How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

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. 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 prompt

Has 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 prompt

What 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:

Make a claim

Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim

Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)

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:

Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better
spent on other approaches

Cite data to support your claim

Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective

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:

Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position

Highlight the problems with this position

Present your own position, showing how it addresses these problems

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:

Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia

Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is

Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing

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.

What can proofreading do for your paper?

Scribbr editors not only correct grammar and spelling mistakes, but also strengthen your writing by
making sure your paper is free of vague language, redundant words and awkward phrasing.

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.

Frequently asked questions about argumentative essays

What’s the difference between an expository essay and an argumentative essay?

When do I need to cite sources?

When do I write an argumentative essay?

jack is a Brit based in Amsterdam, with an MA in comparative literature. He writes for Scribbr and reads
a lot of books in his spare time.

Other students also liked

How to Write a Thesis Statement | 4 Steps & Examples

A thesis statement is a sentence that sums up the central point of your essay. It usually comes at the
end of the introduction.

2820

How to Write Topic Sentences | 4 Steps, Examples & Purpose

A topic sentence sums up the main point of each paragraph. Use topic sentences to structure your ideas
and keep your paragraphs focused.

938

How to write an expository essay

An expository essay provides an explanation of a topic. It’s usually a short essay designed to give clear,
reliable information on its to