Leaders Are Made Not Born: Composing An Argumentative Essay

Are you pulling your hair out over this assignment? Well that won’t do anyone any good! It’s time to stop freaking out and knuckle down- and remember that studying and writing essays can actually be fun and rewarding! With an argumentative essay, it’s perhaps even more enjoyable than others, because you are being asked to present your own opinion on the subject with a passionate, but well informed, voice. It’s your job to persuade the reader to your own position on the question at large. To do so, you shouldn’t just blunder in with no prior thought. Nope. Treat it as you would any other good essay, and you won’t go wrong.

First thing’s first.

You may look at the title and think you know which statement you agree with, but have you done any research yet? Without being informed on an issue, from all sides of the debate, you can’t make a valid argument for your own position. So, first port of call when tackling this kind of paper, is to research as many different resources as you can.

Once you’ve satisfactorily studied, you’ll need to think over your position again. Make a list of the sources that agree with you and those that don’t and assemble them accordingly. The more you plan your essay, the better it will be.

Introducing the topic.

The introduction should include an overview of the topic and briefly state the opposing positions and which side (if any) you are on. You should also include your aims and objectives and state what conclusions you hope to reach.

Introductions are actually best written last. That way, you’ll already know the content of your paper, so you can put the necessary details into your opening.

Chapters.

The main chapters should be drafted roughly first. Chapter lengths don’t have to all be the same, but their composure should certainly be well thought out. Make sure that each chapter has a separate identity and that you are using the correct research and sources in the right places.

Concluding.

Your conclusion should restate the topic at hand, allude to various conclusions that have been made throughout the text and conclude your argument with your own position, backed up by the evidence you’ve already given. It can also help to point the reader in the direction of more resources for further reading so that they may come up with their own stance on the debate.