A Quick Guide to Argumentative Essays

Many students steer away from argumentative essays because they believe that they’ll never be able to do them justice. “But I can’t argue logically,” they cry, “it’s so difficult to score.”

Yet, the argumentative essay is one of the O-Level essay types with a clear structure – one that helps to scaffold arguments. By following the argumentative essay structure, a student can produce a good and cohesive argumentative essay with valid and strong arguments.

What is an argumentative essay?  

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that requires you to state your opinion (that’s the thesis statement) on a certain issue. For example, “I do not agree that robots are taking over the world” is a valid stand. However, you have to support your stand with reasonable, logical arguments, as well as good and relevant examples.

What’s the difference between an argumentative and expository essay?

An argumentative essay and an expository essay are similar in the sense that they require the writer to support their stand with logical reasons and evidence. However, an argumentative essay usually has a counterargument and rebuttal paragraph.

What are the features of an argumentative essay?

The key elements of an argumentative essay are an introduction, a counterargument and rebuttal paragraph, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. The language of the essay is argumentative, and should clearly signal the direction of arguments through signposting.

How do I structure an argumentative essay?

The argumentative essay has a fixed structure that you can follow.