Argumentative Essays

One kind of essay common to many freshman composition courses is the argumentative essay, but what exactly does this term—argument—mean? Quite simply, the goal of this kind of essay is to prove to the reader that you are correct in your opinion. In the argumentative essay, you will use rhetoric to both take a side on an issue and convince your reader to take the same side.

The basic format for such an essay has three components:

• Introduction—tell the reader what issue you will discuss, then present your thesis
• Body—convince the reader that your opinion is the best opinion
• Conclusion—summarize the argument and depart from your reader

The following outlines the elements of an acceptable argumentative essay. Remember: simply following the basics will not warrant a good argument; effective argumentative essays rely on your use of rhetorical appeals and an overall conviction in your thesis.

 

Introducing the Argument

You should first let the reader know the topic of your work. Let us suppose that you are writing a 5–7 page paper about why fruits are superior to vegetables. You might begin your paper by saying something about food. Then, you could narrow the scope to fruits and vegetables. Next, you would address the issue, which is the debate between fruits and vegetables. Finally, your thesis statement will present your thoughts on the issue.

The following is an example of an introduction:

As omnivores, human beings consume a highly variable diet of foods, but humans prefer some foods to others in the food pyramid. Perhaps the most famous of food pyramid debates is that of fruits and vegetables. Both fruits and vegetables are excellent sources of nutrients, but many people prefer one family to the other. The phrase, “eat your vegetables,” has worked its way into our culture with no mistake for its distasteful connotation. Therefore, fruits are far superior to vegetables in terms of taste and aesthetic value.

Take notice of the funneling nature of the paragraph. The first sentence is a very broad statement that gives the reader a general idea about the paper. However, the last sentence—the thesis statement—is very specific. The thesis statement takes a side and lets the reader know what the following arguments will support.

 

Making Your Point: the Body

Imagine this: A friend asks you which is the best band in the world, and you say “Nickelback.” Your friend cries out in pained disbelief, so you must explain why you have chosen Nickelback. Here, your thesis is Nickelback is the best band in the world. Everything that follows should support that point. You might write a paragraph about Nickelback’s lyrics and how they rock. Then you might write a paragraph about the way the musicians in Nickelback dress, comparing their aesthetic to that of other bands. Think of at least three things that back up your thesis, and then dedicate at least a paragraph to each. 

 

Making Rhetorical Appeals 

When trying to back up your argument, you may begin by analyzing Aristotle’s rhetorical devices—ethos, pathos, and logos. You may have learned about ethos, pathos, and logos in your composition class; these are useful devices to remember when forming your argument.

• Ethos is an ethical appeal. To appeal to your readers’ ethics, you should provide the reader with information that gives you credibility on the subject. If your argument concerns teachers’ liberties in the classroom, you should mention the fact that you are a teacher and know firsthand about the issue. Avoid lying when establishing ethos.
• Pathos is an emotional appeal. To appeal to your readers’ emotions, you should add anecdotes or stories that tug at your readers’ heartstrings. You should also use specific language that lends itself to your argument.
• Logos is a logical appeal. To appeal to your readers’ logic, you should include factual evidence and data that support your argument. Logos is important, but avoid saturating your argument with too many statistics.

 

Staying on Target 

Always be sure that your argument does not stray from the thesis. You have led your readers to expect a specific argument based on your introduction, so give it to them. If you distract your readers by commenting on other issues, you will confuse the readers, and your argument will fail. If you notice that your thesis and your argument conflict with each other, you may need to change your thesis. Often, you will find that your ideas change as you write, so you can alter your introduction to match the argument.

 

Concluding the Argument

The conclusion of an argumentative essay is similar to that of any other essay. Your goal should be to conclude the essay—do not open another argument. Do not argue at all at this point. Instead, summarize the points you have just made and make a courteous exit. Imagine this is the end of a speech and you must now leave the stage.

 

 

Click here to download a PDF version of this page.