as precise and accurate with your information as possible.
• Have concrete evidence. Keep in mind that your work is likely to get checked, and your evidence as well. Therefore, you would not want to ruin your good efforts by using unverified sources or stating that something was said in an article when it wasn’t.
• Arrange your ideas in paragraphs. This is very helpful not just for you, but for the person grading your work. Do not jumble your words together as this would do more harm than good. Be sure to maintain a constant argumentative essay paragraph structure.

Refutation Of Opponent’s Arguments

In this segment, your major aim is to find the weak spots in your opponent’s argument and turn them to full-blown tools to overthrow the validity of their statements. In other words, ‘create mountains out of their molehills.’ You would have to do this in a polite, slang-free, and sarcasm-free manner. In addition to this, you can turn some of their arguments against them by challenging their present views. You could choose to challenge their validity or credibility.

In general, here are a few other tips you can remember that will aid you in keeping to the argumentative essay outline you created:

• Grammar checks: this is quite important. For the perfect write-up, your grammar needs to be precise and on point to clearly communicate your ideas.
• Punctuation and spelling: There are times when meaning can be misconstrued due to wrong spelling of closely similar words. You should make sure your spelling and punctuation is in order. You could choose to use an online spelling checker to ensure your spelling is accurate.
• Be sure to use appropriate references. If you are citing something said by a prominent personality that is instrumental in supporting your argument, get your sources in case your teacher would need to verify what was said.

Section 3: Conclusion Of Argumentative Essay Outline

The conclusion of any lengthy text is also a crucial part of the write-up. It should tally with what was discussed in the main part and should end with what was used to support your stand on the topic. It should also be in compliance with the given structure of an argumentative essay.

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