WRITING GUIDE: Writing an Argumentative Essay



Argumentative essays, or position papers, are different from standard research papers. Students often get confused with these papers because the instructor asks “what do YOU think about ….?” While you instructor does want you to share your thinking on a subject, this is not just a paper about your opinion. So, an argumentative paper is not: a research-only presentation of facts, an exercise in literary self-expression, a report of what various scholars have had to say on a particular topic, a presentation of the latest findings of tests or experiments, or simply the presentation of your personal feelings or impressions. So what is an argumentative essay?An argumentative essay may involve research for facts to support your thesis, but it is not just a report of facts, it is a reasoned defence of a thesis or claim about your topic. What that means is you have a specific point or claim about your topic that you are trying to convince the reader to accept. Therefore, it involves providing grounds, reasons or justification for accepting that claim. If your essay involves research, then you will use your sources to provide reasons to support your arguments – note, you are not just presenting what other authors have to say on the subject, you are using their facts and data to support your claims. For a complete guide on how to write an argumentative essay, see our Writing Guide: How to Write an Argumentative Essay. Here are some additional resources that may be helpful to you. These Academic Writing Tools are available at the Writing & Learning Centres: To outline your essay see our Outline: Short Essay (fewer than 5 pages) or Extended Essay (more than 5 pages).If your instructor has requested an annotated bibliography, see our Writing Guide: Annotated Bibliography. For help with writing a thesis statement, see our Writing Guide: Thesis Statement.For information about citing your sources see the Citation Style Guides links on the library web page under Research Tools.For additional help, please make an appointment with a Writing & Learning Centre writing instructor at: ................
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