Academic writing comes with various demands and instructions, making college projects frustrating for students. Unfortunately, students must complete their college assignments, whether they enjoy working on them or not. One of the most challenging tasks students are often asked to write is the argumentative essay.
This is a short piece of academic writing where the student is expected to take a position on an issue and use logical reasoning and evidence to support that stance. Don’t worry if you have no idea how to create an exceptional argumentative essay for college. Here are some useful tips on creating exceptional argumentative essays for college.
- Read and Reread the Instructions
The argumentative essay is one of the most commonly assigned tasks and requires students to investigate specific topics, gather evidence, evaluate information, and take a position clearly and comprehensively. The project requires intensive research and analysis and comes with a prompt that outlines the work the student is expected to do within the indicated time.
Seasoned writers know that the secret to getting an argumentative essay is understanding what the professor wants. Go through the instructions, define key terms, and interpret expectations. How long should the assignment be? What sources should the student use? What is the required formatting style? Consider breaking down complex and lengthy instructions into simpler, more easily understandable parts. You could also ask your professor to clarify the more ambiguous and complicated parts.
- Choose Interesting Topics
Topic selection is one of the most important stages of writing a good argumentative. According to experts, the topic you choose for your essay will determine how deep and conclusive your argument is. Of course, there will be times when your professor will assign ready topics for you to choose from.
However, if given space to make your selection, identify a narrow topic to permit comprehensive analysis. Your topic should also be related to the essay question and should cover all the issues addressed in the prompt. Consider something you find interesting and which your audience would identify with. If you need assistance, work with a reliable essay writer service.
- Create a Clear Thesis Statement
The thesis statements are important in essay writing as they guide readers and writers. For the reader, a thesis statement signposts the main idea in the text and gives a clue as to what can be expected in the rest of the writing. For writers, the process starts with a working thesis, simplifying the main idea, and directing the research and writing process. The thesis ensures a cohesive paper, guiding the writer to ensure everything works together to a centralized argument. Your final thesis should be a sentence or two at the end of the document.
- Generate an Outline
Outlining is another crucial step in writing quality essays. The process entails listing the main ideas for the argument and indicating areas for further research and evidence. Outlining may seem unnecessary, but it is crucial for planning and writing your paper. It saves you time and ensures you don’t stray from the main message in your text. Outlining can begin with a brainstorming session, where you write everything that comes to your mind regarding your subject. You can explore the issues further through research before deciding what to include in your text.
- Research and Organize Your Findings
The argumentative essay seeks to convince your readers to believe your position on an issue. This requires a reasoned discussion that entails using credible evidence and examples. So, once you have created an outline, use it to guide the research process. You will need different types of information and data to inform your analysis, including statistical information, theories, and examples. Consult primary and secondary sources, combining information from government publications with evidence from peer-reviewed sources and websites. Once you have enough sources for credible and balanced arguments, use the outline to organize your findings.
- Edit and Proofread
The prewriting stage is intended to make the actual drafting of your research paper simpler and more coherent. However, understand that the initial draft you create will not be your last. The first copy should be focused on getting your argument on paper and creating paragraphs with topic sentences and supporting evidence. Your paper should contain an introduction and body, and conclusion sections. Once you have created your draft, edit and proofread it to eliminate typos and grammar mistakes.
This article covers a few important tips for writing stellar argumentative essays. Understand that effective essay writing is a deliberate and planned process. Follow your professor’s instructions, and edit and proofread your writing.
