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How to Write an Argumentative Essay by Shmoop

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The best stylists become masters at artfully placing transition words in pivotal positions-i.e., places where the sentence or paragraph meaning "shifts" slightly. What follows is a handy list of common transition words and their functions. If you open sentences appropriately with these words it will help your writing to flow. One caveat though: Always keep the literal meaning of a transition word in mind as you use it-therefore, do not use "for example" unless you are introducing an example that links to the preceding information; do not use "nevertheless" unless you are offering a contrasting point. Note how this paragraph has required a minimal use of transition words; they should not be forced in where they do not belong. When you do use them, keep their broader functions (i.e., "causality," "emphasis," etc.) directly in mind.

Source URL: https://www.e-education.psu.edu/styleforstudents/c1_p14.html

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The best stylists become masters at artfully placing transition words in pivotal positions-i.e., places where the sentence or paragraph meaning "shifts" slightly. What follows is a handy list of common transition words and their functions. If you open sentences appropriately with these words it will help your writing to flow.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Supporting your Claims with Reasons & Evidence

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Supporting your Claims with Reasons & Evidence

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Claims, Counterclaims, Reasons, Evidence

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Create a new document and edit with others at the same time -- from your computer, phone or tablet. Get stuff done with or without an internet connection. Use Docs to edit Word files. Free from Google.

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Argumentative Writing

Think about the last time you wrote something, like a paper for school or even just a letter. Did you state an opinion or a fact and then defend it? If so, you were practicing argumentative writing. This is a very common type of writing, and one that many people practice on a regular basis.

Essentially, in argumentative writing, you are trying to convince your reader of something. To do this, you make a claim, which is your main point, and then you proceed to defend it. There are some specific things that argumentative writing needs to include in order to be strong, namely a claim, evidence, a counterclaim, and a rebuttal.

How to Make a Claim

The first thing is that your claim needs to be stated strongly and clearly, very early on in the writing. There should be no question in your reader's mind what you are arguing for or against. It's important to avoid terms like 'I think.' These types of terms are called hedges, and in writing they can weaken your argument. When making your claim, state it as a fact, and then defend it using credible evidence. For example, take the following claim:

'Wolves are a vital part of the Yellowstone ecosystem, and reintroducing them provided huge benefits.'

In this statement, it is very clear what is being argued, and there is no hedging. In an argumentative paper, this statement would be followed by explanations of the claim and evidence supporting it.

Using Evidence

A claim should never go unsupported. If you don't have any evidence, then you're just stating an opinion without giving your reader any reason to believe you. It's important to use well-researched evidence from credible sources. A credible source would be newspaper articles, .org or .gov websites, encyclopedias, peer-reviewed journals, etc. A peer-reviewed article is an article that has gone through multiple rounds of editing by other experts in the author's field. In other words, a credible source is anything that has been through review and has a reputable organization to back it up. Using evidence from multiple credible sources is the best option and provides the most strength to your argument.

Let's look back at the wolves in Yellowstone argument. The following excerpt is an example of evidence you might use if that were your claim:

'Preliminary data from studies indicate that wolf recovery will likely lead to greater biodiversity throughout the greater Yellowstone ecosystem. Wolves have preyed primarily on elk, and these carcasses have provided food to a wide variety of other animals, especially scavenging species.'

This is a quote from the National Park Service website, in an article titled 'Wolf Restoration Continued', which is a credible source. Since it has been well established in science that greater diversity makes a healthier ecosystem, this statement supports the argument that reintroducing wolves was positive.

Giving Counterclaims

In order to have a strong argument, you also need to give an opposing point of view, or counterclaim. This provides more support for your argument by showing you did thorough research and considered other points of view than your own. Just as with your supporting evidence, you will want to use credible sources for your counterclaim. The following excerpt comes from an article on Connect Us, a .org website, that lists pros and cons of wolf reintroduction. It states:

'Opponents of the program, including ranchers and livestock raisers, are concerned the loss of their livelihood with the presence of wolves.'

This means that ranchers worry the wolves will attack their sheep, and it provides a legitimate counterclaim to the argument.

Drawing Conclusions

After making your counterclaim, you need to finish by providing a rebuttal. This is when you provide evidence to show why the counterclaim is wrong, or at least why it doesn't make your argument wrong. Without the rebuttal, the counterclaim only serves to weaken your argument. For example, the following excerpt from the Connect Us article would serve as a rebuttal for the counterclaim we described above:

'Nowadays, people overseeing the program can have GPS devices attached to wolves to monitor their movements and keep them from hunting sheep and other farm animals.'

As you can see, this rebuttal provides solid evidence for why the counterclaim is not an issue and further strengthens the argument. In the end, the argument about wolves in Yellowstone would look something like this:

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how to develop strong claims & counterclaims in writing - video & lesson transcript | study.com

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How to Develop Strong Claims & Counterclaims in Writing - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com

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Think about the last time you wrote something, like a paper for school or even just a letter. Did you state an opinion or a fact and then defend it? If so, you were practicing argumentative writing. This is a very common type of writing, and one that many people practice on a regular basis.

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LibGuides: Argumentative Essays: MLA Sample Argumentative Papers

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LibGuides: Argumentative Essays: MLA Sample Argumentative Papers

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Get access to files anywhere through secure cloud storage and file backup for your photos, videos, files and more with Google Drive.

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Direct vs. Indirect

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Call to Action, Offer a Solution, Make a Prediction

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journal write what is the purpose of the paragraph concluding a persuasive essay? **have out your orange persuasive strategy sheet & all your essay revisions.

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Journal Write What is the purpose of the paragraph concluding a persuasive essay? **Have out your orange persuasive strategy sheet & all your essay revisions. - ppt download

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Purpose - clearly connects introduction and body of the paper. - gives a sense of completion. - does more than restate your arguments and position. - gives the reader something to think about.

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