good elements of essay

Elements of an Essay

Definition of elements of an essay.

An essay is a piece of composition that discusses a thing, a person, a problem, or an issue in a way that the writer demonstrates his knowledge by offering a new perspective , a new opinion, a solution, or new suggestions or recommendations. An essay is not just a haphazard piece of writing. It is a well-organized composition comprising several elements that work to build an argument , describe a situation, narrate an event, or state a problem with a solution. There are several types of essays based on the purpose and the target audience . Structurally, as an essay is an organized composition, it has the following elements:

Introduction
Body Paragraphs

Nature of Elements of an Essay

An essay has three basic elements as given above. Each of these elements plays its respective role to persuade the audience, convince the readers, and convey the meanings an author intends to convey. For example, an introduction is intended to introduce the topic of the essay. First it hooks the readers through the ‘ hook ,’ which is an anecdote , a good quote, a verse , or an event relevant to the topic. It intends to attract the attention of readers.

Following the hood, the author gives background information about the topic, which is intended to educate readers about the topic. The final element of the introduction is a thesis statement. This is a concise and compact sentence or two, which introduces evidence to be discussed in the body paragraphs.

Body paragraphs of an essay discuss the evidences and arguments introduced in the thesis statement . If a thesis statement has presented three evidences or arguments about the topic, there will be three body paragraphs. However, if there are more arguments or evidences, there could be more paragraphs.

The structure of each body paragraph is the same. It starts with a topic sentence, followed by further explanation, examples, evidences, and supporting details. If it is a simple non-research essay, then there are mostly examples of what is introduced in the topic sentences. However, if the essay is research-based, there will be supporting details such as statistics, quotes, charts, and explanations.

The conclusion is the last part of an essay. It is also the crucial part that sums up the argument, or concludes the description, narration, or event. It is comprised of three major parts. The first part is a rephrasing of the thesis statement given at the end of the introduction. It reminds the readers what they have read about. The second part is the summary of the major points discussed in the body paragraphs, and the third part is closing remarks, which are suggestions, recommendations, a call to action, or the author’s own opinion of the issue.

Function of Elements of an Essay

Each element of an essay has a specific function. An introduction not only introduces the topic, but also gives background information, in addition to hooking the readers to read the whole essay. Its first sentence, which is also called a hook, literally hooks readers. When readers have gone through the introduction, it is supposed that they have full information about what they are going to read.

In the same way, the function of body paragraphs is to give more information and convince the readers about the topic. It could be persuasion , explanation, or clarification as required. Mostly, writers use ethos , pathos , and logos in this part of an essay. As traditionally, it has three body paragraphs, writers use each of the rhetorical devices in each paragraph, but it is not a hard and fast rule. The number of body paragraphs could be increased, according to the demand of the topic, or demand of the course.

As far as the conclusion is concerned, its major function is to sum up the argument, issue, or explanation. It makes readers feel that now they are going to finish their reading. It provides them sufficient information about the topic. It gives them a new perspective, a new sight, a new vision, or motivates them to take action. The conclusion needs to also satisfy readers that they have read something about some topic, have got something to tell others, and that they have not merely read it for the sake of reading.

Important Elements of Poetry
Narrative Essay
Definition Essay
Descriptive Essay
Types of Essay
Analytical Essay
Argumentative Essay
Cause and Effect Essay
Critical Essay
Expository Essay
Persuasive Essay
Process Essay
Explicatory Essay
An Essay on Man: Epistle I
Comparison and Contrast Essay

If you are writing in a new discipline, you should always make sure to ask about conventions and expectations for introductions, just as you would for any other aspect of the essay. For example, while it may be acceptable to write a two-paragraph (or longer) introduction for your papers in some courses, instructors in other disciplines, such as those in some Government courses, may expect a shorter introduction that includes a preview of the argument that will follow.
In some disciplines (Government, Economics, and others), it’s common to offer an overview in the introduction of what points you will make in your essay. In other disciplines, you will not be expected to provide this overview in your introduction.
Avoid writing a very general opening sentence. While it may be true that “Since the dawn of time, people have been telling love stories,” it won’t help you explain what’s interesting about your topic.
Avoid writing a “funnel” introduction in which you begin with a very broad statement about a topic and move to a narrow statement about that topic. Broad generalizations about a topic will not add to your readers’ understanding of your specific essay topic.
Avoid beginning with a dictionary definition of a term or concept you will be writing about. If the concept is complicated or unfamiliar to your readers, you will need to define it in detail later in your essay. If it’s not complicated, you can assume your readers already know the definition.
Avoid offering too much detail in your introduction that a reader could better understand later in the paper.
picture_as_pdf Introductions

Gordon Harvey’s Elements of the Academic Essay

The “Elements of the Academic Essay” is a taxonomy of academic writing by Gordon Harvey. It identifies the key components of academic writing across the disciplines and has been widely influential. Below is a complete list (with descriptions).

Elements of an Essay

“Your main insight or idea about a text or topic, and the main proposition that your essay demonstrates. It should be true but arguable (not obviously or patently true, but one alternative among several), be limited enough in scope to be argued in a short composition and with available evidence, and get to the heart of the text or topic being analyzed (not be peripheral). It should be stated early in some form and at some point recast sharply (not just be implied), and it should govern the whole essay (not disappear in places).” — Gordon Harvey, “Elements of the Academic Essay”

See this fuller discussion of some of the scholarly debates about the thesis statement: The Thesis Statement
See this piece on the pros and cons of having a thesis statement: Pros and Cons of Thesis Statements
See this piece on working with students without a thesis: What To Do When There’s No Thesis
And see this piece for working with students with varied levels of thesis development: A Pseudo-Thesis

“The intellectual context that you establish for your topic and thesis at the start of your essay, in order to suggest why someone, besides your instructor, might want to read an essay on this topic or need to hear your particular thesis argued—why your thesis isn’t just obvious to all, why other people might hold other theses (that you think are wrong). Your motive should be aimed at your audience: it won’t necessarily be the reason you first got interested in the topic (which could be private and idiosyncratic) or the personal motivation behind your engagement with the topic. Indeed it’s where you suggest that your argument isn’t idiosyncratic, but rather is generally interesting. The motive you set up should be genuine: a misapprehension or puzzle that an intelligent reader (not a straw dummy) would really have, a point that such a reader would really overlook. Defining motive should be the main business of your introductory paragraphs, where it is usually introduced by a form of the complicating word ‘But.'” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

“The data—facts, examples, or details—that you refer to, quote, or summarize to support your thesis. There needs to be enough evidence to be persuasive; it needs to be the right kind of evidence to support the thesis (with no obvious pieces of evidence overlooked); it needs to be sufficiently concrete for the reader to trust it (e.g. in textual analysis, it often helps to find one or two key or representative passages to quote and focus on); and if summarized, it needs to be summarized accurately and fairly.” –Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay

“The work of breaking down, interpreting, and commenting upon the data, of saying what can be inferred from the data such that it supports a thesis (is evidence for something). Analysis is what you do with data when you go beyond observing or summarizing it: you show how its parts contribute to a whole or how causes contribute to an effect; you draw out the significance or implication not apparent to a superficial view. Analysis is what makes the writer feel present, as a reasoning individual; so your essay should do more analyzing than summarizing or quoting.” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

“The recurring terms or basic oppositions that an argument rests upon, usually literal but sometimes a ruling metaphor. These terms usually imply certain assumptions—unstated beliefs about life, history, literature, reasoning, etc. that the essayist doesn’t argue for but simply assumes to be true. An essay’s keyterms should be clear in their meaning and appear throughout (not be abandoned half-way); they should be appropriate for the subject at hand (not unfair or too simple—a false or constraining opposition); and they should not be inert clichés or abstractions (e.g. “the evils of society”). The attendant assumptions should bear logical inspection, and if arguable they should be explicitly acknowledged.” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

One of the most common issues we address in the writing center is the issue of structure. Many students never consciously address structure in the way that they consciously formulate a thesis. This is ironic because the two are inseparable – that is, the way you formulate an argument (structure) is essential to the argument itself (thesis). Thus, when emphasizing the importance of structure to students, it is important to remind them that structure cannot be developed in the absence of a strong thesis: you have to know what you’re arguing before you decide how to argue it.

As a writing tutor, your first task in addressing issues of structure will be to try and gauge if the student writer has an idea of what good structure looks like. Some students understand good structure, even if it’s just at an intuitive level, while others do not. If comprehension seems lacking, it may be useful to actually stop and explain what good structure looks like.

Some Ways of Thinking about Structure:

The structure of the paper should be progressive; the paper should “build” throughout. That is, there should be a logical order to the paper; each successive paragraph should build on the ideas presented in the last. In the writing center we are familiar with the scattershot essay in which the student throws out ten arguments to see what sticks. Such essays are characterized by weak or nonexistent transitions such as “My next point…” or “Another example of this…”.

Some students will understand structure better with the help of a metaphor. One particularly nice metaphor (courtesy of Dara) is to view the structure of an academic paper as a set of stairs. The paper begins with a small step; the first paragraph gives the most simple assumption or support for the argument. The paper then builds, slowly and gradually towards the top of the staircase. When the paper reaches its conclusion, it has brought the reader up to the top of the staircase to a point of new insight. From the balcony the reader can gaze out upon the original statement or question from higher ground.

How Gordon Harvey describes structure in his “Elements of the Academic Essay”:

“The sections should follow a logical order, and the links in that order should be apparent to the reader (see “stitching”). But it should also be a progressive order—there should have a direction of development or complication, not be simply a list or a series of restatements of the thesis (“Macbeth is ambitious: he’s ambitious here; and he’s ambitious here; and he’s ambitions here, too; thus, Macbeth is ambitious”). And the order should be supple enough to allow the writer to explore the topic, not just hammer home a thesis.”

“Words that tie together the parts of an argument, most commonly (a) by using transition (linking or turning) words as signposts to indicate how a new section, paragraph, or sentence follows from the one immediately previous; but also (b) by recollection of an earlier idea or part of the essay, referring back to it either by explicit statement or by echoing key words or resonant phrases quoted or stated earlier. The repeating of key or thesis concepts is especially helpful at points of transition from one section to another, to show how the new section fits in.” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

Persons or documents, referred to, summarized, or quoted, that help a writer demonstrate the truth of his or her argument. They are typically sources of (a) factual information or data, (b) opinions or interpretation on your topic, (c) comparable versions of the thing you are discussing, or (d) applicable general concepts. Your sources need to be efficiently integrated and fairly acknowledged by citation.” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

When you pause in your demonstration to reflect on it, to raise or answer a question about it—as when you (1) consider a counter-argument—a possible objection, alternative, or problem that a skeptical or resistant reader might raise; (2) define your terms or assumptions (what do I mean by this term? or, what am I assuming here?); (3) handle a newly emergent concern (but if this is so, then how can X be?); (4) draw out an implication (so what? what might be the wider significance of the argument I have made? what might it lead to if I’m right? or, what does my argument about a single aspect of this suggest about the whole thing? or about the way people live and think?), and (5) consider a possible explanation for the phenomenon that has been demonstrated (why might this be so? what might cause or have caused it?); (6) offer a qualification or limitation to the case you have made (what you’re not saying). The first of these reflections can come anywhere in an essay; the second usually comes early; the last four often come late (they’re common moves of conclusion).” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

“Bits of information, explanation, and summary that orient the reader who isn’t expert in the subject, enabling such a reader to follow the argument. The orienting question is, what does my reader need here? The answer can take many forms: necessary information about the text, author, or event (e.g. given in your introduction); a summary of a text or passage about to be analyzed; pieces of information given along the way about passages, people, or events mentioned (including announcing or “set-up” phrases for quotations and sources). The trick is to orient briefly and gracefully.” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

“The implied relationship of you, the writer, to your readers and subject: how and where you implicitly position yourself as an analyst. Stance is defined by such features as style and tone (e.g. familiar or formal); the presence or absence of specialized language and knowledge; the amount of time spent orienting a general, non-expert reader; the use of scholarly conventions of form and style. Your stance should be established within the first few paragraphs of your essay, and it should remain consistent.” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

“The choices you make of words and sentence structure. Your style should be exact and clear (should bring out main idea and action of each sentence, not bury it) and plain without being flat (should be graceful and a little interesting, not stuffy).” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

“It should both interest and inform. To inform—i.e. inform a general reader who might be browsing in an essay collection or bibliography—your title should give the subject and focus of the essay. To interest, your title might include a linguistic twist, paradox, sound pattern, or striking phrase taken from one of your sources (the aptness of which phrase the reader comes gradually to see). You can combine the interesting and informing functions in a single title or split them into title and subtitle. The interesting element shouldn’t be too cute; the informing element shouldn’t go so far as to state a thesis. Don’t underline your own title, except where it contains the title of another text.” — Gordon Harvey, “The Elements of the Academic Essay”

A student’s argument serves as the backbone to a piece of writing. Often expressed in the form of a one-sentence thesis statement, an argument forms the basis for a paper, defines the writer’s feelings toward a particular topic, and engages the reader in a discussion about a particular topic. Because an argument bears so much weight on the success of a paper, students may spend hours searching for that one, arguable claim that will carry them through to the assigned page limit. Formulating a decent argument about a text is tricky, especially when a professor does not distribute essay prompts—prompting students to come to the Writing Center asking that eternal question: “ What am I going to write about?!”

Formulating the Idea of an Argument (Pre-Writing Stage)

Before a student can begin drafting a paper, he or she must have a solid argument. Begin this process by looking at the writing assignment rubric and/or prompt assigned by the professor. If no particular prompt was assigned, ask the student what interests him or her in the class? Was there a reading assignment that was particularly compelling and/or interesting? Engage the student in a conversation about the class or the paper assignment with a pen and paper in their hand. When an interesting idea is conveyed, ask them to jot it down on a paper. Look for similarities or connections in their written list of ideas.

If a student is still lost, it’s helpful to remind them to remember to have a motive for writing. Besides working to pass a class or getting a good grade, what could inspire a student to write an eight page paper and enjoy the process? Relating the assigned class readings to incidents in a student’s own life often helps create a sense of urgency and need to write an argument. In an essay entitled “The Great Conversation (of the Dining Hall): One Student’s Experience of College-Level Writing,” student Kimberly Nelson remembers her passion for Tolkien fueled her to write a lengthy research paper and engage her friends in discussions concerning her topic (290).

Additional ideas for consultations during the pre-writing stage .

Formulating the Argument

The pre-writing stage is essential because arguments must “be limited enough in scope to be argued in a short composition” according to Harvey’s Elements of the Academic Essay . Narrow down the range of ideas so the student may write a more succinct paper with efficient language. When composing an argument (and later, a thesis), avoid definitive statements—arguments are arguable , and a great paper builds on a successive chain of ideas grounded in evidence to support an argument. It is of paramount importance to remind your student that the argument will govern the entire paper and not “disappear in places” (Harvey). When composing an actual paper, it’s helpful to Post-It note a summary of your argument on your computer screen to serve as a constant reminder of why you are writing.

Difficulties with Arguments and International Students

When international students arrive at Pomona College, they are often unsure of what the standard academic writing expectations are. If a student submits a draft to you devoid of any argument, it’s important to remember that the conventions of their home country may not match up to the standards we expect to see here. Some countries place more of an emphasis on a summary of ideas of others rather than generating entirely new arguments. If this is the case for your student, (gently) remind him or her that most Pomona College professors expect to see new arguments generated from the students and that “summary” papers are frowned upon. Don’t disparage their previous work—use the ideas present in their paragraphs as a launching point for crafting a new, creative argument.

“Students, like all writers, must fictionalize their audience.”

– Fred Pfister and Joanne Petrik, “A Heuristic Model for Creating a Writer’s Audience” (1980)

The main purpose of imagining or fictionalizing an audience is to allow the student to position his/her paper within the discourse and in conversation with other academics. By helping the student acknowledge the fact that both the writer (the student) and the reader (the audience) play a role in the writing process, the student will be better able to clarify and strengthen his/her argument.

Moreover, the practice of fictionalizing the audience should eventually help the student learn how to become his/her own reader. By adopting the role of both the writer and the reader, the student will be able to further develop his ability to locate his/her text in a discourse community.

During a consultation, you may notice that a student’s argument does not actually engage in a conversation with the members of its respective discourse community. If his/her paper does not refer to other texts or ask questions that are relevant to this particular discourse, you may need to ask the student to imagine who his/her audience is as well as what the audience’s reaction to the paper may look like.

Although the student’s immediate answer will most likely be his/her professor, you should advise the student to attempt imagining an audience beyond his/her class—an audience composed of people who are invested in this discourse or this specific topic.

If your student cannot imagine or fictionalize such an audience, it may be because the student may not believe that he/she know enough about the topic to address such a knowledgeable audience. In this case, you should advise the student to pretend that he/she is an expert on the topic or that the student’s paper will be published and read by other members of the discourse community.

The student, however, should not pander to the audience and “undervalue the responsibility that [he/she] has to [the] subject” (Ede and Lunsford, 1984). Advise him/her to avoid re-shaping the paper so that it merely caters to or appeases the audience.

Good and bad News of The Elements of Style

Mailing Address

Pomona College 333 N. College Way Claremont , CA 91711

Get in touch

Give back to pomona.

Part of The Claremont Colleges

What Makes a Good Essay?

By stephanie whetstone.

The deadline for this year’s Princeton Writes Prize Staff Essay Contest has been set (March 1, 2020)! We hope you are already hard at work polishing your prose, but in case you are struggling to get started, let’s consider what makes a “good” essay.

Dictionary.com defines the essay as “a short literary composition on a particular theme or subject, usually in prose and generally analytic, speculative, or interpretative.” This leaves a lot of room for creativity. For a personal essay, focus on the personal part. Why are you writing about this subject? Why now? How does your experience connect with your audience’s? A personal essay is not self-indulgent; rather, it is a means of connecting with others through the common experience of being human.

The winners of the Princeton Writes Prize have written about New South, travels in Japan, a timeworn stone step, and a dining room table. None of these subjects is inherently gripping, but they became so when connected to the writer’s thoughtful, heartfelt experience.

Write as specifically as you can about what is important to you, what excites you, what connects you to the world, or what you can’t seem to get off your mind. So how do you start? Think about your purpose: is it to entertain, to explain, to argue, to compare, or to reveal? It can also be a combination of these things.

At Princeton, we are lucky to have one of the great essay writers of our time, John McPhee, on faculty. In his wonderful essay, “Searching for Marvin Gardens,” McPhee has a few stories going at once: the “real time” experience of playing monopoly with a friend, his walk through the streets of Atlantic City, the history of the creation of the game of Monopoly, and a commentary about the economic and social realities of the time in which the essay was written. It begins:

“Go. I roll the dice—a six and a two. Through the air I move my token, the flatiron, to Vermont Avenue, where dog packs range.

“The dogs are moving (some are limping) through ruins, rubble, fire damage, open garbage. Doorways are gone. Lath is visible in the crumbling walls of the buildings. The street sparkles with shattered glass. I have never seen, anywhere, so many broken windows. A sign—”Slow, Children at Play”—has been bent backward by an automobile. At the farmhouse, the dogs turn up Pacific and disappear.”

The primary action puts the reader immediately into the world the writer has created and follows “characters” through a plot. The connecting paragraphs provide context and place the experience in the broader world. You may want to tell your story straight through or, like McPhee, stray from a linear structure—not just beginning, middle, end—moving back and forth in time.

Begin your story at the last possible moment you can without losing important information. If you are writing about the birth of a child, for example, you might want to start in the hospital in the midst of labor, rather than months before.

To shift in time, make sure you have an object or experience to “trigger” the shift, such as McPhee’s dogs. You need not be as accomplished as he to write your own essay, but reading his work and the work of other writers can provide guidance and inspiration.

Remember that an essay is a story, so even though it is nonfiction, it will benefit from the elements of a story: characters, plot, setting, dialogue, point of view, and tone. Is your story funny, sad, contemplative, nostalgic, magical, or a combination of these?

Your job as a writer is to help the reader imagine what you see in your mind’s eye. That requires sensory detail. Be sure to write about sounds, sights, smells, textures, and tastes. Remember, too, that your work will be read by a wide audience, so you need to determine how much of yourself and your intimate experience you are comfortable sharing.

Another great Princeton writer, Joyce Carol Oates, writes with exquisite sensory detail in her essay, “They All Just Went Away.”

“To push open a door into such silence: the absolute emptiness of a house whose occupants have departed. Often, the crack of broken glass underfoot. A startled buzzing of flies, hornets. The slithering, ticklish sensation of a garter snake crawling across floorboards.

“Left behind, as if in haste, were remnants of a lost household. A broken toy on the floor, a baby’s bottle. A rain-soaked sofa, looking as if it had been gutted with a hunter’s skilled knife. Strips of wallpaper like shredded skin. Smashed crockery, piles of tin cans; soda, beer, whiskey bottles. An icebox, its door yawning open. Once, on a counter, a dirt-stiffened rag that, unfolded like precious cloth, revealed itself to be a woman’s cheaply glamorous “see-through” blouse, threaded with glitter-strips of gold.”

No matter what you choose to write about, forgive your first draft if it’s terrible. You will improve it in the editing. And finally, read each draft aloud: tell the story first to yourself.

Happy writing!

Contact Info

B03 New South Building, Princeton University

Phone: 609.258.9980

Email: [email protected]

Writing Help

Writing Process

Starting an Essay

Essay structure, writing a thesis statement, introduction paragraphs, body paragraphs, conclusions.

Paragraph Structure
Paraphrase, Summarize, and Synthesize
Writing Genres
Sentence Structure
Punctuation and Grammar
Using Bias-Free Language
Revision, Editing, and Proofreading
Mastering the Literature Review This link opens in a new window
Annotated Bibliography
Help This link opens in a new window

Note: This guide was used/adapted with the permission of Baker College. For more information please visit the Baker College Writing Guide .

Almost every course you will encounter in college will include writing assignments. One of the most common writing assignments is known as an essay. While the content and style of essay projects will vary across the disciplines, there are several key components that all good essays include. This section of the guide walks you through some of the basic components of the essay genre. Here are some general thoughts before you get started.

A good essay is well-organized and structured. Good essays have a clear introduction, thesis, and conclusion. Body paragraphs in the essay connect back to the thesis.
Essays should be cohesive and have a good flow. We can create this flow by using transition words and phrases to connect one point to the next.
Remember to review the directions before you start. One can produce a wonderfully written essay, but if it does not meet the project's parameters, it will not usually receive a passing grade.
Tips for Writing Your Thesis Drafting a thesis statement can be intimidating, but there are a variety of resources to help.
Strong Introduction Paragraphs Review tips on starting your paper strong.
Creating Body Paragraphs This resource walks you through paragraph creation including how to implement good topic sentences, proper organization, and excellent development.
Crafting a Strong Conclusion We often focus on creating a strong introduction, but crafting a well-written conclusion is just as important.
<< Previous: Writing Process
Next: Paragraph Structure >>
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2023 1:00 PM
URL: https://bethelu.libguides.com/writinghelp

Campus Library Info.
ARC Homepage
Library Resources
Articles & Databases
Books & Ebooks

Baker College Research Guides

Research Guides
General Education

Baker College Writing Guide

Key Components of an Essay
Writing Process

Starting an Essay

Essay structure, writing a thesis statement, introduction paragraphs, body paragraphs, conclusions.

Paragraph Structure
Finding and Using Scholarly Research
Using Bias-Free Language
Writing Genres
Sentence Structure
Punctuation and Grammar
Revision, Editing, and Proofreading

Almost every course you will encounter in college will include writing assignments. One of the most common writing assignments is known as an essay. While the content and style of essay projects will vary across the disciplines, there are a number of key components that all good essays include. This section of the guide walks you through some of the basic components of the essay genre. Here are some general thoughts before you get started.

A good essay is well-organized and structured. Good essays have a clear introduction, thesis, and conclusion. Body paragraphs in the essay connect back to the thesis.
In college, we are no longer tied to a five-paragraph essay (unless an instructor specifically asks for this). Our essays in college can range in length. Some projects may be more than 10 pages, so it would be impossible to use only 5 paragraphs for an essay of this length.
Because we are no longer tied to a 5-paragraph essay, we do not have to include "three points" in our thesis statement as we may have done in other courses.
Essays should be cohesive and have a good flow. We can create this flow by using transition words and phrases to connect one point to the next.
Remember to the review the directions before you start. One can produce a wonderfully-written essay, but if it does not meet the project's parameters, it will not usually receive a passing grade.
Schedule a meeting with your instructor or tutor before you begin. Visit http://baker.mywconline.com/ to schedule a meeting with a professional tutor.

Parts of an Essay This handout breaks down an essay into it core parts. This short video will provide you with essay structure help.
Creating a Strong Thesis Statement Here are some brief tips about how to write a strong thesis statement for your college writing project.
How to Write an Excellent Introduction This handout leads you through a number of successful strategies to garner reader interest and transition into your thesis statement.
Creating Body Paragraphs This resource walks you through paragraph creation including how to implement good topic sentences, proper organization, and excellent development.
Crafting a Strong Conclusion We often focus on creating a strong introduction, but crafting a well-written conclusion is just as important.
<< Previous: Writing Process
Next: Paragraph Structure >>
Last Updated: Feb 29, 2024 2:31 PM
URL: https://guides.baker.edu/writing
Search this Guide Search

Customer Reviews
Extended Essays
IB Internal Assessment
Theory of Knowledge
Literature Review
Dissertations
Essay Writing
Research Writing
Assignment Help
Capstone Projects
College Application
Online Class

Elements of Argumentative Essay: The Complete Guide

by Antony W

October 24, 2022

It’s important to learn and understand the different elements of an argumentative essay to navigate the writing process for the project.

Understanding these elements will enable you to structure your essay well, so you can write the most significant details from start to finish.

Key Takeaways

A comprehensive argumentative essay must feature the following elements:

Thesis statement: A thesis statement gives a summary of the main claim of the subject. Instead of being a fact or random opinion, the statement should be arguable in nature with a matter of probability.
Audience: The audience is the people to whom you present your argument.
Exigence: Exigence allows you to create an environment in which you make a claim and offer strong evidence to support your position.
Support: Your premise should include reasons to support your claim.
Reasoning: You have to use reasons to give answers to hypothetical challenges, which should act as a way to convince your audience that your claims are valid.
Counterclaims and Rebuttals: You anticipate objections to your argument and must therefore recognize counterclaims and refute them with rebuttals.

If you’re struggling with incorporating these elements in your argument or you can’t get yourself to write the essay fast, hire an argumentative essay writer from Help for Assessment for writing assistance.

6 Elements of an Argumentative Essay Explained

Below is a detailed explanation of all the six elements of an argumentative essay:

1. Thesis Statement

A thesis in an argument highlights the main claim of a subject. It should be a sentence long, although some essays can have a maximum of two sentences.

In argumentative writing, a statement of declaration cannot be a fact or random opinion. Instead, it must be arguable in nature with a matter of probability. Moreover, the statement should bring out point clearly, even if the subject is on a complex or controversial issue.

The thesis statement should be clear, concise, and specific. Or your audience is likely to miss the primary objective of the essay.

Your argument’s thesis must touch on a major warrant before you begin working on the body paragraphs .

By touching on the main premise, you grab the attention of the opposing reader and demonstrate the reasonability of your argument.

2. Audience

The audience is your reader or a group of people you need to convince that your position on an issue is more viable.

You must use a tentative approach with a strong conviction to get your human readers or listeners to agree with you. In some cases, though, you may have to present your argument in a passionate way.

Whichever approach you use, ensure you detail your arguments so that you audience can pay attention to the message you wish to communicate.

Your audience is a mix of readers from different backgrounds and varying opinions. A part of your audience will agree with your position on an issue, some will debate your argument. Therefore, you must use significant evidence in a manner that moves the audience to agree with you.

3. Exigence

Exigence is a rising circumstance that pushes for the need for a real argument. By creating a forum in time, exigence enables you to make claims to which you can provide sufficient evidence for support.

Although exigence is mostly only possible in real-time debates that happen in classrooms, your teacher may ask you to present it in the written form. In such a case, you may create your own exigence and use it throughout the writing.

Support is one of the elements of an argumentative essay that requires you to consider a few important questions.

What is your premise?
Is your evidence good enough to convince your readers or listeners of the reasonability of your side of the argument?

Your premise must have a “because” statement to support your claim. If you intend to make longer arguments, ensure you introduce sufficient supporting statement.

To support your claim and get your audience to agree with your position on an underlying issue:

Provide as much data or evidence as possible provided they’re relevant to the subject.
If possible, don’t hesitate to include some or rhetorical appeals, statistics, anecdotal support, and historical data.

Regardless of the information you provide, the premise should give your audience enough reasons to consider your argument’s thesis statement. In other words, the evidence you provide must be valid and logical enough to prove the validity of your claim.

Consider including a concession in your argumentative essay even as you provide credible evidence and reliable data to support your stance on an issue.

If you think about it, your opponent’s argument will have some truth in it, so it makes sense to concede with these. However, exercise caution so that you don’t agree with points that serve to weaken your argument.

5. Reasoning

Reasoning responds to the “but why?” question in an argument. Written to serve as a response to a hypothetical challenge, reasoning proves to your target reader that your claim is valid.

To be clear, reason tries to support a claim whether it’s part of the introduction or the body of the essay.

In the terms of structure , your argumentative essay must have a single thesis statement. However, the essay may have sub-claims proved by different reasons as long as they tie back to the thesis statement.

6. Counterclaims and Rebuttals

In argumentative essay writing, you must anticipate probable objections and other arguments that challenge the position you hold. These objections are what we refer to as counterclaims .

With this respect, some readers might find the whole or parts of your argument illogical. Interestingly, these objections can help you to analyze your ideas, making it possible for you to review the strength and credibility of the evidence you provide.

We hope this guide has helped you to understand the different elements of an argumentative essay as well as the reasons why they’re important in writing.

Ideally, these elements will enable you to structure your essay well, so you can present your arguments in a way that easily convinces your audience of the validity of your claims and position.

About the author

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

Science & Math
Sociology & Philosophy
Law & Politics

The Elements of a Good Essay

The Elements of a Good…

What is a good essay? This is a general, but important question. Essays are written by students of all grade levels, as well as written by professionals. This report will focus solely on the academic essay. It is important to note that the academic essay is written to be clear and precise. Since many academic essays are written by students, it is also a way of communicating understanding, knowledge, and critical thinking to the teacher or professor who is marking the essay.

“Form is content”. Although students have all learned to write the five-paragraph essay, a good essay is not restricted by its form. As Scott F. Crider states in The Office of Assertion: An Art of Rhetoric for the Academic Essay , “…because the Five-Paragraph Essay is often the only shape allowed, it can be treated as though it were the natural shape of all writing…it supplies one shape to all arguments regardless of their nature” (43-44).

Crider argues that “form is content” and a good essay does not simply force their argument within a strict form that may not present the argument at its best. Similarly, Professor C. A. Silber explains, “There are many ways in which any particular argument may be well presented, but an essay’s organization—how it begins, develops, and ends—should be designed to present your argument clearly and persuasively.”

In his videos, Mr. Baird teaches a new approach to form on the academic essay. Influenced by Crider’s The Office of Assertion , Mr. Baird presents the six-section essay: “Part I is the introduction; Part II, the statement of circumstance; Part III, the outline; Part IV, the proof; Part V, the refutation; and Part VI, the conclusion” (Crider, 48). Mr. Baird explains that the six-section essay is an outline, allowing more freedom than the five-paragraph essay. Not every section may be necessary for every argument, and they do not need to go in the order of the parts.

Organization

Organization is a key aspect of a strong and compelling essay. It is important to organize your essay in a way that will clearly tell the readers what you are talking about.

The introduction will appear at the beginning of the essay, as it introduces the point of the essay. Although it captures the attention of the audience, words are not wasted on general expressions, as said by Professor Bentley. In the University of St. Andrews undergraduate handbook for essay writing, it is stated, “The introduction should grasp the subject in its essentials, and make clear, explicitly or implicitly, what your essay is going to be about…”. The thesis is usually, but not always, found in the introduction; a good essay will have the thesis placed where it is most suitable.

The thesis is a vital part of any essay. A thesis is an argument that you are making, “a statement that you want to support with evidence and discussion” (Cowan, 1). Your thesis will show your own thinking on the work that you have been reading. Your thinking should lead to a thought-provoking argument that could be based on things like a certain character or scene, or even a theme that you think recurs throughout the text.

Your thesis really tests your core idea by putting it into only a couple of sentences. It helps the organization of your topic because it points the focus to what you will be talking about. The “atmosphere” of your analysis will really be right in the face of the reader, and they will know what they are in for. This makes it much easier for the writer to keep the focus in the right areas and the reader will also be more prepared to analyze your essay.

In order to make a strong thesis, you make sure that your thesis takes some sort of stand, prompts discussion, expresses the main idea, and is still specific (Thesis Writing, 1).

A weak thesis might sound like this: “Elliot talks a lot about death”. Certain aspects of the thesis make it very weak. First, it is very vague. It should be more specific and to the point. A more specific thesis might sound like “Elliot talks about how people face death in their old age”. This is now more specific, but still has problems. It should take a stand and be arguable (Mount, 1). This thesis at the moment is more just stating facts, and not an opinion. An arguable opinion might sound like “Elliot points toward the difficulty of approaching death in old age”.

Now, the thesis is arguable. You might say that he isn’t going in that direction, or maybe he is, but it takes a stand and is specific. It is also prompting discussion about how death is perceived as you grow older. Many characteristics that make a strong thesis can be found in this example, and it shows how effective a strong thesis statement can be compared to a weak one.

The Statement of Circumstance

The statement of circumstance informs the reader of any information needed to understand the rest of the essay. For example, if a different version of a novel is being used, in which there are five extra pages in the final chapter, the reader must know this information before delving into the rest of the essay. This section may not always be relevant, but a good essay will include necessary information for its audience.

When prepared for what is to come, readers will be able to find more enjoyment in the essay. Mr. Baird gives the analogy of a magic trick. The magician will tell his audience how he will present the trick, and when he performs the magic just as he said he would, the audience is amazed. If the magician did not explain how he would perform the trick and rushed into the magic, the audience would be unprepared and would not find the magic as amazing. A good essay will include some form of an outline, to prepare the audience for what is to come, without spoiling the arguments that will be made. As Crider says, with an outline, “…the reader experiences a harmony between expectation and fulfillment” (55).

The proof is the meat of the essay, where the arguments are made to support the thesis; where the essay will convince the reader that the thesis is true, and perhaps offer new insight. A good essay develops the points well, contributing to the clarity of the essay. There is no strict amount of main points in a good essay; there will be as little or as many points that prove the argument, all in accordance to presenting the argument made in the most coherent manner.

Organizing your arguments is very important. Professor Micros from University of Guelph states, “Each paragraph must be carefully organized and it must link to the paragraphs around it.” University of Waterloo states that each paragraph should have a topic sentence that introduces the argument being made. The arguments as well should persuade the reader towards your thesis. You should be talking about one clear topic throughout your essay that persuades the reader to believe your essay. In addition, clear evidence should be used with quotations and other references to make the arguments stronger (James Wood).

The citation has an important role in an essay. Citation is using other peoples’ ideas to support your idea, making the reader have more trust in your essay. Students are not people that are well known to others, and no one will want to trust random people without having proof of others. Therefore, you need to “provides evidence of your research”(Library.uvm.edu) other than just your own words. Although the ideas are not yours, they will help you to persuade readers because the materials are more reliable than your words.

The other part of its purpose is “to uphold intellectual honesty (or avoiding plagiarism), to attribute prior or unoriginal work and ideas to the correct sources, to allow the reader to determine independently whether the referenced material supports the author’s argument in the claimed way” (Wikipedia.org). You cannot simply use others’ ideas without telling the readers.

That is plagiarism and that is the other part of why you do the citation, to avoid it. If a person writes an essay with no citation and is caught in plagiarism, readers will not trust this person’s text. The citing also helps the reader to expand their knowledge, “help the reader gauge the strength and validity of the material the author has used” (wikipedia.org), which is actually what an essay does for the readers. Therefore, cite the resources if you want your essay to be helpful to others and not get into trouble.

A good essay includes a refutation, giving voice to the questions the readers may have against the argument of the essay. “It makes your argument more powerful when you give a voice to the reader’s best argument.” The refutation not only brings to light the questions, but it also answers them. The answer must be clear and support the thesis. If the refutation causes holes in the thesis, the thesis statement should be changed.

The Conclusion

The conclusion of a good essay not only brings the readers to a close but also gives the essay further importance. Good essays do not restate point by point what was said before. Associate Professor. Tristanne Connolly says “[the conclusion] reiterates the main idea in different words, and looks back over how the thesis was proven…it gives you an opportunity to show how you have developed your idea, to indicate what the reader has learned by reading your essay.”

Professor Bentley says that the conclusion should give the essay a larger significance, whether it ends with a question to lead the audience to further thought, or provides a retrospective glance. But good essays are careful not to include new ideas or arguments in the conclusion. As Associate Professor Connolly states, “No new information should be offered in the conclusion; only the ideas already presented, seen in a new light.”

The title of the essay is the first thing that will be read by the audience. Depending on your title, it can make or break your essay. For one, the title has to hook the reader in and make the reader want to read your essay and have an interest in it. If your title does not spark interest, the reader will not have an interest in reading your essay.

Mr. Baird says the first part of the title has to hook the reader and then the second part will explain what your essay is about. The University of Manitoba explains it as “Titles are split into two parts, the main title, and a subtitle, separated by a colon. “ Mr. Baird gives the example of “Dances with Wolves: Innocence as a Saving Force in Theodore Roethkis, from My Papa’s Waltz.” Good essays have titles that draw the audience’s attention.

The style of language should be respected in many ways in essays. Language should be appropriate, precise, concise, and vivid. In which, grammatical structure and punctuation should be used appropriately to match its content. According to Professor Ishion Hutchinson from Cornell University, he “believe[s] what makes an essay exciting for [him] is the degree to which the writer cares about words and cares to set those words down so as to make them lively.”

The language used should be able to convey the writing style of the writer. Personalized language style makes an essay more intriguing and real. Nevertheless, language should be clear, varied and accurate, carefully chosen; with a high degree of accuracy in grammar, vocabulary, and sentence construction. The register and style are effective and appropriate to the essay. “Register” can refer to the writer’s use of elements such as vocabulary, tone, sentence structure, and terminology appropriate to the content.

Moreover, word choice should be relevant to the content. Avoid using “But” and “And” at the beginning of the sentence (Professor David Bentley). Conjunctions such as “In addition” and “Moreover” should be used instead, as they sound more formal. The conception of using big words should also be abandoned, such that it makes the essay sounds more awkward and incoherent.

Works Cited

Baird, Chris, narr. ENG2d/ ENG4U The Essay – Organization Part 1 . Writ. Chris Baird. Youtube, 2012. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJFFMpx3Mzw>.

—, narr. ENG2D/ENG4U Essay – Organization Part 2 . Writ. Chris Baird. Youtube, 2012. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlWCa14b65Q>.

—, Chris, narr. The Essay – Style . Writ. Chris Baird. Youtube, 2012. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1bpUY-vigw>.

Bentley, D.M.R. University of Western Ontario. London. 8 Oct. 2013. Lecture.

Connolly, Tristanne. “Essay Structure.” University of Waterloo . N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.arts.uwaterloo.ca/~tjconnol/essaystructure.htm>.

Cowan, Bainard. “Re: what makes a GOOD essay?.” Message to By Koryn Yeung. 24 Feb. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml>.

Crider, Scott F. The Office of Assertion: An Art of Rhetoric for the Academic Essay. First ed. Wilmington: ISI Books, 2005. Print.

Legge,. Personal interview. 9 Oct. 2013.

Micros,. Message to By Chris Baird. 9 Oct. 2013. E-mail.

Silber, C. A. “Some General Advice on Academic Essay-Writing.” University of Toronto . N.p.,1987. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/general/general-advice>.

“Undergraduate Handbook: Essay writing.” University of St. Andrews . N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <https://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/modlangs/currentstudents/undergraduatehandbook/essaywriting/>.

Wood, James. “RE: A Question on Essay Writing.” Message to the author. 30 Sept. 2013. Web.

Writing Tutorial Services. Writing Tutorial Services . Trustees of Indiana University, 30 Jan. 2008. Web. 9 Oct. 2013. <http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml>.