argumentative essay writing samples

Argumentative Essay Examples to Inspire You (+ Free Formula)

Table of contents

Meredith Sell

Have you ever been asked to explain your opinion on a controversial issue? 

• Maybe your family got into a discussion about chemical pesticides
• Someone at work argues against investing resources into your project
• Your partner thinks intermittent fasting is the best way to lose weight and you disagree

Proving your point in an argumentative essay can be challenging, unless you are using a proven formula.

Argumentative essay formula & example

In the image below, you can see a recommended structure for argumentative essays. It starts with the topic sentence, which establishes the main idea of the essay. Next, this hypothesis is developed in the development stage. Then, the rebuttal, or the refutal of the main counter argument or arguments. Then, again, development of the rebuttal. This is followed by an example, and ends with a summary. This is a very basic structure, but it gives you a bird-eye-view of how a proper argumentative essay can be built.

Writing an argumentative essay (for a class, a news outlet, or just for fun) can help you improve your understanding of an issue and sharpen your thinking on the matter. Using researched facts and data, you can explain why you or others think the way you do, even while other reasonable people disagree.

Free AI argumentative essay generator > Free AI argumentative essay generator >

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an explanatory essay that takes a side.

Instead of appealing to emotion and personal experience to change the reader’s mind, an argumentative essay uses logic and well-researched factual information to explain why the thesis in question is the most reasonable opinion on the matter.  

Over several paragraphs or pages, the author systematically walks through:

• The opposition (and supporting evidence)
• The chosen thesis (and its supporting evidence)

At the end, the author leaves the decision up to the reader, trusting that the case they’ve made will do the work of changing the reader’s mind. Even if the reader’s opinion doesn’t change, they come away from the essay with a greater understanding of the perspective presented — and perhaps a better understanding of their original opinion.

All of that might make it seem like writing an argumentative essay is way harder than an emotionally-driven persuasive essay — but if you’re like me and much more comfortable spouting facts and figures than making impassioned pleas, you may find that an argumentative essay is easier to write. 

Plus, the process of researching an argumentative essay means you can check your assumptions and develop an opinion that’s more based in reality than what you originally thought. I know for sure that my opinions need to be fact checked — don’t yours?

So how exactly do we write the argumentative essay?

How do you start an argumentative essay

First, gain a clear understanding of what exactly an argumentative essay is. To formulate a proper topic sentence, you have to be clear on your topic, and to explore it through research.

Students have difficulty starting an essay because the whole task seems intimidating, and they are afraid of spending too much time on the topic sentence. Experienced writers, however, know that there is no set time to spend on figuring out your topic. It's a real exploration that is based to a large extent on intuition.

6 Steps to Write an Argumentative Essay (Persuasion Formula)

Use this checklist to tackle your essay one step at a time:

1. Research an issue with an arguable question

To start, you need to identify an issue that well-informed people have varying opinions on. Here, it’s helpful to think of one core topic and how it intersects with another (or several other) issues. That intersection is where hot takes and reasonable (or unreasonable) opinions abound. 

I find it helpful to stage the issue as a question.

For example: 

Is it better to legislate the minimum size of chicken enclosures or to outlaw the sale of eggs from chickens who don’t have enough space?

Should snow removal policies focus more on effectively keeping roads clear for traffic or the environmental impacts of snow removal methods?

Once you have your arguable question ready, start researching the basic facts and specific opinions and arguments on the issue. Do your best to stay focused on gathering information that is directly relevant to your topic. Depending on what your essay is for, you may reference academic studies, government reports, or newspaper articles.

‍ Research your opposition and the facts that support their viewpoint as much as you research your own position . You’ll need to address your opposition in your essay, so you’ll want to know their argument from the inside out.

2. Choose a side based on your research

You likely started with an inclination toward one side or the other, but your research should ultimately shape your perspective. So once you’ve completed the research, nail down your opinion and start articulating the what and why of your take. 

What: I think it’s better to outlaw selling eggs from chickens whose enclosures are too small.

Why: Because if you regulate the enclosure size directly, egg producers outside of the government’s jurisdiction could ship eggs into your territory and put nearby egg producers out of business by offering better prices because they don’t have the added cost of larger enclosures.

This is an early form of your thesis and the basic logic of your argument. You’ll want to iterate on this a few times and develop a one-sentence statement that sums up the thesis of your essay.

Thesis: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with cramped living spaces is better for business than regulating the size of chicken enclosures.

Now that you’ve articulated your thesis , spell out the counterargument(s) as well. Putting your opposition’s take into words will help you throughout the rest of the essay-writing process. (You can start by choosing the counter argument option with Wordtune Spices .)

Counterargument: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with too small enclosures will immediately drive up egg prices for consumers, making the low-cost protein source harder to afford — especially for low-income consumers.

There may be one main counterargument to articulate, or several. Write them all out and start thinking about how you’ll use evidence to address each of them or show why your argument is still the best option.

3. Organize the evidence — for your side and the opposition

You did all of that research for a reason. Now’s the time to use it. 

Hopefully, you kept detailed notes in a document, complete with links and titles of all your source material. Go through your research document and copy the evidence for your argument and your opposition’s into another document.

List the main points of your argument. Then, below each point, paste the evidence that backs them up.

If you’re writing about chicken enclosures, maybe you found evidence that shows the spread of disease among birds kept in close quarters is worse than among birds who have more space. Or maybe you found information that says eggs from free-range chickens are more flavorful or nutritious. Put that information next to the appropriate part of your argument. 

Repeat the process with your opposition’s argument: What information did you find that supports your opposition? Paste it beside your opposition’s argument.

You could also put information here that refutes your opposition, but organize it in a way that clearly tells you — at a glance — that the information disproves their point.

Counterargument: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with too small enclosures will immediately drive up egg prices for consumers.

BUT: Sicknesses like avian flu spread more easily through small enclosures and could cause a shortage that would drive up egg prices naturally, so ensuring larger enclosures is still a better policy for consumers over the long term.

As you organize your research and see the evidence all together, start thinking through the best way to order your points.  

Will it be better to present your argument all at once or to break it up with opposition claims you can quickly refute? Would some points set up other points well? Does a more complicated point require that the reader understands a simpler point first?

Play around and rearrange your notes to see how your essay might flow one way or another.

4. Freewrite or outline to think through your argument

Is your brain buzzing yet? At this point in the process, it can be helpful to take out a notebook or open a fresh document and dump whatever you’re thinking on the page.

Where should your essay start? What ground-level information do you need to provide your readers before you can dive into the issue?

Use your organized evidence document from step 3 to think through your argument from beginning to end, and determine the structure of your essay.

There are three typical structures for argumentative essays:

• Make your argument and tackle opposition claims one by one, as they come up in relation to the points of your argument - In this approach, the whole essay — from beginning to end — focuses on your argument, but as you make each point, you address the relevant opposition claims individually. This approach works well if your opposition’s views can be quickly explained and refuted and if they directly relate to specific points in your argument.
• Make the bulk of your argument, and then address the opposition all at once in a paragraph (or a few) - This approach puts the opposition in its own section, separate from your main argument. After you’ve made your case, with ample evidence to convince your readers, you write about the opposition, explaining their viewpoint and supporting evidence — and showing readers why the opposition’s argument is unconvincing. Once you’ve addressed the opposition, you write a conclusion that sums up why your argument is the better one.
• Open your essay by talking about the opposition and where it falls short. Build your entire argument to show how it is superior to that opposition - With this structure, you’re showing your readers “a better way” to address the issue. After opening your piece by showing how your opposition’s approaches fail, you launch into your argument, providing readers with ample evidence that backs you up.

As you think through your argument and examine your evidence document, consider which structure will serve your argument best. Sketch out an outline to give yourself a map to follow in the writing process. You could also rearrange your evidence document again to match your outline, so it will be easy to find what you need when you start writing.

5. Write your first draft

You have an outline and an organized document with all your points and evidence lined up and ready. Now you just have to write your essay.

In your first draft, focus on getting your ideas on the page. Your wording may not be perfect (whose is?), but you know what you’re trying to say — so even if you’re overly wordy and taking too much space to say what you need to say, put those words on the page.

Follow your outline, and draw from that evidence document to flesh out each point of your argument. Explain what the evidence means for your argument and your opposition. Connect the dots for your readers so they can follow you, point by point, and understand what you’re trying to say.

As you write, be sure to include:

1. Any background information your reader needs in order to understand the issue in question.

2. Evidence for both your argument and the counterargument(s). This shows that you’ve done your homework and builds trust with your reader, while also setting you up to make a more convincing argument. (If you find gaps in your research while you’re writing, Wordtune Spices can source statistics or historical facts on the fly!)

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

3. A conclusion that sums up your overall argument and evidence — and leaves the reader with an understanding of the issue and its significance. This sort of conclusion brings your essay to a strong ending that doesn’t waste readers’ time, but actually adds value to your case.

6. Revise (with Wordtune)

The hard work is done: you have a first draft. Now, let’s fine tune your writing.

I like to step away from what I’ve written for a day (or at least a night of sleep) before attempting to revise. It helps me approach clunky phrases and rough transitions with fresh eyes. If you don’t have that luxury, just get away from your computer for a few minutes — use the bathroom, do some jumping jacks, eat an apple — and then come back and read through your piece.

As you revise, make sure you …

• Get the facts right. An argument with false evidence falls apart pretty quickly, so check your facts to make yours rock solid.
• Don’t misrepresent the opposition or their evidence. If someone who holds the opposing view reads your essay, they should affirm how you explain their side — even if they disagree with your rebuttal.
• Present a case that builds over the course of your essay, makes sense, and ends on a strong note. One point should naturally lead to the next. Your readers shouldn’t feel like you’re constantly changing subjects. You’re making a variety of points, but your argument should feel like a cohesive whole.
• Paraphrase sources and cite them appropriately. Did you skip citations when writing your first draft? No worries — you can add them now. And check that you don’t overly rely on quotations. (Need help paraphrasing? Wordtune can help. Simply highlight the sentence or phrase you want to adjust and sort through Wordtune’s suggestions.)
• Tighten up overly wordy explanations and sharpen any convoluted ideas. Wordtune makes a great sidekick for this too 😉

Words to start an argumentative essay

The best way to introduce a convincing argument is to provide a strong thesis statement . These are the words I usually use to start an argumentative essay:

• It is indisputable that the world today is facing a multitude of issues
• With the rise of ____, the potential to make a positive difference has never been more accessible
• It is essential that we take action now and tackle these issues head-on
• it is critical to understand the underlying causes of the problems standing before us
• Opponents of this idea claim
• Those who are against these ideas may say
• Some people may disagree with this idea
• Some people may say that ____, however

When refuting an opposing concept, use:

• These researchers have a point in thinking
• To a certain extent they are right
• After seeing this evidence, there is no way one can agree with this idea
• This argument is irrelevant to the topic

Are you convinced by your own argument yet? Ready to brave the next get-together where everyone’s talking like they know something about intermittent fasting , chicken enclosures , or snow removal policies? 

Now if someone asks you to explain your evidence-based but controversial opinion, you can hand them your essay and ask them to report back after they’ve read it.

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8 Effective Strategies to Write Argumentative Essays

In a bustling university town, there lived a student named Alex. Popular for creativity and wit, one challenge seemed insurmountable for Alex– the dreaded argumentative essay!

One gloomy afternoon, as the rain tapped against the window pane, Alex sat at his cluttered desk, staring at a blank document on the computer screen. The assignment loomed large: a 350-600-word argumentative essay on a topic of their choice . With a sigh, he decided to seek help of mentor, Professor Mitchell, who was known for his passion for writing.

Entering Professor Mitchell’s office was like stepping into a treasure of knowledge. Bookshelves lined every wall, faint aroma of old manuscripts in the air and sticky notes over the wall. Alex took a deep breath and knocked on his door.

“Ah, Alex,” Professor Mitchell greeted with a warm smile. “What brings you here today?”

Alex confessed his struggles with the argumentative essay. After hearing his concerns, Professor Mitchell said, “Ah, the argumentative essay! Don’t worry, Let’s take a look at it together.” As he guided Alex to the corner shelf, Alex asked,

Table of Contents

“What is an Argumentative Essay?”

The professor replied, “An argumentative essay is a type of academic writing that presents a clear argument or a firm position on a contentious issue. Unlike other forms of essays, such as descriptive or narrative essays, these essays require you to take a stance, present evidence, and convince your audience of the validity of your viewpoint with supporting evidence. A well-crafted argumentative essay relies on concrete facts and supporting evidence rather than merely expressing the author’s personal opinions . Furthermore, these essays demand comprehensive research on the chosen topic and typically follows a structured format consisting of three primary sections: an introductory paragraph, three body paragraphs, and a concluding paragraph.”

He continued, “Argumentative essays are written in a wide range of subject areas, reflecting their applicability across disciplines. They are written in different subject areas like literature and philosophy, history, science and technology, political science, psychology, economics and so on.

Alex asked,

“When is an Argumentative Essay Written?”

The professor answered, “Argumentative essays are often assigned in academic settings, but they can also be written for various other purposes, such as editorials, opinion pieces, or blog posts. Some situations to write argumentative essays include:

1. Academic assignments

In school or college, teachers may assign argumentative essays as part of coursework. It help students to develop critical thinking and persuasive writing skills .

2. Debates and discussions

Argumentative essays can serve as the basis for debates or discussions in academic or competitive settings. Moreover, they provide a structured way to present and defend your viewpoint.

3. Opinion pieces

Newspapers, magazines, and online publications often feature opinion pieces that present an argument on a current issue or topic to influence public opinion.

4. Policy proposals

In government and policy-related fields, argumentative essays are used to propose and defend specific policy changes or solutions to societal problems.

5. Persuasive speeches

Before delivering a persuasive speech, it’s common to prepare an argumentative essay as a foundation for your presentation.

Regardless of the context, an argumentative essay should present a clear thesis statement , provide evidence and reasoning to support your position, address counterarguments, and conclude with a compelling summary of your main points. The goal is to persuade readers or listeners to accept your viewpoint or at least consider it seriously.”

Handing over a book, the professor continued, “Take a look on the elements or structure of an argumentative essay.”

Elements of an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay comprises five essential components:

Claim in argumentative writing is the central argument or viewpoint that the writer aims to establish and defend throughout the essay. A claim must assert your position on an issue and must be arguable. It can guide the entire argument.

2. Evidence

Evidence must consist of factual information, data, examples, or expert opinions that support the claim. Also, it lends credibility by strengthening the writer’s position.

3. Counterarguments

Presenting a counterclaim demonstrates fairness and awareness of alternative perspectives.

4. Rebuttal

After presenting the counterclaim, the writer refutes it by offering counterarguments or providing evidence that weakens the opposing viewpoint. It shows that the writer has considered multiple perspectives and is prepared to defend their position.

The format of an argumentative essay typically follows the structure to ensure clarity and effectiveness in presenting an argument.

How to Write An Argumentative Essay

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write an argumentative essay:

1. Introduction

• Begin with a compelling sentence or question to grab the reader’s attention.
• Provide context for the issue, including relevant facts, statistics, or historical background.
• Provide a concise thesis statement to present your position on the topic.

2. Body Paragraphs (usually three or more)

• Start each paragraph with a clear and focused topic sentence that relates to your thesis statement.
• Furthermore, provide evidence and explain the facts, statistics, examples, expert opinions, and quotations from credible sources that supports your thesis.
• Use transition sentences to smoothly move from one point to the next.

3. Counterargument and Rebuttal

• Acknowledge opposing viewpoints or potential objections to your argument.
• Also, address these counterarguments with evidence and explain why they do not weaken your position.

4. Conclusion

• Restate your thesis statement and summarize the key points you’ve made in the body of the essay.
• Leave the reader with a final thought, call to action, or broader implication related to the topic.

5. Citations and References

• Properly cite all the sources you use in your essay using a consistent citation style.
• Also, include a bibliography or works cited at the end of your essay.

6. Formatting and Style

• Follow any specific formatting guidelines provided by your instructor or institution.
• Use a professional and academic tone in your writing and edit your essay to avoid content, spelling and grammar mistakes .

Remember that the specific requirements for formatting an argumentative essay may vary depending on your instructor’s guidelines or the citation style you’re using (e.g., APA, MLA, Chicago). Always check the assignment instructions or style guide for any additional requirements or variations in formatting.

Did you understand what Prof. Mitchell explained Alex? Check it now!

Fill the Details to Check Your Score

Prof. Mitchell continued, “An argumentative essay can adopt various approaches when dealing with opposing perspectives. It may offer a balanced presentation of both sides, providing equal weight to each, or it may advocate more strongly for one side while still acknowledging the existence of opposing views.” As Alex listened carefully to the Professor’s thoughts, his eyes fell on a page with examples of argumentative essay.

Example of an Argumentative Essay

Alex picked the book and read the example. It helped him to understand the concept. Furthermore, he could now connect better to the elements and steps of the essay which Prof. Mitchell had mentioned earlier. Aren’t you keen to know how an argumentative essay should be like? Here is an example of a well-crafted argumentative essay , which was read by Alex. After Alex finished reading the example, the professor turned the page and continued, “Check this page to know the importance of writing an argumentative essay in developing skills of an individual.”

Importance of an Argumentative Essay

After understanding the benefits, Alex was convinced by the ability of the argumentative essays in advocating one’s beliefs and favor the author’s position. Alex asked,

“How are argumentative essays different from the other types?”

Prof. Mitchell answered, “Argumentative essays differ from other types of essays primarily in their purpose, structure, and approach in presenting information. Unlike expository essays, argumentative essays persuade the reader to adopt a particular point of view or take a specific action on a controversial issue. Furthermore, they differ from descriptive essays by not focusing vividly on describing a topic. Also, they are less engaging through storytelling as compared to the narrative essays.

Alex said, “Given the direct and persuasive nature of argumentative essays, can you suggest some strategies to write an effective argumentative essay?

Turning the pages of the book, Prof. Mitchell replied, “Sure! You can check this infographic to get some tips for writing an argumentative essay.”

Effective Strategies to Write an Argumentative Essay

As days turned into weeks, Alex diligently worked on his essay. He researched, gathered evidence, and refined his thesis. It was a long and challenging journey, filled with countless drafts and revisions.

Finally, the day arrived when Alex submitted their essay. As he clicked the “Submit” button, a sense of accomplishment washed over him. He realized that the argumentative essay, while challenging, had improved his critical thinking and transformed him into a more confident writer. Furthermore, Alex received feedback from his professor, a mix of praise and constructive criticism. It was a humbling experience, a reminder that every journey has its obstacles and opportunities for growth.

Frequently Asked Questions

An argumentative essay can be written as follows- 1. Choose a Topic 2. Research and Collect Evidences 3. Develop a Clear Thesis Statement 4. Outline Your Essay- Introduction, Body Paragraphs and Conclusion 5. Revise and Edit 6. Format and Cite Sources 7. Final Review

One must choose a clear, concise and specific statement as a claim. It must be debatable and establish your position. Avoid using ambiguous or unclear while making a claim. To strengthen your claim, address potential counterarguments or opposing viewpoints. Additionally, use persuasive language and rhetoric to make your claim more compelling

Starting an argument essay effectively is crucial to engage your readers and establish the context for your argument. Here’s how you can start an argument essay are: 1. Begin With an Engaging Hook 2. Provide Background Information 3. Present Your Thesis Statement 4. Briefly Outline Your Main 5. Establish Your Credibility

The key features of an argumentative essay are: 1. Clear and Specific Thesis Statement 2. Credible Evidence 3. Counterarguments 4. Structured Body Paragraph 5. Logical Flow 6. Use of Persuasive Techniques 7. Formal Language

An argumentative essay typically consists of the following main parts or sections: 1. Introduction 2. Body Paragraphs 3. Counterargument and Rebuttal 4. Conclusion 5. References (if applicable)

The main purpose of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to accept or agree with a particular viewpoint or position on a controversial or debatable topic. In other words, the primary goal of an argumentative essay is to convince the audience that the author's argument or thesis statement is valid, logical, and well-supported by evidence and reasoning.

Great article! The topic is simplified well! Keep up the good work

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12 Essential Steps for Writing an Argumentative Essay (with 10 example essays)

Bonus Material: 10 complete example essays

Writing an essay can often feel like a Herculean task. How do you go from a prompt… to pages of beautifully-written and clearly-supported writing?

This 12-step method is for students who want to write a great essay that makes a clear argument.

In fact, using the strategies from this post, in just 88 minutes, one of our students revised her C+ draft to an A.

If you’re interested in learning how to write awesome argumentative essays and improve your writing grades, this post will teach you exactly how to do it.

First, grab our download so you can follow along with the complete examples.

Then keep reading to see all 12 essential steps to writing a great essay.

Download 10 example essays

Why you need to have a plan

One of the most common mistakes that students make when writing is to just dive in haphazardly without a plan.

Writing is a bit like cooking. If you’re making a meal, would you start throwing ingredients at random into a pot? Probably not!

Instead, you’d probably start by thinking about what you want to cook. Then you’d gather the ingredients, and go to the store if you don’t already have them in your kitchen. Then you’d follow a recipe, step by step, to make your meal.

Here’s our 12-step recipe for writing a great argumentative essay:

• Pick a topic
• Choose your research sources
• Read your sources and take notes
• Create a thesis statement
• Choose three main arguments to support your thesis statement —now you have a skeleton outline
• Populate your outline with the research that supports each argument
• Do more research if necessary
• Add your own analysis
• Add transitions and concluding sentences to each paragraph
• Write an introduction and conclusion for your essay
• Add citations and bibliography

Grab our download to see the complete example at every stage, along with 9 great student essays. Then let’s go through the steps together and write an A+ essay!

1. Pick a topic

Sometimes you might be assigned a topic by your instructor, but often you’ll have to come up with your own idea! 

If you don’t pick the right topic, you can be setting yourself up for failure.

Be careful that your topic is something that’s actually arguable —it has more than one side. Check out our carefully-vetted list of 99 topic ideas .

Let’s pick the topic of laboratory animals . Our question is should animals be used for testing and research ?

Download our set of 10 great example essays to jump to the finished version of this essay.

2. Choose your research sources

One of the big differences between the way an academic argumentative essay and the version of the assignment that you may have done in elementary school is that for an academic argumentative essay, we need to support our arguments with evidence .

Where do we get that evidence?

Let’s be honest, we all are likely to start with Google and Wikipedia.

Now, Wikipedia can be a useful starting place if you don’t know very much about a topic, but don’t use Wikipedia as your main source of evidence for your essay. 

Instead, look for reputable sources that you can show to your readers as proof of your arguments. It can be helpful to read some sources from either side of your issue.

Look for recently-published sources (within the last 20 years), unless there’s a specific reason to do otherwise.

Good places to look for sources are:

• Books published by academic presses
• Academic journals
• Academic databases like JSTOR and EBSCO
• Nationally-published newspapers and magazines like The New York Times or The Atlantic
• Websites and publications of national institutions like the NIH
• Websites and publications of universities

Some of these sources are typically behind a paywall. This can be frustrating when you’re a middle-school or high-school student.

However, there are often ways to get access to these sources. Librarians (at your school library or local public library) can be fantastic resources, and they can often help you find a copy of the article or book you want to read. In particular, librarians can help you use Interlibrary Loan to order books or journals to your local library!

More and more scientists and other researchers are trying to publish their articles for free online, in order to encourage the free exchange of knowledge. Check out respected open-access platforms like arxiv.org and PLOS ONE .

How do you find these sources?

If you have access to an academic database like JSTOR or EBSCO , that’s a great place to start.

Everyone can use Google Scholar to search for articles. This is a powerful tool and highly recommended!

Of course, if there’s a term you come across that you don’t recognize, you can always just Google it!

How many sources do you need? That depends on the length of your essay and on the assignment. If your instructor doesn’t give you any other guidance, assume that you should have at least three good sources.

For our topic of animal research, here’s a few sources that we could assemble:

Geoff Watts. “Animal Testing: Is It Worth It?” BMJ: British Medical Journal , Jan. 27, 2007, Vol. 334, No. 7586 (Jan. 27, 2007), pp. 182-184.

Kim Bartel Sheehan and Joonghwa Lee. “What’s Cruel About Cruelty Free: An Exploration of Consumers, Moral Heuristics, and Public Policy.” Journal of Animal Ethics , Vol. 4, No. 2 (Fall 2014), pp. 1-15.

Justin Goodman, Alka Chandna and Katherine Roe. “Trends in animal use at US research facilities.” Journal of Medical Ethics , July 2015, Vol. 41, No. 7 (July 2015), pp. 567-569.

Katy Taylor. “Recent Developments in Alternatives to Animal Testing.” In Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change . Brill 2019.

Thomas Hartung. “Research and Testing Without Animals: Where Are We Now and Where Are We Heading?” In Animal Experimentation: Working Towards a Paradigm Change . Brill 2019.

Bonus: download 10 example essays now .

3. Read your sources and take notes

Once you have a nice pile of sources, it’s time to read them!

As we read, we want to take notes that will be useful to us later as we write our essay.

We want to be careful to keep the source’s ideas separate from our own ideas . Come up with a system to clearly mark the difference as you’re taking notes: use different colors, or use little arrows to represent the ideas that are yours and not the source’s ideas.

We can use this structure to keep notes in an organized way:

Download a template for these research notes here .

For our topic of animal research, our notes might look something like this:

Grab our download to read the rest of the notes and see more examples of how to do thoughtful research!

4. Create a thesis

What major themes did you find in your reading? What did you find most interesting or convincing?

Now is the point when you need to pick a side on your topic, if you haven’t already done so. Now that you’ve read more about the issue, what do you think? Write down your position on the issue:

Animal testing is necessary but should be reduced.

Next, it’s time to add more detail to your thesis. What reasons do you have to support that position? Add those to your sentence.

Animal testing is necessary but should be reduced by eliminating testing for cosmetics, ensuring that any testing is scientifically sound, and replacing animal models with other methods as much as possible.

Add qualifiers to refine your position. Are there situations in which your position would not apply? Or are there other conditions that need to be met? 

For our topic of animal research, our final thesis statement (with lead-in) might look something like this:

The argument: Animal testing and research should not be abolished, as doing so would upend important medical research and substance testing. However, scientific advances mean that in many situations animal testing can be replaced by other methods that not only avoid the ethical problems of animal testing, but also are less costly and more accurate. Governments and other regulatory bodies should further regulate animal testing to outlaw testing for cosmetics and other recreational products, ensure that the tests conducted are both necessary and scientifically rigorous, and encourage the replacement of animal use with other methods whenever possible.

The highlighted bit at the end is the thesis statement, but the lead-in is useful to help us set up the argument—and having it there already will make writing our introduction easier!

The thesis statement is the single most important sentence of your essay. Without a strong thesis, there’s no chance of writing a great essay. Read more about it here .

See how nine real students wrote great thesis statements in 9 example essays now.

5. Create three supporting arguments

Think of three good arguments why your position is true. We’re going to make each one into a body paragraph of your essay.

For now, write them out as 1–2 sentences. These will be topic sentences for each body paragraph.

For our essay about animal testing, it might look like this:

Supporting argument #1: For ethical reasons, animal testing should not be allowed for cosmetics and recreational products.

Supporting argument #2: The tests that are conducted with animals should be both necessary (for the greater good) and scientifically rigorous—which isn’t always the case currently. This should be regulated by governments and institutions.

Supporting argument #3: Governments and institutions should do more to encourage the replacement of animal testing with other methods.

Optional: Find a counterargument and respond to it

Think of a potential counterargument to your position. Consider writing a fourth paragraph anticipating this counterargument, or find a way to include it in your other body paragraphs. 

For our essay, that might be:

Possible counterargument: Animal testing is unethical and should not be used in any circumstances.

Response to the counterargument: Animal testing is deeply entrenched in many research projects and medical procedures. Abruptly ceasing animal testing would upend the scientific and medical communities. But there are many ways that animal testing could be reduced.

With these three arguments, a counterargument, and a thesis, we now have a skeleton outline! See each step of this essay in full in our handy download .

6. Start populating your outline with the evidence you found in your research

Look through your research. What did you find that would support each of your three arguments?

Copy and paste those quotes or paraphrases into the outline. Make sure that each one is annotated so that you know which source it came from!

Ideally you already started thinking about these sources when you were doing your research—that’s the ideas in the rightmost column of our research template. Use this stuff too! 

A good rule of thumb would be to use at least three pieces of evidence per body paragraph.

Think about in what order it would make most sense to present your points. Rearrange your quotes accordingly! As you reorder them, feel free to start adding short sentences indicating the flow of ideas .

For our essay about animal testing, part of our populated outline might look something like:

Argument #1: For ethical reasons, animal testing should not be allowed for cosmetics and recreational products.

Lots of animals are used for testing and research.

In the US, about 22 million animals were used annually in the early 1990s, mostly rodents (BMJ 1993, 1020).

But there are ethical problems with using animals in laboratory settings. Opinions about the divide between humans and animals might be shifting.

McIsaac refers to “the essential moral dilemma: how to balance the welfare of humans with the welfare of other species” (Hubel, McIsaac 29).

The fundamental legal texts used to justify animal use in biomedical research were created after WWII, and drew a clear line between experiments on animals and on humans. The Nuremburg Code states that “the experiment should be so designed and based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the disease or other problem under study that the anticipated results will justify the performance of the experiment” (Ferrari, 197). The 1964  Declaration of the World Medical Association on the Ethical Principles for Medical Research Involving Human Subjects (known as the Helsinki Declaration) states that “Medical research involving human subjects must conform to generally accepted scientific principles, be based on a thorough knowledge of the scientific literature, other relevant sources of information, and adequate laboratory and, as appropriate, animal experimentation. The welfare of animals used for research must be respected” (Ferrari, 197).

→ Context? The Nuremberg Code is a set of ethical research principles, developed in 1947 in the wake of Nazi atrocities during WWII, specifically the inhumane and often fatal experimentation on human subjects without consent.

“Since the 1970s, the animal-rights movement has challenged the use of animals in modern Western society by rejecting the idea of dominion of human beings over nature and animals and stressing the intrinsic value and rights of individual animals” (van Roten, 539, referencing works by Singer, Clark, Regan, and Jasper and Nelkin).

“The old (animal) model simply does not fully meet the needs of scientific and economic progress; it fails in cost, speed, level of detail of understanding, and human relevance. On top of this, animal experimentation lacks acceptance by an ethically evolving society” (Hartung, 682).

Knight’s article summarizes negative impacts on laboratory animals—invasive procedures, stress, pain, and death (Knight, 333). These aren’t very widely or clearly reported (Knight, 333). → Reading about these definitely produces an emotional reaction—they sound bad.

Given this context, it makes sense to ban animal testing in situations where it’s just for recreational products like cosmetics.

Fortunately, animal testing for cosmetics is less common than we might think.

A Gallup poll published in 1990 found that 14% of people thought that the most frequent reason for using animals to test cosmetics for safety—but figures from the UK Home Office in 1991 found that less than 1% of animals were used for tests for cosmetics and toiletries (BMJ 1993, 1019). → So in the early 1990s there was a big difference between what people thought was happening and what actually was happening!

But it still happens, and there are very few regulations of it (apart from in the EU).

Because there are many definitions of the phrase “cruelty-free,” many companies “can (and do) use the term when the product or its ingredients were indeed tested on animals” (Sheehan and Lee, 1).

The authors compare “cruelty-free” to the term “fair trade.” There is an independent inspection and certification group (Flo-Cert) that reviews products labeled as “fair trade,” but there’s no analogous process for “cruelty-free” (Sheehan and Lee, 2). → So anyone can just put that label on a product? Apparently, apart from in the European Union. That seems really easy to abuse for marketing purposes.

Companies can also hire outside firms to test products and ingredients on animals (Sheehan and Lee, 3).

Animal testing for recreational, non-medical purposes should be banned, like it is in the EU.

Download the full example outline here .

7. Do more research if necessary

Occasionally you might realize that there’s a hole in your research, and you don’t have enough evidence to support one of your points.

In this situation, either change your argument to fit the evidence that you do have, or do a bit more research to fill the hole!

For example, looking at our outline for argument #1 for our essay on animal testing, it’s clear that this paragraph is missing a small but crucial bit of evidence—a reference to this specific ban on animal testing for cosmetics in Europe. Time for a bit more research!

A visit to the official website of the European Commission yields a copy of the law, which we can add to our populated outline:

“The cosmetics directive provides the regulatory framework for the phasing out of animal testing for cosmetics purposes. Specifically, it establishes (1) a testing ban – prohibition to test finished cosmetic products and cosmetic ingredients on animals, and (2) a marketing ban – prohibition to market finished cosmetic products and ingredients in the EU which were tested on animals. The same provisions are contained in the cosmetics regulation , which replaced the cosmetics directive as of 11 July 2013. The testing ban on finished cosmetic products applies since 11 September 2004. The testing ban on ingredients or combination of ingredients applies since 11 March 2009. The marketing ban applies since 11 March 2009 for all human health effects with the exception of repeated-dose toxicity, reproductive toxicity, and toxicokinetics. For these specific health effects, the marketing ban applies since 11 March 2013, irrespective of the availability of alternative non-animal tests.” (website of the European Commission, “Ban on animal testing”)

Alright, now this supporting argument has the necessary ingredients!

You don’t need to use all of the evidence that you found in your research. In fact, you probably won’t use all of it!

This part of the writing process requires you to think critically about your arguments and what evidence is relevant to your points .

8. Add your own analysis and synthesis of these points

Once you’ve organized your evidence and decided what you want to use for your essay, now you get to start adding your own analysis!

You may have already started synthesizing and evaluating your sources when you were doing your research (the stuff on the right-hand side of our template). This gives you a great starting place!

For each piece of evidence, follow this formula:

• Context and transitions: introduce your piece of evidence and any relevant background info and signal the logical flow of ideas
• Reproduce the paraphrase or direct quote (with citation )
• Explanation : explain what the quote/paraphrase means in your own words
• Analysis : analyze how this piece of evidence proves your thesis
• Relate it back to the thesis: don’t forget to relate this point back to your overarching thesis! 

If you follow this fool-proof formula as you write, you will create clear, well-evidenced arguments.

As you get more experienced, you might stray a bit from the formula—but a good essay will always intermix evidence with explanation and analysis, and will always contain signposts back to the thesis throughout.

For our essay about animal testing, our first body paragraph might look like:

Every year, millions of animals—mostly rodents—are used for testing and research (BMJ 1993, 1020) . This testing poses an ethical dilemma: “how to balance the welfare of humans with the welfare of other species” (Hubel, McIsaac 29) . Many of the fundamental legal tests that are used to justify animal use in biomedical research were created in wake of the horrors of World War II, when the Nazi regime engaged in terrible experimentation on their human prisoners. In response to these atrocities, philosophers and lawmakers drew a clear line between experimenting on humans without consent and experimenting on (non-human) animals. For example, the 1947 Nuremberg Code stated that “the experiment should be so designed and based on the results of animal experimentation and a knowledge of the natural history of the disease or other problem under study that the anticipated results will justify the performance of the experiment” (Ferrari, 197) . Created two years after the war, the code established a set of ethical research principles to demarcate ethical differences between animals and humans, clarifying differences between Nazi atrocities and more everyday research practices. However, in the following decades, the animal-rights movement has challenged the philosophical boundaries between humans and animals and questioned humanity’s right to exert dominion over animals (van Roten, 539, referencing works by Singer, Clark, Regan, and Jasper and Nelkin) . These concerns are not without justification, as animals used in laboratories are subject to invasive procedures, stress, pain, and death (Knight, 333) . Indeed, reading detailed descriptions of this research can be difficult to stomach . In light of this, while some animal testing that contributes to vital medical research and ultimately saves millions of lives may be ethically justified, animal testing that is purely for recreational purposes like cosmetics cannot be ethically justified . Fortunately, animal testing for cosmetics is less common than we might think . In 1990, a poll found that 14% of people in the UK thought that the most frequent reason for using animals to test cosmetics for safety—but actual figures were less than 1% (BMJ 1993, 1019) . Unfortunately, animal testing for cosmetics is not subject to very much regulation . In particular, companies can use the phrase “cruelty-free” to mean just about anything, and many companies “can (and do) use the term when the product or its ingredients were indeed tested on animals” (Sheehan and Lee, 1) . Unlike the term “fair trade,” which has an independent inspection and certification group (Flo-Cert) that reviews products using the label, there’s no analogous process for “cruelty-free” (Sheehan and Lee, 2) . Without regulation, the term is regularly abused by marketers . Companies can also hire outside firms to test products and ingredients on animals and thereby pass the blame (Sheehan and Lee, 3) . Consumers trying to avoid products tested on animals are frequently tricked . Greater regulation of terms would help, but the only way to end this kind of deceit will be to ban animal testing for recreational, non-medical purposes . The European Union is the only governmental body yet to accomplish this . In a series of regulations, the EU first banned testing finished cosmetic products (2004), then testing ingredients or marketing products which were tested on animals (2009); exceptions for specific health effects ended in 2013 (website of the European Commission, “Ban on animal testing”) . The result is that the EU bans testing cosmetic ingredients or finished cosmetic products on animals, as well as marketing any cosmetic ingredients and products which were tested on animals elsewhere (Regulation 1223/2009/EU, known as the “Cosmetics Regulation”) . The rest of the world should follow this example and ban animal testing on cosmetic ingredients and products, which do not contribute significantly to the greater good and therefore cannot outweigh the cost to animal lives .

Edit down the quotes/paraphrases as you go. In many cases, you might copy out a great long quote from a source…but only end up using a few words of it as a direct quote, or you might only paraphrase it!

There were several good quotes in our previous step that just didn’t end up fitting here. That’s fine!

Take a look at the words and phrases highlighted in red. Notice how sometimes a single word can help to provide necessary context and create a logical transition for a new idea. Don’t forget the transitions! These words and phrases are essential to good writing.

The end of the paragraph should very clearly tie back to the thesis statement.

As you write, consider your audience

If it’s not specified in your assignment prompt, it’s always appropriate to ask your instructor who the intended audience of your essay or paper might be. (Your instructor will usually be impressed by this question!) 

If you don’t get any specific guidance, imagine that your audience is the typical readership of a newspaper like the New York Times —people who are generally educated, but who don’t have any specialized  knowledge of the specific subject, especially if it’s more technical.

That means that you should explain any words or phrases that aren’t everyday terminology!

Equally important, you don’t want to leave logical leaps for your readers to make. Connect all of the dots for them!

See the other body paragraphs of this essay, along with 9 student essays, here .

9. Add paragraph transitions and concluding sentences to each body paragraph

By now you should have at least three strong body paragraphs, each one with 3–5 pieces of evidence plus your own analysis and synthesis of the evidence. 

Each paragraph has a main topic sentence, which we wrote back when we made the outline. This is a good time to check that the topic sentences still match what the rest of the paragraph says!

Think about how these arguments relate to each other. What is the most logical order for them? Re-order your paragraphs if necessary.

Then add a few sentences at the end of each paragraph and/or the beginning of the next paragraph to connect these ideas. This step is often the difference between an okay essay and a really great one!

You want your essay to have a great flow. We didn’t worry about this at the beginning of our writing, but now is the time to start improving the flow of ideas!

10. The final additions: write an introduction and a conclusion

Follow this formula to write a great introduction:

• It begins with some kind of “hook”: this can be an anecdote, quote, statistic, provocative statement, question, etc. 

(Pro tip: don’t use phrases like “throughout history,” “since the dawn of humankind,” etc. It’s good to think broadly, but you don’t have to make generalizations for all of history.)

• It gives some background information that is relevant to understand the ethical dilemma or debate
• It has a lead-up to the thesis
• At the end of the introduction, the thesis is clearly stated

This makes a smooth funnel that starts more broadly and smoothly zeroes in on the specific argument.

Your conclusion is kind of like your introduction, but in reverse. It starts with your thesis and ends a little more broadly.

For the conclusion, try and summarize your entire argument without being redundant. Start by restating your thesis but with slightly different wording . Then summarize each of your main points.

If you can, it’s nice to point to the larger significance of the issue. What are the potential consequences of this issue? What are some future directions for it to go in? What remains to be explored?

See how nine students wrote introductions in different styles here .

11. Add citations and bibliography

Check what bibliographic style your instructor wants you to use. If this isn’t clearly stated, it’s a good question to ask them!

Typically the instructions will say something like “Chicago style,” “APA,” etc., or they’ll give you their own rules. 

These rules will dictate how exactly you’ll write your citations in the body of your essay (either in parentheses after the quote/paraphrase or else with a footnote or endnote) and how you’ll write your “works cited” with the full bibliographic information at the end.

Follow these rules! The most important thing is to be consistent and clear.

Pro tip: if you’re struggling with this step, your librarians can often help! They’re literally pros at this. 🙂

Now you have a complete draft!

Read it from beginning to end. Does it make sense? Are there any orphan quotes or paraphrases that aren’t clearly explained? Are there any abrupt changes of topic? Fix it!

Are there any problems with grammar or spelling ? Fix them!

Edit for clarity.

Ideally, you’ll finish your draft at least a few days before it’s due to be submitted. Give it a break for a day or two, and then come back to it. Things to be revised are more likely to jump out after a little break!

Try reading your essay out loud. Are there any sentences that don’t sound quite right? Rewrite them!

Double-check your thesis statement. This is the make-or-break moment of your essay, and without a clear thesis it’s pretty impossible for an essay to be a great one. Is it:

• Arguable: it’s not just the facts—someone could disagree with this position
• Narrow & specific: don’t pick a position that’s so broad you could never back it up
• Complex: show that you are thinking deeply—one way to do this is to consider objections/qualifiers in your thesis

Try giving your essay to a friend or family member to read. Sometimes (if you’re lucky) your instructors will offer to read a draft if you turn it in early. What feedback do they have? Edit accordingly!

See the result of this process with 10 example essays now .

You’re done!

You did it! Feel proud of yourself 🙂

We regularly help students work through all of these steps to write great academic essays in our Academic Writing Workshop or our one-on-one writing tutoring . We’re happy to chat more about what’s challenging for you and provide you customized guidance to help you write better papers and improve your grades on writing assignments!

Want to see what this looks like when it’s all pulled together? We compiled nine examples of great student essays, plus all of the steps used to create this model essay, in this handy resource. Download it here !

Emily graduated  summa cum laude  from Princeton University and holds an MA from the University of Notre Dame. She was a National Merit Scholar and has won numerous academic prizes and fellowships. A veteran of the publishing industry, she has helped professors at Harvard, Yale, and Princeton revise their books and articles. Over the last decade, Emily has successfully mentored hundreds of students in all aspects of the college admissions process, including the SAT, ACT, and college application essay. 

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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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What is an Argumentative Essay? How to Write It (With Examples)

We define an argumentative essay as a type of essay that presents arguments about both sides of an issue. The purpose is to convince the reader to accept a particular viewpoint or action. In an argumentative essay, the writer takes a stance on a controversial or debatable topic and supports their position with evidence, reasoning, and examples. The essay should also address counterarguments, demonstrating a thorough understanding of the topic.

Table of Contents

• What is an argumentative essay?  
• Argumentative essay structure 
• Argumentative essay outline 
• Types of argument claims 

How to write an argumentative essay?

• Argumentative essay writing tips 
• Good argumentative essay example 

How to write a good thesis

• How to Write an Argumentative Essay with Paperpal? 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an argumentative essay.

An argumentative essay is a type of writing that presents a coherent and logical analysis of a specific topic. 1 The goal is to convince the reader to accept the writer’s point of view or opinion on a particular issue. Here are the key elements of an argumentative essay: 

• Thesis Statement : The central claim or argument that the essay aims to prove. 
• Introduction : Provides background information and introduces the thesis statement. 
• Body Paragraphs : Each paragraph addresses a specific aspect of the argument, presents evidence, and may include counter arguments. 

Articulate your thesis statement better with Paperpal. Start writing now!

• Evidence : Supports the main argument with relevant facts, examples, statistics, or expert opinions. 
• Counterarguments : Anticipates and addresses opposing viewpoints to strengthen the overall argument. 
• Conclusion : Summarizes the main points, reinforces the thesis, and may suggest implications or actions. 

Argumentative essay structure

Aristotelian, Rogerian, and Toulmin are three distinct approaches to argumentative essay structures, each with its principles and methods. 2 The choice depends on the purpose and nature of the topic. Here’s an overview of each type of argumentative essay format.

Have a looming deadline for your argumentative essay? Write 2x faster with Paperpal – Start now!  

Argumentative essay outline

An argumentative essay presents a specific claim or argument and supports it with evidence and reasoning. Here’s an outline for an argumentative essay, along with examples for each section: 3  

1.  Introduction : 

• Hook : Start with a compelling statement, question, or anecdote to grab the reader’s attention. 

Example: “Did you know that plastic pollution is threatening marine life at an alarming rate?” 

• Background information : Provide brief context about the issue. 

Example: “Plastic pollution has become a global environmental concern, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering our oceans yearly.” 

• Thesis statement : Clearly state your main argument or position. 

Example: “We must take immediate action to reduce plastic usage and implement more sustainable alternatives to protect our marine ecosystem.” 

2.  Body Paragraphs : 

• Topic sentence : Introduce the main idea of each paragraph. 

Example: “The first step towards addressing the plastic pollution crisis is reducing single-use plastic consumption.” 

• Evidence/Support : Provide evidence, facts, statistics, or examples that support your argument. 

Example: “Research shows that plastic straws alone contribute to millions of tons of plastic waste annually, and many marine animals suffer from ingestion or entanglement.” 

• Counterargument/Refutation : Acknowledge and refute opposing viewpoints. 

Example: “Some argue that banning plastic straws is inconvenient for consumers, but the long-term environmental benefits far outweigh the temporary inconvenience.” 

• Transition : Connect each paragraph to the next. 

Example: “Having addressed the issue of single-use plastics, the focus must now shift to promoting sustainable alternatives.” 

3.  Counterargument Paragraph : 

• Acknowledgement of opposing views : Recognize alternative perspectives on the issue. 

Example: “While some may argue that individual actions cannot significantly impact global plastic pollution, the cumulative effect of collective efforts must be considered.” 

• Counterargument and rebuttal : Present and refute the main counterargument. 

Example: “However, individual actions, when multiplied across millions of people, can substantially reduce plastic waste. Small changes in behavior, such as using reusable bags and containers, can have a significant positive impact.” 

4.  Conclusion : 

• Restatement of thesis : Summarize your main argument. 

Example: “In conclusion, adopting sustainable practices and reducing single-use plastic is crucial for preserving our oceans and marine life.” 

• Call to action : Encourage the reader to take specific steps or consider the argument’s implications. 

Example: “It is our responsibility to make environmentally conscious choices and advocate for policies that prioritize the health of our planet. By collectively embracing sustainable alternatives, we can contribute to a cleaner and healthier future.” 

Types of argument claims

A claim is a statement or proposition a writer puts forward with evidence to persuade the reader. 4 Here are some common types of argument claims, along with examples: 

• Fact Claims : These claims assert that something is true or false and can often be verified through evidence.  Example: “Water boils at 100°C at sea level.”
• Value Claims : Value claims express judgments about the worth or morality of something, often based on personal beliefs or societal values. Example: “Organic farming is more ethical than conventional farming.” 
• Policy Claims : Policy claims propose a course of action or argue for a specific policy, law, or regulation change.  Example: “Schools should adopt a year-round education system to improve student learning outcomes.” 
• Cause and Effect Claims : These claims argue that one event or condition leads to another, establishing a cause-and-effect relationship.  Example: “Excessive use of social media is a leading cause of increased feelings of loneliness among young adults.” 
• Definition Claims : Definition claims assert the meaning or classification of a concept or term.  Example: “Artificial intelligence can be defined as machines exhibiting human-like cognitive functions.” 
• Comparative Claims : Comparative claims assert that one thing is better or worse than another in certain respects.  Example: “Online education is more cost-effective than traditional classroom learning.” 
• Evaluation Claims : Evaluation claims assess the quality, significance, or effectiveness of something based on specific criteria.  Example: “The new healthcare policy is more effective in providing affordable healthcare to all citizens.” 

Understanding these argument claims can help writers construct more persuasive and well-supported arguments tailored to the specific nature of the claim.  

If you’re wondering how to start an argumentative essay, here’s a step-by-step guide to help you with the argumentative essay format and writing process.

• Choose a Topic: Select a topic that you are passionate about or interested in. Ensure that the topic is debatable and has two or more sides.
• Define Your Position: Clearly state your stance on the issue. Consider opposing viewpoints and be ready to counter them.
• Conduct Research: Gather relevant information from credible sources, such as books, articles, and academic journals. Take notes on key points and supporting evidence.
• Create a Thesis Statement: Develop a concise and clear thesis statement that outlines your main argument. Convey your position on the issue and provide a roadmap for the essay.
• Outline Your Argumentative Essay: Organize your ideas logically by creating an outline. Include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Each body paragraph should focus on a single point that supports your thesis.
• Write the Introduction: Start with a hook to grab the reader’s attention (a quote, a question, a surprising fact). Provide background information on the topic. Present your thesis statement at the end of the introduction.
• Develop Body Paragraphs: Begin each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that relates to the thesis. Support your points with evidence and examples. Address counterarguments and refute them to strengthen your position. Ensure smooth transitions between paragraphs.
• Address Counterarguments: Acknowledge and respond to opposing viewpoints. Anticipate objections and provide evidence to counter them.
• Write the Conclusion: Summarize the main points of your argumentative essay. Reinforce the significance of your argument. End with a call to action, a prediction, or a thought-provoking statement.
• Revise, Edit, and Share: Review your essay for clarity, coherence, and consistency. Check for grammatical and spelling errors. Share your essay with peers, friends, or instructors for constructive feedback.
• Finalize Your Argumentative Essay: Make final edits based on feedback received. Ensure that your essay follows the required formatting and citation style.

Struggling to start your argumentative essay? Paperpal can help – try now!   

Argumentative essay writing tips

Here are eight strategies to craft a compelling argumentative essay: 

• Choose a Clear and Controversial Topic : Select a topic that sparks debate and has opposing viewpoints. A clear and controversial issue provides a solid foundation for a strong argument. 
• Conduct Thorough Research : Gather relevant information from reputable sources to support your argument. Use a variety of sources, such as academic journals, books, reputable websites, and expert opinions, to strengthen your position. 
• Create a Strong Thesis Statement : Clearly articulate your main argument in a concise thesis statement. Your thesis should convey your stance on the issue and provide a roadmap for the reader to follow your argument. 
• Develop a Logical Structure : Organize your essay with a clear introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Each paragraph should focus on a specific point of evidence that contributes to your overall argument. Ensure a logical flow from one point to the next. 
• Provide Strong Evidence : Support your claims with solid evidence. Use facts, statistics, examples, and expert opinions to support your arguments. Be sure to cite your sources appropriately to maintain credibility. 
• Address Counterarguments : Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and counterarguments. Addressing and refuting alternative perspectives strengthens your essay and demonstrates a thorough understanding of the issue. Be mindful of maintaining a respectful tone even when discussing opposing views. 
• Use Persuasive Language : Employ persuasive language to make your points effectively. Avoid emotional appeals without supporting evidence and strive for a respectful and professional tone. 
• Craft a Compelling Conclusion : Summarize your main points, restate your thesis, and leave a lasting impression in your conclusion. Encourage readers to consider the implications of your argument and potentially take action. 

Good argumentative essay example

Let’s consider a sample of argumentative essay on how social media enhances connectivity:

In the digital age, social media has emerged as a powerful tool that transcends geographical boundaries, connecting individuals from diverse backgrounds and providing a platform for an array of voices to be heard. While critics argue that social media fosters division and amplifies negativity, it is essential to recognize the positive aspects of this digital revolution and how it enhances connectivity by providing a platform for diverse voices to flourish. One of the primary benefits of social media is its ability to facilitate instant communication and connection across the globe. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram break down geographical barriers, enabling people to establish and maintain relationships regardless of physical location and fostering a sense of global community. Furthermore, social media has transformed how people stay connected with friends and family. Whether separated by miles or time zones, social media ensures that relationships remain dynamic and relevant, contributing to a more interconnected world. Moreover, social media has played a pivotal role in giving voice to social justice movements and marginalized communities. Movements such as #BlackLivesMatter, #MeToo, and #ClimateStrike have gained momentum through social media, allowing individuals to share their stories and advocate for change on a global scale. This digital activism can shape public opinion and hold institutions accountable. Social media platforms provide a dynamic space for open dialogue and discourse. Users can engage in discussions, share information, and challenge each other’s perspectives, fostering a culture of critical thinking. This open exchange of ideas contributes to a more informed and enlightened society where individuals can broaden their horizons and develop a nuanced understanding of complex issues. While criticisms of social media abound, it is crucial to recognize its positive impact on connectivity and the amplification of diverse voices. Social media transcends physical and cultural barriers, connecting people across the globe and providing a platform for marginalized voices to be heard. By fostering open dialogue and facilitating the exchange of ideas, social media contributes to a more interconnected and empowered society. Embracing the positive aspects of social media allows us to harness its potential for positive change and collective growth.

• Clearly Define Your Thesis Statement:   Your thesis statement is the core of your argumentative essay. Clearly articulate your main argument or position on the issue. Avoid vague or general statements.  
• Provide Strong Supporting Evidence:   Back up your thesis with solid evidence from reliable sources and examples. This can include facts, statistics, expert opinions, anecdotes, or real-life examples. Make sure your evidence is relevant to your argument, as it impacts the overall persuasiveness of your thesis.  
• Anticipate Counterarguments and Address Them:   Acknowledge and address opposing viewpoints to strengthen credibility. This also shows that you engage critically with the topic rather than presenting a one-sided argument. 

How to Write an Argumentative Essay with Paperpal?

Writing a winning argumentative essay not only showcases your ability to critically analyze a topic but also demonstrates your skill in persuasively presenting your stance backed by evidence. Achieving this level of writing excellence can be time-consuming. This is where Paperpal, your AI academic writing assistant, steps in to revolutionize the way you approach argumentative essays. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to use Paperpal to write your essay: 

• Sign Up or Log In: Begin by creating an account or logging into paperpal.com .  
• Navigate to Paperpal Copilot: Once logged in, proceed to the Templates section from the side navigation bar.  
• Generate an essay outline: Under Templates, click on the ‘Outline’ tab and choose ‘Essay’ from the options and provide your topic to generate an outline.  
• Develop your essay: Use this structured outline as a guide to flesh out your essay. If you encounter any roadblocks, click on Brainstorm and get subject-specific assistance, ensuring you stay on track. 
• Refine your writing: To elevate the academic tone of your essay, select a paragraph and use the ‘Make Academic’ feature under the ‘Rewrite’ tab, ensuring your argumentative essay resonates with an academic audience. 
• Final Touches: Make your argumentative essay submission ready with Paperpal’s language, grammar, consistency and plagiarism checks, and improve your chances of acceptance.  

Paperpal not only simplifies the essay writing process but also ensures your argumentative essay is persuasive, well-structured, and academically rigorous. Sign up today and transform how you write argumentative essays. 

The length of an argumentative essay can vary, but it typically falls within the range of 1,000 to 2,500 words. However, the specific requirements may depend on the guidelines provided.

You might write an argumentative essay when:  1. You want to convince others of the validity of your position.  2. There is a controversial or debatable issue that requires discussion.  3. You need to present evidence and logical reasoning to support your claims.  4. You want to explore and critically analyze different perspectives on a topic. 

Argumentative Essay:  Purpose : An argumentative essay aims to persuade the reader to accept or agree with a specific point of view or argument.  Structure : It follows a clear structure with an introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, counterarguments and refutations, and a conclusion.  Tone : The tone is formal and relies on logical reasoning, evidence, and critical analysis.    Narrative/Descriptive Essay:  Purpose : These aim to tell a story or describe an experience, while a descriptive essay focuses on creating a vivid picture of a person, place, or thing.  Structure : They may have a more flexible structure. They often include an engaging introduction, a well-developed body that builds the story or description, and a conclusion.  Tone : The tone is more personal and expressive to evoke emotions or provide sensory details. 

• Gladd, J. (2020). Tips for Writing Academic Persuasive Essays.  Write What Matters . 
• Nimehchisalem, V. (2018). Pyramid of argumentation: Towards an integrated model for teaching and assessing ESL writing.  Language & Communication ,  5 (2), 185-200. 
• Press, B. (2022).  Argumentative Essays: A Step-by-Step Guide . Broadview Press. 
• Rieke, R. D., Sillars, M. O., & Peterson, T. R. (2005).  Argumentation and critical decision making . Pearson/Allyn & Bacon. 

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• Empirical Research: A Comprehensive Guide for Academics 
• How to Write a Scientific Paper in 10 Steps 
• What is a Literature Review? How to Write It (with Examples)
• Life Sciences Papers: 9 Tips for Authors Writing in Biological Sciences

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, how to write an a+ argumentative essay.

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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Argumentative Essay Guide

Argumentative Essay Examples

Argumentative Essay Examples: Samples & Tips

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Have you ever found yourself staring at a blank page, overwhelmed by the thought of composing a powerful argumentative essay ? You're not alone!

Many students encounter the same daunting challenge – how to present a persuasive argument that captivates their audience and drives their point home. Without a clear strategy, it's easy to get lost in a sea of words, leaving your message directionless and your audience unimpressed.

But fear not, for this blog is your roadmap to success!

We're here to provide a number of examples and tips to help you craft compelling arguments, empowering you to tackle your essays with confidence. 

By the end, you'll not only understand the key principles of argumentation but also know how to apply them effectively in writing essays.

So read on to find great examples and master the art of writing a good argumentative essay!

• 1. Free Argumentative Essay Examples For Students 
• 2. How to Write an Argumentative Essay? Examples 
• 3. Interesting Argumentative Essay Topics 
• 4. Argumentative Essay Writing Tips 

Free Argumentative Essay Examples For Students 

A good essay presents facts and data to support an argument, evaluates point of view, and proves its point. It's designed to convince the reader with facts and logic.

Below are some more good argumentative essay examples written by our professional essay writers.

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6th Grade Argumentative Essay Examples

Looking for inspiration for your 6th-grade argumentative essay? Explore this detailed example crafted specifically for 6th graders. 

Argumentative Essay Example for 6th Grade

Argumentative Essay Example Grade 7 

With this example, seventh graders can confidently tackle topics they care about.

Argumentative Essay Example for 7th Grade

Grade 8 Argumentative Essay Examples 

Right here, we've got 8th grader example of an argumentative essay.

Grade 8 Argumentative Essay Example

Argumentative Essay Examples For Middle School 

Middle school essays are pretty basic and easier to debate. Following is an example of middle school argumentative essay: 

Argument Essay Example For Middle School

Argumentative Essay Examples For High School PDFs 

Here are some amazing argumentative essay examples for high school students. Read them and get an idea of how you can make your argumentative essay flawless.

Argumentative Essay Example for High School

Evaluation Argumentative Essay Example

Counter Argument Essay Example

Argumentative Essay Examples For College Students 

When it comes to the college level, essay writing becomes more complicated. At this level, students have to write complex papers like research papers or thesis papers .

Here are some argumentative essay examples pdfs that all college students can use as a guide for their next essay assignment:

Argumentative Essay Example For College

Sample Argumentative Essay For College

Sample Argumentative Essay On Smoking

Argumentative Essay On Gun Control

Argumentative Essay Example for O Level

Following argumentative essay samples can assist you in creating an essay if you are an O Level student.

Social Media Argumentative Essay Example

Short Argumentative Essay Examples

There is no precise word count for an argumentative essay. It just has to persuade the reader and give the author's message to the intended audience.

It can be short or lengthy. It would be considered correct as long as there's a discussion in it.

This is a sample of an argumentative essay.

Short Argumentative Essay Example

Ap lang Argumentative Essay Examples

Argumentative Essay Example About Covid-19

5 Paragraph Argumentative Essay Examples 

The traditional argumentative essay outline consists of 5 paragraphs: one introduction, three body paragraphs, and one conclusion.

Here are 5 paragraph argumentative essay examples pdf for crafting an argumentative essay.

5 Paragraph Argumentative Essay

How to Write an Argumentative Essay? Examples 

Writing a compelling argumentative essay can be a daunting task, but with the right guidance and examples, it becomes more manageable.

In this section, we'll explore the essential steps along with examples to master the art of crafting persuasive arguments. 

Argumentative Essay Examples Introduction 

The introduction should include an attention-grabbing hook and background information on the topic. Additionally, it should have a clear thesis statement at the end that outlines the main points of your argument. 

After reading through this introduction, readers should have a good understanding of what they can expect from your paper. 

Here is a thesis statement for argumentative essay example:

Argumentative Essay Examples with Thesis Statement

Need more examples? Don’t worry! Read out these free argumentative essay examples pdf:

Argumentative Essay Examples Introduction

How to start an Argumentative Essay Examples

How to Write a Body Paragraph of Argumentative Essay 

Argumentative essay conclusion example .

The conclusion of your argumentative essay is an important part where everything ties together. It should summarise your main points and reiterate your argument.

Here is an example of what it looks like:

How to End an Argumentative Essay Examples

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Interesting Argumentative Essay Topics 

Choosing an essay topic is sometimes the most difficult part of the writing process. Here are some topics that will help you in brainstorming your topics:

• Should the government impose a curfew on teens?
• Should alcohol advertisements be banned?
• Are cell phones dangerous to our health?
• Is global warming real or fake?
• Should school uniforms be mandatory?
• Does the media influence gender roles in society?
• Is nuclear energy safe?
• Should the death penalty be abolished?
• Should abortion be legal in the United States?
• Is animal testing necessary?

If you are looking for a comprehensive list of topics, check out our argumentative essay topics blog!

Argumentative Essay Writing Tips 

When it comes to writing high-quality argumentative essays, there are some solid tips you need to know.

Below are 10 useful tips you should keep in mind while crafting an argumentative essay.

• Choose Engaging Topics

Choosing an engaging topic will make you feel enthusiastic from the moment you start drafting down words in your essay. An argumentative essay topic should always be debatable, arguable, and researchable.

• Choose the Structure 

An argumentative essay can be structured in three ways: Classical, Toulmin, and Rogerian. Choose any of these types of arguments to give your essay a logical flow and purpose.

• Conduct Quality Research 

Extensive fact-based research goes a long way in producing a good argumentative essay.  The more you study, the broader your horizons will be, and you will have just that much more supporting evidence.

• Credible Sources 

You can’t expect someone to agree with opposing views without strong and authentic evidence. If you want someone to change their perspective, you need to persuade them with facts from credible sources .

• Use Counter Arguments 

One of the most important parts of an argumentative essay is using counter-arguments. Introduce the opposing view in a few short sentences and proceed to refute them with fact-based empirical evidence. This is a powerful way of persuading a reader to agree with your side of the argument.

• Create a Solid Introduction 

Remember to pay keen attention to the introduction of your essay, as it can make or break your essay. A strong thesis statement lets your readers know your stance and gives them an idea of your philosophy around the topic. 

• Complex Sentences Never Impress 

Fancy vocabulary and extremely long sentences are too complex to understand. Your goal is to strike the reader’s mind with intelligent arguments and not try to sound smarter than them. Use simple vocabulary, but be fueled with creativity.

• Clarity and Authority 

When writing an argumentative essay, do not come across as reluctant or uncertain. Whatever you do, don’t play both sides or show your strengths and weaknesses simultaneously. You should choose a side and be confident about the points you make.  

• Stick to the Essay Length 

When writing an argumentative essay, it is very easy to deviate from the assigned essay length given by your instructor. Writing a 4000-word essay while the maximum essay length given by your instructor was 1500 probably isn’t a good idea.

• Avoid Sensitive Topics 

Students should avoid hot-button topics like race, sports, politics, and religion at all costs. The last thing you want to do is offend a reader who holds a strong personal opinion of you.

Here is a video with some tips on starting your essay. Be sure to check it out:

In summary, we've explored a wide range of example for different academic levels. These examples will help you in creating strong arguments and using persuasive writing effectively. 

Remember, a good argumentative essay isn't just about stating your opinion. It's about stating it clearly, supporting it with solid evidence, and presenting it convincingly.

Moreover, if you need help with writing argumentative essays, our expert writers are here for you. You can trust our legit essay writing service to help you craft engaging argumentative essays.

With us, you will get 24/7 customer support, timely delivery, free revisions, and more benefits! So place your order at our argumentative essay writing service today!

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Argumentative Essay – Outline, Form, and Examples

What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay requires the writer to investigate a specific topic by collecting and evaluating evidence to establish a position on the subject matter.

When preparing to compose a good argumentative essay, utilize the following steps:

Step 1: Select a topic.

Step 2: Identify a position.

Step 3: Locate appropriate resources.

Step 4: Identify evidence supporting the position. ( NOTE: If there is little evidence in support of the claim, consider re-examining the main argument.)

When gathering evidence, use credible sources . To determine the credibility of the source, consider authority, currency, accuracy, and objectivity:

Who is the author ? Are they an expert in the field? Has a reputable publisher published the work?

How current is the information in the source? Does the currency of the source matter? Does the age of the source impact the content? Is there newer information that disproves the source’s information?

Can other sources verify the accuracy of the information? Does the information contradict that found in other commonly accepted sources?

Is there any evidence of bias, or is the source objective ? Is the research sponsored by an organization that may skew the information?

The following are typically recognized as providing appropriate, credible research material:

Peer-reviewed journals/research papers

Government agencies

Professional organizations

Library databases

Reference books

Writers should avoid using the following sources:

Social media posts

Out-of-date materials

Step 5: Utilize the research to determine a thesis statement that identifies the topic, position, and support(s).

Step 6: Use the evidence to construct an outline, detailing the main supports and relevant evidence.

Argumentative essay outline

After gathering all of the necessary research, the next step in composing an argumentative essay focuses on organizing the information through the use of an outline:

Introduction

Attention Grabber/Hook

Background Information: Include any background information pertinent to the topic that the reader needs to know to understand the argument.

Thesis: State the position in connection to the main topic and identify the supports that will help prove the argument.

Topic sentence

Identify evidence in support of the claim in the topic sentence

Explain how the evidence supports the argument

Evidence 3 (Continue as needed)

Support 2 (Continue as needed)

Restate thesis

Review main supports

Concluding statement

Invite the audience to take a specific action.

Identify the overall importance of the topic and position.

How to write an argumentative essay

Regardless of the writer’s topic or point of view, an argumentative essay should include an introductory paragraph, body paragraphs, a conclusion, and works cited.

Background information

Body Paragraphs

Analysis of evidence

Rephrased thesis

Review of main ideas

Call to action

Works Cited

Argumentative essay introduction

The introduction sets the tone for the entire paper and introduces the argument. In general, the first paragraph(s) should attract the reader’s attention, provide relevant context, and conclude with a thesis statement.

To attract the reader's attention , start with an introductory device. There are several attention-grabbing techniques, the most common of which consist of the following:

The writer can emphasize the topic’s importance by explaining the current interest in the topic or indicating that the subject is influential.

Pertinent statistics give the paper an air of authority.

There are many reasons for a stimulating statement to surprise a reader. Sometimes it is joyful; sometimes it is shocking; sometimes it is surprising because of who said it.

An interesting incident or anecdote can act as a teaser to lure the reader into the remainder of the essay. Be sure that the device is appropriate for the subject and focus of what follows.

Provide the reader with relevant context and background information necessary to understand the topic.

Conclude with a thesis statement that identifies the overall purpose of the essay (topic and position). Writers can also include their support directly in the thesis, which outlines the structure of the essay for the reader.

Avoid the following when writing the introduction to argumentative writing:

Starting with dictionary definitions is too overdone and unappealing.

Do not make an announcement of the topic like “In this paper I will…” or “The purpose of this essay is to….”

Evidence supporting or developing the thesis should be in the body paragraphs, not the introduction.

Beginning the essay with general or absolute statements such as “throughout history...” or “as human beings we always...” or similar statements suggest the writer knows all of history or that all people behave or think in the same way.

Argumentative essay thesis

The thesis statement is the single, specific claim the writer sets out to prove and is typically positioned as the last sentence of the introduction . It is the controlling idea of the entire argument that identifies the topic, position, and reasoning.

When constructing a thesis for an argumentative paper, make sure it contains a side of the argument, not simply a topic. An argumentative thesis identifies the writer’s position on a given topic. If a position cannot be taken, then it is not argumentative thesis:

Topic: Capital punishment is practiced in many states.

Thesis: Capital punishment should be illegal.

While not always required, the thesis statement can include the supports the writer will use to prove the main claim. Therefore, a thesis statement can be structured as follows:

TOPIC + POSITION (+ SUPPORTS)

No Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION).

Supports: College athletes (TOPIC) should be financially compensated (POSITION) because they sacrifice their minds and bodies (SUPPORT 1), cannot hold

Argumentative essay body paragraphs

Body paragraphs can be of varying lengths, but they must present a coherent argument unified under a single topic. They are rarely ever longer than one page, double-spaced; usually they are much shorter.

Lengthy paragraphs indicate a lack of structure. Identify the main ideas of a lengthy paragraph to determine if they make more sense as separate topics in separate paragraphs.

Shorter paragraphs usually indicate a lack of substance; there is not enough evidence or analysis to prove the argument. Develop the ideas more or integrate the information into another paragraph.

The structure of an argumentative paragraph should include a topic sentence, evidence, and a transition.

The topic sentence is the thesis of the paragraph that identifies the arguable point in support of the main argument. The reader should know exactly what the writer is trying to prove within the paragraph by reading the first sentence.

The supporting evidence and analysis provide information to support the claim. There should be a balance between the evidence (facts, quotations, summary of events/plot, etc.) and analysis (interpretation of evidence). If the paragraph is evidence-heavy, there is not much of an argument; if it is analysis-heavy, there is not enough evidence in support of the claim.

The transition can be at the beginning or the end of a paragraph. However, it is much easier to combine the transition with the concluding observation to help the paragraphs flow into one another. Transitions in academic writing should tell the reader where you were, where you are going, and relate to the thesis.

Some essays may benefit from the inclusion of rebuttals to potential counterarguments of the writer’s position.

Argumentative essay conclusion

The conclusion should make readers glad they read the paper. It can suggest broader implications that will not only interest readers but also enrich their understanding in some way. There are three aspects to follow when constructing the conclusion: rephrase the thesis, synthesize information, and call the reader to action.

Rephrased the thesis in the first sentence of the conclusion. It must be in different words; do not simply write it verbatim.

Synthesize the argument by showing how the paper's main points support the argument.

Propose a course of action or a solution to an issue. This can redirect the reader's thought process to apply the ideas to their life or to see the broader implications of the topic.

Avoid the following when constructing the conclusion:

Beginning with an unnecessary, overused phrase such as "in conclusion," "in summary," or "in closing;" although these phrases can work in speeches, they come across as trite in writing

Introducing a new idea or subtopic in the conclusion

Making sentimental, emotional appeals that are out of character with the rest of the paper

Including evidence (quotations, statistics, etc.) that should be in the body of the paper

Argumentative essay examples

Examples of argumentative essays vary depending upon the type:

Academic essays differ based upon the topic and position. These essays follow a more traditional structure and are typically assigned in high school or college. Examples of academic argumentative essay topics include the following:

Advantages or disadvantages of social media

Animal testing

Art education

Benefit or detriment of homework

Capital punishment

Class warfare

Immigration

School uniforms

Universal healthcare

Violence in video games

Argumentative literary essays are typically more informal and do not follow the same structure as an academic essay. The following are popular examples of argumentative literary essays:

“Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Death of the Moth” by Virginia Woolf

“Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell

“Thoughts for the Times on War and Death” by Sigmund Freud

“Does the Truth Matter? Science, Pseudoscience, and Civilization” by Carl Sagan

“Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Argumentative Essay Writing

Argumentative Essay Examples

Best Argumentative Essay Examples for Your Help

Published on: Mar 10, 2023

Last updated on: Jan 30, 2024

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Argumentative essays are one of the most common types of essay writing. Students are assigned to write such essays very frequently.

Despite being assigned so frequently, students still find it hard to write a good argumentative essay .

There are certain things that one needs to follow to write a good argumentative essay. The first thing is to choose an effective and interesting topic. Use all possible sources to dig out the best topic.

Afterward, the student should choose the model that they would follow to write this type of essay. Follow the steps of the chosen model and start writing the essay.

The models for writing an argumentative essay are the classical model, the Rogerian model, and the Toulmin model.

To make sure that you write a good argumentative essay, read the different types of examples mentioned in this blog.

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Good Argumentative Essay Examples

Argumentative essays are an inevitable part of academic life. To write a good argumentative essay, you need to see a few good examples of this type of essay.

To analyze whether the example is good to take help from or not. You need to look for a few things in it.

Make sure it follows one specific model and has an introductory paragraph, organized body paragraphs, and a formal conclusion.

Get More Examples From Our AI Essay Writer

How to Start an Argumentative Essay Example

Learning how to start an argumentative essay example is a tricky thing for beginners. It is quite simple but can be challenging for newbies.   To start an argumentative essay example, you need to write a brief and attractive introduction. It is written to convince the reader and make them understand your point of view .

Add body paragraphs after the introduction to support your thesis statement. Also, use body paragraphs to highlight the strengths and weaknesses of your side of the argument.

Write a formal conclusion for your essay and summarize all the key elements of your essay. Look at the example mentioned below to understand the concept more clearly.

Check out this video for more information!

Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Example 

Argumentative essays are assigned to university students more often than the students of schools and colleges.

 It involves arguments over vast and sometimes bold topics as well.

For university students, usually, argumentative essay topics are not provided. They are required to search for the topic themselves and write accordingly.

The following examples will give an idea of how university students write argumentative essays.

Argumentative Essay Example for University (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Examples for College

For the college level, it is recommended to use simple language and avoid the use of complex words in essays.

Make sure that using simple language and valid evidence, you support your claim well and make it as convincing as possible

If you are a college student and want to write an argumentative essay, read the examples provided below. Focus on the formatting and the vocabulary used.

Argumentative Essay Example for College (PDF)

College Argumentative Essay Sample (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Examples for Middle School

Being a middle school student, you must be wondering how we write an argumentative essay. And how can you support your argument?

Go through the following examples and hopefully, you will be able to write an effective argumentative essay very easily.

Argumentative Essay Example for Middle School(PDF)

Middle School Argumentative Essay Sample (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Examples for High School

High school students are not very aware of all the skills that are needed to write research papers and essays. 

Especially, when it comes to argumentative essays, it becomes quite a challenge for high schools to defend their argument

In this scenario, the best option is to look into some good examples. Here we have summed up two best examples of argumentative essays for high school students specifically.

Argumentative Essay Example for High School (PDF)

High School Argumentative Essay Sample (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Examples for O Level

The course outline for O levels is quite tough. O levels students need to have a good command of the English language and amazing writing skills.

If you are an O-level student, the following examples will guide you on how to write an argumentative essay.

Argumentative Essay Example for O Level (PDF)

Argumentative Essay for O Level Students (PDF)

5-Paragraph Argumentative Essay Examples

A 5-paragraph essay is basically a formatting style for essay writing. It has the following five parts:

• Introduction

In the introduction, the writer introduces the topic and provides a glance at the collected data to support the main argument.

• Body paragraph 1

The first body paragraph discusses the first and most important point related to the argument. It starts with a topic sentence and has all the factual data to make the argument convincing.

• Body paragraph 2

The second body paragraph mentions the second most important element of the argument. A topic sentence is used to start these paragraphs. It gives the idea of the point that will discuss in the following paragraph.

• Body paragraph 3

The third paragraph discusses all the miscellaneous points. Also, it uses a transitional sentence at the end to show a relation to the conclusion.

The conclusion of a five-paragraph essay reiterates all the major elements of an argumentative essay. It also restates the thesis statement using a more convincing choice of words.

Look at the example below to see how a well-written five-paragraph essay looks like

5 Paragraph Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Examples for 6th Grade

Students in 6th grade are at a point where they are learning new things every day. 

Writing an argumentative essay is an interesting activity for them as they like to convince people of their point of view.

Argumentative essays written at such levels are very simple but well convincing. 

The following example will give you more detail on how a 6th-grade student should write an argumentative essay.

6th Grade Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Examples for 7th Grade

There is not much difference between a 6th-grade and a 7th-grade student. Both of them are enhancing their writing and academic skills.

Here is another example to help you with writing an effective argumentative essay.

7th Grade Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)

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Short Argumentative Essay Examples

For an argumentative essay, there is no specific limit for the word count. It only has to convince the readers and pass on the knowledge of the writer to the intended audience.

It can be short or detailed. It would be considered valid as far as it has an argument involved in it.

Following is an example of a short argumentative essay example

Short Argumentative Essay Example (PDF)

Immigration Argumentative Essay Examples

Immigration is a hot topic for a very long time now. People have different opinions regarding this issue.

Where there is more than one opinion, an argumentative essay can be written on that topic. The following are examples of argumentative essays on immigration.

Read them and try to understand how an effective argumentative essay is written on such a topic.

Argumentative Essay Example on Immigration (PDF)

Argumentative Essay Sample on Immigration (PDF)

Writing essays is usually a tiring and time-consuming assignment to do. Students already have a bunch of assignments for other subjects to complete. In this situation, asking for help from professional writers is the best choice.

If you are still in need of assistance, our essay writer AI can help you create a compelling essay that presents your argument clearly and effectively. 

With our argumentative essay writing service, you will enjoy perks like expert guidance, unlimited revisions, and helpful customer support. Let our essay writer help you make an impact with your essay on global warming today! 

Place your order with our college essay writing service today!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the 7 types of arguments.

The seven types of arguments are as follows:

• Statistical

What is the structure of an argument?

The structure of an argument consists of a main point (thesis statement) that is supported by evidence. 

This evidence can include facts, statistics, examples, and other forms of data that help to prove or disprove the thesis statement. 

After providing the evidence, arguments also often include a conclusion that summarizes the main points made throughout the argument.

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How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 101 Guide [+ Examples]

An argumentative essay is a genre of academic writing that investigates different sides of a particular issue. Its central purpose is to inform the readers rather than expressively persuade them. Thus, it is crucial to differentiate between argumentative and persuasive essays.

While composing an argumentative essay, the students have to demonstrate their research and analytical skills. The secret of a successful paper lies behind strong arguments and counterarguments. So, the writer should focus on facts and data rather than personal values and beliefs.

Besides, a good argumentative essay should be structured appropriately:

• The introduction and conclusion have to create a frame for the entire essay.
• The body paragraphs are supposed to cover the essential points.
• Supporting evidence should make a paper more professional and reputable.

Are you still wondering what an argumentative essay is and how to write it? Check out the sections below prepared by our experts . Here, you can find the most valuable info, helpful tips, and useful examples.

📜 Classic Strategy

📋 toulmin strategy, 🗣️ rogerian strategy, ✒️ fill in the blanks, 🔍 edit and proofread, 🔗 references, 📌 argumentative essay in a nutshell.

Are you trying to figure out what an argumentative essay is? It’s a type of academic paper that covers both sides of a given issue. An author can decide whether they aim to present both sides equally or support one side more dynamically.

One of the mistakes among students is the confusion of argumentative and persuasive essays . Do you want to figure out the differences? Take a look at the following table.

Before writing an argument essay, it would be helpful to choose an appropriate model to rely on. There are three strategies to consider: Classical, Toulmin, and Rogerian.

Look at the following sections and choose the most suitable one for you.

Are you wondering how to write an argumentative essay? Consider using the classical approach. It is the most popular way of composing an argumentative paper.

Under the classical strategy, the author has to follow these rules:

• research the issue;
• present both sides;
• express own opinion;
• prove the reader the validity of the conclusion.

It is up to the audience to decide whether your position is right or wrong. Yet, you should try to convince the readers of the effectiveness of your opinion.

Usually, the classical argument paper is structured in the following way:

• Introduction . Use the hook to catch the readers’ attention. State the problem and explain why your topic is relatable to the audience.
• General background. Introduce the general info and several facts about your issue.
• Thesis statement . State your position clearly and concisely.
• The central argument. Provide valid evidence and appropriate examples to support your position. Refer only to reliable sources.
• Rebuttal . Include a counter paragraph in your essay, presenting the opposing arguments. Provide specific examples to make the reader understand your position. Also, explain to the audience why the counterclaims are incorrect.
• Conclusion . Synthesize your arguments and counterarguments. Give the readers a question for further investigation of your problem. To make your essay more impressive, compose a memorable concluding sentence.

Toulmin strategy is the most suitable for the discussion of controversial issues. This model aims to find common ground through clear logic and valid evidence. Besides, the Toulmin strategy eliminates unnecessary things and limits the points to agree upon.

An argumentative essay written by the Toulmin model includes the following elements:

• Claim . A viewpoint that the author aims to prove.
• Evidence . Supportive facts from reliable resources that highlight the significance of the claim.
• Warrant . An element that connects the claim and that evidence.
• Backing . Additional reasoning that underlines the warrant’s validity.
• Rebuttal . Counterarguments that contradict the author’s position.
• Qualifier . An additional element (usually, a word or a short phrase) that narrows the claim’s capacity. Several examples of qualifiers: “typically,” “usually,” “occasionally,” etc.
• Exceptions . Specific limitations that indicate the cases where that claim may not be valid.

Like the Toulmin approach, Rogerian strategy attempts to find common ground between two sides of one issue. However, the technique is slightly different.

The Rogerian model is often used in highly controversial debates when the parties do not accept each other’s position. Thus, the given strategy focuses on finding the agreement by proving the validity of the opposing arguments.

Below, you can find the primary outline for the Rogerian argumentative essay:

• Introduce the problem. Present the issue clearly and explain why it is worth the readers’ attention.
• Summarize and analyze the counterarguments. Take into consideration all the possible counterpoints and look at them from different perspectives. Discuss the cases in which the opposing claims could be valid. Demonstrate your open-mindedness. This will make the opposite party more loyal to you.
• Present your position. After discussing the counterpoints, state your opinion. Convince the audience about the validity of your points.
• Prove the advantages of your position. Explain to the opposite party how the acceptance and adoption of your points will benefit them.

🧐 How to Write an Argumentative Essay

Before working on your essay, carefully read the assignment. Make sure you understand all the instructor’s requirements and the purpose of the paper.

• Pay enough attention to the task. Did your professor assign you a topic? Or do you need to choose it yourself ? Make sure you have an idea that will turn into an outstanding essay.
• Select the strategy you are going to apply. An argumentative essay format will depend on the model you choose to compose your paper. Analyze the issue you will arise and decide what strategy is the most suitable. Is it the Classical model, the Toulmin, or the Rogerian one?

After that, start composing your argumentative essay. Check out the following sections. We have a lot of insightful info to share with you!

📚 Research the Topic

The first step of writing an argumentative paper is an in-depth investigation of the topic. To validate your arguments, you have to refer to credible resources. The essay will look more professional if you use reliable sources in it.

To research like a professional , do the following:

• Use only credible sources. You can refer to the books, research articles, materials from academic databases, or Google Scholar. Webpages registered as governmental or educational institutions (.gov, .edu.) and widely-known news websites (New York Times, BBC, CNBC) are also considered appropriate. Avoid using blog posts, outdated materials, and any other data from unreliable sources. You may get into huge trouble, taking information from random websites, since it may be invalid.
• Pay attention to the publishing date . You may be required to use the sources released no later than five years ago. Yet, it is not always the case, especially when you’re dealing with historical documents. Thus, double-check your instructions regarding recommended sources.
• Keep your topic in mind. Concentrate on what you are writing about and select the sources for your exact issue. Avoid sources that provide too general information and look for more limited ones. If your idea is World War II’s economic consequences, the history book from ancient times to modern days will not be the best option.
• Become an expert. Take enough time to investigate the issue you are writing about. Read numerous articles, compare and contrast the scientists’ opinions. Prove your reader that you are a reliable person who selected the best sources.

📝 Outline Your Essay

The majority of students tend to underestimate the power of outlining. Don’t do this! An argumentative essay outline is a helpful tool for planning, structuring, and composing.

Firstly , a well-developed outline helps the writer to put all their thoughts in an appropriate order. None of the essential points will be lost if the student plans the essay before writing.

Secondly , it lets the writer figure out what evidence suits what argument most. Before writing, draft your essay first. Put examples, facts, etc. in the right parts of the paper. Then, write the entire text.

Thirdly , an outline provides a perfect opportunity to change the essay’s parts without rewriting the paper. Are you unsure of specific details? Not a problem. Change them in the outline without ruining the text.

There are essential elements that your outline should contain. Check out the following section to see them.

Introduction

How to start an argumentative essay? First and foremost, include an argumentative essay introduction in your outline.

This part should grab the readers’ attention from the first words. Thus, put enough effort into composing a compelling hook . What can it be? An impressive statistic or an exciting fact? Be creative – decide yourself! But make sure that your intro is catchy enough.

After the hook, introduce your topic’s general background . Prove the readers the significance of your issue and gradually come to the thesis statement .

The concept of studying abroad is becoming increasingly popular in both developed and developing countries. Students around the globe strive to explore the world and broaden their minds, and studying in a foreign country is an excellent opportunity to do so. Such experience may be extremely beneficial because meeting new people and discovering foreign cultures help students to gain valuable knowledge and see the world from a new perspective. However, while presenting significant opportunities for personal growth, it may also bring about some challenges.

Thesis Statement

A thesis is an essential part of your argumentative essay. It should state your position regarding the issue clearly and concisely. Avoid general statements, vague words, and be as specific and possible. Your thesis statement should guide the readers throughout the main points of the paper.

The location of the thesis in the essay plays a crucial role. The most appropriate place for it is the last sentence of the introductory paragraph.

Although students face difficulties such as loneliness while studying abroad, it is a worthy experience to introduce them to new knowledge, people, and culture and promote their independence.

Body Paragraphs

The body of your paper is supposed to develop your position, provide valid evidence and examples. Each paragraph has to focus only on one idea. This will ensure the logical structure of your argumentative essay.

A body paragraph should start from the topic sentence and end with the concluding sentence . Such a frame around every section will make your readers stay concentrated on your ideas and get your opinion.

• The topic sentence is the first sentence of the passage. It should reflect its point and correspond to the thesis statement.
• The concluding sentence aims to wrap up the author’s thoughts. Thus, make sure that the last sentence of a paragraph is insightful enough.

Each body paragraph should include an argument (or a counterargument) with supporting evidence. Get your proof from credible sources and ensure that it directly corresponds to the point.

An example of a topic sentence :

The benefits of education abroad are almost innumerable, prominent examples being gaining new knowledge, making friends with people who have different mindsets, and discovering new cultures.

An example of a concluding sentence:

Participants of student exchange programs usually return more driven and eager to develop both themselves and their country.

A conclusion plays a critical role in understanding the entire paper. It summarizes the body and leaves the final impression. Besides, it may push the readers on further investigation of the issue.

• To make your argumentative essay conclusion powerful, it is not enough just to summarize the arguments. It has to synthesize your ideas and show the connection between them. In other words, your points should be summarized and analyzed.
• Moreover, a conclusion refers to the thesis statement . A mere restatement of the central idea is not the most successful way of finishing your paper. You should try to develop it to demonstrate the reason you’ve written the previous paragraphs.

One more tip:

• Give the audience an incentive to explore the topic more in-depth. Insert the questions for further investigation at the end of your essay. It would play a significant role in making an impressive conclusion.

To sum up, studying abroad is beneficial as it helps a person evolve and perceive a world from new perspectives. It is an opportunity for a participant to explore the world, meet new people, gain valuable knowledge and experience, and broaden their horizons. Education abroad might pose problems like homesickness, loneliness, and trouble with getting accustomed to a new environment. However, all of them can be easily overcome if a student is flexible and eager to become autonomous and independent.

The list of references is a crucial part of any argumentative essay. It should contain all the sources the writer uses in the paper.

Before organizing your reference list , double-check your argumentative essay format. Is it written in MLA, APA, or maybe in Chicago style? How many references does the professor expect you to include? What kind of sources are you required to use?

After figuring out these issues, move to the format requirements of the writing style you use for your paper. The most popular ones are APA (7th edition), MLA, and ChicagoAD (author-date) styles. Below, you can find the examples of a reference for the same book in different formatting styles.

Did you develop a good outline? Congratulations! You are almost done with the essay. Now, you need to fill in the blanks and create a final version of your paper. Here is where you need to demonstrate a high level of your writing skills.

• Make sure your paper has no logical fallacies. Information from an untrustworthy source, a hasty generalization, or a false conclusion may put your reliability as an author under threat. So double-check all the data you include in your essay. Moreover, make sure all your statements are well-developed and supported by valid evidence.
• Check your argumentative essay structure . All the arguments should refer to the thesis statement and must be presented in the logical sequence. The supporting evidence and examples have to be inserted in the text logically, according to the arguments.
• Pay enough attention to the citations. References and in-text citations are incredibly tricky. Always check every detail according to your essay format. If you are unsure of specific issues, refer to a citation guide and make your paper free of formatting mistakes.
• Ensure the coherence of your argumentative essay. Often, the paper’s material seems raw only because it is presented without a logical connection. To ensure a smooth connection between the ideas, use transitions between the paragraphs and linking words inside them. Insert them in the text to connect the points. As a result, you will have a coherent essay with the logical flow of the arguments.

The final step of your writing process is editing and proofreading. Although it is not that energy and time consuming, it still plays a critical role in the work’s success.

While writing your argumentative paper, plan your time accordingly. This will provide you with an opportunity to polish your essay before submitting it. And take a look at our checklist and always use it to improve your papers:

• NO first and second person. Use only the third person in your argumentative essay. It is a general requirement for any kind of academic paper.
• NO slang. The word choice is an essential part of the essay writing process. Ensure you use only formal vocabulary and avoid using informal language (jargon, slang, etc.).
• NO unchecked words. Sometimes, words can raise questions and lead to misunderstandings. If you are unsure whether the term is used appropriately, double-check its meaning or replace it with another.
• NO plagiarism. While proofreading, make sure your citations are either properly paraphrased or taken in quotation marks. You can change the sentence structure to avoid plagiarism.
• NO minor mistakes. Grammar, spelling, punctuation play a crucial role. Want to make your paper look professional? Make sure it is free of minor mistakes then.

Argumentative Essay Topics

• Should student-athletes benefit from sports?  
• Do celebrities really have influence on people behavior?  
• Will decriminalization of drugs increase drug menace?  
• Does social and environmental reporting promote organizations’ financial success? 
• Should online learning be promoted?  
• Can space exploration resolve human problems?  
• Is success really the outcome of hard work? 
• Is there discrimination against women in sports?   
• Will banning tobacco sales promote public health?  
• Is euthanasia a clemency?  
• Should college education be free and accessible for every student?  
• Should football be banned for being too dangerous?  
• Is it time to change social norms?  
• Should public servants’ strikes be prohibited?  
• Does media create a negative image of ageing and older people?  
• Is capitalism the best economic system?  
• Can children under 18 make an appropriate decision on getting tattoo ?  
• Should net neutrality be protected?  
• Can an improper use of social media provoke a family crisis?  
• Is it right to use animals in biomedical research ?  
• Does the climate change affect our indoor environment? 
• Are children’s crimes a result of poor parenting?  
• Should health care be universal? 
• Does the increased use of technology hurt students’ efficiency? 
• Is transformative education a key to the system modernization?  
• Why should patients have access to truthful information?  
• How does language barrier affect health care access?  
• Would allowing adoption by same-sex couples benefit the country’s child welfare system? 
• Is spanking children a proper way to improve their behavior?  
• Does gun control law lowers crime rates?  
• Will ban on spamming improve users’ internet experience?  
• Should behavior be made illegal because it’s immoral?  
• Is globalization really a progress?  
• Does aid to developing countries bring more harm than good?  
• Can parents improve children mental health by restricting internet use ?  
• Is trusting our senses the best way to get the truth?  
• Why parents should not have the right to choose their children based on genetics.  
• Is college education really worth it? 
• Will wearing a body camera by police officer enhance public trust?    
• Immigration : a benefit or a threat?  
• Is it a duty of adult children to take care of their elderly parents?  
• Should abortions be legal? 
• Are agents an integral part of professional sports?  
• Will ban of cellphones while driving decrease the car accident rates? 
• Should marijuana be legal for medical use?  
• Is veganism diet universally beneficial?  
• Should museums return artefacts?  
• Is water birth beneficial for women’s health?  
• Will paying people to stay healthy benefit the nation in the long-term perspective?  
• Is obesity a disease or a choice?  

It is up to you to decide how many parts to include in your essay. However, the 5 paragraph structure is the most appropriate model for an argumentative paper. So, write an introduction, a conclusion, and three body paragraphs.

The pronoun “you” is acceptable for informal writing. Yet, in academic papers, avoid using the second person. The same situation is with the first person. Generally, academic papers require the use of the third person.

A hook aims to grab the readers’ attention. Thus, you could start your essay with an interesting fact about your issue. Another way to create a catchy hook is to prove the audience the relatability of your topic. Make the readers want to explore your essay by demonstrating the significance of your issue.

Yes, you can. A question might become a compelling hook. Just make sure that it is profound, thought-provocative, and concise. A too broad or complicated question will only confuse your readers.

A title is an essential part of the essay since it causes the first impression. While selecting a heading, take into consideration the following points:

1. The title must be catchy.

2. It has to be not too long (5-12 words).

3. The title has to reflect the topic of the paper.

4. It should not be too complicated: the simpler – the better.

Thank you for visiting our page! We hope the information was helpful and insightful. Do you have friends who seek help with writing an argumentative essay? Share our article with them. And don’t forget to leave your comments!

• Sample Argument Essays: Mesa Community College
• Argument: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Tips on How to Write an Argumentative Essay: Grace Fleming, ThoughtCo
• Tips for Organizing an Argumentative Essay: Judith L., Beumer Writing Center, Valparaiso University
• Argumentative Essay: Oya Ozagac, Bogazici University, Online Writing Lab
• Argumentative Essays: Purdue Online Writing Lab, College of Liberal Arts, Purdue University
• How to Write an Argumentative Essay Step by Step: Virginia Kearney, Owlcation
• Counterargument: Gordon Harvey for the Writing Center at Harvard University
• Basic Steps in the Research Process: North Hennepin Community College, Minnesota
• How to Recognize Plagiarism, Overview: School of Education, Indiana University Bloomington
• 15 Steps to Good Research: Georgetown University Library
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Student Opinion

401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

By Michael Gonchar

• March 1, 2017

Note: We have 310 new argumentative writing prompts to add to this list.

Of all the resources we publish on The Learning Network, perhaps it’s our vast collection of writing prompts that is our most widely used resource for teaching and learning with The Times.

This list of 401 prompts ( available here in PDF ) is now our third iteration of what originally started as 200 prompts for argumentative writing, and it’s intended as a companion resource to help teachers and students participate in our annual Student Editorial Contest .

So scroll through the hundreds of prompts below that touch on every aspect of contemporary life — from social media to sports, politics, gender issues and school — and see which ones most inspire you to take a stand. Each question comes from our daily Student Opinion feature, and each provides links to free Times resources for finding more information. And for even more in-depth student discussions on pressing issues like immigration , guns , climate change and race , please visit our fall 2016 Civil Conversation Challenge .

What’s your favorite question on this list? What questions should we ask, but haven’t yet? Tell us in the comments.

And visit our related list as well: 650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing .

Social Media and Smartphones

1. Does Technology Make Us More Alone? 2. Is Social Media Making Us More Narcissistic? 3. Will Social Media Help or Hurt Your College and Career Goals? 4. Would You Consider Deleting Your Facebook Account? 5. Does Facebook Need a ‘Dislike’ Button? 6. Has Facebook Lost Its Edge? 7. Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired? 8. Would You Be Willing to Pay for Facebook or Google in Exchange for Your Privacy? 9. Are Anonymous Social Media Networks Dangerous? 10. Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online? 11. Is Our Culture of Online Shaming Out of Control? 12. Is Snapchat a Revolutionary Form of Social Media? 13. Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time? 14. Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smartphones Playing ‘Stupid Games’? 15. Is Pokémon Go a Positive Cultural Force? Or Is it Just Another Excuse for People to Stare at Their Phones? 16. Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful? 17. Do You Worry We Are Filming Too Much? 18. How Many Text Messages Are Too Many? 19. Does Punctuation in Text Messages Matter? 20. Can a GIF Work Better Than Words?

Technology in Schools and the Future

21. Are the Web Filters at Your School Too Restrictive? 22. Does Technology in the Classroom Ever Get in the Way of Learning? 23. Should Tablet Computers Become the Primary Way Students Learn in Class? 24. Can Cellphones Be Educational Tools? 25. Should There Be More Educational Video Games in School? 26. Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to-Face Learning? 27. How Would You Feel About a Computer Grading Your Essays? 28. Do Machines Represent a Threat to Humans? 29. Are Self-Driving Vehicles the Wave of the Future? 30. Do You Think Recreational Drones Are Safe? 31. What Role Will Robots Play in Our Future? 32. Will Wearable Technology Ever Really Catch On?

Gender Issues

33. Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters? 34. Is School Designed More for Girls Than Boys? 35. Is Single-Sex Education Still Useful? 36. Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies? 37. How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body? 38. What Does it Mean to Be ‘a Real Man’? 39. Do We Need to Teach Boys and Men to Be More Emotionally Honest? 40. Is It O.K. for Men and Boys to Comment on Women and Girls on the Street? 41. What Should We Do to Fight Sexual Violence Against Young Women? 42. Why Aren’t There More Girls in Leadership Roles? 43. Do Professional Women Need a ‘Girls’ Lounge’? 44. Why Aren’t More Girls Choosing to Pursue Careers in Math and Science? 45. Why Aren’t More Girls Pursuing Careers in Computing and Tech Fields? 46. Should Women Be Allowed to Fight on the Front Lines Alongside Men? 47. Now That Women Can Serve in All Combat Roles in the U.S. Military, Should They Also Be Required to Register for the Draft? 48. Do Female Athletes Get Short Shrift? 49. Should Sports Be Coed? 50. Do You Believe in Equal Rights for Women and Men? 51. Is It Harder Being a Girl? 52. Do We Need New Ways to Identify Gender and Sexuality? 53. Should Toys Be More Gender-Neutral? 54. Should There Be More Boy Dolls? 55. Should Transgender People Be Allowed to Use the Bathroom of Their Choice? 56. What Rules Should Apply to Transgender Athletes When They Compete? 57. Is It O.K. to Refuse to Serve Same-Sex Couples Based on Religious Beliefs? 58. Are Women Better at Compromising and Collaborating? 59. Do Boys Have Less Intense Friendships Than Girls? 60. Can a Boy Wear a Skirt to School?

Dating and Sex

61. Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage? 62. Is Dating a Thing of the Past? 63. Is Hookup Culture Leaving Your Generation Unhappy and Unprepared for Love? 64. Could Following These Directions Make You Fall in Love With a Stranger? 65. How Should Children Be Taught About Puberty and Sex? 66. Are Affirmative Consent Rules a Good Idea? 67. Should Birth Control Pills Be Available to Teenage Girls Without a Prescription? 68. Should the Morning-After Pill Be Sold Over the Counter to People Under 17? 69. How Big of a Problem Is Sexting? 70. How Should Educators and Legislators Deal With Minors Who ‘Sext’? 71. How Should Parents Address Internet Pornography?

72. Should High Schools Drop Football Because Too Many Players Are Getting Injured? 73. Should Parents Let Their Children Play Football? 74. If Football Is So Dangerous to Players, Should We Be Watching It? 75. Are Some Youth Sports Too Intense? 76. Should There Be Stricter Rules About How Coaches Treat Their Players? 77. Is Cheerleading a Sport? 78. Should Cheerleading Be an Olympic Sport? 79. Has Baseball Lost Its Cool? 80. Do Sports Teams Have a Responsibility to Hold Players to a Standard for Their Personal Conduct? 81. Should Athletes Who Dope Have to Forfeit Their Titles and Medals? 82. How Big a Deal Is It That an N.B.A. Player Came Out as Gay? 83. Should Women’s Basketball Lower the Rims? 84. Should College Football Players Get Paid? 85. Is ‘Redskins’ an Offensive Name for a Team? 86. Is It Offensive for Sports Teams to Use Native American Names and Mascots? 87. Do Fans Put Too Much Pressure on Their Favorite Professional Athletes? 88. How Much Should Fans Be Allowed to Distract Opposing Teams? 89. Does a Championship Game Always Need to Have a Winner (and a Loser)? 90. Should Sports Betting Be Legal Everywhere? 91. Are Some Extreme Sports Too Extreme? 92. How Young Is Too Young to Climb Mount Everest? 93. Should Colleges Fund Wellness Programs Instead of Sports? 94. Where Should Colleges and Sports Teams Draw the Line in Selling Naming Rights?

TV, Movies and Video Games

95. Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes? 96. Do TV Shows Like ‘16 and Pregnant’ Promote or Discourage Teenage Pregnancy? 97. Does TV Capture the Diversity of America Yet? 98. Is TV Too White? 99. What Makes a Good TV Show Finale? 100. Why Do We Like to Watch Rich People on TV and in the Movies? 101. Does Live Theater Offer Something You Just Can’t Get Watching Movies or TV? 102. What — if Anything — Does the Current Hollywood Film Industry Lack? 103. What Makes a Good Commercial? 104. Why Did a Cheerios Ad Attract So Many Angry Comments Online? 105. Should Video Games Be Considered a Sport? 106. Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors? 107. Do Violent Video Games Make People More Violent in Real Life? 108. When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies? 109. Can a Video Game Be a Work of Art? 110. What Game Would You Like to Redesign? 111. How Sexist Is the Gaming World?

Music, Literature and Art

112. What Current Musicians Do You Think Will Stand the Test of Time? 113. What Artists or Bands of Today Are Destined for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame? 114. What Musician, Actor or Author Should Be a Superstar, but Hasn’t Quite Made It Yet? 115. What Artists Do You Consider ‘Sellouts’? 116. How Much Can an Artist Borrow From Earlier Musicians Before It Becomes Stealing? 117. Who Does Hip-Hop Belong To? 118. What Can You Predict About the Future of the Music Industry? 119. Will Musical Training Make You More Successful? 120. Are Paper Books Better Than E-Books? 121. Does Reading a Book Count More Than Listening to One? 122. To What Writer Would You Award a Prize? 123. Who Are the Characters That Authors Should Be Writing About? 124. Are Shortened Versions of Classic Adult Literature Right for Young Children? 125. Do You Prefer Your Children’s Book Characters Obedient or Contrary? 126. Do We Still Need Libraries? 127. Do We Need More Diverse Superheroes? 128. What Is a Hero? 129. Can Graffiti Ever Be Considered Art? 130. Do We Need Art in Our Lives? 131. Is It Possible to Separate Art From the Artist Who Created It? 132. Should Society Support Artists and Others Pursuing Creative Works? 133. Should Displays of Art Be Welcome in All Public Spaces? 134. Does Pop Culture Deserve Serious Study?

Parenting and Childhood

135. At What Age Should Children Be Allowed to Go Places Without Adult Supervision? 136. How Much Freedom Should Parents Give Their Children? 137. Should Children Be Allowed to Wear Whatever They Want? 138. How Should Parents Discipline Their Kids? 139. When Does Discipline Become Child Abuse? 140. Should Parents Bribe Their Children? 141. Should Parents Make Their Children Clean Their Room? 142. Do We Give Children Too Many Trophies? 143. Is Modern Culture Ruining Childhood? 144. Are Adults Hurting Young Children by Pushing Them to Achieve? 145. How, and by Whom, Should Children Be Taught Appropriate Behavior? 146. Are ‘Dark’ Movies O.K. for Kids? 147. When Does a Halloween Costume Cross the Line? 148. Should Halloween Costumes Portray Only ‘Positive Images’? 149. Are Parents Violating Their Children’s Privacy When They Share Photos and Videos of Them Online? 150. Should Children Be Allowed to Compete on TV? 151. How Young Is Too Young for an iPhone? 152. Should Parents Limit How Much Time Children Spend on Tech Devices? 153. Who Should Be Able to See Students’ Records?

Being a Teenager

154. When Do You Become an Adult? 155. When Should You Be Able to Buy Cigarettes, Drink Alcohol, Vote, Drive and Fight in Wars? 156. When You Are Old Enough to Vote, Will You? 157. If Teenagers Are Such Bad Drivers, Should They Be Allowed to Drive? 158. What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation? 159. Does Your Generation Have Too Much Self-Esteem? 160. Is Your Generation More Self-Centered Than Earlier Generations? 161. Is Your Generation Really ‘Postracial’? 162. Do ‘Shame and Blame’ Work to Change Teenage Behavior? 163. Do ‘Saggy Pants’ Mean Disrespect? 164. Do You Think Teenagers Can Make a Difference in the World? 165. Is Teenage ‘Voluntourism’ Wrong? 166. Is Prom Worth It? 167. Is Prom Just an Excuse to Drink?

168. Do Teachers Assign Too Much Homework? 169. Are High School Students Being Worked Too Hard? 170. Does Your Homework Help You Learn? 171. What Are You Really Learning at School? 172. Does Class Size Matter? 173. What Makes a Good Teacher? 174. Should Schools Strive for Racial Diversity Among Teachers? 175. Do We Need a Better Way to Teach Math? 176. Does Gym Help Students Perform Better in All Their Classes? 177. Should Reading and Math Be Taught in Gym Class Too? 178. Should Kindergarten Be More About Play or Literacy? 179. What Are the Best Ways to Learn About History? 180. What Is the Right Amount of Group Work in School? 181. What Do You Think of Grouping Students by Ability in Schools? 182. How Important Is Arts Education? 183. Should Schools Be Teaching, and Evaluating, Social-Emotional Skills Like ‘Grit’? 184. Should Schools Teach Children How to Cook? 185. Do Schools Provide Students With Enough Opportunities to Be Creative? 186. Is Shakespeare Too Hard? 187. Should High Schools Do More to Prepare You for Careers? 188. How Much Does It Matter to You Which High School You Attend? 189. Would You Rather Attend a Public or a Private High School? 190. Are Small Schools More Effective Than Large Schools? 191. Would You Want to Be Home-Schooled? 192. Should Home-Schoolers Be Allowed to Play Public School Sports? 193. Does the Way Your Classroom Is Decorated Affect Your Learning? 194. Should All Children Be Able to Go to Preschool? 195. Should All Students Get Equal Space in a Yearbook? 196. Should School Newspapers Be Subject to Prior Review?

School Rules, Discipline and Bullying

197. Are School Dress Codes a Good Idea? 198. How Does Your School Deal With Students Who Misbehave? 199. What Role Should the Police Have in Schools? 200. What Are the Best Teaching Methods for Getting Students to Behave Well in Class? 201. Should Schools Be Allowed to Use Corporal Punishment? 202. Is Cheating Getting Worse? 203. Should Schools Put Tracking Devices in Students’ ID Cards? 204. Should Middle School Students Be Drug Tested? 205. Should Students Be Barred From Taking Cellphones to School? 206. How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community? 207. How Should Schools Address Bullying? 208. How Should Schools Address Cyberbullying? 209. What Should the Punishment Be for Acts of Cyberbullying? 210. When Do Pranks Cross the Line to Become Bullying? 211. How Should Schools Respond to Hazing Incidents?

Grading and Testing

212. Should Students Be Able to Grade Their Teachers? 213. How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities? 214. How Seriously Should We Take Standardized Tests? 215. Do You Spend Too Much Time Preparing for Standardized Tests? 216. Should Schools Offer Cash Bonuses for Good Test Scores? 217. How Important Are Parent-Teacher Conferences? 218. Should Students Be Present at Parent-Teacher Conferences? 219. How Should Parents Handle a Bad Report Card? 220. Does Your School Hand Out Too Many A’s? 221. Do Girls Get Better Grades Than Boys in Your School? 222. Does Separating Boys and Girls Help Students Perform Better in School? 223. Why Do Boys Lag Behind Girls in Reading? 224. Should Discomfort Excuse Students From Having to Complete an Assignment? 225. Should Schools Give Students ‘Body’ Report Cards?

Time in School

226. Should Schools Cancel Summer Vacation? 227. Do Kids Need Recess? 228. Should the School Day Start Later? 229. Is Your School Day Too Short? 230. Do You Think a Longer School Calendar Is a Good Idea? 231. Should the Dropout Age Be Raised? 232. Should We Rethink How Long Students Spend in High School? 233. Should Students Be Allowed to Skip Senior Year of High School? 234. Should Kids Head to College Early? 235. Class Time + Substitute = Waste? 236. A Short Fall Break, but What Should We Call It?

College and Career

237. Should a College Education be Free? 238. Is College Overrated? 239. How Necessary Is a College Education? 240. Should Colleges Find a Better Way to Admit Students? 241. Should Colleges Use Admissions Criteria Other Than SAT Scores and Grades? 242. Do You Support Affirmative Action in College Admissions? 243. Are Early-Decision Programs Unfair? Should Colleges Do Away With Them? 244. What Criteria Should Be Used in Awarding Scholarships for College? 245. Should Engineers Pay Less for College Than English Majors? 246. Does It Matter Where You Go to College? 247. Do College Rankings Really Matter? 248. What Is the Perfect Number of College Applications to Send? 249. Do Fraternities Promote Misogyny? 250. Should Colleges Ban Fraternities? 251. Is a Sorority a Good Place for a Feminist? 252. Should Colleges Offer Degrees in Sports? 253. What Do You Want More From a Career: Happiness or Wealth? 254. Would You Quit if Your Values Did Not Match Your Employer’s? 255. Should Employers Be Able to Review Job Applicants’ SAT Scores? 256. Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday? 257. Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office? 258. Is ‘Doing Nothing’ a Good Use of Your Time? 259. Should All High School Students Be Able to Get a Summer Job if They Want One?

Health and Nutrition

260. Should the Drinking Age Be Lowered? 261. Is Drinking and Driving Still a Problem for Teenagers? 262. Should the Legal Age to Purchase Tobacco Be Raised From 18 to 21? 263. Should E-Cigarettes Be Banned for Teenagers? 264. Is Smoking Still a Problem Among Teenagers? 265. Are Antismoking Ads Effective? 266. Should Marijuana Be Legal? 267. Should Students Be Required to Take Drug Tests? 268. Why Is Binge Drinking So Common Among Young People in the United States? 269. Should Universities Work to Curtail Student Drinking? 270. Should Distracted Driving Be Punished Like Drinking and Driving? 271. Should Texting While Driving Be Illegal in Every State? 272. How Should Schools Handle Unvaccinated Students? 273. Should Physician-Assisted Suicide Be Legal in Every State? 274. Should Terminally Ill Patients Be Allowed to Die on Their Own Terms? 275. Is School Lunch Really All That Bad? 276. Do You Think a Healthier School Lunch Program Is a Lost Cause? 277. Should French Fries and Pizza Sauce Count as Vegetables? 278. How Concerned Are You About Where Your Food Comes From? 279. Is It Ethical to Eat Meat? 280. Is Breakfast Really the Most Important Meal of the Day? 281. Do You Prefer Your Tacos ‘Authentic’ or ‘Appropriated’? 282. Should Sugary Drinks Be Taxed? 283. Should the Government Limit the Size of Sugary Drinks? 284. Should Teenagers Think Twice Before Downing Energy Drinks? 285. How Important Is It to Be Attractive in Our Society? 286. Are Models Too Skinny? 287. What Are Your Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery? 288. Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks? 289. Doctored Photos: O.K. or Not? 290. Should You Care About the Health and Safety of Those Making Your Clothing?

Animals and Science

291. Should Farm Animals Have More Legal Protections? 292. Is It Ethical to Genetically Engineer Animals? 293. When Is Animal Testing Justified? 294. Should Certain Animals Have Some of the Same Legal Rights As People? 295. Do Gorillas Belong in Zoos? 296. Is It Unethical for a Zoo to Kill a Healthy Giraffe? 297. Should Circuses Be Animal Free? 298. Should You Go to Jail for Kicking a Cat? 299. Should You Feel Guilty About Killing Spiders, Ants or Other Bugs? 300. Should Emotional Support Animals Be Allowed on College Campuses? 301. How Concerned Are You About Climate Change? 302. How Should Nations and Individuals Address Climate Change? 303. If You Were President, What Would You Do About Climate Change? 304. Should Developers Be Allowed to Build in and Near the Grand Canyon? 305. Should Scientists Try to Help People Beat Old Age So We Can Live Longer Lives? 306. Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate? 307. When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology? 308. Should Fertilized Eggs Be Given Legal ‘Personhood’? 309. How Do You Think Dinosaurs Went Extinct? 310. Do You Think Life Exists — or Has Ever Existed — Somewhere Besides Earth? 311. Do You Believe in Intelligent Alien Life? 312. Will Humans Live on Mars Someday? 313. Would You Want to Be a Space Tourist?

Personal Character and Morality

314. Does Achieving Success Always Include Being Happy? 315. Can Money Buy You Happiness? 316. Does Buying and Accumulating More and More Stuff Make Us Happier? 317. Which Is More Important: Talent or Hard Work? 318. How Important Is Keeping Your Cool? 319. When Should You Compromise? 320. Are We Losing the Art of Listening? 321. Do People Complain Too Much? 322. Is ‘Be Yourself’ Bad Advice? 323. How Important Is Keeping a Clean House? 324. Does Keeping a Messy Desk Make People More Creative? 325. Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason? 326. How Much Control Do You Think You Have Over Your Fate? 327. Can You Be Good Without God? 328. How Important Do You Think It Is to Marry Someone With the Same Religion? 329. Does Suffering Make Us Stronger and Lead to Success? 330. Do Bystanders Have a Responsibility to Intervene When There is Trouble? 331. When Is Looting Morally O.K.? 332. Can Kindness Become Cool? 333. Are Manners Important? 334. Have Curse Words Become So Common They Have Lost Their Shock Value?

Government and Leadership

335. How Strong Is Your Faith in American Democracy? 336. Is America Headed in the Right Direction? 337. Is It Possible to Start Out Poor in This Country, Work Hard and Become Well-Off? 338. Should the United States Care That It’s Not No. 1? 339. How Should Opponents Receive the New President — With an Open Mind and Honor for the Office, or With Defiance and Rejection? 340. What Do You Think the Role of the First Lady — or First Spouse — Should Be Today? 341. Should Voting Be Mandatory? 342. Does Voting for a Third-Party Candidate Mean Throwing Away Your Vote? 343. If You Were Governor of Your State, How Would You Spend a Budget Surplus? 344. What Local Problems Do You Think Your Mayor Should Try to Solve? 345. Should Rich People Have to Pay More Taxes? 346. What Is More Important: Our Privacy or National Security? 347. When Is the Use of Military Force Justified? 348. When Should Countries Negotiate With Their Traditional Enemies? 349. Should the U.S. Be Spying on Its Friends? 350. What Responsibility Do We Have to Take In Refugees From Global Humanitarian Crises? 351. Should Countries Pay Ransoms to Free Hostages Held by Terrorists? 352. Should Millions of Undocumented Immigrants Be Allowed to Live in the U.S. Without Fear of Getting Deported? 353. Are Children of Illegal Immigrants Entitled to a Public Education? 354. Do We Need a Higher Minimum Wage? 355. What Do We Owe Our Veterans? 356. Do Leaders Have Moral Obligations? 357. Do Great Leaders Have to Be Outgoing?

Guns, Prisons and the Justice System

358. What Are Some Answers to America’s Gun Violence? 359. How Should We Prevent Future Mass Shootings? 360. Would You Feel Safer With Armed Guards Patrolling Your School? 361. What Is Your Relationship With Guns? 362. Where Do You Stand on Unconcealed Handguns? 363. Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses? 364. Would Arming College Students Help Prevent Sexual Assaults on Campus? 365. What Should Be the Purpose of Prison? 366. Should Prisoners Be Given the Opportunity to Get an Education? 367. Should Felons Be Allowed to Vote After They Have Served Their Time? 368. Should the United States Stop Using the Death Penalty? 369. What Do You Think of the Police Tactic of Stop-and-Frisk? 370. When Should Juvenile Offenders Receive Life Sentences? 371. Do Rich People Get Off Easier When They Break the Law? 372. Should All Police Officers Wear Body Cameras? 373. Should Prostitution Be Legal?

Other Questions

374. Should the Private Lives of Famous People Be Off Limits? 375. Should We Be Privy to the Lives of Celebrities’ Children? 376. Do You Think Child Stars Have It Rough? 377. What Causes Should Philanthropic Groups Finance? 378. Should Charities Focus More on America? 379. Do Poor People ‘Have It Easy’? 380. Should We Think Twice Before Buying Online? 381. Is Amazon Becoming Too Powerful? 382. How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews? 383. Do You Shop at Locally Owned Businesses? 384. Would You Want a Bike Share Program for Your Community? 385. How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are? 386. Should Companies Collect Information About You? 387. What Time Should Black Friday Sales Start? 388. How Long Is It O.K. to Linger in a Cafe or Restaurant? 389. Should Restaurants Do Away With Tipping? 390. Should Single-Use Plastic Shopping Bags Be Banned? 391. Do We Crank Up the A.C. Too High? 392. Should Everyone Learn at Least One Other Language? 393. What Are the Five Greatest Inventions of All Time? 394. Dressing Up Like Creepy Clowns: Freedom of Expression or Public Nuisance? 395. Would Life Be Better Without Time Zones? 396. What Words or Phrases Do You Think Are Overused? 397. What Words or Phrases Should Be Retired? 398. Do Laws That Ban Offensive Words Make the World a Better Place? 399. Should Newspapers Reprint Cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad That Some Deem Offensive? 400. Is It Wrong for a Newspaper to Publish a Front-Page Photo of a Man About to Die? 401. Are There Topics That Should Be Off Limits to Comedy?

Argumentative Essay Examples (3 College Samples to Use)

When writing an argumentative essay, it can be helpful to look at examples and samples that provide the structure of the outline for the essay form. Here are argumentative essay examples to use when writing your university-level essay.

What is an argumentative essay?

An argumentative essay backs up its claims with facts and evidence. Its ultimate goal is to persuade the reader to concur with the thesis. Instead of only the author’s thoughts and feelings, a strong argumentative essay will incorporate facts and evidence to back up its claims.

This article will find three different argumentative essay examples to help you understand how to frame a good argument.

Argumentative essay outline:

Argumentative essays typically follow the conventional five-paragraph pattern. However, this is not necessary. The two common frameworks for these articles are the Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

• The most popular model is the Toulmin one. It starts with an introduction, moves on to a thesis or claim, and then provides information and proof to support that argument. Rebuttals of opposing points are also included in this type of essay.
• The Rogerian paradigm examines both sides of an argument, weighs their advantages and disadvantages, and then draws a decision.

Argumentative essay examples

Below are three examples of argumentative essays.

Essay Example 1:

Some people have proposed closing public libraries and replacing them with iPads with e-reader subscriptions as online learning becomes more widespread and more resources are transformed into digital form.

The idea’s proponents claim that it will result in financial savings for nearby cities and villages because libraries are expensive. They think more people will read since they won’t have to go to the library to borrow a book. Instead, they can just click on the book they want to read and read it from wherever they are. Additionally, since libraries won’t need to purchase physical copies of books because they can simply rent as many digital ones, they’ll have access to more resources.

But using tablets to replace libraries would be a grave error. First, compared to print resources, digital books and resources are more problematic and are connected with less learning. According to research comparing tablet and book reading, tablet users read 20–30% slower, remember 20–20% less information, and comprehend 10–15% less of what they read than those who read the same material in print. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that gazing at a computer for an extended period is significantly more likely than reading print to result in several health issues. Such as blurred vision, faintness, dry eyes, headaches, and eye strain.

A higher incidence of more significant health conditions like fibromyalgia, shoulder and back discomfort, and carpal tunnel syndrome. And muscle strain is also observed in individuals who use tablets and mobile devices extensively.

Second, assuming that libraries provide book lending is limited-minded. There are many advantages to libraries, many of which can only be accessed if the library is physically there. These advantages include serving as a peaceful study area, offering a forum for neighborhood interaction, hosting classes on various subjects, creating employment opportunities, responding to client inquiries, and maintaining a sense of community. Over a third of residents in one neighborhood said they felt more connected to their community when a local library started hosting community events like play dates for young children and their parents .

Similarly, a 2015 Pew survey revealed that nearly two-thirds of American respondents believed eliminating their neighborhood library would significantly negatively impact their neighborhood.

Tablets can’t provide these advantages nearly as well as libraries do for those looking to connect with others and find answers to their queries.

Despite the numerous problems with digital screens, replacing libraries with tablets may seem straightforward, but it would inspire people to spend even more time staring at screens. Additionally, many of the advantages of libraries on which people have come to rely would no longer be accessible. A simple object in many communities could never replace libraries since they are such a vital element of the social fabric.

Essay Example 2:

Malaria is a contagious illness brought on by parasites that are spread to humans by female Anopheles mosquitoes. Over 500 million people contract malaria each year, with about 80% of those individuals residing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Every year, malaria claims the lives of close to 500,000 people, the majority of them being young children under the age of five. Malaria has a higher death rate than many other infectious disorders.

Rather than treating the illness once the person is already infected, even though there have been numerous programs created to increase access to malaria treatment.

Numerous medications are available to treat malaria; many are effective and life-saving. Nonetheless, malaria eradication projects in Sub-Saharan Africa that place an excessive emphasis on treatment and insufficient emphasis on prevention have not been successful over the long run . The WHO’s Global Malaria Eradication Programme was a significant initiative to eradicate malaria. It was founded in 1955 to eradicate malaria in Africa during the following ten years . The program largely focused on vector control and was based on earlier successful initiatives in Brazil and the US. Chloroquine was widely dispersed, while DDT was sprayed in massive quantities.

The effort to eradicate malaria cost more than one billion dollars. However, the initiative was plagued by numerous issues, and in 1969, WHO had to acknowledge that the program had failed to eradicate malaria. During the period the initiative was in place, the number of malaria cases and malaria-related deaths in Sub-Saharan Africa had increased by more than 10%.

The project’s failure was largely due to the consistent strategies and procedures it imposed. The program was not nearly as effective as it could have been since it did not consider differences in governments, geography, and infrastructure. Sub-Saharan Africa lacks the resources and infrastructure necessary to sustain such a complex program, making it impossible to carry out in an intended manner.

Most African nations lack the funds to adequately treat and immunize all of their citizens, let alone afford to clean marshes or other malaria-prone areas. Only 25% of what Brazil spent on malaria eradication was spent per person on the continent. Africa’s Sub-Saharan region cannot rely on a strategy that calls for increased funding, infrastructure, or further expertise.

The widespread use of chloroquine has also led to developing parasites that are now a problem in Sub-Saharan Africa. Because chloroquine was used frequently but ineffectively, mosquitoes became resistant, and as a result, over 95% of mosquitoes in Sub-Saharan Africa are now resistant to it. To prevent and treat malaria, newer, more expensive treatments must be utilized, which raises the price of malaria treatment for a region that can’t afford it.

Programs should concentrate on preventing infection from arising in the first place rather than creating plans to treat malaria after the infection has already occurred. This strategy is more affordable and effective and also decreases the number of days lost to missed work or school, which can further impair the region’s output.

Insecticide-treated bed nets are one of the easiest and most cost-efficient ways to prevent malaria (ITNs). These nets offer a secure perimeter around whoever is utilizing them. Bed nets treated with insecticides are far more useful than those that haven’t since they prevent mosquitoes from biting people through the netting. And help lower mosquito populations in a neighborhood, aiding those who don’t even possess bed nets. Because most mosquito bites occur when a person is asleep, bed nets can significantly lessen the number of transmissions at night. Where ITNs are widely used, malaria transmission can be decreased by as much as 90%.

Households suffering from malaria can usually only gather 40% of the yields that healthy families can. A household with malaria sufferers also spends about a fifth of its income on medical expenses, not accounting for the time lost from work due to the sickness. According to estimates, malaria causes Africa to lose 12 billion USD in revenue annually. Sub-Saharan Africa needs a strong economy made possible by a large working population.

Essay Example 3:

People are once again debating whether college athletes should be paid due to the continued popularity of college athletics and the significant financial success of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

There are numerous possible payment structures. Student-athletes might receive compensation through sponsorships, autographs, and the right to use their likeness, just like professional Olympians do. These payments could take a free-market approach in which players can earn whatever the market offers.

The idea’s proponents contend that college athletes need to be paid in some way for their labor since they are the ones who practice, compete in games, along with drawing spectators. Without college athletes, the NCAA wouldn’t exist, coaches wouldn’t be paid their (sometimes very high) salaries, and companies like Nike wouldn’t be able to make money off college sports. College athletes don’t receive any of the $1 billion in annual revenue that the NCAA generates in the form of a paycheck.

People who support paying college athletes assert that doing so will encourage them to stay in school longer and delay turning pro.

The Duke basketball sensation Zion Williamson, who suffered a catastrophic knee injury during his freshman year, is cited by the idea’s proponents as evidence. Many others claimed that even he adored representing Duke, risking another injury and prematurely terminating his professional career for an organization that wasn’t paying him wasn’t worth it. Later that year, Williamson declared his eligibility for the NCAA draught, showing that he agreed with them. He might have remained at Duke for more time had he been paid.

Paying athletes might also end the NCAA’s ongoing recruitment issues. Because it was determined that coaches were utilizing sex workers to attract recruits to join the team, which was completely wrong. The NCAA stripped the University of Louisville men’s basketball team of its national championship trophy in 2018. Numerous additional recruiting scandals have occurred, in which college athletes and recruiters were bought off with anything from free automobiles to having their grades modified to outright bribery.

The NCAA might end the dishonest and unlawful methods certain schools and coaches use to recruit athletes by paying college athletes and disclosing their earnings.

Even though both sides have valid arguments, it is evident that the drawbacks of compensating collegiate athletes exceed their advantages. College athletes dedicate much time and effort to representing their institution but are rewarded with scholarships and benefits. This can result in a bidding war only for the top athletes.

In contrast, most student athletics and college athletic programs would suffer or shut down due to a lack of funding. It is possible for many people if benefits for student-athletes are maintained at the current level.

A successful argumentative essay incorporates the author’s thoughts and opinions and uses facts and evidence to support its claims. For instance, you might have wished to write an argumentative essay arguing that your friends would like to travel to New York.

The majority of individuals concur that eating fast food is unhealthy. It is arguable whether the federal government should regulate the size of sodas sold at fast-food restaurants because junk food is detrimental to your health. The statement is open to reasonable agreement or disagreement.

Start with a sentence that will grab your attention. Describe the texts in detail. Declare your position. Verify that you have rephrased the prompt. Add a topic sentence that restates your assertion and justification.

Inside this article

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About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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The New York Times

The learning network | 200 prompts for argumentative writing.

200 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Updated, March 2, 2017 | We published an updated version of this list, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing,” as well as a companion piece, “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing.” We also now have a PDF of these 200 prompts .

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and get five new Student Opinion questions delivered to you every week.

What issues do you care most about? What topics do you find yourself discussing most passionately, whether online, at the dinner table, in the classroom or with your friends?

Our annual Student Editorial Contest invites you to write an evidence-based persuasive piece on an issue that matters to you. To help jump-start your brainstorming, we have gathered a list of 200 writing prompts from our daily Student Opinion feature that invite you to take a stand.

Though you won’t be limited to these topics for the contest, you’ll see that our list touches on every aspect of modern life, from politics to sports, culture, education and technology. We hope the range inspires you, and we hope the fact that each question links to at least one related Times article gives you a starting point for finding evidence.

So skim the list below to think about the topic you’d most like to take on.

For more information, here are links to our spring 2014 editorial-writing contest , a list of winners from that contest and a related lesson plan on argumentative writing .

• Is Cheating Getting Worse?
• Should Students Be Able to Grade Their Teachers?
• Does Your School Hand Out Too Many A’s?
• Should Middle School Students Be Drug Tested?
• Should Reading and Math Be Taught in Gym Class Too?
• How Seriously Should We Take Standardized Tests?
• How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities?
• Do You Spend Too Much Time Preparing for Standardized Tests?
• Should Schools Offer Cash Bonuses for Good Test Scores?
• Should We Rethink How Long Students Spend in High School?
• Do Schools Provide Students With Enough Opportunities to Be Creative?
• What Are You Really Learning at School?
• How Important Is Arts Education?
• Does Gym Help Students Perform Better in All Their Classes?
• Who Should Be Able to See Students’ Records?
• Are Children of Illegal Immigrants Entitled to a Public Education?
• What Is the Right Amount of Group Work in School?
• Is Your School Day Too Short?
• Do You Think a Longer School Calendar Is a Good Idea?
• Should the Dropout Age Be Raised?
• Should Students Be Allowed to Skip Senior Year of High School?
• How Does Your School Deal With Students Who Misbehave?
• Should Schools Be Allowed to Use Corporal Punishment?
• How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community?
• How Should Schools Address Bullying?
• Should Schools Put Tracking Devices in Students’ ID Cards?
• What Do You Think of Grouping Students by Ability in Schools?
• Do We Need a New Way to Teach Math?
• Does Class Size Matter?
• Should All Students Get Equal Space in a Yearbook?
• Is Prom Worth It?
• How Important Are Parent-Teacher Conferences?
• Should All Children Be Able to Go to Preschool?
• Should Colleges Use Admissions Criteria Other Than SAT Scores and Grades?
• What Criteria Should Be Used in Awarding Scholarships for College?
• Do You Support Affirmative Action?
• Do College Rankings Matter?
• How Necessary Is a College Education?
• Should Engineers Pay Less for College Than English Majors?

Technology and Social Media

• Are the Web Filters at Your School Too Restrictive?
• Does Technology Make Us More Alone?
• Are You Distracted by Technology?
• Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time?
• Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smart Phones Playing ‘Stupid Games’?
• Has Facebook Lost Its Edge?
• Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad?
• Should What You Say on Facebook Be Grounds for Getting Fired?
• Should People Be Allowed to Obscure Their Identities Online?
• What Should the Punishment Be for Acts of Cyberbullying?
• Is Online Learning as Good as Face-to-Face Learning?
• Do Your Teachers Use Technology Well?
• Should Tablet Computers Become the Primary Way Students Learn in Class?
• Can Cellphones Be Educational Tools?
• Should Computer Games Be Used for Classroom Instruction?
• How Young Is Too Young for an iPhone?
• Should Companies Collect Information About You?
• Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions?
• Are Digital Photographs Too Plentiful to Be Meaningful?
• Do You Worry We Are Filming Too Much?
• Would You Want a Pair of Google’s Computer Glasses?
• How Would You Feel About a Computer Grading Your Essays?
• What Role Will Robots Play in Our Future?
• How Many Text Messages Are Too Many?
• How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews?

Arts and Media: TV, Music, Video Games and Literature

• Why Do We Like to Watch Rich People on TV and in the Movies?
• Do TV Shows Like ‘16 and Pregnant’ Promote or Discourage Teenage Pregnancy?
• Does TV Capture the Diversity of America Yet?
• Is TV Too White?
• Is TV Stronger Than Ever, or Becoming Obsolete?
• Does Reality TV Promote Dangerous Stereotypes?
• What Current Musicians Do You Think Will Stand the Test of Time?
• What Artists or Bands of Today Are Destined for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?
• What Musician, Actor or Author Should Be a Superstar, but Hasn’t Quite Made It Yet?
• Will Musical Training Make You More Successful?
• Should Video Games Be Considered a Sport?
• Should Stores Sell Violent Video Games to Minors?
• Can a Video Game Be a Work of Art?
• Do Violent Video Games Make People More Violent in Real Life?
• When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies?
• What Game Would You Like to Redesign?
• What Were the Best Movies You Saw in the Past Year?
• To What Writer Would You Award a Prize?
• Do You Prefer Your Children’s Book Characters Obedient or Contrary?
• Where Is the Line Between Truth and Fiction?
• Can Graffiti Ever Be Considered Art?
• Do We Need Art in Our Lives?
• What Makes a Good Commercial?
• Why Did a Cheerios Ad Attract So Many Angry Comments Online?
• Does Pop Culture Deserve Serious Study?

Gender Issues

• Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters?
• Is School Designed More for Girls Than Boys?
• Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies?
• How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body?
• Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks?
• Is It O.K. for Men and Boys to Comment on Women and Girls on the Street?
• What Should We Do to Fight Sexual Violence Against Young Women?
• How Do You Feel About Rihanna and Chris Brown Getting Back Together?
• Do Fraternities Promote Misogyny?
• Why Aren’t There More Girls in Leadership Roles?
• Why Aren’t More Girls Choosing to Pursue Careers in Math and Science?
• Should Women Be Allowed to Fight on the Front Lines Alongside Men?
• Do You Believe in Equal Rights for Women and Men?
• Are Women Better at Compromising and Collaborating?
• Do Boys Have Less Intense Friendships Than Girls?

Sports and Athletics

• If Football Is So Dangerous to Players, Should We Be Watching It?
• Should Parents Let Their Children Play Football?
• Should College Football Players Get Paid?
• When Do Pranks Cross the Line to Become Bullying?
• Has Baseball Lost Its Cool?
• Are Some Youth Sports Too Intense?
• Is It Offensive for Sports Teams to Use Native American Names and Mascots?
• Where Should Colleges and Sports Teams Draw the Line in Selling Naming Rights?
• Should Colleges Fund Wellness Programs Instead of Sports?
• Is Cheerleading a Sport?
• How Big a Deal Is It That an N.B.A. Player Came Out as Gay?
• Should There Be Stricter Rules About How Coaches Treat Their Players?
• Should Athletes Who Dope Have to Forfeit Their Titles and Medals?
• Should Sports Betting Be Legal Everywhere?
• Should Home-Schoolers Be Allowed to Play Public School Sports?
• Would You Want a Bike Share Program for Your Community?

Politics and the Legal System

• What Local Problems Do You Think Your Mayor Should Try to Solve?
• If You Were Governor of Your State, How Would You Spend a Budget Surplus?
• When Is the Use of Military Force Justified?
• What Is More Important: Our Privacy or National Security?
• California Notice
• Should the U.S. Be Spying on Its Friends?
• Do You Trust Your Government?
• What Do You Think of the Police Tactic of Stop-and-Frisk?
• Do Rich People Get Off Easier When They Break the Law?
• Should Rich People Have to Pay More Taxes?
• Do Laws That Ban Offensive Words Make the World a Better Place?
• Is It Principled, or Irresponsible, for Politicians to Threaten a Shutdown?
• Do Leaders Have Moral Obligations?
• Do Great Leaders Have to Be Outgoing?
• How Should We Prevent Future Mass Shootings?
• Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses?
• Would You Feel Safer With Armed Guards Patrolling Your School?
• What Is Your Relationship With Guns?
• Do You Support or Oppose the Death Penalty?
• When Should Juvenile Offenders Receive Life Sentences?

Parenting and Childhood

• Do We Give Children Too Many Trophies?
• When Do You Become an Adult?

When Should You Be Able to Buy Cigarettes, Drink Alcohol, Vote, Drive and Fight in Wars?

• Should the Morning-After Pill Be Sold Over the Counter to People Under 17?
• Should Birth Control Pills Be Available to Teenage Girls Without a Prescription?
• Is Modern Culture Ruining Childhood?
• Are Adults Hurting Young Children by Pushing Them to Achieve?
• How, and by Whom, Should Children Be Taught Appropriate Behavior?
• What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation?
• Do ‘Shame and Blame’ Work to Change Teenage Behavior?
• How Should Children Be Taught About Puberty and Sex?
• Is Dating a Thing of the Past?
• How Should Parents Handle a Bad Report Card?
• Should Children Be Allowed to Wear Whatever They Want?
• How Should Educators and Legislators Deal With Minors Who ‘Sext’?
• Do You Think Child Stars Have It Rough?

Health and Nutrition

• Is Smoking Still a Problem Among Teenagers?
• Are Antismoking Ads Effective?
• Is Drinking and Driving Still a Problem for Teenagers?
• Do You Think a Healthier School Lunch Program Is a Lost Cause?
• How Concerned Are You About Where Your Food Comes From?
• Is It Ethical to Eat Meat?
• Do You Prefer Your Tacos ‘Authentic’ or ‘Appropriated’?
• Should the Government Limit the Size of Sugary Drinks?
• Should Marijuana Be Legal?
• Should Students Be Required to Take Drug Tests?

Personal Character and Morality Questions

• Do Bystanders Have a Responsibility to Intervene When There is Trouble?
• Should You Care About the Health and Safety of Those Making Your Clothing?
• Can Money Buy You Happiness?
• Does Buying and Accumulating More and More Stuff Make Us Happier?
• Are We Losing the Art of Listening?
• Do People Complain Too Much?
• Can Kindness Become Cool?
• Which Is More Important: Talent or Hard Work?
• How Important Is Keeping Your Cool?
• When Should You Compromise?
• Is Your Generation More Self-Centered Than Earlier Generations?
• Can You Be Good Without God?
• Have Curse Words Become So Common They Have Lost Their Shock Value?
• What Words or Phrases Should Be Retired in 2014?
• What Words or Phrases Do You Think Are Overused?
• Should Couples Live Together Before Marriage?
• How Important Do You Think It Is to Marry Someone With the Same Religion?
• How Long Is It O.K. to Linger in a Cafe or Restaurant?
• Does Keeping a Messy Desk Make People More Creative?
• How Important Is Keeping a Clean House?
• Should Scientists Try to Help People Beat Old Age So We Can Live Longer Lives?
• Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate?
• When Is It O.K. to Replace Human Limbs With Technology?
• Do You Think Life Exists — or Has Ever Existed — Somewhere Besides Earth?
• Should Fertilized Eggs Be Given Legal ‘Personhood’?
• How Concerned Are You About Climate Change?

Other Questions

• Is It Wrong for a Newspaper to Publish a Front-Page Photo of a Man About to Die?
• What Causes Should Philanthropic Groups Finance?
• Should Charities Focus More on America?
• Should the Private Lives of Famous People Be Off Limits?
• Did a Newspaper Act Irresponsibly by Publishing the Addresses of Gun Owners?
• Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office?
• What Time Should Black Friday Sales Start?
• Do You Shop at Locally Owned Businesses?
• How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are?

Comments are no longer being accepted.

Argumentative prompts – 200

So i was thinking about doing a topic of Nuclear War for school and i am not able to take and find it on here does anyone know were i can find it?

Many of these questions aren’t at all appropriate for someone writing a persuasive speech. Take the question about life existing other than on earth. The only argument that should convince anyone that life exists other than on earth would use definitive scientific evidence. And if we had that, there wouldn’t be an argument in the first place.

Regarding the section on Gender Issues:

Where are the questions regarding transgender teens or adults? Where are the questions regarding sexuality? Where are the questions regarding whether or not gender roles have an impact on teens? Where are the questions regarding society’s view on the LGBT(etc.) community?

Hi Tasha, We have touched on all of these issues on the blog numerous times, but for this collection of questions, we only highlighted those asked in a way that most naturally led to argumentative writing. But, for example, we have a whole collection on teaching about LGBT issues here, and we ask questions and run lesson plans around aspects of teenage sexuality regularly. (For instance, just off the top of my head, here , here , here , here , here, here , here and here .) But we’re always open to suggestions, so let us know what else you’d like to see. –Katherine

I have another persuasive argument-should students have recess in junior high?

Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks? Have you ever seen an image of a model in a magazine and thought to yourself “wow, I wish I looked that remarkable”? You are not the only one. They are perfect, however, the images we view of these women and men are 99.9% not how they actually look. They use a tremendous amount of photoshop to create a look they could not even achieve themselves. Yes, looking at these images have an outcome of someone staring unhappily in the mirror, not seeing perfect skin and chiseled abs. Looking at perfect people in pictures for hours and then looking at yourself, you seem to come across every blemish and fault that the models in the pictures did not have. Having the idea that you could never look as flawless as the unreal people in magazines does have the power to lower your self-esteem. You do not really know how bad you feel about your looks until you see teeth as bright as the sun, the perfect coke bottle shape, and the flawless sun kissed skin in your favorite magazine. Photoshopped images make you look and feel better, but then again it portrays an unrealistic person that is hardly yourself. Everyone has flaws and with this photoshop madness, the flaws are erased. With no flaws in these images there is no limit to how far someone will go to get that level of perfection, even though that level is unachievable because a great deal of lightening, smoothing, and shrinking has been added to the image. The more photoshop is being used to clear up insecurities; the more it is just adding to ours. If you see before and after photos, you will realize that people in the photoshopped images are not as perfect as they claim to be. And we should not feel bad about ourselves because of this, but we do. Seeing how a size 10 model can be photoshopped down to a size 1 is ridiculous. How can wrinkles vanish inconspicuously, uneven skin tones be evened out, dark circles erased, and stretch marks blurred? In real life this is not possible to be completely without a blemish or flaw. So, when we see all of these photoshopped images we start putting our heads down in shame knowing we cannot look as impeccable as these fake images display. Altering images to try and fit the society’s way of how people should look is nonsense. We will never look like that and it is just making people self-esteem worse because we will go to the end of the world and back to figure out every secret to acquire glowing skin and youthful looking skin like the individuals in our magazine. But the secret is all in the image, it is a little thing called photoshop and it is ruining the way we look at ourselves.

Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks? Have you ever seen an image of Kim Kardashian in a magazine and thought to yourself “wow, I wish I looked that remarkable”? You are not the only one to think in this fantasizing way. Kim is perfect; however, the images we view of her are 99.9% retouched. Photographers use a tremendous amount of photoshop to create a look of pure perfection they could not achieve themselves. Yes, looking at these images has an outcome of staring unhappily in the mirror, not seeing perfect skin and chiseled abs. Looking at perfect people in pictures for hours and then looking at yourself, you seem to come across every blemish and fault that the models in the pictures did not have. Having the idea buried in your mind that you could never look as flawless as the unreal people in magazines does have the power to lower your self-esteem. You do not really know how bad you feel about your looks until you see teeth as bright as the sun, the perfect coke bottle shape, and the flawless sun kissed skin on your idle, in your favorite magazine. Photoshopped images make them look and feel better about themselves, but then again it portrays an unrealistic person that is hardly close to the real you. Everyone has flaws and with this photoshop madness, the flaws are erased. With no flaws in these images there is no limit to how far someone will go to get that level of perfection, even though that level is unachievable because a great deal of lightening, smoothing, and shrinking has been added to the image. The more images being photoshopped to clear up insecurities; the more insecurity there is being piled on the viewers. If you see before and after photos, you will realize that people in the photoshopped images are not as perfect as they claim to be. And we should not feel bad about ourselves because of this, but we do. Seeing how a size 10 model can be photoshopped down to a size 1 is ridiculous. How can wrinkles vanish inconspicuously, uneven skin tones be evened out, dark circles erased, and stretch marks blurred? In real life this is not possible to be completely without a blemish or flaw. So, when we see all of these photoshopped images we start putting our heads down in shame knowing we cannot look as impeccable as these fake images display. Altering images to try and fit into society’s way of how people should look is nonsense. We will never look like that and it is just making people self-esteem worse because we will go to the end of the world and back to figure out every secret to acquire glowing and youthful looking skin like the individuals in our magazine. But the secret is all in the image, it is a little thing called photoshop and it is ruining the way we look at ourselves.

Carly H & Maggie W Galvin Middle School Canton, MA 02021

Should student be able to wear whatever they want?

Many adults argue there is a line between skimpy and sweet. More than 75 % of schools in the United States have issued dress codes that limit what boy and girls are allowed to wear on school grounds. Unless schools are supplying uniforms or paying money for students’ wardrobes we believe schools should not have a say. Although many teachers would say middle school and high school students’ choice of clothing is rather inappropriate and distracting, almost all parents and students would beg to differ. As middle schoolers we strongly believe schools have taken away students right to express themselves. Middle school and high school age kids are just starting to come out of their shells. Some students feel more comfortable in their own clothes than they would feel in a uniform. Nowadays students have been bullied due to what they are wearing. Kids have been called “ugly” or “weird” and “gay”. Kids want to fit in and wear the newest styles. It seems though these styles have been getting skimpier and skimpier. Letting a child wear clothing of their choice it can boost their self confidence. We feel that as long as your parents let you out of the house the way that you are dressed then the schools should not have a say. About 63% percent of kids in middle school get bullied because of what they are wearing. Without a dress code students have that chance to fit in and develop a personal style. Many teachers and faculty believe schools without dress codes have lower test scores. People say that these low test scores can be because students are dressing inappropriately. Dressing inappropriately can distract other students and faculty. Some people have a hard time paying attention in school and then skimpy clothing can just make it worse. One theory suggests that students who wear uniforms and who don’t not have freedom to wear what they want get better grades in school. Even though wearing uniforms might seem like it can solve all problems no matter what people choose to do clothing will always be a debate in schools. All in all wearing whatever you want has its advantages but also disadvantages. When you have the freedom to wear what you want there is always going to be the kids that take that for granted. But then having that freedom can be a way for children to fit in and express themselves. We believe that students should be able to wear whatever they want.

Colleen B. Sofia C. Galvin Middle School Canton, MA 02021

Why women are not pursuing careers in the S.T.E.M. field.

Eleanor Roosevelt once said “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” Throughout history humans haven’t been treated equally, most of this injustice has to do with sex, race, or ethnicity. As humanity has developed we have created rights for the discrimination. Women have always been thought as the inferior gender, however as time has progressed women have earned more rights. Unfortunately many women still think of themselves as secondary.

One reason the majority of female has not been choosing careers in math and science has to do with encouragement. Repetition builds a muscle, a muscle builds a habit and habit builds a character that sticks. If children are not encourage from a young age, or don’t get exposed to S.T.E.M. careers, their mind has already been developed and is not focused on exploring the science and math fields. Most children of this generation are steered toward sports from a young age, which does not allow females in particular to see a variety of career options in their future. Its not that the majority of women don’t want to work in the S.T.E.M. field but their upbringing does not promote these callings.

Throughout history, women have always been stereotyped as the inferior gender. Women are usually thought as less intelligent and are relegated to lower paying jobs. Females in the past have had a very small work selection. From the 1950s to the 1970s, women commonly had two job options, becoming a teacher or a nurse. However, as time has progressed women have begun to expand their career choices but still make less than males. The Media can make a big impact on how women are seen through pop culture.

Even though statistics state that the percentage of females in the S.T.E.M. field has decreased, people still believe that our country has a stable science and math field. Many believe that in our future, the science fields will open up to women population more. This may be true but the fields are already open for females to enter. However, the majority of females still do not choose to pursue these careers.

Just as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” Until more women explore the S.T.E.M. fields we can never quite tell how strong and intelligent women are.

Is Prom Worth it?

As teenagers we all want to have one perfect night, especially girls. For us prom is the only chance to have a complete Cinderella dream. You wait all these years until the day finally comes, dress hunting. That’s the moment when you doubt and say the unspeakable, “Is prom worth it?” Some might say yes while others may say no whatever the reason is the glitz or the thought of getting rejected. People come in and out of our lives, but many articles say this is our last chance to be with our peers. It isn’t really because there is still graduation but to have a lot of fun with our peers, proms the night. In that one night you become the person you were when you walked into to high school for the first time and now you get to leave as the person you have become. In high school you change, you make new types of choices and maybe become mature. Sometimes in growing up we forget the things that makes us, us and in this night you get a chance to remember and become that graduating class that you were always meant to be. To some people they still say no, however I think it is still worth it. Other articles say that prom is a big memorable moment. You all fall into places like in a story, there is a king and queen and moments to remember. Moments aren’t only captured in pictures but in places, in our minds, in people, in heartbeats. These moments are what brings a class together and helps us say, “Don’t you remember…” This will definitely be something you will remember. Many of us want to do everything, trying anything, and do them with the people they love. We have choices in our lives which sometimes get’s in the way of doing things but is prom a choice which helps us accomplish this? About twenty five percent of the teen population don’t attend prom. Some might not want to go after seeing the price on the dress tag or the ticket itself. Most families spend about a thousand one hundred thirty nine dollars. For most families this is a lot and people don’t plan to spend this much unless it’s their wedding. In this economy college tuition also seems a lot to families and this seems like an unnecessary expense. Despite the cost and the drama that prom brings on, it is a night to remember. From the moment you meet your date to the moment the limo picks you up there is a story to be told within.

• //learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/05/02/is-prom-worth-it/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0 • //www.lifeway.com/Article/parenting-teens-family-Prom-in-Perspective

Grace K and John A Galvin Middle School Canton MA 02021

School Dress Codes . In middle schools and high schools all over the country, administrators are punishing children for their clothing choices. The reason for this being that girl specifically, dress too provocatively. Therefore, stricter dress codes are being enforced, but is it worth it? It isn’t appropriate for anyone besides a child’s parents to tell them what they can and can not wear. Period. Most people buy their kids shorter, smaller and lighter clothes for the warmer months, spending their own hard earned money. For a public school to then proceed to tell those parents that their child is not permitted to wear that clothing on school grounds, where they spend over 7 hours of their day, just isn’t right. If a child’s legal guardian is perfectly fine with their kids wearing a pair of “short-shorts” then why should a school policy be allowed to them they can’t? Especially when the school isn’t providing uniforms or money to buy clothing that fit into their particular dress codes. Another reason why schools shouldn’t enforce such strict dress codes is because of basic human rights. Freedom of expression, by definition, is the right to express one’s ideas and opinions freely through speech, writing, and other communication. For centuries, clothing has been one of those forms of other communication. To deny people their rights is illegal, no matter what age, race, or sex and schools not allowing students to wear clothing of their choice is no exception. Besides it being against the law, schools are supposed to encourage kids to be themselves, stand up for what they believe in, and help them find their identities. One of the best ways for our country’s youth to accomplish these things is to allow them to be as unique and personal with their clothes as possible. If this means letting a child wear a tank top with straps that are less than 3 inches wide, so be it. Many people don’t want to give kids, girls in particular; the freedom to wear whatever they want to school because they think it will be too much of a distraction for boys. While I agree with that, I think it is more important for children to be able to express themselves freely. Besides that, who’s to say that girls aren’t distracted by the clothing that boys wear? There are almost no restrictions or limitations towards the clothing that boys are allowed to wear yet there are several for girls. It shouldn’t be a female student’s problem that some young boys get too “distracted” by what they wear when boys are hardly even affected by the dress code at schools anyways. In conclusion, school dress codes are harsh and unnecessary and should be lessened at the least. Plenty of people agree with this as well as disagree. Hopefully, schools will see the error of their ways and adjust their clothing policies, as they are currently unfair and too strict for many different reasons.

Colleen B. Sofia C. Galvin Middle School Canton, MA 02021 Why women are not pursuing careers in the S.T.E.M. field. Eleanor Roosevelt once said “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” Throughout history humans haven’t been treated equally, most of this injustice has to do with sex, race, or ethnicity. As humanity has developed we have created rights for the discrimination. Women have always been thought as the inferior gender, however as time has progressed women have earned more rights. Unfortunately many women still think of themselves as secondary. One reason the majority of female has not been choosing careers in math and science has to do with encouragement. Repetition builds a muscle, a muscle builds a habit and habit builds a character that sticks. If children are not encourage from a young age, or don’t get exposed to S.T.E.M. careers, their mind has already been developed and is not focused on exploring the science and math fields. Most children of this generation are steered toward sports from a young age, which does not allow females in particular to see a variety of career options in their future. Its not that the majority of women don’t want to work in the S.T.E.M. field but their upbringing does not promote these callings. Throughout history, women have always been stereotyped as the inferior gender. Women are usually thought as less intelligent and are relegated to lower paying jobs. Females in the past have had a very small work selection. From the 1950s to the 1970s, women commonly had two job options, becoming a teacher or a nurse. However, as time has progressed women have begun to expand their career choices but still make less than males. The Media can make a big impact on how women are seen through pop culture. Even though statistics state that the percentage of females in the S.T.E.M. field has decreased, people still believe that our country has a stable science and math field. Many believe that in our future, the science fields will open up to women population more. This may be true but the fields are already open for females to enter. However, the majority of females still do not choose to pursue these careers. Just as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, “A woman is like a tea bag – you can’t tell how strong she is until you put her in hot water.” Until more women explore the S.T.E.M. fields we can never quite tell how strong and intelligent women are. -//learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/22/why-arent-more-girls-choosing-to-pursue-careers-in-math-and-science/ -//www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/sept09/vol67/num01/Encouraging-Girls-to-Pursue-Math-and-Science.aspx

Should cyber-bullying laws be passed?

Cyber-bullying is extremely serious, no one should suffer from cyber-bullying, those doing the bullying should not get away with it they need to be punished. More laws on cyberbullying and punishments need to be passed. If cyber bullying doesn’t get prevented it will drastically increase over the years due to the progress of new technology. Cyberbullying is cruel and hurtful, it can cause depression, thoughts of suicide and low self esteem. Anna Maria Chavez the chief executive officer of girl scouts once said “unless and until our society recognizes cyberbullying for what it is, the suffering of thousands of silent victims will continue.” Hurtful words take a toll on the individual, at times they may feel worthless and believe the world would be a better place without them. In the United States 49 states have bullying laws only 19 states include cyberbullying, meaning 31 states have yet passed a cyberbullying law. How much longer until more cyberbullying laws are passed? How many more lives will be lost? Each year over 13 million individuals are bullied, there are about 4,400 deaths in the United States by suicide those being bullied have a greater chance to be one of those individuals. No one should be cyber bullied, bullies need to be punished for their actions. Megan Meier from Dardenne Prairie, Missouri committed suicide on October 17, 2006 at the age of 13 due to cyberbullying. After Megan’s death, her mother Tina Meier urged that Megans bully must be punished, and was able to get “Megans Law” passed which protects individuals from harassment on social networking sites. The majority of parents plead for more cyberbullying laws, why aren’t they passing? Therefore each state should pass laws preventing cyberbullying and punishments for bullies. Bullying is a stab in the heart after the constant fighting,trying to get through the pain, the heart gives up as the individual cannot take it anymore. Katherine Jenkins, a classical crossover singer has said “children should be able to live free from bullying and harassment and it is time that we all took a stand.” Cyber Bullying must end before it´s too late.

Sources The Associated Press. “Mother Wants Maximum Penalty in Cyberbullying Case.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 28 Nov. 2008. Web. 04 Mar. 2014. //www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/us/29internet.html?ref=meganmeier “About Tina Meier.” Megan Meier Foundation. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Mar. 2014. //www.meganmeierfoundation.org/about-tina-meier.html “State Cyberbullying Laws.” N.p., Feb.-Mar. 2014. Web. Feb.-Mar. 2014. < //www.cyberbullying.us/Bullying_and_Cyberbullying_Laws.pdf>. “Bullying and Suicide.” Bullying Statistics. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Mar. 2014. //www.bullyingstatistics.org/content/bullying-and-suicide.html Jenkins, Katherine. “Beatbullying’s The Big March 2012.” Beatbullying’s The Big March 2012. Feb.-Mar. 2014. Address. Chavez, Anna Maria. “Confronting Cyber Violence in the Digital Age.” The Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 25 Apr. 2013. Web. 04 Mar. 2014. //www.huffingtonpost.com/anna-maria-chavez/confronting-cyber-violenc_b_3157086.html

It can’t be worked out systematically. Young people need to leap beyond the assumption that at 18 they can do everything; buy cigarettes, drink alcohol, vote, drive and fight in wars—but it actuality, not until they’re 21.

Young people need to be protected by law since a majority is ignorant of the consequences that follow every decision. Anemona Hartocollis found that many young people thought they weren’t mature enough in making life-or-death decisions before 21. It not only applied to drinking and smoking, but combat as well. When both parties are in agreement that one is in need of guidance, justifies raising the age limit, making it equivalent, provides consistency.

Dealing with consumption, privileges and the civic engagement, privileges are the least controversial of the three. At 16, young people can receive their license. There should be regulations—which some states have already implemented. The ‘We Check to Protect-Vertical Identification Program’ requires those under 21 a vertical (portrait) style driver’s license (Johnson). This ensures health and safety of young people as reminder for teenagers, parents, businesses, law enforcement, retailers and merchants.

Buying cigarettes and drinking alcohol is next controversial. Enforcing an age limit is virtually impossible (by society’s standards, since keeping up with our standard of living in our culture of instant gratification, where underage this that and the other, are the best things these days) it wouldn’t make a difference. It would receive outcry.

“If [loved ones] condone it, then… it’s acceptable,” says Patrick Brown who sought the consultation of his mother before enlisting. Even though it may not be idealistic with underage consumption, ‘Older adults with the benefit of a lot of hindsight might tend to agree’ (Hartocollis).

Immaturity extends beyond a person’s legal entrance into adulthood. Cheryl G. Healton, dean of Global Health at N.Y.U. says, “The executive function [of the brain]…is really not fully developed until…over 21” (Hartocollis). If, through someone else’s experience, has better knowledge about these issues, then the government raising the age limit to 21, for a majority of them, is right when young people aren’t fully prepared to comprehend such actions psychologically.

Some will argue about the consistency. Keeping the age limit to drive at 16, treating them like minors until 21, and raising it to 21 for the other issues, will receive different levels of criticism. It’s simpler to have a bit of difference than to have no congruity.

Buying cigarettes, drinking alcohol, voting, driving and fighting in wars shouldn’t be given freedom until 21. Young people are supposed to make mistakes and everyone is a life lesson learned. We don’t want to be guilty by association of not trying to prevent such lessons learned at severe expenses and/or too early.

Hartocollis, Anemona. “Smoking? Combat? Wait Till 21, Young Recruits Say.” New York Times [New York] 23 Apr 2013, early ed. A19. Web. 4 Mar. 2014. < //www.nytimes.com/2013/04/24/health/smoking-combat-wait-until-21-to-decide-young-recruits-say.html>.

Johnson, Ruth. Michigan. Department of State. Vertical Driver’s License Helps with Age Verification!. State of Michigan, 2003. Web. < //www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1627_8669-70561–,00.html>.

Nathaniel Skinner

Are we Ever Without God?

People often wonder “Can we be good without God?” . It’s a common question; one may argue that there are good atheists all around us. This is true, even by Christian standards; there are atheists practice good deeds and some who practice evil deeds, just like there are Christians who practice good deeds and some who practice evil deeds. Some atheists give to the poor, help those in jail, feed the hungry, clothe the naked and do other things a good Christian should do. Being an atheist does not always equate to being an immoral or bad person. So yes you can be good and you can do this without believing in God. What is God, is there a single definition or are there multiple? According to Roman Catholic belief, what we refer to as God is an all powerful deity consisting of The Father, the son, and the Holy spirit. A common understanding of this God, to many non-Christians is the guy in the white garb standing on the clouds with the beard and sandals;this is not the sole image of God. God is all powerful, so why would ‘he’ maintain one form for all the 7 billion plus people on earth now, not to mention all the people who have come before us? In truth God is all things good, God is happiness, God is love, God is faith, God is truth and God is compassion. Truly whatever religion whatever race what ever culture, if you are just and honest and practice these things then God is with you. So The more prevalent question here instead of can you be good without god is: are people ever without God?

God is not bound to human form nor is God bound to any of the laws of physics or reality that are recognized by modern day science(Proverbs 15:3) This means that God can and does appear in a multitude of forms and situations. We must be careful not to put God into human restraints: God is not subject to the same terms that we judge our fellow men and women(Job 11:7-9). In this way God is all around us, even inside our hearts. God knows us like we know ourselves because we all have a little piece of God in ourselves, this furthers the fact that no one can be without God. Even people who are commonly considered immoral or evil have God in them or around them; just because one does not believe in God does not mean God is not present so even murderers and stone cold criminals have God in their life.

God is also all knowing, meaning that god knows the future, the present and the past by “heart”. The argument can be made that if God knows a certain person will go to hell after they die from the beginning why does he not just send them straight to hell? The answer is that life is a journey and if God were to send people straight to hell without giving them a chance to walk the path of life and understand what they are called to do, then it would be extremely unfair. Just because a person is an atheist does not mean they are doomed to hell; actions speak louder than words. It really is true. So if you worship god in your actions but don’t do it in your voice or mind then this still counts as being with God.

God loves all of us; every human to walk this earth have received love from God even if they don’t know it. God has a roundabout way of getting things done. Every Action is weaved into God’s design: running like a perfect machine every action affects somebody,then somebody else then somebody else and so on. God is in fact everywhere and we cannot and will not part unto death. until then there is never a step one person walks without God

“I believe in God, but not as one thing, not as an old man in the sky. I believe that what people call God is something in all of us. I believe that what Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha and all the rest said was right. It’s just that the translations have gone wrong.”

― John Lennon

Due to the controversial and seemingly almost unique view included in this editorial, there are no New York Times sources that support the ideas expressed. I hope to receive a slight pardon for not having a NY times source. If this essay does not qualify, I understand. N. Skinner

//www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+11%3A7-9&version=ESV

Proverbs 15:3

//www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs+15%3A3&version=ESV

Why does society (men and women) tell women that they have to appeal a certain way to the public eye? Women are the most beautiful creation God has made because without women, there wouldn’t be a population to grow to carry out the future. Since this is true who do we as a society tend to present to women that they need to change. keep in thought that we don’t have to make something perfect, if it was already perfect to begin with. In some cases women have always been told what to do or how to appeal a certain way to the public eye. I believe that society’s appeal to the preconceived image of the perfect woman is unjust because no two women are the same and no to women should have to conform to look like one another. Society, both men and women, have been putting pressure on women to have that ‘perfect’ body. From the New York Times, Katherine Schulten had said that “the ads show girls of different races and sizes, and others playing sports in a wheelchair. Each one with the campaign’s slogan: ‘I’m beautiful the way I am.’” This describes how women shouldn’t be discriminated on how their body appears in the public eye. The woman should see herself just as worthy as she sees all the other women. In some circumstances, women have always been told that they have to take the second seat to man. There’s a song that compares women and society, it shows how “we say to girls: ‘You can have ambition but not too much. You should am t be successful, but not too successful, otherwise you will threaten the man’ (Knowles). Throughout this song i can confer that some women are able to handle the pressure of the workplace, whereas other women like the role of being a domestic engineer. However, Maybelline expresses through their campaign that women should indeed wear makeup. Maybelline’s President, David Greenberg, claimed that “makeup helps women feel more comfortable with going out in public.” Mr. Greenberg says that they’re not trying to make women have a false identity, but instead trying to make them have a secure sense of security. Women shouldn’t be judged by their appeal to the public eye. Society needs to stop advertising a certain type of woman, and show all types of women. If a woman were to walk down the street, either she is insecure, obese, and/or depressed, and she were to look up to a beautiful woman on the billboard, shes going to feel more insecure and want to change how she appears. A life of a woman shouldn’t be based on their physical appearance, because every woman is beautiful in their own way and it shouldn’t be hidden due to what society says. – Schulten, Katherine. “Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies?” The Learning Network Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have Perfect Bodies Comments. New Yorks Times, 03 Oct. 2013. Web. 02 Mar. 2014. < //learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/10/03/is-there-too-much-pressure-on-girls-to-have-perfect-bodies/>.

Does Technology make us more alone? As a greatness that has increased the way that we perceive the world, technology can be a burden. Unlike the many screen glossed eyes and over exerted thumbs, technology is doing something far worse than hand cramps: it is making the human mind more comfortable with being alone and devoid of human contact. Technology has created, based upon evidence stated by Sherry Turkle, the desire ‘to customize our lives’ through the vast creativity that technology provides. It forces people to only ‘pay attention to what interests them’. But who wouldn’t? People typically pay more attention to the subjects that interest them and would most likely try to find those subjects online where they are easiest to access. Yes, despite increasing our knowledge, it is decreasing our ability to converse with one another. The fear of being judged all gone with eye contact glued to a screen. It is as if no one wants to be bothered by others around them, but is willing to have millions follow them on social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. Even Sherry Turkle- a psychologist and professor employed at M.I.T- states in her article The Flight from Conversation that ‘people are comforted by being in touch with a lot of people- carefully kept at bay’. This need to be important and loved by a persona is a reassuring concept that provides those two wants without having to deal with actual human emotion. The need for interaction with living, breathing people seems to be cast aside for the more accurate version from a nonliving thing such as a robot. We live in an age where technology is a necessity in life, but it is becoming a way to destroy connecting and feeling emotions from other people, enforcing being alone in a world that is barely real.

“The Flight From Conversation”. New York Times. April 21, 2012. Web. March 2, 2014. //www.nytimes.com/2012/04/22/opinion/sunday/the-flight-from-conversation.html?pagewanted=all

Legalize Marijuana Drugs aren’t as harmful as people believe them to be. Marijuana is more helpful than harmful. Statistics state that 88,000 people die from alcohol and more than 480,000 people die from cigars. While less than a hundred people die from the marijuana usage. This drug benefits people with diseases such as cancer. It seems that many people would rather drink alcohol that can become addictive rather than smoke marijuana which is a drug that most people value for medical needs. Marijuana is being legalized in many places for different reasons. In Mexico City officials suggest “Legalization of marijuana, not other drugs.” People smoke the drug instead of having any other addictions such as shopping, sex, tv and video games. In Guatemala, the president has put forward a plan for the government to legalize and sell the drug. While these two places are allowing the drug, majority of the U.S is still against the use of marijuana. “The U.S has rejected legalization as a solution to drug use.” Citizens in the U.S have different emotions about this debate with many citizens not accepting the drug. Marijuana isn’t harmful because it is a natural substance. People should be able to smoke a substance that is natural rather than tobacco which is mixed with a highly addictive substance called nicotine. Allen St. Pierre a Executive Director of the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws agrees that the drug marijuana should be legalized. He stated that he hopes more Americans would legalize it. “Since 1996, 18 states approved marijuana for medical use.” And also “13 states have decriminalized the possession of marijuana, removing the possibility of jail time.” This suggest that many of the world’s population are able to persuade their government that marijuana isn’t as much as an addictive drug as society believes it to be. Marijuana isn’t a harmful substance unless it is laced with another drug. Marijuana has been proven to be a palliative drug and should be legalized in the U.S

Archibold, Randal C. “Americas Coalition Suggests Marijuana Laws Be Relaxed.” New York Times. 18 May. 2013: A.7. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.

Gonchar,Michael. Should marijuana be legalized?.Ny times. 31, May 2013. Web. 10, March 2014

Sexual Violence against Young Women According to American Medical Association, Sexual violence and rape are considered the most under reported violent crime. In the Steubenville case 2 high school football players were found guilty of raping a 16-year-old girl. After being found guilty of raping and sending nude images of the girl around, 1 boy got 1 year in juvenile jail and the other boy got 2 years. After the case one of the boys apologized to the victims family stating “No pictures should have been sent around, let alone ever taken.” The fact that the 2 high school boys raped and took pictures shows that we as a society are not teaching the effects and consequences of rape to young adults. According to an article in the New York Times, “the judge of the case noted that the boys could have had far worse punishments and said that this was a cautionary lesson.” The fact that the judge is giving them a cautionary lesson astounds me. Rape is rape and no matter what age the rapists are the consequences should be served based on the crime not their age.

In Ms. Nathman’s article “Raising children who will speak up tot prevent rape, not defend it,” she discusses the “Cult of Masculinity” and how male power and strength are being praised upon especially since these 2 boys were football stars. The teenage boys thought that because they were football stars that they were unstoppable and could get away with anything until they were caught and found guilty. Nathman states that there is often and impulse to “Blame the victim” and that is one thing I disagree with her. There in any case is never an impulse to blame the victim noted on what she was wearing. So the amount of insincerity people are showing to the victim of this case is unbearable. Social media also had a big role on the insincerity people showed the victim.

In my opinion, the work of these college activists is impressive, but we need to do more. I also agree with the college activists saying that colleges and high schools are falling short in educating students about sexual assaults since most young adults are defending the rapists of this case. Also many people are tweeting to the victim that she “ruined their life” when the rapist ruined their own life. “Rape is not a recreational activity. We, as a society, have an obligation to do more to educate our young people about rape. They need to know that it is a horrible crime of violence. And it is simply not ok.” Stated Ohio attorney of the Steubenville case Dr. DeWine.

Guarino, Mark “Steubenville’s Troubling Question: Is Rape Just a Part of ‘Hook-up Culture?’ Christian Science Monitor, March 20, 2013 n.p

Oppel, Richard “Ohio Teenagers Guilty in Rape That Social Media Brought to Light”. New York Times, March 17, 2013

Books not Guns

In 2002 at a Arizona university, an irate student shot three professors to death. This event and many other school shootings lead to one of the biggest questions in Arizona’s and other states government and schools… “Should weapons be aloud on campus?” Guns and other weapons should not be permitted in schools and on campuses. They can cause danger to other students and professors. Students or teachers may use them without a cause or for the wrong reasons, and bringing weapons to campus can be the cause of more school shootings. If students bring weapons to school, it can put everyone in that building or on that campus in danger. Students or professors may feel unsafe and not comfortable there, even though a campus is supposed to be a comfortable, friendly environment. Having people on campus able to carry weapons on them can cause students and/or teachers to have violent outburst. For example, if the student thinks it’s unfair to have an assessment or finds the material they are learning too difficult, they might use their weapon upon the teacher. The number of students bringing weapons to school is sky rocketing and the number teachers being threatened by their students is increasing as well. As of now the risk of a student accidentally getting shot or obtaining a gun during a school year has increased by 40 percent in the past four decades. Because of one child carrying a gun on campus, others may feel they can too. “Campus shootouts are a relative rarity, but they do occur. The most notorious shooting at an Arizona university took place in 2002 when a disgruntled nursing student shot three professors to death.” Just from being angry and dissatisfied, she shot the people there to help her. Exactly as Carmen Themar stated, “…and bullets don’t always go where they are aimed.” Taking out your frustration on someone may impact another’s life. The shooting victims most likely have families that are devastated. The anger could cause those certain people to shoot others. A gun shooting is more than just injuring or killing that human; whole families are affected. Guns should stay out of any educational environment because schools are for learning and guns have no purpose to be there.

“Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses?” The Learning Network Should Guns Be Permitted on College Campuses Comments. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Mar. 2014.

Szabo, Liz. “Guns in the Home Are Proving Deadly for Kids.” //sks.sirs.com . Newspaper USA Today, 29 May 2013. Web.

Is it really worth calling a sport? From experience, I can tell you cheerleading is a sport. Girls train endless, tiring hours each week perfecting a routine that includes a combination of gymnastics, dance, and stunting. Not only do you need a high level of strength and skill, cheerleading offers a high risk of injury. And what is that cheerleading doesn’t have that other sports do? “An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a competitive nature” is the definition of a sport according to Dictionary.com. Cheerleading exceeds all these criteria. According to the Women’s Sport Foundation, a sport must include a physical activity which involves propelling a mass through space or overcoming the resistance of mass, like a football, baseball, or in cheerleading, a person.Of course it takes strength and skill to throw a ball accurately, but to throw a person up into the air takes a tremendous amount of strength. All sports are governed by rules, and have some element of competitiveness. Cheerleading has rules that restrict skills in each level and performance time, and as far as I know, cheerleading is the most competitive sport I’ve ever participated in. Cheerleaders travel the U.S. all year round to compete in different states. There is even a competition called The World Championship that is broadcasted on ESPN. If its broadcasted on television, then its definitely a sport. 65.1% of all catastrophic sports injuries in high school females are from cheerleading, according to livescience.com. So, over half of all injuries in high schools in girls are from cheerleading, so what makes it not a sport? Injuries are sadly common in every sport, and I have experienced one before. As a backspot, my job is to catch and make sure my flyer stays up safely in the air. While putting their safety before mine, I have numerous girls fall on me, especially my head. After many visits to the doctors, I was diagnosed with a concussion. Missing many days of school, I had left my team stranded with one less team member. Injuries really take a toll on life, especially when you play a sport that has a high risk of it occurring. According to, George W. Bush was the head cheerleader at Phillips Academy in Andover, Mass. Since, cheerleading has grown tremendously. Numerous cheer gyms are opening in every state, why would there be such a demand for them if cheerleading wasn’t a sport. Not only are their gyms continuously opening, but cheerleading is all over the media, television and online shows are dedicated to the sport. So, if you still don’t think cheerleading is a sport, ask cheerleader, and they will tell you countless reasons why it is.

Sources Thomas, Katie. “Cheering Clamors to Be Sport.” The New York Times 22 May 2011: 1-5.

IS Music The Key to Success?

Music. It’s Not Just For Entertainment

Collaboration. Creativity. Discipline. Three important qualities that are hard to come by in society today. As people, we need to find a way to acquire these traits. Many people look to music for entertainment. Unfortunately they are missing the big picture. Music can encourage these desired qualities within us. In fact, many successful people in business, acting and newscasting have been classically trained in music. Coincidence? I think not. Alan Greenspan, a man who served as the chairman of the federal reserve,and grew up playing the clarinet and piano, told the New York Times that he himself, knows that this is no coincidence. “The probability that this is just chance is extremely small.” Greenspan explains. In agreement, many pose the question, “Why does this connection exist?” Most would simply say “It just does.” Paul Allen says otherwise. The co founder of Microsoft has played both the violin and the guitar. He informed the New York Times that at the end of a long day of programming, he would pull his guitar out and play, learning to express himself in a brand new way. The sad part is that music isn’t being taught to many students. In a 2003 Gallup Poll, only 54% of American households said they have have at least one musician. Since 1978, this statistic has dropped by 15%. Sooner or later, there will be nobody playing musicians. Parents have argued that the arts do nothing for our students, but do gym classes really do anything for us? At a small middle school in Holliston Massachusetts, kids are required to take a form of music class. Students can play instruments, sing in the chorus or study general music. Holliston has ranked number 18 in the state. Interestingly, all of the schools ranked ahead of Holliston require music to graduate. In an article in Forbes Magazine, a writer says that if a scientist were to have musical training it would have no relevance on how great a scientist they are. Thus, countering the fact that musical training will lead to success. This may be true but most would agree that listening to music can help us concentrate on work. Music being a branch of performing arts also can give us confidence. SInging in front of a crowd could help with public speaking. Playing an instrument in front of thousands shares the language of melody, sharing our ideas in front of a crowd shares the language of our knowledge. Many instrumentalists refer to music as a “hidden language.” If we believe that languages of countries will help us to be successful, then we believe that the language of music will help too.

Works Cited: Lipman, Joanne. “Is Music the Key to Success?.” The New York Times. The New York Times, 12 Oct. 2013. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. < //www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/opinion/sunday/is-music-the-key-to-success.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0> .Ubel, Peter. “An Embarrassingly Unscientific New York Times Op-Ed On Music And Success.” Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 10 Jan. 2014. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. < //www.forbes.com/sites/peterubel/2014/01/10/an-embarrassingly-unscientific-new-york-times-op-edon-music-and-success/>.

Collaboration. Creativity. Discipline. Three important qualities that are hard to come by in society today. As people, we need to find a way to acquire these traits. Many people look to music for entertainment. Unfortunately they are missing the big picture. Music can encourage these desired qualities within us. In fact, many successful people in business, acting and newscasting have been classically trained in music. Coincidence? I think not. Alan Greenspan, a man who served as the chairman of the federal reserve,and grew up playing the clarinet and piano, told the New York Times that he himself, knows that this is no coincidence. “The probability that this is just chance is extremely small.” Greenspan explains. In agreement, many pose the question, “Why does this connection exist?” Most would simply say “It just does.” Paul Allen says otherwise. The co founder of Microsoft has played both the violin and the guitar. He informed the New York Times that at the end of a long day of programming, he would pull his guitar out and play, learning to express himself in a brand new way. The sad part is that music isn’t being taught to many students. In a 2003 Gallup Poll, only 54% of American households said they have have at least one musician. Since 1978, this statistic has dropped by 15%. Sooner or later, there will be no musicians left. Parents have argued that the arts do nothing for our students, but do gym classes really do anything for us? At a small middle school in Holliston Massachusetts, kids are required to take a form of music class. Students can play instruments, sing in the chorus or study general music. Holliston has ranked number 18 in the state. Interestingly, all of the schools ranked ahead of Holliston require music to graduate. In an article in Forbes Magazine, a writer says that if a scientist were to have musical training it would have no relevance on how great a scientist they are. Thus, countering the fact that musical training will lead to success. This may be true but most would agree that listening to music can help us concentrate on work. Music being a branch of performing arts also can give us confidence. SInging in front of a crowd could help with public speaking. Playing an instrument in front of thousands shares the language of melody. Sharing our ideas in front of a crowd shares the language of our knowledge. Many instrumentalists refer to music as a “hidden language.” If we believe that languages of countries will help us to be successful, then we believe that the language of music will help too.

Can you suggest me any topic /argumentative essay on aboriginal health?

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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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• May 16, 2024

What Is Argumentative Writing? Master The Art of Persuasion

Julia mccoy.

Creator and Co-founder

You’ve got an opinion, and you’re not afraid to share it. But how do you convince others to see things your way? That’s where argumentative writing comes in.

Argumentative writing is more than just spouting off your thoughts – you need facts, evidence, and a logical argument to back up your claims. That’s what separates a persuasive piece from a mere rant.

So, whether you’re writing an essay for school, trying to convince your boss to give you a raise, or pitching a new product to a potential client, mastering the art of argumentative writing is key.

Table Of Contents:

What is argumentative writing, structure of an argumentative essay, argumentative essay writing tips, common mistakes to avoid in argumentative writing, argumentative essay examples, challenge the status quo and make your reader think.

If you’ve ever tried to convince someone to see things your way, you already know the basics of argumentative writing. It’s all about building a case, brick by brick, until the reader has no choice but to agree with you.

But there’s an art to it. You can’t just throw out random facts and expect to win people over.

Nope, argumentative writing is a delicate dance of logic, persuasion, and cold, hard evidence.

So what is argumentative writing?

At its core, argumentative writing is about taking a stance on an issue and backing it up with well-researched facts. It’s not about emotions or personal opinions. It’s about building an airtight argument that leaves no room for doubt.

Think of it like a court case. You’re the lawyer, and your readers are the jury. It’s your job to present the evidence in a way that convinces them to agree with you. And just like in a real court, you can’t rely on flimsy evidence or logical fallacies. You need cold, hard facts.

What is The Purpose of Argumentative Essay Writing?

Ultimately, the goal of writing an argumentative paper is to persuade the reader to agree with your perspective on a controversial topic. You’re not just sharing information – you’re trying to change minds.

But it’s not about strong-arming your readers into submission. The best argumentative essays use logic and evidence to gently guide the reader to a certain conclusion. It’s like a mental map, leading them step by step until they arrive at your point of view.

Key Elements of Argumentative Writing

To create a truly persuasive argumentative essay , you need a few key ingredients:

• A debatable topic with multiple sides
• A good thesis statement that’s clear and specific
• Logical reasoning and transitions
• Credible, relevant evidence to support your argument
• Acknowledgment of opposing views
• A compelling, convincing conclusion

Skip any of these, and your argument will be about as sturdy as a house of cards. But nail them all, and you’ll have a bulletproof essay.

Alright, so you’ve got your topic and your evidence. Now it’s time to put it all together into a cohesive argumentative essay structure.

Here’s the typical writing process of a persuasive essay:

Introduction and Thesis Statement

First, write your introduction. Think of it as your opening argument in a courtroom drama. It’s your chance to captivate the jury, provide context for the case, and lay out your main point in a compelling thesis statement. This is the bedrock upon which your entire essay rests, so craft it with care.

Body Paragraphs and Supporting Evidence

Then lay out your case, point by point. Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea, supported by specific facts and examples. And don’t just state the evidence – explain how it logically backs up your argument.

Think of it like building a brick wall. Each piece of evidence is a brick, and your explanation is the mortar holding it all together. Without that mortar, your argument will crumble.

Conclusion and Reiterating Main Points

Finally, nail your closing argument. This is your last chance to drive your point home. Restate your thesis, sum up your main evidence, and leave the reader with a strong impression.

But don’t just rehash what you’ve already said. Use the conclusion to take your argument to the next level – perhaps by posing a new question or calling the reader to action. End on a high note and make it impossible for the reader to disagree with you.

So, you’re gearing up to write an argument essay that packs a punch. Want to make sure it’s ironclad? Here’s how to do it.

Choose a Debatable Topic

The best argumentative essays are about controversial, debatable topics. If everyone already agrees with your thesis, there’s no point in arguing it. Pick something that has multiple sides and tons of evidence to explore.

Here are some of the most controversial topics that have spawned great debates:

• Banning mobile phones in schools
• Animal testing
• Social media addiction
• Artificial intelligence
• School uniforms should be required
• Capital punishment
• Free college
• Homework should be banned
• Violent video games should be banned
• All police officers should carry guns
• Student loans
• Tobacco and alcohol bans
• Climate change
• Universal healthcare
• Homeschooling vs. traditional schooling
• Mandatory vaccination
• Humans colonizing other planets
• Legalization of drugs
• Legalization of prostitution
• Alternative energy

Conduct Thorough Research

After you have chosen a topic, it’s time to gather evidence.

You can’t argue effectively without the facts to back you up. Dive deep into credible sources – academic journals, reputable news outlets, expert interviews. The more evidence you have, the stronger your argument will be.

Outline Your Essay

Before you start writing, sketch out the structure of your essay.

Start with a topic sentence. What main points will each body paragraph cover, and what evidence will you use to support them?

Having a blueprint will keep you focused and make the actual writing much easier.

Use Strong Evidence and Examples

The heart of any argumentative essay is its evidence. Make sure each claim you make in your writing is backed up by facts, statistics, studies, or other logical proof. And use vivid examples to illustrate your points and make them more concrete for the reader.

Address Opposing Views

A strong argumentative essay doesn’t present just one side – it also addresses and refutes the opposing view.

Acknowledge the other perspectives on the topic and use evidence to explain why they’re incorrect or incomplete. This shows you’ve really done your research.

Edit and Revise Your Work

Once you’ve got a draft, the real work begins.

Go through your essay with a fine-toothed comb, checking for logical flow, persuasive language, grammar mistakes, and more.

Don’t be afraid to cut, rearrange, or rewrite sections to make your argument as strong as possible.

Writing essays can be tricky, even for the pros. Watch out for these common mistakes that could trip you up along the way.

Failing to Address Counterarguments

If you ignore the other side of the argument, you’re essentially sticking your head in the sand. A good argumentative essay acknowledges and refutes the opposing viewpoints. Otherwise, your piece is just a written speech.

Relying on Emotional Appeals

You might be inclined to sprinkle emotional language and personal stories throughout your argumentative essay, hoping to tug at your readers’ heartstrings.

Resist that urge.

In argumentative writing, logic and evidence are your most powerful tools.

Overusing emotional appeals can make your argument appear weak and unconvincing, causing your readers to question your credibility. Stick to the facts and let them speak for themselves.

Lacking Credible Evidence

An argument is only as good as the evidence that backs it up. If you’re using outdated, unreliable, or incomplete sources, your whole essay will suffer. Make sure each claim is supported by current, credible facts from authoritative sources.

Straying from the Main Argument

It’s easy to get sidetracked, especially when you’re passionate about a topic. But if you stray too far from your main thesis, you’ll confuse and lose your readers.

Stay laser-focused on proving your central argument, and cut any irrelevant info.

Sometimes the best way to learn is by example. Reading argumentative essays can show you what works in terms of choosing a topic, crafting a thesis, structuring your argument, and more.

Here are some of the most influential argumentative essays throughout history:

• “Letter from Birmingham Jail” by Martin Luther King Jr.
• “Declaration of Sentiments and Resolutions” by Elizabeth Cady Stanton
• “A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift
• “Politics and the English Language” by George Orwell
• “Self-Reliance” by Ralph Waldo Emerson
• “Civil Disobedience” by Henry David Thoreau
• “Shooting an Elephant” by George Orwell
• John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address

Each of these texts presents a compelling argument using the tools of logic, evidence, and persuasive language. Study how they hook the reader, lay out their reasoning, and drive their point home. Then try to emulate those techniques in your own writing.

With these tips and examples in mind, you’re well on your way to writing an argumentative essay that would hold up in any court of public opinion.

Remember – it’s all about building a logical, evidence-based case that leaves your readers no choice but to agree with you.

Argumentative writing is all about taking a stand, backing it up with evidence, and convincing your reader to join your side.

Want to write a powerful argumentative essay? Be clear, logical, and persuasive. Take on those counterarguments directly and paint a vivid picture with concrete examples.

With these tips in mind, you’re ready to tackle any argumentative writing challenge that comes your way.

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Argumentative Thesis Statement

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In the realm of persuasive writing, the argumentative thesis statement stands as a pivotal element, guiding the entire context of an essay or research paper. It serves as the beacon that directs your work, letting readers know not only what to expect but also the position you’re advocating. This article dives into the depths of argumentative thesis statement examples, unraveling their significance, and offering a step-by-step guide on how to create one effectively.

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What is an Argumentative Thesis Statement?

Before we delve into the intricacies of crafting a compelling argumentative thesis statement, let’s clarify what this vital element entails. An argumentative thesis statement serves as the core assertion of your essay, presenting your stance on a particular theme or topic. It goes beyond a mere description of the subject; it takes a firm position that you will defend with logical reasoning, evidence, and persuasion.

How to Craft an Argumentative Thesis Statement

Creating an argumentative thesis statement requires a methodical approach. By following these steps, you’ll be better equipped to develop a thesis that not only captures the essence of your argument but also engages readers from the outset.

Step 1: Identify Your Topic and Stance

The first step involves identifying the simple subject you’re addressing and your position on it before starting with the introduction . Your stance could be an assertion, a judgment, or an evaluation, shaping the tone and direction of your entire argument.

Step 2: Analyze Your Audience

Understanding your audience is crucial. Consider their perspectives, beliefs, and potential objections. Tailoring your argumentative thesis statement to resonate with your readers enhances the persuasiveness of your message.

Step 3: Develop a Concise Thesis

A strong thesis is concise and focused. It should encapsulate your main argument while giving a glimpse of the supporting points you’ll discuss. Avoid vague language and ensure your thesis statement is clear and direct.

Step 4: Incorporate Cause and Effect

A compelling argumentative thesis statement often involves demonstrating the cause-and-effect relationship between your stance and the topic. Highlight how certain actions, beliefs, or decisions lead to specific outcomes.

Can my argumentative thesis statement evolve as I research and write?

Absolutely. Your thesis can and should evolve based on your research findings and the development of your argument. Flexibility allows you to refine and strengthen your position.

How can I avoid falling into clichés when crafting my thesis statement?

To avoid clichés , strive for originality. Instead of using well-worn phrases, express your position in a unique way that showcases your perspective and analytical depth.

Should I include counterarguments in my thesis statement?

While it’s not necessary to include counterarguments in your thesis statement, acknowledging opposing viewpoints can add credibility to your argument. However, save the detailed counterarguments for the body of your essay.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

How to Write a Good Conclusion Paragraph (+30 Examples)

A good conclusion paragraph is the lasting impression you want to leave with your reader.

Here is a quick summary of how to write a good conclusion paragraph:

Write a good conclusion paragraph by summarizing key points, restating your thesis, and providing a final thought or call to action. Ensure it wraps up your main ideas, reinforces your argument, and leaves the reader with something to ponder.

This ultimate guide will walk you through the steps to craft an effective conclusion, along with 30 examples to inspire you.

5 Steps for Writing a Good Conclusion Paragraph

Table of Contents

There are five main steps to writing a good conclusion.

Let’s go through each step

1. Understand the Purpose

The conclusion is your final opportunity to leave an impact.

It should tie together your main ideas, reinforce your message, and give the reader a sense of closure.

Wrap Up Your Main Ideas

The conclusion should succinctly wrap up the main points of your writing. Think of it as a summary that captures the essence of your arguments without going into detailed explanations.

This helps reinforce what you have discussed and ensures that the reader remembers the core message.

Reinforce Your Thesis

Your thesis statement is the foundation of your writing.

In the conclusion, restate it in a new way to reinforce your central argument. This reminds the reader of the purpose of your writing and underscores its significance.

Give a Sense of Closure

A good conclusion gives a sense of closure to the reader. It signals that the discussion has come to an end and that all points have been addressed. This helps the reader feel that the piece is complete and that their time was well-spent.

Leave the Reader with Something to Think About

The best conclusions go beyond merely summarizing the content.

They leave the reader with a final thought or reflection that stays with them. This could be a call to action, a prediction about the future, or a thought-provoking question that encourages further reflection on the topic.

2. Summarize Key Points

Briefly summarize the key points discussed in the body of your text.

Avoid introducing new information. This helps the reader recall the main ideas.

Brief Summary

The summary should be concise and to the point. Highlight the main ideas discussed in your writing without going into detailed explanations. This helps refresh the reader’s memory of your key points.

Avoid New Information

Introducing new information in the conclusion can confuse the reader. The conclusion is not the place to present new arguments or data. Stick to summarizing what has already been discussed.

Recall Main Ideas

Summarizing the key points helps the reader recall the main ideas of your writing. This reinforces the message and ensures that the reader takes away the most important information from your piece.

“In conclusion, adopting sustainable practices, reducing waste, and promoting renewable energy are essential steps towards a greener future.”

3. Restate the Thesis

Restate your thesis in a new way. This reinforces your argument without sounding repetitive.

Restate, Don’t Repeat

Restating the thesis means expressing it in a new way.

Avoid repeating it verbatim.

Instead, rephrase it to reinforce your argument and show that you have successfully argued your point throughout the piece.

Reinforce the Argument

Restating the thesis helps reinforce your central argument. It reminds the reader of the purpose of your writing and underscores its significance.

Provide Closure Restating the thesis in the conclusion gives a sense of closure.

It signals that the discussion has come full circle and that you have addressed your initial argument.

“By implementing these strategies, we can significantly reduce our carbon footprint and protect our planet for future generations.”

4. Provide a Final Thought

Offer a final thought or reflection to leave a lasting impression. This could be a call to action, a prediction, or a thought-provoking question.

Final Thought or Reflection

A final thought or reflection can leave a lasting impression on the reader.

It shows that you are not just summarizing your points but also offering a deeper insight or perspective.

Call to Action

A call to action encourages the reader to take the next step.

It motivates them to act based on the information or arguments presented in your writing.

Prediction or Question

A prediction about the future or a thought-provoking question can engage the reader and encourage further reflection. This leaves the reader with something to think about even after they have finished reading.

“As we move forward, it’s crucial to remember that every small effort counts. Together, we can make a difference.”

5. Use a Call to Action (if applicable)

If your piece is meant to persuade or encourage action, include a call to action. This motivates the reader to take the next step.

Motivate the Reader

A call to action motivates the reader to take the next step.

It encourages them to act based on the information or arguments presented in your writing.

Encourage Action

Including a call to action is especially important in persuasive writing. It encourages the reader to act on the information provided and make a change or take a specific action.

Provide Clear Steps

A good call to action provides clear steps for the reader to follow.

It should be specific and actionable, guiding the reader on what to do next.

“Join us in making a positive change. Start today by reducing your plastic use and spreading awareness about environmental conservation.”

Check out this video about how to write a good conclusion:

How to Write a Good Conclusion for an Essay

Writing a good conclusion for an essay involves summarizing your main points, restating your thesis, and providing a final thought or reflection.

Here’s how:

• Summarize Main Points : Briefly recap the key points discussed in the body of your essay.
• Restate Thesis : Paraphrase your thesis statement to reinforce your argument.
• Final Thought : Offer a final insight, question, or call to action to leave a lasting impression.

This approach ensures your essay feels complete and leaves the reader with a clear understanding of your argument.

How to Write a Good Conclusion for an Argumentative Essay

A strong conclusion for an argumentative essay should not only summarize the main points and restate the thesis but also emphasize the importance of your argument.

Follow these steps:

• Summarize Arguments : Briefly outline the main arguments presented.
• Restate Thesis : Rephrase your thesis to highlight its significance.
• Address Counterarguments : Acknowledge opposing viewpoints and reinforce why your argument is stronger.
• Call to Action : Encourage the reader to take action or reconsider their position.

How to Write a Good Conclusion for a Research Paper

Crafting a good conclusion for a research paper involves summarizing your findings, discussing their implications, and suggesting future research.

Here’s a guide:

• Summarize Findings : Recap the key results of your research.
• Discuss Implications : Explain the significance of your findings and how they contribute to the field.
• Restate Research Question : Reiterate the research question and how your findings address it.
• Suggest Future Research : Propose areas for further investigation.

This format provides a comprehensive and thoughtful conclusion that underscores the importance of your research and its potential impact.

30 Examples of Good Conclusion Paragraphs

Let’s explore some good examples of good conclusions.

Example 1: Environmental Essay

“In conclusion, the preservation of our natural resources is not just a necessity but a responsibility we owe to future generations. By taking small steps today, we can ensure a healthier planet tomorrow.”

Example 2: Technology Article

“As we embrace the advancements in technology, it is vital to remain vigilant about privacy and security. Staying informed and proactive can help us navigate the digital landscape safely.”

Example 3: Health and Wellness Blog

“Ultimately, achieving a balanced lifestyle requires dedication and mindfulness. By prioritizing our well-being, we can lead healthier and more fulfilling lives.”

Example 4: Business Report

“In summary, the market analysis indicates a positive trend for our product. With strategic planning and execution, we can capitalize on these opportunities and drive growth.”

Example 5: Education Essay

“In the end, fostering a love for learning in students is the key to their success. By creating engaging and supportive educational environments, we can inspire the next generation of leaders.”

Example 6: Travel Blog

“To conclude, exploring new destinations enriches our lives and broadens our perspectives. Embrace the adventure and discover the beauty of our world.”

Example 7: Personal Development Article

“In the final analysis, personal growth is a lifelong journey. Embrace challenges, learn from experiences, and continue striving to become the best version of yourself.”

Example 8: Marketing Case Study

“In closing, the data clearly shows that targeted marketing strategies significantly improve customer engagement and sales. By refining our approach, we can achieve even greater success.”

Example 9: Historical Analysis

“In conclusion, the events of the past continue to shape our present and future. Understanding history is essential to making informed decisions and avoiding past mistakes.”

Example 10: Scientific Research Paper

“Ultimately, the findings of this study contribute to our understanding of the subject and open the door for further research. Continued exploration in this field is vital for advancing knowledge.”

Example 11: Political Commentary

“In the end, civic engagement is crucial for a functioning democracy. Stay informed, participate in discussions, and exercise your right to vote.”

Example 12: Fashion Blog

“To wrap up, fashion is a powerful form of self-expression. Embrace your unique style and let your wardrobe reflect your personality.”

Example 13: Food Blog

“In conclusion, cooking at home not only saves money but also allows you to experiment with flavors and ingredients. Start your culinary journey today and discover the joys of homemade meals.”

Example 14: Sports Article

“Ultimately, teamwork and perseverance are the foundations of success in sports. Keep pushing your limits and strive for excellence on and off the field.”

Example 15: Literature Analysis

“In summary, the themes explored in this novel resonate with readers and offer valuable insights into the human condition. Its timeless message continues to inspire and provoke thought.”

Example 16: Parenting Blog

“In the end, raising children requires patience, love, and commitment. Cherish the moments, and remember that every effort you make shapes their future.”

Example 17: Finance Article

“To conclude, financial planning is essential for securing your future. Start today by setting clear goals and creating a budget that aligns with your aspirations.”

Example 18: Career Advice Blog

“In conclusion, building a successful career takes time and dedication. Stay focused, seek opportunities for growth, and never stop learning.”

Example 19: Fitness Blog

“Ultimately, regular exercise and a balanced diet are key to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Stay motivated, and remember that every step counts towards your fitness goals.”

Example 20: DIY Blog

“In summary, DIY projects are a rewarding way to personalize your space and learn new skills. Get creative and start your next project today.”

Example 21: Relationship Advice

“In the end, strong relationships are built on communication, trust, and mutual respect. Nurture your connections and strive for harmony in your interactions.”

Example 22: Pet Care Blog

“To wrap up, responsible pet ownership involves understanding your pet’s needs and providing them with a loving home. Invest in their well-being, and they’ll reward you with unconditional love.”

Example 23: Environmental Science Paper

“In conclusion, addressing climate change requires global cooperation and immediate action. Every effort counts, and together we can create a sustainable future.”

Example 24: Technology Review

“Ultimately, this gadget offers impressive features that enhance convenience and efficiency. Consider it for your next tech upgrade.”

Example 25: Psychology Article

“In summary, understanding human behavior is crucial for improving mental health and well-being. Continue exploring this fascinating field for more insights.”

Example 26: Gardening Blog

“In the end, gardening is a therapeutic and rewarding hobby that connects us with nature. Start your garden today and enjoy the benefits of fresh produce and beautiful blooms.”

Example 27: Home Improvement Article

“To conclude, home improvement projects can significantly enhance your living space and increase property value. Plan carefully and enjoy the transformation.”

Example 28: Social Media Marketing

“In conclusion, effective social media marketing requires consistency, creativity, and engagement. Develop a strategy that resonates with your audience and watch your brand grow.”

Example 29: Automotive Review

“Ultimately, this vehicle combines performance, style, and safety. Take it for a test drive and experience its capabilities firsthand.”

Example 30: Music Blog

“In summary, music has the power to evoke emotions and bring people together. Explore different genres and find the soundtrack to your life.”

Tips for Writing a Strong Conclusion

Here are some simple but good tips for writing a powerful conclusion:

• Keep it Concise – A good conclusion should be short and to the point. Avoid unnecessary details and focus on wrapping up your main ideas.
• Use Clear Language – Ensure your language is clear and easy to understand. Avoid jargon and complex sentences.
• Be Consistent – Maintain the same tone and style as the rest of your text. Consistency helps create a seamless reading experience.
• End on a Positive Note – Whenever possible, end with a positive or uplifting message. This leaves the reader with a good impression.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

There are some common mistakes that many writers make when crafting their conclusions.

• Introducing New Information – Don’t introduce new ideas or arguments in the conclusion. This can confuse the reader and dilute your main points.
• Being Vague – Avoid vague statements that don’t add value. Be specific and clear in your summary.
• Repetitiveness – Don’t repeat the same points over and over. Restate your thesis and key points in a new way.
• Ignoring the Thesis – Make sure to tie your conclusion back to your thesis. This reinforces your argument and gives a sense of closure.

Final Thoughts: How to Write a Good Conclusion Paragraph

Writing a good conclusion paragraph is essential for creating a cohesive and impactful piece of writing.

By summarizing key points, restating the thesis, providing a final thought, and using a call to action, you can craft a strong conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Use the 30 examples provided to inspire your own writing and ensure your conclusions are always effective and engaging.

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IELTS Writing Task 2: Format, Sample, Tips

The IELTS Writing Task 2: The second portion of the writing test, known as IELTS Writing Task 2, asks you to produce an essay in response to a point of view, argument, or problem. Your essay should be written in a formal tone, be at least 250 words long, and take no more than 40 minutes to finish.

Table of Content

IELTS Writing Task 2- Format

1. task question, 2. word limit, 4. response structure, 5. evaluation criteria, difference between ielts writing task 2- academic vs general, understanding the evaluation criteria, common ielts writing task 2 topics, band descriptors ielts writing task 2, ielts essay types for writing task 2, ielts writing task 2 preparation tips, ielts writing task 2 sample, ielts writing task 2- faqs, what are indigenous cultures and languages, why is it important to protect indigenous cultures and languages, what are some challenges in protecting indigenous cultures and languages, what role can governments play in protecting indigenous cultures and languages, are there any potential drawbacks to prioritizing the protection of indigenous cultures and languages.

• You will be presented with a topic or statement related to a contemporary issue or problem.
• The task question may ask you to discuss a particular problem, present a solution, evaluate a situation, or provide your opinion on a given topic.
• You are expected to write at least 250 words for the IELTS Writing Task 2.
• It is advisable to write within the range of 250300 words, as responses shorter than 250 words are penalized, and longer responses do not necessarily receive higher scores.
• 3. Time Allotment:
• You have 40 minutes to complete the IELTS Writing Task 2.
• Your response should be structured as an essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• The introduction should provide an overview of the topic and outline the main points you will discuss.
• The body paragraphs should develop your ideas and arguments, with one main idea per paragraph supported by relevant examples or evidence.
• The conclusion should summarize your main points and provide a final perspective on the topic.
• Your response will be evaluated based on four criteria: Task Response, Coherence and Cohesion, Lexical Resource (vocabulary), and Grammatical Range and Accuracy.
• You should aim to address all parts of the task question, present a clear and coherent argument, use a wide range of vocabulary accurately, and demonstrate a good command of grammar and sentence structures.

Must Read: IELTS Academic vs General Tests – What’s the Difference?

The IELTS Writing Task 2 covers a wide range of topics related to contemporary issues and problems. Here are some common topics that frequently appear in the IELTS Writing Task 2:

1. Education:

• The role of technology in education
• The importance of extracurricular activities
• The advantages and disadvantages of single gender schools

2. Environment:

• Climate change and its impacts
• Sustainable development and environmental conservation
• The use of renewable energy sources
• The impact of lifestyle choices on health
• The role of government in promoting public health
• The advantages and disadvantages of alternative medicine

4. Society and Culture:

• The effects of globalization on local cultures
• The impact of social media on human interactions
• The role of religion in modern society

5. Technology:

• The advantages and disadvantages of artificial intelligence
• The impact of technology on employment and job markets
• The role of technology in communication and information sharing

6. Urbanization and Transportation:

• The challenges of urban growth and city planning
• The benefits and drawbacks of public transportation
• The impact of transportation on the environment

7. Crime and Justice:

• The causes and prevention of crime
• The effectiveness of different types of punishment
• The role of the criminal justice system in society

8. Economics and Business:

• The impact of globalization on international trade
• The role of advertising in influencing consumer behavior
• The advantages and disadvantages of outsourcing

9. Government and Politics:

• The importance of freedom of speech and press
• The role of government in regulating the economy
• The impact of immigration on societies

10. Arts and Culture:

• The importance of preserving cultural heritage
• The role of art in society
• The impact of censorship on artistic expression

In the IELTS Writing Task 2, candidates are required to write an essay in response to a prompt or question. There are several common types of essays that may appear in Task 2:

1. Argumentative/Opinion Essays: These essays require candidates to express their opinion on a given topic and support it with reasons and examples. They often involve discussing both sides of an issue and presenting a clear argument in favor of one viewpoint.

2. Discussion/Two-sided Essays: Similar to argumentative essays, discussion essays require candidates to discuss both sides of an issue before expressing their opinion or preference. They need to provide balanced arguments and consider opposing viewpoints.

3. Advantages and Disadvantages Essays : In these essays, candidates need to discuss the pros and cons of a particular issue, situation, or trend. They should provide examples to illustrate each point and offer a balanced analysis.

4. Problem-Solution Essays: These essays involve identifying a problem or issue, discussing its causes and effects, and proposing possible solutions or measures to address it. Candidates need to present logical arguments and support their solutions with evidence.

5. Cause and Effect Essays: Cause and effect essays focus on analyzing the reasons behind a specific phenomenon or event and its subsequent effects. Candidates should clearly outline the causal relationships and provide relevant examples.

6. Comparison/Contrast Essays: These essays require candidates to compare and contrast two or more ideas, concepts, or approaches. They should highlight similarities and differences and draw conclusions based on their analysis.

7. Process Essays: Process essays explain a sequence of steps or actions involved in a particular process, such as how to do something or how something works. Candidates need to provide clear explanations and use appropriate transition words to guide the reader through each step.

8. Agree/Disagree Essays: In these essays, candidates are given a statement or opinion, and they need to express whether they agree or disagree with it. They should support their stance with reasons and examples.

IELTS Writing Task 2 preparation tips to help you improve your performance:

1. Understand the Task Question

• Read the task question carefully and identify the key components, such as the topic, the instructions (e.g., discuss, evaluate, give your opinion), and any specific aspects to be addressed.
• Underline or highlight the essential elements to ensure you address all parts of the question.

2. Plan Your Essay

• Spend a few minutes planning your essay before you start writing.
• Brainstorm ideas and organize them into an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Develop a clear thesis statement and main points to guide your essay.

3. Manage Your Time

• Allocate your time wisely, allowing enough time for planning, writing, and reviewing.
• Aim to spend around 510 minutes planning, 2530 minutes writing, and 5 minutes reviewing and making corrections.

4. Use Appropriate Structure and Paragraphing

• Follow a standard essay structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.
• Each body paragraph should focus on one main idea and include supporting details, examples, or evidence.
• Use clear topic sentences and logical transitions between paragraphs.

5. Develop Your Ideas

• Provide relevant and welldeveloped ideas to support your main points.
• Use examples, personal experiences, facts, or hypothetical situations to illustrate your arguments.
• Show critical thinking by analyzing different perspectives and addressing counterarguments.

6. Use Appropriate Language and Vocabulary

• Use a range of appropriate vocabulary related to the topic.
• Vary your sentence structures and avoid repetition.
• Demonstrate your ability to use idiomatic expressions and collocations accurately.

7. Pay Attention to Grammar and Accuracy

• Review and proofread your essay for grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and punctuation issues.
• Ensure subjectverb agreement, correct tense usage, and appropriate word forms.
• Avoid overly complex sentences that may increase the risk of errors.

8. Practice with Sample Questions

• Familiarize yourself with different types of IELTS Writing Task 2 questions by practicing with sample prompts.
• Set a timer and practice writing complete essays under timed conditions.
• Seek feedback from experienced IELTS teachers or online resources to identify areas for improvement.

9. Learn from Model Answers

• Study highscoring model answers to understand the expected level of writing and the organization of ideas.
• Analyze the structure, language use, and development of arguments in these model answers.
• Incorporate effective strategies and techniques into your own writing practice.

10. Stay UptoDate with Current Affairs

• Stay informed about current events, global issues, and debates related to various topics.
• Read reputable news sources, magazines, or online articles to broaden your knowledge and enhance your ability to discuss contemporary topics.

Here is a practice IELTS Writing Task 2 topic for you: Topic: Some people believe that governments should make more efforts to protect indigenous cultures and languages from disappearing. To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement? You should spend about 40 minutes on this task. Write at least 250 words discussing both viewpoints and giving your opinion.

• Make a plan before you start writing. Outline your introduction, body paragraphs and conclusion.
• The introduction should paraphrase the topic and outline what will be discussed.
• Discuss both sides of the argument in the body paragraphs. One paragraph arguing for protecting indigenous cultures/languages, one paragraph arguing against or giving the opposite view.
• Use examples, data or personal experiences to support your arguments.
• The conclusion should summarize your main points and give a clear opinion.
• Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures. Avoid repetition.
• Check for grammar, spelling and punctuation errors.

In conclusion, while protecting indigenous cultures and languages is undoubtedly important for preserving human diversity and heritage, it should be balanced with practical considerations and the interests of the wider community. A nuanced approach that promotes understanding and appreciation while accommodating evolving societal needs is ideal.

Also Read: IELTS Full Form: Check Its Significance IELTS Average Score: Across Worldwide and India IELTS Minimum Score for Top Universities in 2024 IELTS Exam Pattern 2024: Section-wise IELTS Exam Paper Pattern, Question Types

Indigenous cultures and languages refer to the traditional practices, belief systems, and modes of expression of ethnic groups native to a particular region or country.

Protecting indigenous cultures and languages helps preserve unique identities, traditional knowledge, and cultural diversity, which are valuable aspects of human heritage and can contribute to our understanding of history, societies, and the environment.

Challenges include globalization, urbanization, lack of resources, and a shift towards more dominant cultures and languages, which can lead to the erosion of indigenous practices and languages over time.

Governments can implement policies to support the use and teaching of indigenous languages, provide funding for cultural preservation efforts, and promote awareness and appreciation of indigenous cultures through education and media.

Potential drawbacks include the allocation of limited resources towards this effort at the expense of other priorities, the potential for cultural stagnation or resistance to cultural evolution, and the risk of creating divisions or conflicts within diverse societies.

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