How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay:

Easy Step-by-Step Guide

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Sep 10, 2021 • 5 min read

When you’re writing a persuasive essay, you need more than just an opinion to make your voice
heard. Even the strongest stance won’t be compelling if it’s not structured properly and
reinforced with solid reasoning and evidence. Learn what elements every argumentative essay
should include and how to structure it depending on your audience in this easy step-by-step
guide.

 What Is an Argumentative Essay?

 How To Outline an Argumentative Essay in 4 Steps
 How to Write a Thesis Statement in 3 Steps
 5 Types of Argument Claims
 3 Main Types of Arguments and How to Use Them
 Malcolm Gladwell Teaches Writing

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that takes a stance on an issue. In a good
argumentative essay, a writer attempts to persuade readers to understand and support their point
of view about a topic by stating their reasoning and providing evidence to back it up.

Argumentative essay writing is a common assignment for high school and college students.
Generally, argumentative essay topics are related to science, technology, politics, and health
care.

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How To Outline an Argumentative Essay in 4 Steps
Argumentative essays should have a straightforward structure so they are easy for readers to
follow. The goal of an argumentative essay is to clearly outline a point of view, reasoning, and
evidence. A good argumentative essay should follow this structure:
 1. 1. Introductory paragraph. The first paragraph of your essay should outline the topic,
provide background information necessary to understand your argument, outline the
evidence you will present and states your thesis.
2. 2. The thesis statement. This is part of your first paragraph. It is a concise, one-sentence
summary of your main point and claim.
3. 3. Body paragraphs. A typical argumentative essay comprises three or more paragraphs
that explain the reasons why you support your thesis. Each body paragraph should cover
a different idea or piece of evidence and contain a topic sentence that clearly and
concisely explains why the reader should agree with your position. Body paragraphs are
where you back up your claims with examples, research, statistics, studies, and text
citations. Address opposing points of view and disprove them or explain why you
disagree with them. Presenting facts and considering a topic from every angle adds
credibility and will help you gain a reader’s trust.
4. 4. Conclusion. One paragraph that restates your thesis and summarizes all of the
arguments made in your body paragraphs. Rather than introducing new facts or more
arguments, a good conclusion will appeal to a reader’s emotions. In some cases, writers
will use a personal anecdote explaining how the topic personally affects them.

How to Write a Thesis Statement in 3 Steps

Your thesis statement is only one sentence long, but it’s the most important part of your
argumentative essay. The thesis appears in your introductory paragraph, summarizes what your
argumentative essay will be about, and primes the reader for what’s to come. These steps will
help you get your point across clearly and concisely:

1. 1. Turn the topic into a question and answer it. Set up a big question in the title of
your essay or within the first few sentences. Then, build up to answering that question in
your thesis statement. For example, in your title or introduction, you could pose the
question, “What is the best type of sandwich?” And then answer with your thesis
statement: “The best type of sandwich is peanut butter and jelly.” This method is
effective because intriguing questions draw readers in and encourage them to keep
reading to find the answer.
2. 2. State an argument—and then refute it. Introduce an idea that contrasts with your
belief, and immediately explain why you disagree with it. For example: “While some
people believe peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are too simple, they’re versatile
sandwiches that you can easily turn into a gourmet meal.” This method is effective
because it uses evidence and immediately demonstrates your credibility.
3. 3. Briefly outline your main points. Introduce your main point and explain how you’ll
back it up. For example: “You can turn a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into a gourmet
meal by using artisanal bread, toasting the bread, and adding additional toppings.” This
method is effective because it gives readers a clear idea of everything you’ll discuss in
your essay. It also serves as a roadmap to help keep you organized and on track.
5 Types of Argument Claims
Once you decide what you’re arguing and know your thesis statement, consider how you’ll
present your argument. There are five types of argument claims that can drive your essay:

1. 1. Fact: whether the statement is true or false.

2. 2. Definition: the dictionary definition of what you’re arguing, plus your own personal
interpretation of it.
3. 3. Value: the importance of what you’re arguing.
4. 4. Cause and effect: what causes the problem in your essay and what effects it has.
5. 5. Policy: why the reader should care and what they should do about it after reading.

3 Main Types of Arguments and How to Use Them

There are three main ways to structure an argumentative essay. Choose one of the following or
combine them to write your persuasive paper:

1. 1. Classical. Present the main argument, state your opinion, and do your best to convince
the reader why your stance is the right one. Also called Aristotelian, this is the most
popular strategy for making an argument because it’s the most simple line of thinking to
follow. It’s effective when your audience doesn’t have a lot of information or a strong
opinion about your topic, as it outlines the facts clearly and concisely.
2. 2. Rogerian. Present the problem, acknowledge the opposing side of the argument, state
your point of view, and explain why yours is the most beneficial to the reader. This type
of argument is effective for polarizing topics, as it acknowledges both sides and presents
the middle ground.
3. 3. Toulmin. Present your claim, present grounds to back up that claim, and then justify
that the grounds are linked to the claim. This type of argument is also effective for
polarizing topics, but rather than present both sides, it presents one, hinging particularly
on facts presented in a way that makes the claim difficult to argue with.

Whether you’re writing an essay as an artistic exercise or trying to get the attention of a top
publication, knowing how to correctly structure your point of view is the key to a good
argumentative essay. Renowned nonfiction storyteller and bestselling author of Blink and The
Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell has spent decades honing his craft. His b

ooks have helped millions of readers grasp complex ideas like behavioral economics and
performance prediction. In his class, Malcolm provides insight into how to research topics and
distills big ideas into simple, powerful narratives.

Want to become a better writer? The MasterClass Annual Membership provides exclusive video
lessons on plot, character development, creating suspense, and more, all taught by literary
masters, including Malcolm Gladwell, Neil Gaiman, Dan Brown, Margaret Atwood, David
Baldacci, and more.
How to Write an Argumentative Essay |
Examples & Tips
Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield. Revised on December 6, 2021.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement. The
author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

Argumentative essays are by far the most common type of essay to write at university.

Table of contents
1. When do you write an argumentative essay?
2. Approaches to argumentative essays
3. Introducing your argument
4. The body: Developing your argument
5. Concluding your argument
6. Frequently asked questions about argumentative essays

When do you write an argumentative essay?

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a
composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may
include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

Example: Two-sided argumentative essay promptHas the rise of the internet had a net positive or
negative impact on education? Support your argument with evidence.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Example: Open argumentative essay promptWhat is the greatest challenge facing young people today?

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of
argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making
arguments about texts.
In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an
evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your
default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate
response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues
for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and
analysis.

Discuss the effects of globalization on the economy of Nigeria.

 Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
 Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by
evidence from sources.

Assess the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures in the last decade.

 Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.

 Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least
effective, and why.

Analyze the role of the doppelgänger in 19th-century Gothic fiction.

 Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.

 Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their
thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

Approaches to argumentative essays

An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic
and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models
that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary
for the argument:

1. Make a claim
2. Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
 3. Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
4. Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that
you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these
specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your
claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination

measures. You might:

1. Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be
better spent on other approaches
2. Cite data to support your claim
3. Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
4. Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are
valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

1. Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
2. Highlight the problems with this position
3. Present your own position, showing how it addresses these problems
4. Suggest a possible compromise—what elements of your position would proponents of the
opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is
particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to
approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

1. Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia

2. Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
3. Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
4. Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are
skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in
different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your
arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an
introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
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Introducing your argument

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction. The
introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your
thesis statement, and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

Introduction

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education.
The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly
debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming
and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of
internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely
comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with
different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body: Developing your argument

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll
present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is
true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five
paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with
headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence. Each of these topics must
contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the
opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

Body

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its
prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the
students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian
stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from
engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in
viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages
engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-
evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other
sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes
where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be
used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check
whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,”
2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation
and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper
consideration than it often receives.

Concluding your argument

An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments
made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths
and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you
should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

Conclusion

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside,
its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the
internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance
learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and
educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary,
have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus
seriously on its potential for good.