Outline For Argumentative Essay
An argumentative essay is an essay that defends a position for a given issue or topic. It aims at convincing the reader that your point of view is the correct one. You have to rely on facts and logic when writing an argumentative essay in order to convince the reader to change their mind on a particular topic.
In your argumentative essay, you should also include the advantages as well as the disadvantages of the issue you are writing about.
The following is an outline for argumentative essay:
Outline For Argumentative Essay
1. Introduction
Your argumentative essay’s introduction should set up and state your claim. Your introduction should include the following:
- State the author and title when arguing about a literary work.
- State the director, year and title when arguing about a film.
- It should be interesting in order to grab the reader’s attention.
- A brief explanation of your theory if you are arguing about a theory.
- Some background information that will help readers understands your claim.
- State your claim at the end of your paragraph.
2. Background Paragraph
Write a background paragraph after the introduction. It could be one to two paragraphs long. The purpose of the background paragraph is to lay a foundation for proving your argument.
It includes:
- Definition of key terms
- Summary of works being discussed.
- Explanation of key theories.
3. Supporting Evidence Paragraphs
You can write either three or four paragraphs to prove your argument.
Every paragraph must have:
- A topic sentence. This could be a fact or detail that you can tell your readers to help them understand your essay’s topic better.
- An explanation for the topic sentence.
- Supporting evidence. Introduce your evidence in a few words or in a full sentence.
- An explanation of the evidence. Show how the evidence you have provided proves your arguments.
- A concluding sentence. Finish off your last paragraph with a concluding sentence that explains how the topic sentence helps the readers understand your essay’s overall claim.
4. Counterargument Paragraph
This paragraph aims at making you sound more objective and reasonable. It helps to prepare you for your reader’s objections. Include arguments that your readers might bring up against your argument and argue against them. End the paragraph with a concluding sentence that reasserts your essay’s claim as a whole.
5. Conclusion
Your conclusion should restate your essay’s overall claim and supporting evidence.
Your conclusion should:
- Restate your introduction paragraph. It should however not talk about the same exact thing as your introduction.
- Restate your thesis statement.
- Serve as your essay’s climax.
- Create a sense of movement to a more complex understanding of your essay’s topic.
- Explain to your readers why they should care about your essay
- Have concrete language to avoid leaving the readers with the impression that your argument was vague and unsure.