how to make a argument in a research paper

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The Research Argument: Resources

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An argumentative essay attempts to convince your reader of the validity of a particular opinion on a controversial issue.  These following steps may assist you in forming your written argument:

1. Choose a topic that interests you.  It doesn't have to be a vital topic of the day but it should be something that you can feel strongly about. 2.  Clearly identify the issue at stake, and where you stand on it in the introductory paragraph. This is your thesis. 3.  Provide support to your stated argument (thesis) in the subsequent body paragraphs. Support this thesis with the 3 strongest arguments you can find. Draw on statistics, expert opinions, facts, personal experiences, research studies drawn from journals, books, newspaper articles, reports etc.. 4. Acknowledge and address opposing viewpoints and repudiate them using your sources. This will lend additional persuasiveness to your argument. 5. Provide a forceful conclusion that restates your position in different words. It may include a call to action. (Adapted from Indian River State College Writing Handout)

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Acknowledgement

Thank you to Edward Metz for his permission to adopt and adapt his guide The Argument Essay .

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• Last Updated: Aug 14, 2024 3:32 PM
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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper

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The following sections outline the generally accepted structure for an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that these are guidelines and that your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.

You may also use the following Purdue OWL resources to help you with your argument paper:

• Creating a Thesis Statement
• Organizing Your Argument
• Organizing Your Argument Slide Presentation
• Logic in Argumentative Writing
• Paragraphs and Paragraphing
• Transitions and Transitional Devices

Introduction

The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:

• What is this?
• Why am I reading it?
• What do you want me to do?

You should answer these questions by doing the following:

• Set the context –provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
• State why the main idea is important –tell the reader why he or she should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
• State your thesis / claim –compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos (author credibility).

For exploratory essays, your primary research question would replace your thesis statement so that the audience understands why you began your inquiry. An overview of the types of sources you explored might follow your research question.

If your argument paper is long, you may want to forecast how you will support your thesis by outlining the structure of your paper, the sources you will consider, and the opposition to your position. You can forecast your paper in many different ways depending on the type of paper you are writing. Your forecast could read something like this:

First, I will define key terms for my argument, and then I will provide some background of the situation. Next, I will outline the important positions of the argument and explain why I support one of these positions. Lastly, I will consider opposing positions and discuss why these positions are outdated. I will conclude with some ideas for taking action and possible directions for future research.

When writing a research paper, you may need to use a more formal, less personal tone. Your forecast might read like this:

This paper begins by providing key terms for the argument before providing background of the situation. Next, important positions are outlined and supported. To provide a more thorough explanation of these important positions, opposing positions are discussed. The paper concludes with some ideas for taking action and possible directions for future research.

Ask your instructor about what tone you should use when providing a forecast for your paper.

These are very general examples, but by adding some details on your specific topic, a forecast will effectively outline the structure of your paper so your readers can more easily follow your ideas.

Thesis checklist

Your thesis is more than a general statement about your main idea. It needs to establish a clear position you will support with balanced proofs (logos, pathos, ethos). Use the checklist below to help you create a thesis.

This section is adapted from Writing with a Thesis: A Rhetoric Reader by David Skwire and Sarah Skwire:

Make sure you avoid the following when creating your thesis:

• A thesis is not a title: Homes and schools (title) vs. Parents ought to participate more in the education of their children (good thesis).
• A thesis is not an announcement of the subject: My subject is the incompetence of the Supreme Court vs. The Supreme Court made a mistake when it ruled in favor of George W. Bush in the 2000 election.
• A thesis is not a statement of absolute fact: Jane Austen is the author of Pride and Prejudice.
• A thesis is not the whole essay: A thesis is your main idea/claim/refutation/problem-solution expressed in a single sentence or a combination of sentences.
• Please note that according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, Seventh Edition, "A thesis statement is a single sentence that formulates both your topic and your point of view" (Gibaldi 42). However, if your paper is more complex and requires a thesis statement, your thesis may require a combination of sentences.

Make sure you follow these guidelines when creating your thesis:

• NOT: Detective stories are not a high form of literature, but people have always been fascinated by them, and many fine writers have experimented with them

(floppy). vs.

• BETTER: Detective stories appeal to the basic human desire for thrills (concise).
• NOT: James Joyce’s Ulysses is very good. vs.
• BETTER: James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious.
• NOT: James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious. vs.
• BETTER: James Joyce’s Ulysses helped create a new way for writers to deal with the unconscious by utilizing the findings of Freudian psychology and introducing the techniques of literary stream-of-consciousness.

Quick Checklist:

_____ The thesis/claim follows the guidelines outlined above

_____ The thesis/claim matches the requirements and goals of the assignment

_____ The thesis/claim is clear and easily recognizable

_____ The thesis/claim seems supportable by good reasoning/data, emotional appeal

Writing an Argumentative Research Paper

• Library Resources
• Books & EBooks
• What is an Argumentative Research Essay?
• Choosing a Topic
• How to Write a Thesis Statement Libguide
• Structure & Outline
• Types of Sources
• OER Resources
• Copyright, Plagiarism, and Fair Use

Examples of argumentative essays

Skyline College libguides: MLA Sample Argumentative Papers

Ebooks in Galileo

Video Tutorial

Structure & Outline

Usually written in the five-paragraph structure, the argumentative essay format consists of an introduction, 2-3 body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

A works cited page or reference page (depending on format) will be included at the end of the essay along with in-text citations within the essay.

When writing an argumentative research essay, create an outline to structure the research you find as well as help with the writing process. The outline of an argumentative essay should include an introduction with thesis statement, 3 main body paragraphs with supporting evidence and opposing viewpoints with evidence to disprove, along with an conclusion.

The example below is just a basic outline and structure

I. Introduction: tells what you are going to write about. Basic information about the issue along with your thesis statement.

 A. Basic information

B. Thesis Statement

II. Body 1 : Reason 1 write about the first reason that proves your claim on the issue and give supporting evidence

A. supporting evidence 

B. Supporting evidence 

II. Body 2 .: Reason 2 write about the third reason that proves your claim on the issue and give supporting evidence

A. supporting evidence

III. Body 3 : Reason 3 write about the fourth reason that proves your claim on the issue and give supporting evidence

IV. Counter arguments and responses. Write about opposing viewpoints and use evidence to refute their argument and persuade audience in your direction or viewpoint

A. Arguments from other side of the issue

B. Refute the arguments

V. Conclusion

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• StudySkills@Sheffield
• Academic writing skills
• Critical writing

How to develop an academic argument

This page will help you understand what is needed to build a well-structured and convincing argument in your academic writing.

What is an academic argument?

Arguing is something that we are likely to engage in most days of our lives. Flatmates can argue over whose turn it is to clean the kitchen for example. Arguments can become heated and emotional sometimes.

Academic arguments, on the other hand, are usually more controlled and logically structured than our typical day-to-day arguments. In particular, academics are expected to produce high quality evidence such as academic research to support their ideas.. 

However, just as in a day-to-day argument where, for example, you want to convince your flatmates that they need to undertake cleaning tasks, the aim of an academic argument is also to convince an academic audience of your point of view or stance.

301’s Developing an Academic Argument workshop will outline how to develop a coherent argument from making an initial claim through to presenting a convincing conclusion. It will address the ways in which academic arguments are expressed to reflect the strength and reliability of data and evidence and it will look at the ways in which the structural features of a piece of writing can be used to convince your reader.

Book a place at a Developing an Academic Argument workshop

The importance of academic arguments

Arguments and ideas lie at the heart of academic writing. Academic essays usually follow an established organisational structure that helps the writer to express their ideas in a clear way and the reader to follow the thread of their argument.

Essay structure is guided by its content and argument, so every essay will pose unique structural challenges, but the skill of getting a clear and articulate argument across is an important part of the writing process.

Do some general reading about your next assignment topic to get a feel for the issues and debates in this area. Note where you think you stand on the key debates and what your argument could be - of course this may change as you begin serious research. 

Continue reading and researching. Note any new ideas - is your argument evolving? Or is it consistent with your earliest ideas? Use this early argument to point you in the direction of appropriate research and academic articles. Don’t delay getting your ideas down in writing as this will test out your argument. Don’t be surprised if, as you write and continue to read, your argument continues to evolve. 

To check the clarity of your argument, imagine that you are going up in a lift with your tutor who asks you what you are going to argue. What would you say to them in the 30 seconds it takes to get to your floor?

The structure of an argument

At the heart of all arguments is a claim or proposition – the main idea that you are interested in proving.

Establishing your claim is one of the most important parts of any piece of academic work; an essay, a presentation, a dissertation, research paper or thesis.

A good claim should be bold, exciting and, most importantly, worth arguing over. A version of your claim should be included in your introduction. In an essay, the claim is usually part of your thesis statement.

To convince your reader of your claim, you will need to provide some proof . Your proof will be in the form of evidence, data, sources and examples, all of which will need to be fully referenced in the appropriate style .

However, it is important to recognise that relevant evidence does not automatically prove a claim. You will need to explain clearly how and why your evidence supports your claim. 

This part of the argument is sometimes called a warrant .

It's also important to consider and actively seek out alternative points of view and potential objections .

There is sometimes a tendency to be drawn to ideas that explicitly or implicitly support our own ways of thinking – the echo chamber (external link) – which can result in narrow or flawed arguments.

By engaging deliberately with objections and building them into our own thinking, we can develop more nuanced and rounded arguments.

Your conclusion will bring together all the elements of your research and thinking in order to   present a balanced summary of your  argument. Although your argument must convince your reader, you should avoid the tendency to overstate your claim. You should use cautious language as appropriate to the strength of your findings.

You may be able to use this as an opportunity to make some predictions or recommendations, suggest some practical applications or identify openings for further research.

You can use the following template to help map out your argument. See the second page for a list of logical fallacies to avoid.

Access the Argument Template (google doc) Watch this short Study skills hacks video for some ideas on how to develop your academic argument.

Watch Making an Academic Argument (2.20 minutes)

Arguments and academic writing

For advice and feedback on building an academic argument, use of sources and synthesis in your own writing, you can book a writing advisory service appointment. 

Book an appointment (student login required) Attend a short course on academic reading and writing which looks at including arguments in writing and use of sources.

More information

• Be bold and make sure that your argument is something worth arguing over.
• Watch out for logical fallacies. Just because you have some evidence, it doesn't automatically prove your argument. You need to explain how and why your evidence is sufficient, valid and reliable
• Engage with opposing viewpoints to ensure that you have considered all possible counter-arguments
• Don't be afraid to go beyond the source material to draw your own informed conclusions
• How to structure and plan an essay
• How to structure a paragraph
• How to write in an academic style

Use your mySkills portfolio to discover your skillset, reflect on your development, and record your progress.

Welcome to the new OASIS website! We have academic skills, library skills, math and statistics support, and writing resources all together in one new home.

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Writing a Paper: Developing Arguments

Structure of an argument.

Understanding the structure of arguments is important because it enables a reader to critique various works effectively. Arguments consist of two main parts: conclusion and evidence.

Socrates is human (premise) → Socrates is mortal (conclusion)

In this common argument, one concludes that Socrates is mortal because he is human (as humans are, in fact, mortal). In this example a single conclusion/claim is drawn from a single premise. However, most of the arguments readers of academic literature encounter are a lot more complicated with numerous reasons given in support of an assertion, and the assumptions that may hold them together may be difficult to uncover.

A slightly more complex example might look like this:

The United States should close Guantanamo (GITMO). Keeping GITMO open hurts the United States's reputation in international affairs. By keeping GITMO open, the United States would be violating important principles of international law. Violating important principles of international law would hurt the United States's reputation in international affairs. Undermining the United States's reputation would make it difficult for the United States to be a leader in international affairs. The United States should not do anything that will undermine its reputation in international affairs. The United States should not do anything that would make it difficult for the country to lead in international affairs. The United States's diminished reputation would make it difficult for the country to influence human rights policy The United States should not do anything that would make it difficult for the country to influence international human rights policy.

The most important part of the analysis for the critical reader is to determine whether the reasons given really support the main point. For instance, one may ask whether violating important principles of international law by keeping GITMO open would really undermine the United States’s reputation.

Difference Between an Argument and an Explanation

Readers of social science literature sometimes have a difficult time distinguishing between an argument and an explanation. The former is, as noted earlier, a combination of assertions supporting a central claim; the latter is a description of the circumstances or an interpretation of given information. Thus, one cannot use an explanation to support a claim. For instance, one might say that the increase in teen pregnancy in the United States can be explained by the permissive media culture, willingness to take risks in sexual relations, or moral decline. Although these explanations are certainly interesting and may even be true, they are not evidence. One would need to go further and try to provide some sort of empirical evidence to support the claim.

Types of Arguments

Inductive and deductive arguments.

There are generally two types of arguments: inductive and deductive. A deductive argument is one in which the premises guarantee that the conclusion is true. These occur when, perhaps by mathematical or definitional necessity, the truth of the premise will definitely determine the truth of the conclusion. An inductive argument, on the other hand, is one in which the premises provide a sufficient reason for a reader to believe that a conclusion is likely to be true. The difference between the two is the level of certainty that can be ascribed to each one. One can be certain that the conclusion of a deductive argument is correct while one can bet that the conclusion of an inductive argument is probably correct. Most of the arguments encountered in social science literature will be inductive as scientists (a) seek to find possible explanations for varying phenomena, (b) use statistical data to make inferences regarding large groups based on what is found to be true of smaller ones, or (c) try to find a causal relationship between two or more variables.

Validity and Soundness

A deductive argument is considered valid or invalid. It is valid when it has the right form regardless of whether or not its premises are true. For instance:

All fish can run. Anything that can run can fly. Therefore, all fish can fly.

Although the two premises in this argument are false, the argument is logically valid. This means it is possible to have a valid argument that has false premises and a false conclusion. Validity simply means that if the premises are true the conclusion must also be true; it does not mean that the premises are true. Thus a deductive argument with false premises and a true conclusion can be valid. For instance:

All fish have smooth skin. Anything with smooth skin can swim. Therefore, all fish can swim.

In an invalid argument, the conclusion does not necessarily follow from the premises. It may look like this:

All U.S. presidents live in Washington, DC. John lives in Washington, DC. Therefore, John is a U.S. president.

In this example, the premises may be true, but the conclusion is false. A key point to note is that invalid arguments are unsound. When one combines true premises with a valid argument, the argument is said to be sound.

Inductive arguments, on the other hand, are described as either strong or weak, depending on the strength of the premises/information provided to support the conclusion. Therefore, by definition, valid arguments cannot be strong and vice versa. One can, however, speak of any argument as being valid or invalid. If an argument is valid, one may ask whether it is sound or unsound. If you understand the structure of a writer’s argument, the easier it will be to critique. See our section on logical fallacies.

Evaluating Arguments

Critical reading has a lot to do with evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of arguments. Because graduate students are generally expected to critically assess what they read, simply having a sense of what might be wrong with an argument is not enough, they must be able to identify precisely why an argument may be weak. As a general rule, the stronger the claim, the stronger the evidence provided in support of it must be. It is one thing to say poverty contributes to war and entirely another to say poverty causes war. One would require stronger evidence to support the latter claim than to support the former. Both critical readers and writers must learn how to strengthen and weaken arguments. Writers who master these skills are able to write authoritative and convincing material and readers who master these skills are able to critique such material. By learning how to effectively identify assumptions, one is well on the way to evaluating arguments effectively.

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How to Write an Argumentative Research Paper

Last Updated: December 9, 2022 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Christopher Taylor, PhD . Christopher Taylor is an Adjunct Assistant Professor of English at Austin Community College in Texas. He received his PhD in English Literature and Medieval Studies from the University of Texas at Austin in 2014. There are 14 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 373,330 times.

An argumentative essay requires you to make an argument about something and support your point of view using evidence in the form of primary and secondary sources. The argumentative essay is a common assignment, but teachers may present it in a variety of different ways. You can learn how to write an argumentative essay by following some standard steps for writing an essay as well as by doing some things that are required for argumentative essays, such as citing your sources.

Sample Outlines

Getting Started

• a thesis statement that makes a clear argument (provided in the first paragraph)
• claims that help prove your overall argument
• logical transitions that connect paragraphs and sentences
• support for your claims from your sources
• a conclusion that considers the evidence you have presented
• in-text citations throughout your essay to indicate where you have used sources (ask your teacher about what citation style to use)
• a works cited page with an entry for each of your sources (ask your teacher about what citation style to use)

• Make sure that you understand how to cite your sources for the paper and how to use the documentation style your teacher prefers. If you’re not sure, just ask.
• Don’t feel bad if you have questions. It is better to ask and make sure that you understand than to do the assignment wrong and get a bad grade.

• Listing List all of the ideas that you have for your essay (good or bad) and then look over the list you have made and group similar ideas together. Expand those lists by adding more ideas or by using another prewriting activity. [3] X Research source
• Freewriting Write nonstop for about 10 minutes. Write whatever comes to mind and don’t edit yourself. When you are done, review what you have written and highlight or underline the most useful information. Repeat the freewriting exercise using the passages you underlined as a starting point. You can repeat this exercise multiple times to continue to refine and develop your ideas. [4] X Research source
• Clustering Write a brief explanation (phrase or short sentence) of the subject of your argumentative essay on the center of a piece of paper and circle it. Then draw three or more lines extending from the circle. Write a corresponding idea at the end of each of these lines. Continue developing your cluster until you have explored as many connections as you can. [5] X Research source
• Questioning On a piece of paper, write out “Who? What? When? Where? Why? How?” Space the questions about two or three lines apart on the paper so that you can write your answers on these lines. Respond to each question in as much detail as you can. [6] X Research source

• Ethos refers to a writer’s credibility or trustworthiness. To convince your readers that your argument is valid, you need to convince them that you are trustworthy. You can accomplish this goal by presenting yourself as confident, fair, and approachable. You can achieve these objectives by avoiding wishy-washy statements, presenting information in an unbiased manner, and identifying common ground between yourself and your readers(including the ones that may disagree with you). You can also show your authority, another aspect of ethos, by demonstrating that you’ve done thorough research on the topic.
• Pathos refers to your use of emotional appeals. Emotional appeals have a place in argumentative writing, but overuse of them may lead a reader to reject your argument. Make sure that your use of emotional appeals is minimal and appropriate. Some ways that you can incorporate pathos into your paper without turning off your readers includes using descriptive language that evokes the desired reaction (positive or negative) to your subject, especially when you use other people’s language—such as quotes—to do so (which avoids damaging your ethos with overly emotional language). You can also invoke pathos by providing relevant examples that evoke an emotional response in your readers and using figurative language (such as metaphors) to help your readers understand and sympathize with your point of view.
• Logos refers to your use of logic, reasoning, and sequencing. This means setting up your argument in a way that uses logic to achieve your desired endpoint or reaction, often through inductive and deductive reasoning. For example, you can appeal to your readers’ desire for logic by organizing your examples in a way that shows your argument in the best light and is easy to follow, such as chronologically, by cause and effect, or by problem and solution.

• Place your thesis statement at the end of your first paragraph unless your instructor tells you to place it elsewhere. The end of the first paragraph is the traditional place to provide your thesis in an academic essay.

• For example, an arguable thesis statement might be something like, “The drinking age should be reduced to 18 in the United States.” This statement is arguable because it presents a position that others might debate by saying “The drinking age should not be reduced to 18 in the US.” Or, others might argue that the drinking age should be abolished altogether or even raised. There are many possibilities for a counter argument, which makes this topic arguable.

• For example, a detailed thesis statement might be something like, “Because youth are more drawn to drinking as a way to rebel, lowering the drinking age to 18 in the United States would help to reduce binge drinking among teenagers and college students.” This thesis still provides a position that could be debated, but it also explains the reasoning behind the position. Providing this detail gives readers a good sense of what the rest of the paper will discuss.
• Your thesis should tell your reader why your argument matters, and for whom.

• Organize your outline by essay part and then break those parts into subsections. For example, part 1 might be your introduction, which could then be broken into three sub-parts: a)Opening sentence, b)context/background information c)thesis statement.

Research Your Topic

• For example, some relevant key terms and phrases for a paper on lowering the drinking age to 18 might be: “drinking”, “underage”, “minors”, “binge”, “rebellion”, “drinking age”, “binge drinking culture”, “countries with low drinking age”, “drinking and rebellion”, etc.

• Use your library’s databases rather than a general internet search. University libraries subscribe to many databases, such as EBSCO and JSTOR. These databases provide you with free access to articles and other resources that you cannot usually gain access to by using a search engine. Schedule an appointment with a librarian at your school’s library if you are not sure about how to use the library databases.
• If your university doesn’t subscribe to any databases, use Google Scholar.

• Author's credentials Choose sources that include an author’s name and that provide credentials for that author. The credentials should indicate something about why this person is qualified to speak as an authority on the subject. For example, an article about a medical condition will be more trustworthy if the author is a medical doctor. If you find a source where no author is listed or the author does not have any credentials, then this source may not be trustworthy.
• Citations Think about whether or not this author has adequately researched the topic. Check the author’s bibliography or works cited page. If the author has provided few or no sources, then this source may not be trustworthy.
• Bias Think about whether or not this author has presented an objective, well-reasoned account of the topic. How often does the tone indicate a strong preference for one side of the argument? How often does the argument dismiss or disregard the opposition’s concerns or valid arguments? If these are regular occurrences in the source, then it may not be a good choice.
• Publication date Think about whether or not this source presents the most up to date information on the subject. Noting the publication date is especially important for scientific subjects, since new technologies and techniques have made some earlier findings irrelevant.
• Information provided in the source If you are still questioning the trustworthiness of this source, cross check some of the information provided against a trustworthy source. If the information that this author presents contradicts one of your trustworthy sources, then it might not be a good source to use in your paper.

• To be certain that you understand your sources and that you are capable of responding to each of them, try writing a paragraph summary and response after you finish each one. Some people find keeping notecards on their sources to be a helpful way of organizing their ideas about each one. [15] X Research source
• Misunderstanding and misrepresenting your sources can damage your credibility as an author and also have a negative effect on your grade. Give yourself plenty of time to read your sources and understand what they are saying.

• Be careful to properly cite your sources when taking notes. Even accidental plagiarism may result in a failing grade on a paper.

Drafting Your Essay

• For example, an argumentative essay about lowering the drinking age might begin with something like, “Binge drinking culture is killing teens in the United States, but it hasn’t always been this way.” This sentence offers a compelling statement and it also acts as a launch pad for you to provide some background on your topic.

• For example, if you are arguing that lowering the drinking age would help to counter binge drinking among teens and young adults, your introduction should talk about the damage that is being done by binge drinking. Tell your readers about this problem in more detail so that they will begin to see why something needs to change.
• Keep in mind that your background information in the first paragraph should lead up to your thesis statement. Explain everything the reader needs to know to understand what your topic is about, then narrow it down until you reach the topic itself.

• For example, a thesis statement for a paper on lowering the drinking age might look something like, “Because the current drinking age of 21 in the United States does more harm than good by proliferating binge drinking culture among teens, the drinking age should be lowered to 18.” This thesis provides a straightforward position and reason for that position that readers can easily identify as the author’s main argument.
• In your thesis, you should also address how you’ll support your argument and why your argument matters.

• For example, one of your body paragraphs might begin with something like, “Teens are more likely to engage in binge drinking in the United States than in countries where the drinking age is lower or non-existent.”
• You might then follow up this claim with evidence from your sources. For example, you could provide statistics on teen drinking in other countries where the drinking age is lower, or you could summarize an interview with an authority of the subject, or cite an article that explains the psychological basis of this phenomenon. Whatever source(s) you choose, make sure that they are relevant that they offer convincing support for your claim.

• Rephrase your thesis. It is often helpful to remind your readers of the initial argument, but don’t simply restate your thesis if you do this. Rephrase it so that it sounds different but has the same meaning. Summarize some of the most important evidence you have offered in your essay and say remind readers of how that evidence has contributed to supporting your thesis.
• Synthesize what you have discussed. Put everything together for your readers and explain what other lessons might be gained from your argument. How might this discussion change the way others view your subject?
• Explain why your topic matters. Help your readers to see why this topic deserve their attention. How does this topic affect your readers? What are the broader implications of this topic? Why does your topic matter?
• Return to your opening discussion. If you offered an anecdote or a quote early in your paper, it might be helpful to revisit that opening discussion and explore how the information you have gathered implicates that discussion.

• Ask your teacher what documentation style he or she prefers that you use if it is not mentioned in the assignment guidelines.
• Visit your school’s writing center for additional help with your works cited page and in-text citations.

Revising Your Essay

• What is your main point? How might you clarify your main point?
• Who is your audience? Have you considered their needs and expectations?
• What is your purpose? Have you accomplished your purpose with this paper?
• How effective is your evidence? How might your strengthen your evidence?
• Does every part of your paper relate back to your thesis? How might you improve these connections?
• Is anything confusing about your language or organization? How might your clarify your language or organization?
• Have you made any errors with grammar, punctuation, or spelling? How can you correct these errors?
• What might someone who disagrees with you say about your paper? How can you address these opposing arguments in your paper? [25] X Research source

Community Q&A

• If you're still stumped, ask your teacher for help. He or she will most likely be more than happy to help you AND you'll get on his or her good side for "taking the initiative." Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

• Plagiarism is a serious offense in the academic world. If you plagiarize your paper you may fail the assignment and even the course altogether. Make sure that you fully understand what is and is not considered plagiarism before you write your paper. Ask your teacher if you have any concerns or questions about your school’s plagiarism policy. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/argumentative_essays.html
• ↑ http://writing.ku.edu/prewriting-strategies
• ↑ https://stlcc.edu/student-support/academic-success-and-tutoring/writing-center/writing-resources/pathos-logos-and-ethos.aspx
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/673/1/
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/writingcenter/writingprocess/outlining
• ↑ https://apus.libanswers.com/faq/2316
• ↑ https://libguides.schoolcraft.edu/c.php?g=430555&p=3011200
• ↑ http://guides.jwcc.edu/content.php?pid=65900&sid=538553
• ↑ http://www.writing.utoronto.ca/advice/reading-and-researching/notes-from-research
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/argumentative-essay/
• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/process/revisingargument/
• ↑ https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/561/05/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/editing-and-proofreading/

About This Article

To write an argumentative research paper, choose a topic that can be argued from one or more perspectives, then pick a side. Start your paper with a thesis statement summing up your position, then support your statement with facts and arguments gathered from reputable sources. Use background information or context to help guide your readers through your essay, telling them what they need to know to understand the rest of your argument. For different approaches you can use while revising your paper, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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