how long should an argumentative essay be 8th grade

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8th Grade Essay: Examples, Topics, & Writing Tips

If you find yourself on this page, you are probably going to another level of your education – the final year of Middle school!

Isn’t it exciting?

One of the most common assignments in the 8th grade is an essay. Indeed, it gains new features. An eighth-grade essay is not the same as the sixth or seventh-grade one. It has more requirements and needs a deeper level of analysis.

How to write an 8th-grade essay? How many paragraphs should it contain? What is a standard 8th-grade essay format? On this page, you’ll find the answers to these and other questions that might arise. We’ve prepared creative 8th-grade essay topics, examples, and tips to write an A+ informative, narrative, or persuasive essay.

• 🧩 8th Grade Essay 101
• 📑 8th-Grade Essay Types
• 💾 Topics for the 8 th -Graders

🍎 8th Grade Essay Examples

🧩 8th-grade essay format explained.

Once again: the 8th-grade essay format is a bit different from that of the previous years.

Below, we thoroughly explain how long an 8th-grade essay should be and how to write it. We guarantee you’ll have no questions about the format and assessment of this type of work.

What Is the 8 th Grade Essay Format?

In this section, you’ll know which parts comprise any 8th-grade essay.

The first thing to remember: you’ve got onto an entirely new level. So, your writing isn’t as simple and short as it used to be in the previous school years.

Let’s start with the structure. The fundamental parts are the same as in any type of essay:

8th Grade Essay: How to Write & Typical Mistakes

With the help of this section, you’ll get to know the most straightforward and helpful tips for 8th-grade essay writing.

These are the things that any 8th grader should know!

8 th Grade Essay Do’s

• Look for reliable sources to find arguments and evidence.
• Try to arouse eagerness for writing: it surely will ease the whole process for you.
• Choose the topic that is interesting for you if you have such an option.
• Use academic language, special terms, consistent phrases, and correct grammar.
• Use good quotations from reputable sources to solidify your ideas.

8 th Grade Essay Don’ts

• Don’t write dully: an essay is a story. It should be exciting and consistent.
• Don’t make all your examples too similar: diversity is of the essence.
• Don’t let your text look like an unreadable pile of words: use graphic tools to highlight the most critical points.
• Don’t use unreliable sources and websites for citation.
• Don’t be afraid of honest self-expression. Your identity and thoughts are what make your 8th-grade essay unique.
• Don’t forget to revise your text after you’ve finished writing it.

8th Grade Essay Rubric

Meet the assessment strategies for 8th-grade writing. Here you’ll also find some prompts that improve your essay and lead you to a higher score.

So, the assessment pattern of a written piece comprises several main points. These are the things that assessors pay attention to:

📑 Eighth Grade Essay Types

We suppose that you come across different types of assignments during middle school. Among them, there indeed were descriptive and narrative essays.

However, now you are to face other exciting formats of writing. In the section below, you’ll get to know a few new types.

8th Grade Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing where you make a claim and prove your point of view with solid arguments. Your aim at this point is to make readers nod in contempt while reading and share your opinion.

The structure may be pretty familiar to you:

In your argumentative essay, you should back up your opinion with some exact data: statistics, figures, research studies, and polls.

To solidify your claim, you can use three types of arguments:

• Aristotelian . The classical way – you make a statement and try to persuade the audience that it is the one that is fair and right.
• Rogerian . First, you display an issue, then present the opposing view. After that, reveal your own opinion and start convincing readers why they should take up your point.
• Toulmin . Present your thesis statement, then provide the audience with the grounds to support it. The final touch is to connect these parts.

PRO TIP: Explain why you disagree with the opposing point of view on your issue.

8th Grade Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is very similar to argumentative writing. There you have to pick up a mainly burning issue and establish a firm opinion towards it. The primary goal is the same as in the argumentative essay: to make your readers believe you.

Remember the three essentials of persuasive writing:

• Logos appeals to logic, which is apparent. Deliver your thoughts cohesively and reasonably.
• Ethos is about persuading the readers, appealing to their sense of ethics and morality.
• Pathos helps you convince through emotions.

8th Grade Essay – Informative

An expository essay brings concepts to complete understanding. In other words, you explain something to give a clue about the subject in question. Successful expository writing makes the audience get the whole picture, leaving no questions or misunderstandings.

To familiarize yourself with expository essay structure, check our recently updated guide on writing an expository essay .

And briefly look at six major types of expository essays:

💾 8th Grade Essay Topics

8th grade argumentative essay topics.

• What is the main challenge you’ve ever met?
• What was the happiest moment of your childhood?
• Tell about the accomplishment you’re most proud of.
• What are the personal qualities you like most?
• Write about an inspiring celebrity.
• What does emotional intelligence mean?
• Write about the largest challenge of getting older.
• How is adolescence different from childhood?

Read the list of topics we’ve prepared for an 8th-grade essay. Choose your favorite or use our Free Essay Topics Generator to find the best one.

Persuasive Essay Topics for 8th Grade

• Would limited screen time be beneficial for health?
• Will the global use of electric vehicles save us from the ecological crisis?
• The government should provide citizens with more qualified psychological help.
• What are the pros and cons of buying a pet for a child?
• Should people use paper and textile bags instead of plastic ones?
• Is it necessary to attend PE classes in school?
• Is it ethical to use smartphones during the lesson?
• Should parents forbid their children from watching TikTok?
• Pros and cons of cheating on exams: immoral or beneficial?
• Should there be only healthy snack vending machines at schools?
• Is it acceptable for a teacher to raise the voice at a student?
• Should modern rappers’ songs be put through censorship?
• Is it ethical for students to discuss their teachers?
• Should all cosmetic products become cruelty-free?
• Should we stop the overconsumption of sugar for the sake of our health?
• Should zoos and circuses be banned forever?

8th Grade Informative Essay Topics

• Compare and contrast the environmental policies of the USA and Europe.
• What are the harmful effects of CO 2 emissions on the environment?
• How is the concept of freedom reflected in 20th-century literature?
• Reveal the details of the famous friendship of Hemingway and Fitzgerald.
• Brush off or fight: how to act when you come across bullying at school?
• What are the most significant challenges school attendees usually face?
• How to overcome your fears without getting traumatized?
• How to prepare for the exam period and overcome anxiety?
• Freedom or despair: the history and concept of trailer parks in the USA.
• Explain the concept of sustainability and what benefits it has.
• Provide a classification of American lifestyles based on location.
• A reasonable person: describe the concept and the features.

Look at our 8th grade essay examples. These are mostly just excerpts, but we included the most significant parts. Approach us in case you need a similar paper or have any questions.

8th Grade Argumentative Essay Example (#1)

The most notorious substance in the ecological discourse: is CO 2 really that bad?

Did you know that it’s better for the earth if you work out or jog with your mouth tightly shut? It’s not common knowledge, but professionals know: we need a considerable amount of CO 2 in our blood. In some terms, it’s even more vital than oxygen. Undoubtedly, there has to be a proper balance, and here is the point: CO 2 can be beneficial.

Though what good does it make to nature and the environment?

It’s all the same as with our body: CO 2 is not evil on earth, but there must be a proper balance. Now, this balance is critical, and we must make serious efforts to change the situation.

• According to last year’s research, the USA is in the second place among countries producing the most significant part of CO 2 in the whole world. The website statista.com published striking figures. 4.57 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions were produced in 2020 by the energy consumption sphere in the United States.
• Besides, a recently published report from the IEA agency reveals another piece of statistics. Compared to the previous year, the amount of CO 2 emissions will rise to 5% in 2021. This year we’re facing 33 billion tons of this greenhouse gas.
• These figures mean nothing without context. Here you are: nature suffers greatly from CO 2 influence. Due to the greenhouse effect caused by an excess of CO 2 , the water temperature in oceans and seas is rising. This process is not positive at all because the natural habitat for sea creatures is altering. The changes are dramatic and lead to the extinction of many species.

In conclusion, we need to find an efficient way to improve the ecological situation regarding CO 2 emissions. The key is global social and individual awareness and consciousness. Each and every inhabitant of the Earth has to understand the meaning of CO 2 for global warming clearly. So, try to jog with your lips closed and choose a bike instead of a car.

Example #2: 8th Grade Persuasive Essay

Is it essential to stay away from social media for the sake of mental health?

Nielsen Company conducted research that says that the average US adult spends more than 10 hours interacting with social media each day. Indeed, social media plays a very considerable role in the life of a modern person. Most of us are more likely to spend time watching short videos than reading a good book. But is it harmful to our mental health to the extent that we have to quit using social media platforms?

To my mind, we are greatly dependent on our Instagram and TikTok accounts, and the content posted there. It certainly has a negative impact, too. However, the complete cancellation of social media is not a way out. The key to good mental condition is in the skill of managing your relations with them.

• One of the recent surveys by the Lancet reports that Facebook users who scroll the newsfeed before sleep tend to be more depressed. Apparently, the deprivation of sleep affects mental well-being to a great extent.
• FInancesOnline has recently posted the results of the research. According to this data, Facebook constitutes 72% of people’s FOMO and anxiety. Posts about traveling and active social life create most of these feelings.
• At the same time, healthy rivalry can motivate development and growth. There’s a reasonable quotation saying that one should compare themselves yesterday instead of comparing to others. The best thing one can do to take care of their mental health is to take a digital detox for a while.

Thus, it is vital to trace your obsessions with social media and negative feelings caused by comparison with others on the Internet. Try to get more aware of it, take your time to rest from social media, and plunge into real life.

5 Paragraph Essay Example for 8th Grade (#3)

The Financier and American Tragedy : compare and contrast two main characters of Dreiser’s novels.

Do you know that Theodore Dreiser is sometimes called an American Fyodor Dostoevsky? Both writers touched upon the most sensitive social and existential issues. However, the subject of this paper is not the comparison of the authors but two famous Dreiser characters: Clyde Griffiths and Frank Cowperwood.

Both of these young American men were striving to reach financial and social success in a world of brutal struggle and hardships.

• Clyde Griffiths represents the desperate strive for American Dream. Born in a poor and religious family, he grows greedy for money and status. In his blind obsession with gaining a high social position, he doesn’t notice his spiritual degradation. He is smart enough to struggle his way into high society but not so witty to solidify his standing with decent means. He cheats, lies, and finally commits a murder: Clyde seems to be already born guilty at times. On reading the story, there doesn’t appear any sympathy toward him. On the contrary, he provokes feelings of abomination and disgust.
• Frank Cowperwood also aims to become wealthy and socially firm. He wants to improve his family’s life quality. Still, his ways and means astonish. Frank is a natural-born predator and strategist. His sophistication and sharp wit show up in him since his very childhood. He isn’t a man of high moral standards: Frank doesn’t mind cheating on his wife and manipulating city treasure money. However, he’s a passionate man, honest and open in his heart urges and impulses. That is the reason why fortune favors him.

However, having similar goals but different personalities and mindsets, Griffiths and Cowperwood reach completely different destination points.

How to Write an Essay in 8th Grade?

– You should pick up a good topic and formulate your attitude to the problem. – Write an outline. – Make a clear and brief thesis statement. – Think of at least 3 firm arguments if the essay type demands it. – Impress your readers with a firm conclusion. Voila! Do not forget to proofread!

How Long Is an Essay in 8th Grade?

The length of the 8th-grade essay slightly depends on the format and the particular type of writing. However, it varies from approximately 500 to 800 words. Within this framework, you have to make yourself clear and deliver all necessary points.

How Many Sentences Are in a Paragraph for 8th Grade?

The size of a paragraph in the 8th-grade essay has to be not less than 8 sentences in each. Besides that, mind that the sentences are primarily compound or complex, error-free, and coherent. Also, remember to connect the sentences and paragraphs with particular language means.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay in 8th Grade?

Choose an exciting and acute topic. Make up a thesis statement out of the problem. Draft an outline or a brief plan. Explore some reliable sources for the evidence and arguments for your essay. Organize the facts and information into a cohesive structure.

I’m an 8th grade student at a private school, and my teacher assigns us up to 4-6 pages most to write. First of all we get other essays on top of this, and usually have nearly to a week to finish. Me and my classmates struggle with this. Do you guys think this is too much for an average 8th grade student?

i am writin apaper right now and it is averreding and its about the changes we woud make to our cafeteria it has to be 5 paragraphs long

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How Long is An Essay in 8th Grade? Writing Tips

Learn how long an essay should be in eighth grade and how to write a great essay by reading this article.

How long should an essay be in eighth grade? The format and the particular type of writing have a small impact on the length of the eighth-grade essay. However, the 8th-grade essay length varies from approximately 500 to 800 words. You must express yourself clearly and make all necessary points within this framework.

To help you write an essay in the eighth grade, we’ve prepared this list of imaginative topics, examples, and writing advice.

Table of Contents

How Long is An Essay in 8th Grade?

An essay for an eighth grade should be between 500 and 800 words long. In the eighth-grade essay, each paragraph must contain a minimum of 8 sentences. Additionally, keep in mind that the sentences are mostly complex or compound, flawless, and coherent. Also, keep in mind to use specific language to connect the sentences and paragraphs. Learn How Long is An Essay in 6th and 7th Grade.

To write an excellent 8th-grade essay, you should:

• Select a worthwhile subject, then decide how you will approach the issue.
• Create an outline.
• Formulate a succinct and clear thesis statement.
• If the essay type requires it, come up with at least three solid arguments.
• Impress your audience with a solid conclusion. Remember to proofread!

What is the 8th-Grade Essay Format?

You’ll learn what goes into an essay for the eighth grade in this section. You’ve entered a completely new level, which is the first thing to keep in mind. Therefore, your writing is longer and more complex than it was during your earlier academic years.

Beginning with the structure The fundamental parts are the same as in any type of essay:

• Introduction: An intro should contain something intriguing to catch your audience’s attention. It’s typically a hook or an opening sentence that piques readers’ interest in your essay. The next significant part of your introduction is the thesis statement . The reader learns about the topic of your essay from your paper’s central idea.
• Body paragraphs: Body paragraphs contain supportive arguments and evidence. They need to be reliable and convincing.
• Conclusion: After everything is written, you are to conclude the ideas you’ve delivered.

How to Write An Excellent Essay?

You can learn the easiest and most practical advice for writing an essay for the eighth grade in this section. Anyone in the eighth grade should be aware of these things.

• To find justifications and supporting information, look for trustworthy sources.
• Try to incite enthusiasm for writing; it will undoubtedly make the process easier for you.
• If you have a choice, pick the subject that most interests you.
• Use formal language, appropriate grammar, specific terms, and consistent phrases.
• Make your points more compelling by referencing credible quotations.

Don’ts

• Write clearly; an essay is a story. It ought to be exciting and reliable.
• Don’t make all your examples too similar: diversity is of the essence.
• Use graphic tools to emphasize the most important points in your text to avoid having it appear like an unreadable mess of words.
• Use only trustworthy sources and websites when citing information.
• Do not be afraid to express yourself honestly. Your eighth-grade essay is distinctive because of who you are and what you think.
• Don’t forget to edit your text once you’ve finished writing it.

Eighth Grade Essay Types

During middle school, we assume that you encounter various kinds of assignments. There were indeed descriptive and narrative essays among them. However, now you are to face other exciting formats of writing. Get to know a few new types in the section below.

Informative and Explanatory Writing

In their informative and explanatory papers , students use formal language to explain complex topics with relevant data, precise ideas, and logical analyses. A captivating introduction that gives a sneak peek at the subject matter should be the first step for children. They then present information that is well-organized and supported by data from reliable sources. Eighth graders should use a variety of “strategy tools,” including:

• information classification.
• Defining terms.
• utilizing transitional, academic, and subject-specific vocabulary words.
• Quoting sources.
• Factual information is included.
• Making comparisons.
• comparison of various circumstances.
• describing the causes and effects of relationships.
• including multimedia and graphics (charts, tables, and pictures).
• Using headings and bullet points for formatting.

The final paragraph should provide a summary of the essay’s main idea. Your child’s papers are likely to cover topics that students are familiar with — but still need to research in order to answer, like What are some ways we can conserve water in a drought? Or Explain how a specific invention has changed your life .

Narrative Writing

Eighth graders write narratives or stories that describe events in their lives (personal histories, memoirs) or imagined scenarios (fiction, fantasy). Effective storytelling strategies are taught to junior J.K. Rowlings, including how to introduce the narrator and characters, set the scene, and convey a point of view.

Students work on letting the events flow naturally, developing the characters’ personalities, and creating a compelling plot through the characters’ deeds, words, and thoughts.

Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing in which you present a claim and support it with convincing evidence. At this point, your goal is to persuade readers to agree with your viewpoint while they read.

You should provide specific data in your argumentative essay to support your position, such as statistics, figures, research studies, and polls.

Persuasive Essay

Similar to writing an argumentative essay, a persuasive essay is persuasive. There, you must choose a topic that is particularly pressing and form a strong opinion on it. Making your audience believe you are the main objective, just like in an argumentative essay.

Remember the three essentials of persuasive writing:

• It is clear that Logos appeals to logic. Clearly and logically communicate your ideas.
• By appealing to the reader’s sense of morality and ethics, ethos aims to persuade them.
• Pathos aids in emotional persuasion.

Conclusion: How Long is An Essay in 8th Grade?

In eighth grade, how long should an essay be ? 500 to 800 words are enough. You should write an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The number of paragraphs should never be less than 8 sentences in one.

The Length of Each Part in an Essay

The Length of Different Kinds of Essays

The Length of Essays in Different Grades

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How to Write a Persuasive Essay for the 8th Grade

Nadia archuleta, 26 sep 2017.

Eighth-graders want to get their way, but they do not always know how to persuade effectively. Teachers assign persuasive essays in the eighth grade so students learn how to present an argument and convince their readers to agree. Students often bring such assignments home to work on. Insight into the process and the genre can aid parents in helping their children write persuasive essays.

Explore this article

• Writing Process
• Persuasive Techniques
• Counterargument
• Essay Structure

1 Writing Process

Writing may seem like a chaotic creative procedure, but eighth-grade teachers instruct students to follow a process to minimize the confusion. Students pre-write by brainstorming and planning the essay, either through a classic outline or some other graphic organizer. They then write a rough draft. Left to their own devices many eighth-graders would submit this as a finished work. However, they need to revise this draft for clarity and proof for errors. In this stage parents can help a lot by pointing out unclear areas and grammar or spelling mistakes. Then the student publishes the final draft.

2 Persuasive Techniques

Persuasive techniques appeal to logic, emotions and ethics. Logical arguments revolve around research: facts, statistics and expert opinions. The majority of the persuasive essay should rely on such support for its points. However, emotional appeals such as an anecdote or deliberately emotional word choices are appropriate as additional support. Parents can help their eighth-graders here with suggestions for stories or more powerful vocabulary. In addition, a student's credibility is improved when a paper is well-researched. Parents can guide their children in avenues of research by discussing the validity of sources. Teachers prefer websites and publications put out by universities and government organizations.

3 Counterargument

The counterargument helps distinguish a persuasive essay from other types. The eighth-grader needs to acknowledge opposing viewpoints. Parents can help here by brainstorming with their children the opposition’s point of view. An effective counterargument involves both acknowledging and either refuting or casting doubt on the opposition’s strongest points. At the very least parents offer adult perspectives on eighth-grade opinions. For example, if the eighth grader is arguing to change the lunch provider at school because the food is “gross,” the parents can point out that the first consideration usually is nutrition. From there the eighth-grader starts arguing against a specific point.

4 Essay Structure

Essays consist of three main structures: an introduction, a body and a conclusion. The introduction and conclusion usually are one paragraph each that mirror each other. The introduction starts from a broad view and narrows to a specific thesis statement. The conclusion starts with a restatement of the thesis and moves to wider implications of the topic. The body consists of three paragraphs stating and supporting one point each, all helping to prove the thesis statement. The counterargument comes in either one separate paragraph or as points refuted throughout the body of the essay. A helpful activity is to have the eighth-grader read the essay aloud. Parents listen and comment on parts that don’t make sense or don’t support the thesis.

• 1 ReadWriteThink: Persuasive Essay -- Environmental Issues
• 2 Durham Tech: A General Study of Aristotle’s Appeals
• 3 University of North Carolina Writing Center: Argument
• 4 Purdue Online Writing Lab: Argumentative Essays

About the Author

Nadia Archuleta has a B.A. in English writing. She spent five years working abroad and has traveled extensively. She has worked as an English as a Foreign/Second Language teacher for 12 years.

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How Long is an Essay? Guidelines for Different Types of Essay

Published on January 28, 2019 by Shona McCombes . Revised on July 23, 2023.

The length of an academic essay varies depending on your level and subject of study, departmental guidelines, and specific course requirements. In general, an essay is a shorter piece of writing than a research paper  or thesis .

In most cases, your assignment will include clear guidelines on the number of words or pages you are expected to write. Often this will be a range rather than an exact number (for example, 2500–3000 words, or 10–12 pages). If you’re not sure, always check with your instructor.

In this article you’ll find some general guidelines for the length of different types of essay. But keep in mind that quality is more important than quantity – focus on making a strong argument or analysis, not on hitting a specific word count.

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In an academic essay, the main body should always take up the most space. This is where you make your arguments, give your evidence, and develop your ideas.

The introduction should be proportional to the essay’s length. In an essay under 3000 words, the introduction is usually just one paragraph. In longer and more complex essays, you might need to lay out the background and introduce your argument over two or three paragraphs.

The conclusion of an essay is often a single paragraph, even in longer essays. It doesn’t have to summarize every step of your essay, but should tie together your main points in a concise, convincing way.

The suggested word count doesn’t only tell you how long your essay should be – it also helps you work out how much information and complexity you can fit into the given space. This should guide the development of your thesis statement , which identifies the main topic of your essay and sets the boundaries of your overall argument.

A short essay will need a focused, specific topic and a clear, straightforward line of argument. A longer essay should still be focused, but it might call for a broader approach to the topic or a more complex, ambitious argument.

As you make an outline of your essay , make sure you have a clear idea of how much evidence, detail and argumentation will be needed to support your thesis. If you find that you don’t have enough ideas to fill out the word count, or that you need more space to make a convincing case, then consider revising your thesis to be more general or more specific.

The length of the essay also influences how much time you will need to spend on editing and proofreading .

You should always aim to meet the minimum length given in your assignment. If you are struggling to reach the word count:

• Add more evidence and examples to each paragraph to clarify or strengthen your points.
• Make sure you have fully explained or analyzed each example, and try to develop your points in more detail.
• Address a different aspect of your topic in a new paragraph. This might involve revising your thesis statement to make a more ambitious argument.
• Don’t use filler. Adding unnecessary words or complicated sentences will make your essay weaker and your argument less clear.
• Don’t fixate on an exact number. Your marker probably won’t care about 50 or 100 words – it’s more important that your argument is convincing and adequately developed for an essay of the suggested length.

In some cases, you are allowed to exceed the upper word limit by 10% – so for an assignment of 2500–3000 words, you could write an absolute maximum of 3300 words. However, the rules depend on your course and institution, so always check with your instructor if you’re unsure.

Only exceed the word count if it’s really necessary to complete your argument. Longer essays take longer to grade, so avoid annoying your marker with extra work! If you are struggling to edit down:

• Check that every paragraph is relevant to your argument, and cut out irrelevant or out-of-place information.
• Make sure each paragraph focuses on one point and doesn’t meander.
• Cut out filler words and make sure each sentence is clear, concise, and related to the paragraph’s point.
• Don’t cut anything that is necessary to the logic of your argument. If you remove a paragraph, make sure to revise your transitions and fit all your points together.
• Don’t sacrifice the introduction or conclusion . These paragraphs are crucial to an effective essay –make sure you leave enough space to thoroughly introduce your topic and decisively wrap up your argument.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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Writing an Argument Essay

Description.

Students use their Atticus note-catchers and their understanding of Atticus as a character to weigh the evidence and craft the claim for their argument essay.

The prompt for the argument essay is set up to guide students toward the same position: It does make sense for Atticus to defend Tom Robinson. An answer to the contrary may show a lack of comprehension of Atticus as a character or of how best to use evidence. The goal of this essay is to teach students the basic skills involved in writing an argument essay.

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Miscellaneous

You'll no doubt have to write a number of argumentative essays in both high school and college, but what, exactly, is an argumentative essay and how do you write the best one possible? Let's take a look.

A great argumentative essay always combines the same basic elements: approaching an argument from a rational perspective, researching sources, supporting your claims using facts rather than opinion, and articulating your reasoning into the most cogent and reasoned points. Argumentative essays are great building blocks for all sorts of research and rhetoric, so your teachers will expect you to master the technique before long.

But if this sounds daunting, never fear! We'll show how an argumentative essay differs from other kinds of papers, how to research and write them, how to pick an argumentative essay topic, and where to find example essays. So let's get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay? How Is it Different from Other Kinds of Essays?

There are two basic requirements for any and all essays: to state a claim (a thesis statement) and to support that claim with evidence.

Though every essay is founded on these two ideas, there are several different types of essays, differentiated by the style of the writing, how the writer presents the thesis, and the types of evidence used to support the thesis statement.

Essays can be roughly divided into four different types:

#1: Argumentative #2: Persuasive #3: Expository #4: Analytical

So let's look at each type and what the differences are between them before we focus the rest of our time to argumentative essays.

Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays are what this article is all about, so let's talk about them first.

An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance.

An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the factually and logically correct one. This means that an argumentative essay must use only evidence-based support to back up a claim , rather than emotional or philosophical reasoning (which is often allowed in other types of essays). Thus, an argumentative essay has a burden of substantiated proof and sources , whereas some other types of essays (namely persuasive essays) do not.

You can write an argumentative essay on any topic, so long as there's room for argument. Generally, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one, so long as you support the argumentative essay with hard evidence.

Example topics of an argumentative essay:

• "Should farmers be allowed to shoot wolves if those wolves injure or kill farm animals?"
• "Should the drinking age be lowered in the United States?"
• "Are alternatives to democracy effective and/or feasible to implement?"

The next three types of essays are not argumentative essays, but you may have written them in school. We're going to cover them so you know what not to do for your argumentative essay.

Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, so it can be easy to get them confused. But knowing what makes an argumentative essay different than a persuasive essay can often mean the difference between an excellent grade and an average one.

Persuasive essays seek to persuade a reader to agree with the point of view of the writer, whether that point of view is based on factual evidence or not. The writer has much more flexibility in the evidence they can use, with the ability to use moral, cultural, or opinion-based reasoning as well as factual reasoning to persuade the reader to agree the writer's side of a given issue.

Instead of being forced to use "pure" reason as one would in an argumentative essay, the writer of a persuasive essay can manipulate or appeal to the reader's emotions. So long as the writer attempts to steer the readers into agreeing with the thesis statement, the writer doesn't necessarily need hard evidence in favor of the argument.

Often, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one—the difference is all in the approach and the evidence you present.

Example topics of a persuasive essay:

• "Should children be responsible for their parents' debts?"
• "Should cheating on a test be automatic grounds for expulsion?"
• "How much should sports leagues be held accountable for player injuries and the long-term consequences of those injuries?"

Expository Essay

An expository essay is typically a short essay in which the writer explains an idea, issue, or theme , or discusses the history of a person, place, or idea.

This is typically a fact-forward essay with little argument or opinion one way or the other.

Example topics of an expository essay:

• "The History of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell"
• "The Reasons I Always Wanted to be a Doctor"
• "The Meaning Behind the Colloquialism ‘People in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones'"

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay seeks to delve into the deeper meaning of a text or work of art, or unpack a complicated idea . These kinds of essays closely interpret a source and look into its meaning by analyzing it at both a macro and micro level.

This type of analysis can be augmented by historical context or other expert or widely-regarded opinions on the subject, but is mainly supported directly through the original source (the piece or art or text being analyzed) .

Example topics of an analytical essay:

• "Victory Gin in Place of Water: The Symbolism Behind Gin as the Only Potable Substance in George Orwell's 1984"
• "Amarna Period Art: The Meaning Behind the Shift from Rigid to Fluid Poses"
• "Adultery During WWII, as Told Through a Series of Letters to and from Soldiers"

There are many different types of essay and, over time, you'll be able to master them all.

A Typical Argumentative Essay Assignment

The average argumentative essay is between three to five pages, and will require at least three or four separate sources with which to back your claims . As for the essay topic , you'll most often be asked to write an argumentative essay in an English class on a "general" topic of your choice, ranging the gamut from science, to history, to literature.

But while the topics of an argumentative essay can span several different fields, the structure of an argumentative essay is always the same: you must support a claim—a claim that can reasonably have multiple sides—using multiple sources and using a standard essay format (which we'll talk about later on).

This is why many argumentative essay topics begin with the word "should," as in:

• "Should all students be required to learn chemistry in high school?"
• "Should children be required to learn a second language?"
• "Should schools or governments be allowed to ban books?"

These topics all have at least two sides of the argument: Yes or no. And you must support the side you choose with evidence as to why your side is the correct one.

But there are also plenty of other ways to frame an argumentative essay as well:

• "Does using social media do more to benefit or harm people?"
• "Does the legal status of artwork or its creators—graffiti and vandalism, pirated media, a creator who's in jail—have an impact on the art itself?"
• "Is or should anyone ever be ‘above the law?'"

Though these are worded differently than the first three, you're still essentially forced to pick between two sides of an issue: yes or no, for or against, benefit or detriment. Though your argument might not fall entirely into one side of the divide or another—for instance, you could claim that social media has positively impacted some aspects of modern life while being a detriment to others—your essay should still support one side of the argument above all. Your final stance would be that overall , social media is beneficial or overall , social media is harmful.

If your argument is one that is mostly text-based or backed by a single source (e.g., "How does Salinger show that Holden Caulfield is an unreliable narrator?" or "Does Gatsby personify the American Dream?"), then it's an analytical essay, rather than an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay will always be focused on more general topics so that you can use multiple sources to back up your claims.

Good Argumentative Essay Topics

So you know the basic idea behind an argumentative essay, but what topic should you write about?

Again, almost always, you'll be asked to write an argumentative essay on a free topic of your choice, or you'll be asked to select between a few given topics . If you're given complete free reign of topics, then it'll be up to you to find an essay topic that no only appeals to you, but that you can turn into an A+ argumentative essay.

What makes a "good" argumentative essay topic depends on both the subject matter and your personal interest —it can be hard to give your best effort on something that bores you to tears! But it can also be near impossible to write an argumentative essay on a topic that has no room for debate.

As we said earlier, a good argumentative essay topic will be one that has the potential to reasonably go in at least two directions—for or against, yes or no, and why . For example, it's pretty hard to write an argumentative essay on whether or not people should be allowed to murder one another—not a whole lot of debate there for most people!—but writing an essay for or against the death penalty has a lot more wiggle room for evidence and argument.

A good topic is also one that can be substantiated through hard evidence and relevant sources . So be sure to pick a topic that other people have studied (or at least studied elements of) so that you can use their data in your argument. For example, if you're arguing that it should be mandatory for all middle school children to play a sport, you might have to apply smaller scientific data points to the larger picture you're trying to justify. There are probably several studies you could cite on the benefits of physical activity and the positive effect structure and teamwork has on young minds, but there's probably no study you could use where a group of scientists put all middle-schoolers in one jurisdiction into a mandatory sports program (since that's probably never happened). So long as your evidence is relevant to your point and you can extrapolate from it to form a larger whole, you can use it as a part of your resource material.

And if you need ideas on where to get started, or just want to see sample argumentative essay topics, then check out these links for hundreds of potential argumentative essay topics.

101 Persuasive (or Argumentative) Essay and Speech Topics

301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing

[Note: some of these say "persuasive essay topics," but just remember that the same topic can often be used for both a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay; the difference is in your writing style and the evidence you use to support your claims.]

KO! Find that one argumentative essay topic you can absolutely conquer.

Argumentative Essay Format

Argumentative Essays are composed of four main elements:

• A position (your argument)
• Your reasons
• Supporting evidence for those reasons (from reliable sources)
• Counterargument(s) (possible opposing arguments and reasons why those arguments are incorrect)

If you're familiar with essay writing in general, then you're also probably familiar with the five paragraph essay structure . This structure is a simple tool to show how one outlines an essay and breaks it down into its component parts, although it can be expanded into as many paragraphs as you want beyond the core five.

The standard argumentative essay is often 3-5 pages, which will usually mean a lot more than five paragraphs, but your overall structure will look the same as a much shorter essay.

An argumentative essay at its simplest structure will look like:

Paragraph 1: Intro

• Set up the story/problem/issue
• Thesis/claim

Paragraph 2: Support

• Reason #1 claim is correct
• Supporting evidence with sources

Paragraph 3: Support

• Reason #2 claim is correct

Paragraph 4: Counterargument

• Explanation of argument for the other side
• Refutation of opposing argument with supporting evidence

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

• Re-state claim
• Sum up reasons and support of claim from the essay to prove claim is correct

Now let's unpack each of these paragraph types to see how they work (with examples!), what goes into them, and why.

Paragraph 1—Set Up and Claim

Your first task is to introduce the reader to the topic at hand so they'll be prepared for your claim. Give a little background information, set the scene, and give the reader some stakes so that they care about the issue you're going to discuss.

Next, you absolutely must have a position on an argument and make that position clear to the readers. It's not an argumentative essay unless you're arguing for a specific claim, and this claim will be your thesis statement.

Your thesis CANNOT be a mere statement of fact (e.g., "Washington DC is the capital of the United States"). Your thesis must instead be an opinion which can be backed up with evidence and has the potential to be argued against (e.g., "New York should be the capital of the United States").

Paragraphs 2 and 3—Your Evidence

These are your body paragraphs in which you give the reasons why your argument is the best one and back up this reasoning with concrete evidence .

The argument supporting the thesis of an argumentative essay should be one that can be supported by facts and evidence, rather than personal opinion or cultural or religious mores.

For example, if you're arguing that New York should be the new capital of the US, you would have to back up that fact by discussing the factual contrasts between New York and DC in terms of location, population, revenue, and laws. You would then have to talk about the precedents for what makes for a good capital city and why New York fits the bill more than DC does.

Your argument can't simply be that a lot of people think New York is the best city ever and that you agree.

In addition to using concrete evidence, you always want to keep the tone of your essay passionate, but impersonal . Even though you're writing your argument from a single opinion, don't use first person language—"I think," "I feel," "I believe,"—to present your claims. Doing so is repetitive, since by writing the essay you're already telling the audience what you feel, and using first person language weakens your writing voice.

For example,

"I think that Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

"Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

The second statement sounds far stronger and more analytical.

Paragraph 4—Argument for the Other Side and Refutation

Even without a counter argument, you can make a pretty persuasive claim, but a counterargument will round out your essay into one that is much more persuasive and substantial.

By anticipating an argument against your claim and taking the initiative to counter it, you're allowing yourself to get ahead of the game. This way, you show that you've given great thought to all sides of the issue before choosing your position, and you demonstrate in multiple ways how yours is the more reasoned and supported side.

Paragraph 5—Conclusion

This paragraph is where you re-state your argument and summarize why it's the best claim.

Briefly touch on your supporting evidence and voila! A finished argumentative essay.

Your essay should have just as awesome a skeleton as this plesiosaur does. (In other words: a ridiculously awesome skeleton)

Argumentative Essay Example: 5-Paragraph Style

It always helps to have an example to learn from. I've written a full 5-paragraph argumentative essay here. Look at how I state my thesis in paragraph 1, give supporting evidence in paragraphs 2 and 3, address a counterargument in paragraph 4, and conclude in paragraph 5.

Topic: Is it possible to maintain conflicting loyalties?

Paragraph 1

It is almost impossible to go through life without encountering a situation where your loyalties to different people or causes come into conflict with each other. Maybe you have a loving relationship with your sister, but she disagrees with your decision to join the army, or you find yourself torn between your cultural beliefs and your scientific ones. These conflicting loyalties can often be maintained for a time, but as examples from both history and psychological theory illustrate, sooner or later, people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever.

The first two sentences set the scene and give some hypothetical examples and stakes for the reader to care about.

The third sentence finishes off the intro with the thesis statement, making very clear how the author stands on the issue ("people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever." )

Paragraphs 2 and 3

Psychological theory states that human beings are not equipped to maintain conflicting loyalties indefinitely and that attempting to do so leads to a state called "cognitive dissonance." Cognitive dissonance theory is the psychological idea that people undergo tremendous mental stress or anxiety when holding contradictory beliefs, values, or loyalties (Festinger, 1957). Even if human beings initially hold a conflicting loyalty, they will do their best to find a mental equilibrium by making a choice between those loyalties—stay stalwart to a belief system or change their beliefs. One of the earliest formal examples of cognitive dissonance theory comes from Leon Festinger's When Prophesy Fails . Members of an apocalyptic cult are told that the end of the world will occur on a specific date and that they alone will be spared the Earth's destruction. When that day comes and goes with no apocalypse, the cult members face a cognitive dissonance between what they see and what they've been led to believe (Festinger, 1956). Some choose to believe that the cult's beliefs are still correct, but that the Earth was simply spared from destruction by mercy, while others choose to believe that they were lied to and that the cult was fraudulent all along. Both beliefs cannot be correct at the same time, and so the cult members are forced to make their choice.

But even when conflicting loyalties can lead to potentially physical, rather than just mental, consequences, people will always make a choice to fall on one side or other of a dividing line. Take, for instance, Nicolaus Copernicus, a man born and raised in Catholic Poland (and educated in Catholic Italy). Though the Catholic church dictated specific scientific teachings, Copernicus' loyalty to his own observations and scientific evidence won out over his loyalty to his country's government and belief system. When he published his heliocentric model of the solar system--in opposition to the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for hundreds of years (Hannam, 2011)-- Copernicus was making a choice between his loyalties. In an attempt t o maintain his fealty both to the established system and to what he believed, h e sat on his findings for a number of years (Fantoli, 1994). But, ultimately, Copernicus made the choice to side with his beliefs and observations above all and published his work for the world to see (even though, in doing so, he risked both his reputation and personal freedoms).

These two paragraphs provide the reasons why the author supports the main argument and uses substantiated sources to back those reasons.

The paragraph on cognitive dissonance theory gives both broad supporting evidence and more narrow, detailed supporting evidence to show why the thesis statement is correct not just anecdotally but also scientifically and psychologically. First, we see why people in general have a difficult time accepting conflicting loyalties and desires and then how this applies to individuals through the example of the cult members from the Dr. Festinger's research.

The next paragraph continues to use more detailed examples from history to provide further evidence of why the thesis that people cannot indefinitely maintain conflicting loyalties is true.

Paragraph 4

Some will claim that it is possible to maintain conflicting beliefs or loyalties permanently, but this is often more a matter of people deluding themselves and still making a choice for one side or the other, rather than truly maintaining loyalty to both sides equally. For example, Lancelot du Lac typifies a person who claims to maintain a balanced loyalty between to two parties, but his attempt to do so fails (as all attempts to permanently maintain conflicting loyalties must). Lancelot tells himself and others that he is equally devoted to both King Arthur and his court and to being Queen Guinevere's knight (Malory, 2008). But he can neither be in two places at once to protect both the king and queen, nor can he help but let his romantic feelings for the queen to interfere with his duties to the king and the kingdom. Ultimately, he and Queen Guinevere give into their feelings for one another and Lancelot—though he denies it—chooses his loyalty to her over his loyalty to Arthur. This decision plunges the kingdom into a civil war, ages Lancelot prematurely, and ultimately leads to Camelot's ruin (Raabe, 1987). Though Lancelot claimed to have been loyal to both the king and the queen, this loyalty was ultimately in conflict, and he could not maintain it.

Here we have the acknowledgement of a potential counter-argument and the evidence as to why it isn't true.

The argument is that some people (or literary characters) have asserted that they give equal weight to their conflicting loyalties. The refutation is that, though some may claim to be able to maintain conflicting loyalties, they're either lying to others or deceiving themselves. The paragraph shows why this is true by providing an example of this in action.

Paragraph 5

Whether it be through literature or history, time and time again, people demonstrate the challenges of trying to manage conflicting loyalties and the inevitable consequences of doing so. Though belief systems are malleable and will often change over time, it is not possible to maintain two mutually exclusive loyalties or beliefs at once. In the end, people always make a choice, and loyalty for one party or one side of an issue will always trump loyalty to the other.

The concluding paragraph summarizes the essay, touches on the evidence presented, and re-states the thesis statement.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 8 Steps

Writing the best argumentative essay is all about the preparation, so let's talk steps:

#1: Preliminary Research

If you have the option to pick your own argumentative essay topic (which you most likely will), then choose one or two topics you find the most intriguing or that you have a vested interest in and do some preliminary research on both sides of the debate.

Do an open internet search just to see what the general chatter is on the topic and what the research trends are.

Did your preliminary reading influence you to pick a side or change your side? Without diving into all the scholarly articles at length, do you believe there's enough evidence to support your claim? Have there been scientific studies? Experiments? Does a noted scholar in the field agree with you? If not, you may need to pick another topic or side of the argument to support.

#2: Pick Your Side and Form Your Thesis

Now's the time to pick the side of the argument you feel you can support the best and summarize your main point into your thesis statement.

Your thesis will be the basis of your entire essay, so make sure you know which side you're on, that you've stated it clearly, and that you stick by your argument throughout the entire essay .

#3: Heavy-Duty Research Time

You've taken a gander at what the internet at large has to say on your argument, but now's the time to actually read those sources and take notes.

Check scholarly journals online at Google Scholar , the Directory of Open Access Journals , or JStor . You can also search individual university or school libraries and websites to see what kinds of academic articles you can access for free. Keep track of your important quotes and page numbers and put them somewhere that's easy to find later.

And don't forget to check your school or local libraries as well!

#4: Outline

Follow the five-paragraph outline structure from the previous section.

Fill in your topic, your reasons, and your supporting evidence into each of the categories.

Before you begin to flesh out the essay, take a look at what you've got. Is your thesis statement in the first paragraph? Is it clear? Is your argument logical? Does your supporting evidence support your reasoning?

By outlining your essay, you streamline your process and take care of any logic gaps before you dive headfirst into the writing. This will save you a lot of grief later on if you need to change your sources or your structure, so don't get too trigger-happy and skip this step.

Now that you've laid out exactly what you'll need for your essay and where, it's time to fill in all the gaps by writing it out.

Take it one step at a time and expand your ideas into complete sentences and substantiated claims. It may feel daunting to turn an outline into a complete draft, but just remember that you've already laid out all the groundwork; now you're just filling in the gaps.

If you have the time before deadline, give yourself a day or two (or even just an hour!) away from your essay . Looking it over with fresh eyes will allow you to see errors, both minor and major, that you likely would have missed had you tried to edit when it was still raw.

Take a first pass over the entire essay and try your best to ignore any minor spelling or grammar mistakes—you're just looking at the big picture right now. Does it make sense as a whole? Did the essay succeed in making an argument and backing that argument up logically? (Do you feel persuaded?)

If not, go back and make notes so that you can fix it for your final draft.

Once you've made your revisions to the overall structure, mark all your small errors and grammar problems so you can fix them in the next draft.

#7: Final Draft

Use the notes you made on the rough draft and go in and hack and smooth away until you're satisfied with the final result.

A checklist for your final draft:

• Formatting is correct according to your teacher's standards
• No errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Essay is the right length and size for the assignment
• The argument is present, consistent, and concise
• Each reason is supported by relevant evidence
• The essay makes sense overall

#8: Celebrate!

Once you've brought that final draft to a perfect polish and turned in your assignment, you're done! Go you!

Be prepared and ♪ you'll never go hungry again ♪, *cough*, or struggle with your argumentative essay-writing again. (Walt Disney Studios)

Good Examples of Argumentative Essays Online

Theory is all well and good, but examples are key. Just to get you started on what a fully-fleshed out argumentative essay looks like, let's see some examples in action.

Check out these two argumentative essay examples on the use of landmines and freons (and note the excellent use of concrete sources to back up their arguments!).

The Use of Landmines

A Shattered Sky

The Take-Aways: Keys to Writing an Argumentative Essay

At first, writing an argumentative essay may seem like a monstrous hurdle to overcome, but with the proper preparation and understanding, you'll be able to knock yours out of the park.

Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced . Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative essay there, my friend.

What's Next?

Now you know the ins and outs of an argumentative essay, but how comfortable are you writing in other styles? Learn more about the four writing styles and when it makes sense to use each .

Understand how to make an argument, but still having trouble organizing your thoughts? Check out our guide to three popular essay formats and choose which one is right for you.

Ready to make your case, but not sure what to write about? We've created a list of 50 potential argumentative essay topics to spark your imagination.

Courtney scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology. She is passionate about bringing education and the tools to succeed to students from all backgrounds and walks of life, as she believes open education is one of the great societal equalizers. She has years of tutoring experience and writes creative works in her free time.

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How to Teach Argument Writing Step-By-Step

No doubt, teaching argument writing to middle school students can be tricky. Even the word “argumentative” is off-putting, bringing to mind pointless bickering. But once I came up with argument writing lessons that were both fun and effective, I quickly saw the value in it. And so did my students.

You see, we teachers have an ace up our sleeve. It’s a known fact that from ages 11-14, kids love nothing more than to fire up a good ole battle royale with just about anybody within spitting distance.

Yup. So we’re going to use their powers of contradiction to OUR advantage by showing them how to use our argument writing lessons to power up their real-life persuasion skills. Your students will be knocking each other over in the hall to get to the room first!

I usually plan on taking about three weeks on the entire argument writing workshop. However, there are years when I’ve had to cut it down to two, and that works fine too.

Here are the step-by-step lessons I use to teach argument writing. It might be helpful to teachers who are new to teaching the argument, or to teachers who want to get back to the basics. If it seems formulaic, that’s because it is. In my experience, that’s the best way to get middle school students started.

Prior to Starting the Writer’s Workshop

A couple of weeks prior to starting your unit, assign some quick-write journal topics. I pick one current event topic a day, and I ask students to express their opinion about the topic.

Quick-writes get the kids thinking about what is going on in the world and makes choosing a topic easier later on.

Define Argumentative Writing

I’ll never forget the feeling of panic I had in 7th grade when my teacher told us to start writing an expository essay on snowstorms. How could I write an expository essay if I don’t even know what expository MEANS, I whined to my middle school self.

We can’t assume our students know or remember what argumentative writing is, even if we think they should know. So we have to tell them. Also, define claim and issue while you’re at it.

Establish Purpose

I always tell my students that learning to write an effective argument is key to learning critical thinking skills and is an important part of school AND real-life writing.

We start with a fictional scenario every kid in the history of kids can relate to.

ISSUE : a kid wants to stay up late to go to a party vs. AUDIENCE : the strict mom who likes to say no.

The “party” kid writes his mom a letter that starts with a thesis and a claim: I should be permitted to stay out late to attend the part for several reasons.

By going through this totally relatable scenario using a modified argumentative framework, I’m able to demonstrate the difference between persuasion and argument, the importance of data and factual evidence, and the value of a counterclaim and rebuttal.

Students love to debate whether or not strict mom should allow party kid to attend the party. More importantly, it’s a great way to introduce the art of the argument, because kids can see how they can use the skills to their personal advantage.

Persuasive Writing Differs From Argument Writing

At the middle school level, students need to understand persuasive and argument writing in a concrete way. Therefore, I keep it simple by explaining that both types of writing involve a claim. However, in persuasive writing, the supporting details are based on opinions, feelings, and emotions, while in argument writing the supporting details are based on researching factual evidence.

I give kids a few examples to see if they can tell the difference between argumentation and persuasion before we move on.

Argumentative Essay Terminology

In order to write a complete argumentative essay, students need to be familiar with some key terminology . Some teachers name the parts differently, so I try to give them more than one word if necessary:

• thesis statement
• bridge/warrant
• counterclaim/counterargument*
• turn-back/refutation

*If you follow Common Core Standards, the counterargument is not required for 6th-grade argument writing. All of the teachers in my school teach it anyway, and I’m thankful for that when the kids get to 7th grade.

Organizing the Argumentative Essay

I teach students how to write a step-by-step 5 paragraph argumentative essay consisting of the following:

• Introduction : Includes a lead/hook, background information about the topic, and a thesis statement that includes the claim.
• Body Paragraph #1 : Introduces the first reason that the claim is valid. Supports that reason with facts, examples, and/or data.
• Body Paragraph #2 : The second reason the claim is valid. Supporting evidence as above.
• Counterargument (Body Paragraph #3): Introduction of an opposing claim, then includes a turn-back to take the reader back to the original claim.
• Conclusion : Restates the thesis statement, summarizes the main idea, and contains a strong concluding statement that might be a call to action.

Mentor Texts

If we want students to write a certain way, we should provide high-quality mentor texts that are exact models of what we expect them to write.

I know a lot of teachers will use picture books or editorials that present arguments for this, and I can get behind that. But only if specific exemplary essays are also used, and this is why.

If I want to learn Italian cooking, I’m not going to just watch the Romanos enjoy a holiday feast on Everybody Loves Raymond . I need to slow it down and follow every little step my girl Lidia Bastianich makes.

The same goes for teaching argument writing. If we want students to write 5 paragraph essays, that’s what we should show them.

In fact, don’t just display those mentor texts like a museum piece. Dissect the heck out of those essays. Pull them apart like a Thanksgiving turkey. Disassemble the essay sentence by sentence and have the kids label the parts and reassemble them. This is how they will learn how to structure their own writing.

Also, encourage your detectives to evaluate the evidence. Ask students to make note of how the authors use anecdotes, statistics, and facts. Have them evaluate the evidence and whether or not the writer fully analyzes it and connects it to the claim.

This is absolutely the best way for kids to understand the purpose of each part of the essay.

Research Time

Most of my students are not very experienced with performing research when we do this unit, so I ease them into it. (Our “big” research unit comes later in the year with our feature article unit .)

I start them off by showing this short video on how to find reliable sources. We use data collection sheets and our school library’s database for research. There are also some awesome, kid-friendly research sites listed on the Ask a Tech Teacher Blog .

Step-By-Step Drafting

The bedrock of drafting is to start with a solid graphic organizer. I have to differentiate for my writers, and I’ve found they have the most success when I offer three types of graphic organizers.

1- Least Support: This is your standard graphic organizer. It labels each paragraph and has a dedicated section for each part of the paragraph.

2- Moderate Support: This one has labels and sections, but also includes sentence stems for each sentence in the paragraph.

3- Most Support: This one has labels and sections and also includes fill-in-the-blank sentence frames . It’s perfect for my emerging writers, and as I’ve mentioned previously, students do NOT need the frames for long and soon become competent and independent writers.

Writing the Introduction

The introduction has three parts and purposes.

First, it has a hook or lead. While it should be about the topic, it shouldn’t state the writer’s position on the topic. I encourage students to start with a quote by a famous person, an unusual detail, a statistic, or a fact.

Kids will often try to start with a question, but I discourage that unless their question also includes one of the other strategies. Otherwise, I end up with 100 essays that start with, “Do you like sharks?” Lol

Next, it’s time to introduce the issue. This is the background information that readers need in order to understand the controversy.

Last, students should state the claim in the thesis statement. I call it a promise to the reader that the essay will deliver by proving that the claim is valid.

Writing the Supporting Body Paragraphs

Each supporting body paragraph should start with a topic sentence that introduces the idea and states the reason why the claim is valid. The following sentences in the paragraph should support that reason with facts, examples, data, or expert opinions. The bridge is the sentence that connects that piece of evidence to the argument’s claim. The concluding sentence should restate the reason.

Writing the Counterclaim Paragraph

The counterclaim paragraph is a very important aspect of argument writing. It’s where we introduce an opposing argument and then confidently take the reader back to the original argument. I tell students that it’s necessary to “get in the head” of the person who might not agree with their claim, by predicting their objections.

It can be tough for kids to “flip the switch” on their own argument, so I like to practice this a bit. I give them several pairs of transitions that go together to form a counterclaim and rebuttal. I also switch up what I call this part so that they use the terminology interchangeably.

• It might seem that [ counterargument . ]However, [ turn-back .]
• Opponents may argue that [ counterargument .] Nevertheless, [ turn back .]
• A common argument against this position is [ counterargument .] Yet, [ turn-back .]

A great way for kids to practice this is to have them work with partners to write a few counterarguments together. I let them practice by giving them easy role-playing topics.

• Your cousins want to jump into a poison ivy grove for a TikTok challenge. Choose your position on this and write a counterargument and turn-back.
• Your friend wants to get a full-face tattoo of their boyfriend’s name. Choose your position on this and write a counterargument and turn-back.

This kind of practice makes the counterargument much more clear.

The concluding paragraph should remind the reader of what was argued in the essay and why it matters. It might also suggest solutions or further research that could be done on the topic. Or students can write a call to action that asks the reader to perform an action in regard to the information they’ve just learned.

My students write about local issues and then turn the essays into letters to our superintendent, school board, or state senators. It’s an amazing way to empower kids and to show them that their opinion matters. I’ve written about that here and I’ve included the sentence frames for the letters in my argumentative writing unit.

I hope this gives you a good overview of teaching argument writing. Please leave any questions below. Please also share your ideas, because we all need all the help we can give each other!

And one more thing. Don’t be surprised if parents start asking you to tone down the unit because it’s become harder to tell their kids why they can’t stay up late for parties. 🙂

Stay delicious!

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• ELA 2019 G8:M2:U3:L8

Write a Practice Argument Essay: Analyze and Draft Proof Paragraph 2

In this lesson, daily learning targets, ongoing assessment.

• Technology and Multimedia

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• ELA 2019 G8:M2
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Focus Standards:  These are the standards the instruction addresses.

• W.8.1, W.8.1b, W.8.5, W.8.10, SL.8.4

Supporting Standards:  These are the standards that are incidental—no direct instruction in this lesson, but practice of these standards occurs as a result of addressing the focus standards.

• RI.8.1, RI.8.4, RI.8.10, W.8.6, SL.8.1, L.8.4, L.8.6
• I can identify the reasons, evidence, and reasoning in Proof Paragraph 2 of a model argument essay. ( RI.8.1, W.8.1b )
• I can write Proof Paragraph 2 for my practice essay. ( W.8.1b, W.8.4 )
• Opening A: Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 8 ( W.8.1b )
• Work Time A: Annotated Model Essay ( W.8.1b )
• Work Time C: Proof Paragraph 2 of Practice Argument Essay ( W.8.1b, W.8.4 )

• Prepare Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 8, and ensure there is a copy at each student's workspace.
• Strategically pair students for work in Opening A, with at least one strong reader per pair.
• Review the Argument Writing checklist to become familiar with what will be required of students over the remainder of the unit.
• Post the learning targets and applicable anchor charts (see Materials list).

Tech and Multimedia

• Work Time C: Prepare devices with word-processing capabilities for students to continue drafting.
• Continue to use the technology tools recommended throughout previous modules to create anchor charts to share with families; to record students as they participate in discussions and protocols to review with students later and to share with families; and for students to listen to and annotate text, record ideas on note-catchers, and word-process writing.

Supports guided in part by CA ELD Standards 8.I.C.11 and 8.I.C.12.

Important Points in the Lesson Itself

• To support ELLs, this lesson follows the same pattern as Lessons 6 and 7. Students participate in a series of scaffolded tasks that guide students from analysis to independent writing. Students work in groups to analyze Proof Paragraph 2 of the model essay before planning and writing Proof Paragraph 2 of the practice argument essay. Like the two previous lessons, this lesson is highly collaborative and includes ample time for discussion, oral planning, and peer feedback.
• ELLs may find it challenging to complete their own written version of the practice essay in this series of lessons. Pair ELLs thoughtfully with supportive peers who can help them navigate the complexities of the task sequencing and the tasks themselves, and encourage students to refer back to the model essay, the text, and the Argument Writing checklist , frequently, while writing.
• Model Essay: "Transportation Choices" (one for display; from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 4, Work Time A)
• Characteristics of Argument Writing anchor chart (one for display; from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 4, Closing A)
• Practice Argument Essay Writing Plan graphic organizer (for teacher reference) (from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 5, Work Time C)
• Model Essay: “Transportation Choices” (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 4, Work Time A)
• Argument Writing checklist (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 3 Lesson 5)
• Painted Essay® template (one per student; from Module 1, Unit 3, Lesson 6, Work Time B)
• The Omnivore’s Dilemma (text; one per student; Module 2, Unit 1, Lesson 1, Closing and Assessment A)
• Practice Argument Essay Writing Plan graphic organizer (one per student; from Module 2, Unit 3, Lesson 5, Work Time C)
• Independent reading journals (one per student; begun in Module 1, Unit 1, Lesson 6, Work Time B)
• Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 8 (answers for teacher reference)
• Entrance Ticket: Unit 3, Lesson 8 (one per student)
• Devices (one per student; see Technology and Multimedia)

Each unit in the 6-8 Language Arts Curriculum has two standards-based assessments built in, one mid-unit assessment and one end of unit assessment. The module concludes with a performance task at the end of Unit 3 to synthesize students' understanding of what they accomplished through supported, standards-based writing.

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Argumentative Essay | Definition, Format & Examples

Spencer holds a bachelor's of literature and a bachelor's of environmental studies from the University of California Santa Cruz. He works as a freelance writer and editor.

Natalie is a teacher and holds an MA in English Education and is in progress on her PhD in psychology.

Table of Contents

What is an argumentative essay, elements of an argumentative essay, argumentative essay format & structure, how to write an argumentative essay, argumentative essay examples, lesson summary, how do i write an argumentative essay.

To write an argumentative essay begin by researching a topic. Research is needed to help a writer understand the context of a subject. Once a writer understands the context of a subject, they can develop an arguable position on the subject. Conduct additional research to support the argued position, making sure to acknowledge counterarguments. Communicate the findings of your research and the impact of your position by using logical arguments based on authoritative facts.

What are the main parts of an argumentative essay?

The main parts of an argumentative essay are the introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction introduces a topic and the essay's thesis. The body of an argumentative essay should introduce evidence and commentary that supports the essay's thesis. Each of the three body paragraphs should introduce a new argumentative point. The conclusion synthesizes all of the information included in the argumentative essay.

The argumentative essay is a genre of essay writing whose purpose is to argue a position. The standard argumentative essay requires extensive research on a topic and is structured in three main sections comprised of five paragraphs: one introductory, three body, and one conclusion.

The introductory paragraph introduces the writer's topic. It should establish the thesis, position, and context of the argumentative essay. A thesis is a statement based on belief and research that is presented to a reader and meant to be proven or disproven through the use of logic and factual evidence. A position is a writer's belief or stance on a topic. Context is background information that helps a reader understand the topic being discussed in an argumentative essay.

The body of an argumentative essay builds an argument using argumentative points formatted as topic sentences that introduce the subject of each body paragraph. Every argumentative point must be supported by factual evidence cited from a reputable source. Body paragraphs must include commentary that explains the significance of the argumentative point and evidence. Body paragraphs typically include counterarguments to the position asserted in the essay in order to demonstrate a complex understanding of the subject under discussion.

The conclusion of an argumentative essay synthesizes all information in the essay. The conclusion should restate the thesis in a new way in light of the information provided throughout the body of the essay and may include suggestions for further research.

Argumentative essays are often assigned in advanced English composition courses to determine a student's research abilities and felicity with written language. Common argumentative essay topics pose open-ended questions that students answer according to their knowledge. Examples of argumentative essay topics include climate change, decisions on trial rulings, and interpretations of a famous novel's themes.

Students use their preliminary answers as research guides to develop a greater understanding of the topic under discussion. Students develop a position based on the existing literature on a subject and form a thesis based on their position. Students are expected to defend their thesis through additional research and logical reasoning.

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• 0:00 What Is an…
• 0:36 Elements
• 3:34 Format
• 5:19 Lesson Summary

The elements of an argumentative essay include position, reasons, evidence, counterarguments, and counters.

An argumentative essay's position can be defined as a student's stance on a topic or belief about a subject. An example position is, "I believe that all Americans are entitled to free healthcare." Positions are developed through the detailed research of preexisting positions on a topic. An argumentative essay position may double down on a preexisting position, explore a niche of a particular position, or address gaps in knowledge or research in existing positions. Establishing a position is the first step in establishing a thesis.

An argumentative essay must use ethical, logical, or moral reasoning to support its position and help prove its thesis. A reason , or reasoning, must logically develop the argument of an argumentative essay. The intent of reason is to inform, refute, or convince a reader of the thesis. The best argumentative essays include ethical, logical, and moral reasoning.

Successful argumentative essays must support their reasoning, thesis, and position with evidence : data and factual information collected from existing literature during research. Evidence that contradicts a writer's thesis should be researched further and incorporated into the counterarguments of the essay.

A counterargument can be defined as a position that opposes the asserted position of an argumentative essay. Counterarguments may include pieces of information, reasoning, or beliefs that oppose the asserted position of an argumentative essay. Counterarguments are typically addressed throughout the body of an argumentative essay and help strengthen the overall argument of a piece of writing by refuting contradictory claims or acknowledging the inability to do so.

Counters are similar to counterarguments. Counters are rebuttals of counterarguments. If a position states, "I believe all Americans are entitled to free healthcare." A plausible counter to this position would be, "America cannot afford to give all Americans free healthcare." Counters may refute opposing positions, reasons, or pieces of information. A counter position is the antithesis of an argumentative essay's position. A counter reason is a logically sound deduction that differs in intent from the reasoning of an argumentative essay. Counter evidence is topical information that supports a position that contradicts the position of an argumentative essay.

The structure of an argumentative essay follows a standard format of an introduction, followed by three argumentative points introduced in three separate body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Additionally, argumentative essays for high-level research or composition courses may also require appendices, indexes, abstracts, and other forms of supplemental writing intended to increase the readability of an essay, such as the inclusion of a table of contents, or bolster an essay's argument, such as the inclusion of graphs or supplemental figures.

Introduction

An argumentative essay's introduction must clearly state the position of the essay, summarize the argument to be proven in the essay, and inform the reader of the sources used to support the essay's reasoning. The argumentative essay's introduction should also contextualize the subject being discussed.

The introduction should start in general terms and narrow in focus as it progresses. The introductory paragraph should culminate in the thesis of the argumentative essay, which asserts the position that is to be argued throughout the essay.

A poorly structured or ill-defined introduction runs the risk of confusing readers. In the worst-case scenario, an ill-defined introduction prevents the development of a clear and organized argument.

Body Paragraphs

Body paragraphs constitute most of the writing included in an argumentative essay.

Body paragraphs are used to introduce argumentative points that support the position of an argumentative essay. Argumentative points should be supported by factual evidence collected from authoritative sources. Evidence that contradicts the position of an argumentative essay should be explained and acknowledged in order to demonstrate a complex understanding of the topic under discussion.

Body paragraphs contain these elements in this order: a topic sentence, supporting evidence, and commentary. Included commentary should interpret the provided evidence and relate it to the overarching thesis of the argumentative essay.

The conclusion of an argumentative essay is a synthesis of the position, topic, evidence, and reasoning of an argumentative essay.

An argumentative essay's conclusion is the last impression a writer leaves with a reader. Therefore, the conclusion of an argumentative essay must be logical, clear, and concise. No new information should be included in the conclusion of an argumentative essay unless it is a suggestion for further research. Typically, suggestions for further areas of research are a single sentence included at the beginning or end of a concluding paragraph.

The conclusion must also reinterpret the thesis of the argumentative essay in light of the provided information and reasoning. The reinterpretation of the thesis is intended to emphasize the importance of the writer's position to the reader.

The first step in writing an argumentative essay is research.

Writers must conduct research in order to have something to say about a topic or subject. Research also helps writers gain enough information to develop a position that is logical, defensible, and valuable. Once a position has been developed, additional research is needed to support, defend, and explore it.

Once research has been conducted and a position has been established, writers must form a thesis that will guide the writing of their argumentative essay. Additional research may be needed to support the claim of the thesis.

After preliminary research is complete, writers will begin to compose their argumentative essays.

All argumentative essays begin with an introductory paragraph that contextualizes the subject to be discussed. The writer should include background information on a topic that grounds the reader. The purpose of grounding the reader is to inform them that the following argument is significant and relates to something greater than itself. The introductory paragraph introduces a topic's importance, asserts a position on said topic, and includes a thesis that will be proven or disproven in the body of the essay.

The body immediately follows the introduction. The body of an argumentative essay explains the argumentative points used to support the overarching theme of the essay. Body paragraphs include a topic sentence that introduces the argumentative point of the paragraph, factual evidence that supports the reasoning of the topic sentence, and an interpretation of the provided evidence. The structure of a body paragraph should be consistent across all body paragraphs in an argumentative essay.

The conclusion is the final portion of an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay's conclusion is a synthesis of all the information included in the essay. The conclusion restates the importance of the topic being explored, reasserts the position of the essay, and restates the thesis in a revelatory way. No new information should be included in the conclusion paragraph. When appropriate, a short discussion of areas for future research related to your position may be included in the concluding paragraph of an argumentative essay.

Tips for Writing an Argumentative Essay

• Research, research, research
• Argumentative essays are most easily written in portions. Many writers find it easiest to write the introduction last.
• Do not exclude counterarguments.
• Outlines researched information
• Keep track of your sources.
• Edit, edit, edit. Superfluous information may weaken an otherwise strong argument.

To learn more about how to write an argumentative essay, see the examples below.

Example excerpt from a fictional argumentative essay 1:

''I believe that college students should control all of their own finances because they possess the intellectual capability and emotional maturity to do so.''

This excerpt is an example of a position. This position is the belief of the author and is defensible using logic and evidence.

Example excerpt from a fictional argumentative essay 2:

''The use of a blue light filter on electronic screens restores the circadian rhythm of device users.''

This excerpt is an example of a thesis. This thesis asserts a claim that is plausible and can be proven or refuted using factual evidence and logical reasoning.

Example excerpt from a fictional argumentative essay 3:

''Human brains are wired to wake up when exposed to blue light. Harvard University published an article that stated: 'At night, blue light throws the body's biological clock --the circadian rhythm-- out of whack'. When the human eye receives blue light it is biologically trained to wake up, making it difficult for people who spend a lot of time in front of screens to sleep.''

This excerpt is an example of a skeletal body paragraph. The first sentence is the topic sentence that explains what the paragraph will be about. The second sentence is evidence from an authoritative source that supports the topic sentence. The third sentence is a commentary on the included evidence that is informed by additional research.

Additional Writing Tips:

• Use parallel construction in your body paragraphs.
• Keep track of your sources, they will need to be cited in a bibliography or works cited.
• Familiarize yourself with the style guide required for your class, i.e. MLA, APA, Chicago, before you begin writing.

The standard argumentative essay is meant to argue a writer's position , otherwise called a stance or belief, on a subject. The standard argumentative essay consists of five paragraphs: an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction of an argumentative essay should include background information that contextualizes a topic for the reader and a thesis that succinctly explains the essay's position. Body paragraphs introduce argumentative points related to the thesis (the main argumentative point of an essay) and must be supported by evidence and original commentary. Body paragraphs also include counters , reasoning/information/evidence from a position contradictory to that of the argumentative essay. All argumentative essays benefit from the inclusion of counterarguments , positions that differ from that of the author, and evidence , facts and data from authoritative sources that support the reasoning of the essay.

Video Transcript

Myrtle is a teenager whose parents have set a curfew for her, but she wants to stay out longer. She thinks that she might be able to convince her parents to extend her curfew if she makes a sound argument. To make her case, she's decided to write them a letter.

An argumentative essay is a writing piece meant to persuade someone to think the way you do. Though it's usually organized as an essay, Myrtle's letter to her parents is also a type of argumentative writing. To help Myrtle write her essay, let's take a closer look at the elements and format of an argumentative essay.

Myrtle wants to convince her parents to give her a later curfew, and she's going to write an argumentative essay to do that. But where does she even start? What information does she need to include in her essay?

There are some specific elements that are needed in an argumentative essay. The first and most important element in a persuasive essay is the position , or what side the author is on. For example, Myrtle's position is that her curfew should be later. The position is not all that Myrtle needs to include in her essay. In fact, if all she does is state her position, it won't be very convincing. All her letter would say is, 'I think you should let me stay out later.' Her parents would just shrug and say, 'We disagree.'

In order to convince her parents, then, Myrtle also needs to include reasons , or why the author believes the way he or she does. For example, Myrtle could support her position by offering reasons like the fact that she's responsible, she's older than she used to be, and that a later curfew will allow her to study at the library for longer.

By offering these reasons, Myrtle has made her letter more convincing. She can take this even further, however, by supporting her reasons with evidence , or facts and data that support reasons. For example, remember that one of Myrtle's reasons is that a later curfew will allow her to study at the library for longer. She can support this reason with evidence. Maybe she has scientific articles that show that studying at the library is more effective than studying at home. Or perhaps she has data showing that kids with later curfews spend more time in the library. Both of those pieces of evidence could support her reason.

Of course, to be truly effective, Myrtle will want to include the source of her evidence. After all, if she just made it up, it's not really evidence. Further, the source of some evidence can be questionable. Imagine that she has an article about how kids with later curfews spend more time at the library, but it was written by someone who, like Myrtle, is trying to convince his parents to let him stay out later. In this case, the article might not be completely accurate and true.

If all Myrtle includes in her essay is her position, reasons, and evidence, she could make a pretty convincing case. But the best essays also include counterarguments , sometimes shortened to counters , which are reasons why the other side's arguments are not correct. For example, let's say that one thing that Myrtle's parents say to her consistently is that teenagers need sleep. She knows this is one reason why her parents don't want to extend her curfew. In her essay, she can address this and provide a counter. For example, she could write something like, 'You believe that extending my curfew will mean I get less sleep. But I stay up late already, and just because I'm home early doesn't mean that I'll go to bed early.'

Myrtle's reasons and evidence support her side. By providing counters, too, Myrtle is defeating arguments from the other side, which makes her essay even more convincing.

Okay, Myrtle understands the things that she needs to include in her letter to her parents. But how should she organize all that information? What's the format for an argumentative essay?

Argumentative essays can be organized in many different ways, but one common format for persuasive writing is the five paragraph essay , which includes an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. In the introduction, which is the first paragraph of the essay, Myrtle will want to explain the issue and state her position. For example, she'll mention that staying out late is an issue that is important to many people. She'll state that she believes that her curfew should be later.

In some essays, the introduction should also include background information. For example, in an essay about taxing sugary soda drinks, background information might include information on the growing number of people purchasing sodas, and the growing obesity epidemic. Essentially anything that needs to be understood before reading the rest of the essay is background information, and should be included in the introduction.

After the introduction, Myrtle will want to write three paragraphs that, collectively, will make up the body of the essay. In each paragraph, she'll want to focus on one reason or counter, and include evidence to support it. For example, she might want to write one paragraph on the idea that she could study at the library for longer, another paragraph on how she's older and more responsible than she used to be, and therefore deserves a later curfew, and another paragraph on the counter that an earlier curfew does not mean that she'll get more sleep.

Finally, Myrtle will end her essay with a conclusion, which will include a restatement of her position and a brief summary of her reasons and counters.

An argumentative essay is a persuasive writing piece. It includes several elements: the position , or what side the author is on; reasons , or why the author believes the way he does; evidence , or facts and data that support reasons; and counterarguments , sometimes shortened to counters , which are reasons why the other side's arguments are not correct.

Argumentative essays are organized in many different ways, but one popular format is the five paragraph essay , which includes an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The introduction includes an explanation of the issue, background information, and the author's position. Each body paragraph focuses on one reason or counter and provides evidence to support it. Finally, the conclusion includes a restatement of the position and a brief summary of the reasons and counters.

The Argumentative Essay

• The argumentative essay is used to persuade
• Includes the author's position, reasons, evidence, and counters
• Often organized in the five-paragraph essay form

Learning Outcomes

Completing this lesson should help you feel comfortable in doing the following:

• Explain the purpose of an argumentative essay
• List the components of an argumentative essay
• Describe the possible structure of an argumentative essay

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Argument Writing Rubric for 8th grade

Use this standards-based Argument Writing Rubric for 8th grade to assess your students’ argument writing skills! This rubric covers the major standards of eighth-grade argument writing, including introduction, support, transitions, style, and conclusion. Use this rubric in conjunction with the What’s Your Argument? writing prompts for middle grades, or with any argument writing assignment! Looking for a rubric to accompany this prompt? Check out our  6th grade ,  7th grade , or  8th grade  standards-based argument writing rubrics.

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Praxis Core Writing

Course: praxis core writing   >   unit 1, argumentative essay | quick guide.

• Source-based essay | Quick guide
• Revision in context | Quick guide
• Within-sentence punctuation | Quick guide
• Subordination and coordination | Quick guide
• Independent and dependent Clauses | Video lesson
• Parallel structure | Quick guide
• Modifier placement | Quick guide
• Shifts in verb tense | Quick guide
• Pronoun clarity | Quick guide
• Pronoun agreement | Quick guide
• Subject-verb agreement | Quick guide
• Noun agreement | Quick guide
• Frequently confused words | Quick guide
• Conventional expressions | Quick guide
• Logical comparison | Quick guide
• Concision | Quick guide
• Adjective/adverb confusion | Quick guide
• Negation | Quick guide
• Capitalization | Quick guide
• Apostrophe use | Quick guide
• Research skills | Quick guide

Argumentative essay (30 minutes)

• states or clearly implies the writer’s position or thesis
• organizes and develops ideas logically, making insightful connections between them
• clearly explains key ideas, supporting them with well-chosen reasons, examples, or details
• displays effective sentence variety
• clearly displays facility in the use of language
• is generally free from errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
• organizes and develops ideas clearly, making connections between them
• explains key ideas, supporting them with relevant reasons, examples, or details
• displays some sentence variety
• displays facility in the use of language
• states or implies the writer’s position or thesis
• shows control in the organization and development of ideas
• explains some key ideas, supporting them with adequate reasons, examples, or details
• displays adequate use of language
• shows control of grammar, usage, and mechanics, but may display errors
• limited in stating or implying a position or thesis
• limited control in the organization and development of ideas
• inadequate reasons, examples, or details to explain key ideas
• an accumulation of errors in the use of language
• an accumulation of errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
• no clear position or thesis
• weak organization or very little development
• few or no relevant reasons, examples, or details
• frequent serious errors in the use of language
• frequent serious errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics
• contains serious and persistent writing errors or
• is incoherent or
• is undeveloped or
• is off-topic

How should I build a thesis?

• (Choice A)   Kids should find role models that are worthier than celebrities because celebrities may be famous for reasons that aren't admirable. A Kids should find role models that are worthier than celebrities because celebrities may be famous for reasons that aren't admirable.
• (Choice B)   Because they profit from the admiration of youths, celebrities have a moral responsibility for the reactions their behaviors provoke in fans. B Because they profit from the admiration of youths, celebrities have a moral responsibility for the reactions their behaviors provoke in fans.
• (Choice C)   Celebrities may have more imitators than most people, but they hold no more responsibility over the example they set than the average person. C Celebrities may have more imitators than most people, but they hold no more responsibility over the example they set than the average person.
• (Choice D)   Notoriety is not always a choice, and some celebrities may not want to be role models. D Notoriety is not always a choice, and some celebrities may not want to be role models.
• (Choice E)   Parents have a moral responsibility to serve as immediate role models for their children. E Parents have a moral responsibility to serve as immediate role models for their children.

How should I support my thesis?

• (Choice A)   As basketball star Charles Barkley stated in a famous advertising campaign for Nike, he was paid to dominate on the basketball court, not to raise your kids. A As basketball star Charles Barkley stated in a famous advertising campaign for Nike, he was paid to dominate on the basketball court, not to raise your kids.
• (Choice B)   Many celebrities do consider themselves responsible for setting a good example and create non-profit organizations through which they can benefit youths. B Many celebrities do consider themselves responsible for setting a good example and create non-profit organizations through which they can benefit youths.
• (Choice C)   Many celebrities, like Kylie Jenner with her billion-dollar cosmetics company, profit directly from being imitated by fans who purchase sponsored products. C Many celebrities, like Kylie Jenner with her billion-dollar cosmetics company, profit directly from being imitated by fans who purchase sponsored products.
• (Choice D)   My ten-year-old nephew may love Drake's music, but his behaviors are more similar to those of the adults he interacts with on a daily basis, like his parents and teachers. D My ten-year-old nephew may love Drake's music, but his behaviors are more similar to those of the adults he interacts with on a daily basis, like his parents and teachers.
• (Choice E)   It's very common for young people to wear fashions similar to those of their favorite celebrities. E It's very common for young people to wear fashions similar to those of their favorite celebrities.

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CommonLit 360 An Overview of Argumentative Writing Units in CommonLit 360

Olivia Franklin

CommonLit’s argumentative writing units engage students with interesting topics and activities that build argument skills and encourage student choice.

Our comprehensive ELA curriculum, CommonLit360 , has highly-engaging argumentative  units that put the crucial skill of argumentative writing at the forefront of each lesson.

These units are designed to capture student interest in a relevant, real-world issue, then allow them to form an educated opinion on this issue through whole class and independent reading, engaging multimedia and infographics, and student-chosen texts. Student learning culminates in the form of a debate, argumentative essay, and optional end of unit project.

Sparking Interest With Exciting Topics

The topics for CommonLit 360’s argumentative units are designed to be interesting and relevant to students’ lives. Here are the topics and essential questions for each grade:

Informational Texts Anchor Each Argumentative Writing Unit

CommonLit’s argumentative writing units are anchored around informational texts that provide background knowledge to support students’ end-of-unit essays.

In 9th Grade, there are six Essential Reading Lessons. These lessons introduce students to the concept of public art. Then, students learn about negative impacts of graffiti on historic structures, reasons why large cities are concerned about graffiti, and graffiti’s association with other types of crime. Students also learn about graffiti from a more positive lens, including learning about the Visual Artists Rights Act and how it protects graffiti artists, and information about the modern inventor of graffiti, Darryl McCray.

These texts form the foundation of knowledge students will draw upon to form their own opinions and write their end-of-unit argumentative essays.

Learning Through Independent Research and Student Choice Using

Most units give students an opportunity to choose from a curated set of texts to further their knowledge and gather evidence for their final essays. This offers an excellent opportunity for student independence and collaborative discussion of different texts and perspectives.

After engaging in six Essential Reading Lessons, 9th Grade students will choose from a list of texts to build on their knowledge and strengthen their argument for or against graffiti.

Students are given two sets of texts and videos and must choose one of each to engage with. After reading and taking notes, they do a jigsaw activity to learn from partners about the two texts or videos they did not engage with.

Debate Helps Students Strengthen their Argument

In our argumentative writing units, students have the chance to participate in a formal debate. By assigning students to a side and requiring collaboration amongst teams, these debates teach students to use reasoning and evidence to argue a point and respond to counter arguments.

In 9th Grade, students answer the debate question, “Should graffiti be protected?”

Debate lessons include rounds of partner debate and chances for students to confer in like-minded teams to gather evidence and prepare for rebuttal. These debates set students up for success in their essay drafting, because students leave with strong reasons and evidence for both sides of the argument and can make more informed, persuasive cases in their writing.

End-of-Unit Projects Foster Student Creativity

Each unit for Grades 6 to 10 includes an optional end-of-unit project. These projects are an exciting chance for students to collaborate with peers and present arguments in real-world scenarios.

Sharpening Argumentative Writing Skills

All argumentative units have lessons that guide students through an analysis of a student-written mentor text. Through these lessons, students learn the most important parts of an argumentative essay.

After writing a first draft, students complete revision lessons, which are a quick and exciting way for students to add argumentative techniques to their writing such as: addressing your audience directly, writing effective rhetorical questions, using repetition, or opening with narrative. In these lessons, students examine models and practice their new skills in fun, low-stake journal prompts such as “Convince a friend to lend you $1,000” or “describe the perfect school lunch” before revising their unit essays.

Writing lessons in the argumentative units include multiple opportunities for practice and revision.

If you are interested in learning more about CommonLit 360, here are some recommended next steps:

• Browse the 360 ELA Curriculum here .
• Sign up for a CommonLit 360 webinar for an opportunity to learn more and ask questions.
• Learn about the affordable wraparound services for schools and districts looking to adopt CommonLit 360.

Chat with CommonLit

CommonLit’s team will reach out with more information on our school and district partnerships.

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100 Thought-Provoking Argumentative Writing Prompts for Kids and Teens

Practice making well-reasoned arguments using research and facts.

Writing a strong argumentative essay teaches students to make a case for their own point of view without relying on emotion or passion. These argumentative essay topics provide options for kids of all ages, including controversial subjects and some that are just for fun.

School and Education Argumentative Essay Topics

Science and history argumentative essay topics, life and ethics argumentative essay topics, social justice and civics argumentative essay topics, more argumentative essay topics, what’s the difference between argumentative and persuasive essays.

These two types of essays are similar, but there are some subtle and important differences .

• Author’s purpose: In an argumentative essay, your job is to simply convince the reader that the point of view you’re presenting is valid, even if it doesn’t change their mind. Persuasive essays seek to sway the reader to adopt your point of view over any others.
• Method: Argumentative essays rely heavily on well-researched facts and logical assertions. In a persuasive essay, the writer may use a blend of emotion and facts to win over the reader.
• Audience: Persuasive essays require a specific audience, since the writer must acknowledge and attempt to overcome their potential objections. The writer of an argumentative essay is simply making a statement, so knowing their audience is less important.
• Viewpoint: A persuasive essay writer should believe their point of view is the only correct one, and try to persuade the reader to agree. Argumentative essays acknowledge other points of view, but use reason and logic to argue that the writer’s point of view is best.

Persuasive and argumentative essay topics often overlap. The difference is in how the writer approaches the topic. When you assign one of the topics below as an argumentative essay, remind students to use research, reason, and logic to make a strong but dispassionate argument.

• Should physical education be part of the standard high school curriculum?
• Schools should require recommended vaccines for all students, with very limited exceptions.
• Should all students have the ability to attend college for free?
• What one class should all high schools students be required to take and pass in order to graduate?

• Do you think homework should be required, optional, or not given at all?
• Students should/should not be able to use their phones during the school day.
• Should schools have dress codes?
• If I could change one school rule, it would be …
• Is year-round school a good idea?
• Which is better, private schools or public schools?
• Should every student have to participate in athletics?
• Do you think schools should ban junk food from their cafeterias?
• Should students be required to volunteer in their communities?
• What is the most important school subject?
• Are letter grades helpful, or should we replace them with something else?

• Should schools be allowed to ban some books from their libraries?
• Which is better, book smarts or street smarts?
• Are single-gender schools better or worse for students?
• Are computers making teachers obsolete?
• Students who fail a test should be given a chance to take it again.
• Is it acceptable to use animals for experiments and research?
• Vaping is less harmful than smoking tobacco.
• Do we really learn anything from history, or does it just repeat itself over and over?
• Is it OK to keep animals in zoos?
• Should we ban plastic bags and bottles?
• Should we still consider Pluto a planet?

• It’s important to spend tax dollars exploring space, instead of on other things.
• Is there life on other planets?
• Who was the best/worst American president?
• Should vaccines be mandatory?
• Are GMOs more helpful than harmful?
• Is animal cloning ethical?
• Should human cloning be legal?
• Should we use stem cells from human embryos for scientific research?
• Is it better to provide drug addicts with treatment instead of punishment?

• Should we ban the use of fossil fuels?
• Can we truly do anything about human-caused global warming?
• Are electric vehicles better than gas-powered ones?
• Was life really better “back in the day”?
• Choose a foreign conflict (e.g., Vietnam or Afghanistan) and argue whether or not the United States was justified in getting involved.
• The most important challenge our country is currently facing is … (e.g., immigration, gun control, economy)
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• The best country in the world is …
• Are men and women treated equally?
• Is it better to be vegetarian/vegan than to eat meat?
• Should little kids be allowed to play competitive sports?
• Who faces more peer pressure, girls or boys?
• Should kids have set bedtimes or just go to bed whenever they’re sleepy?

• Which is better, artificial Christmas trees or real ones?
• Playing violent video games is bad for kids and teens.
• Parents should track their kids using their cell phones.
• Are paper books better than e-books?
• All kids should play on the same sports teams, regardless of gender.
• All paper documents should be replaced with electronic versions.
• Is conflict necessary for change?
• Is war ever justified?
• A strong middle class is vital to the economy.

• Is the local minimum wage truly a living wage?
• Should we do away with gender-specific public bathrooms?
• Is a progressive income tax better than a flat tax?
• Capital punishment does/does not deter crime.
• Would it be better to legalize, tax, and regulate all drugs (including alcohol and cigarettes) instead of banning them?
• Parents should be punished for their minor children’s crimes.

• The government should provide free internet access for every citizen.
• Is democracy the best form of government?
• Is capitalism the best form of economy?
• Should all Americans be required to vote?
• Should we change the minimum driving age in the United States?
• Do you think the government should find a way to provide free health care for everyone?
• School-age children should be allowed to vote.
• We should/should not abolish the electoral college.
• Are “Stand Your Ground” laws effective?
• Supreme Court judges should be appointed for fixed terms.

• Does segregation still exist in the United States?
• We should/should not continue building a wall between the United States and Mexico.
• Will stricter gun control laws help control mass shootings?
• Should we make the path to American citizenship easier?
• Is the American justice system inherently racist?
• Should we redirect some or all police force funding to social services?
• Should the United States implement a universal basic income?
• Choose a fictional character and explain why they should be the next president.
• What animal makes the best pet?
• Who is the world’s best athlete, present or past?
• Which is better, reading books or watching TV?
• Is a taco a sandwich?
• Should kids be allowed to stay up as late as they want?

• What’s the best video game system?
• Kids shouldn’t have to go to school on their birthdays.
• Is video gaming a sport?
• Are beauty pageants sexist?
• Should kids get participation trophies for sports?
• Are stereotypes ever right?
• Is there any benefit to teaching proper grammar and spelling, or should we allow language to be descriptive instead of prescriptive?
• All teenagers should have part-time jobs.
• Should kids have limits on screen time?
• Is it better to read fiction or nonfiction?
• Should kids have to eat everything on their plate, even if they really don’t like something?

• Is it better to spend an hour a day reading or exercising?
• Is graffiti an act of vandalism or an art form?
• Should society hold celebrities to a high moral standard?

What are your favorite argumentative writing prompts? Come share your thoughts in the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook .

Also check out 100 intriguing cause and effect essay topics for students ..

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33 Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School

Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School Students . Bonus! Many of these ideas are also GREAT for students and writers of all ages.

Argumentative essays tend to require a little more research and logic than their cousin, the persuasive essay—but your middle school students will enjoy the opportunity to argue convincingly to readers all the same.

More importantly, as students research their papers, gather evidence, and form their positions and arguments, they’ll be learning and practicing a number of important writing and critical thinking skills.

Good Grades in Essay Writing this School Year

The way to good grades for every student is to practice.

Yes, some students will have to practice their essay writing skills more than others. But…

It is the exploration and understanding of the essay writing process that lead to good writing.

This is why to support your students, we offer you…

Good Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas (and Free, too!)

With these 33 new argumentative essay topics for middle school students, you can help your students learn more about what makes a good argument and how to evaluate and decipher so-called “evidence.”

As they explore topics like the ways in which schools handle bullying and whether or not the Pledge of Allegiance should be required in schools, they’ll have the chance to see how biased some sources may be—and how those sources can be construed to support a particular side of an argument. 

Whether students choose to argue for or against a given topic, you can be sure they’ll learn plenty about the components of an excellent argument either way.

You can help your writers form a point of view on topics they are interested in by using our ideas for your next homework assignment.

So get to it and…

Use these argumentative essay topics for middle school today to teach your middle-schoolers all about the process of delivering well-researched, evidence-based arguments to their peers. I’m sure you’ll be glad you did.

33 Powerful Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School

Enjoy using these middle schooler argumentative essay topic ideas with your kids.

• Do people have a right to Internet access?
• Do violent video games make people more likely to be violent in real life?
• Is it ever fair for minorities to receive special treatment or consideration?
• Does the average American have a healthy diet? What are the effects of good or bad eating habits on the healthcare system?
• Should students have a greater say in what they learn?
• Do girls or boys face more societal pressure—or do they face equal amounts?
• Do schools do enough to prevent bullying?
• Does reality television accurately depict real life? Do movies?
• Does nature or nurture play a bigger role in who we are?
• Do athletes, celebrities, and CEOs deserve to make more money than the average person?
• Is arts education as important as other types of curriculum?
• What is the greatest challenge today’s students face?
• What responsibilities do people have to help one another out?
• What one thing should all households be doing to conserve energy?

• Does pop culture have value?
• Should parents monitor their children’s Internet and/or social media usage?
• When it comes to government monitoring, which is more important—individual privacy or national security?
• How does the location someone grows up in affect who they become?
• Should the Pledge of Allegiance be recited (or required) in schools?
• Should official forms and documents have more than two options available when asking about gender?
• Do participation trophies have value or do they undervalue the achievements of the winners?
• Should children have restricted limits on the amount of screen time they can have on their cell phones, computers, and so forth?
• Is climate change real, and is it happening?
• What types of responsibilities does a government have to take care of its citizens?
• Knowing what we know about the dangers of smoking, should cigarettes be outlawed?
• Should students be required to learn a second, foreign language in school?
• What issue should lawmakers be most concerned about?
• Should Photoshopped magazine covers be banned?
• Should religion be kept out of politics or brought into it?
• Do celebrities have a right to privacy or do they forfeit some of that right by choosing to live in the public eye?
• Should peanut products and other common allergens be kept out of schools?
• Is it immoral to download copyrighted content illegally—or is it something that is a violation of the law, but not an issue of ethics?

I hope you enjoyed these argumentative essay topics for middle school writers.

Now, in case your students need more ideas, here are…

13 More Argumentative Research Paper Topic Ideas

A few of these topics are deep and may be better suited for more advanced writers. Of course, they may also be reworked and simplified for writers of all skill levels if needed.

• Should all kids have curfews?
• Are pets really “fur babies” and should they have the same rights as children?
• Are school uniforms a good idea?
• Should gym class (physical education) be required in school for all students?
• Do beauty pageants objectify the participants?
• Was the civil rights movement one of the most significant times in American history?
• Should the United States revise the history lessons taught in public schools?
• What events from history do you think must continue to be taught in public schools? (Great Depression, historical mistreatment of Native Americans, etc…)
• If a politician is caught lying, should they be required to instantly resign from their elected office?
• The minimum wage law in the United States is…
• Is too much homework harmful, helpful, or both?
• Do you believe access to a needed medical treatment is a human right?
• Young adults today are…

Ok, in case more writing prompt ideas are needed, check out the resources listed below.

174 More Essay Writing Topics

• 31 Compare and Contrast Essay Topics
• 35 Essay Topics for Kids
• 37 Essay topics for 6th graders
• 36 Opinion Writing Prompts
• 35 Argumentative Essay Topics for High School Students

Until next time, keep on writing!

If you enjoyed these Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, please share them on Facebook, Twitter, and/or Pinterest. I appreciate it!

Sincerely, Jill journalbuddies.com creator and curator

PS – This Argumentative Writing Step-by-Step Plan might be helpful for your students!

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English Language Arts and Reading.8.8.E.ii

analyze characteristics and structures of argumentative text by:

identifying and explaining the counter argument ; and

A student expectation is directly related to the knowledge and skills statement, is more specific about how students demonstrate their learning, and always begins with a verb. Student expectations are further broken down into their component parts, often referred to as “breakouts.”

Knowledge and Skills Statement

A knowledge and skills statement is a broad statement of what students must know and be able to do. It generally begins with a learning strand and ends with the phrase “The student is expected to:” Knowledge and skills statements always include related student expectations.

Task students with working in small groups to read an argumentative text. Ask students to revise their own argumentative essays and make sure they include a counter argument.  

Further Explanation

Students should be aware of how authors can strengthen their own arguments by recognizing counterpoints and demonstrating why those points are not as valid or convincing as the one the author is trying to make. Students should also understand that when the author can demonstrate a logical deconstruction of opposing views, the reader has an easier time trusting that the stance of the author is valid.

Glossary Support for ELA.8.8.E.ii

1. Nussbaum, E. M., & Schraw, G. (2017). Promoting argument-counterargument integration in students' writing. The Journal of Experimental Education , 76(1), 59–92. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.3200/JEXE.76.1.59-92         

Summary: This study provides instructional strategies to improve students' ability to construct an argument for or against a position. A graphic organizer is suggested as a means to identify the argument and counterargument before developing a final conclusion. Although the participants in this study were undergraduates, the practical application of the strategy is consistent with lower grades. The process also increased students' reasoning and ability to create rebuttals.

2. Jonassen, D. H,. & Kim. B. (2009). Arguing to learn and learning to argue: Design justification and guidelines. Education Technology & Research Development , 5I(4), 439–457. doi:10.1007/s11423-009-9143-8

Summary: This study suggests that students who experience meaningful learning are also deeply engaged in the learning process. The study focuses on argumentative writing. Jonassen and Kim consider critical thinking as a way to facilitate conceptual change and problem solving. In fact, critical thinking is fundamental to learning how to effectively argue. The study also examines what occurs when a student is unsuccessful in persuading an audience or presenting an argument. The report provides ways to evaluate the arguments for their quality. 

3. Dickson, R. (2004). Developing "real world intelligence": Teaching argumentative writing through debate. The English Journal , 94(1), 34-40. Retrieved from https://www.jstor.org/stable/4128845  

Summary: Students who debate are required to consistently engage in critical thinking, argumentation, and presentation. Dickson suggest that this process also has an implication on the students' ability to write. Combining debate and essay writing is one way to integrate the two concepts.