Academic Argumentative Essay

Position: This is the side of the argument that the author is taking.In this case, the author is arguing that tobacco products should be made illegal.

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In an essay, you will back up each argument (or point within an argument) by supporting it with evidence.

Your evidence can be taken from printed primary and secondary sources (manuscripts, journals, books), web pages, transcriptions of interviews or film clips, the results of experiments, or questionnaires and other survey work.

In this example, the reasons for the position are that tobacco products are known to be damaging to people’s health.

Evidence: This is the opportunity for the writer to cement their claim or position by providing factual substantiation from outside resources.

You may have heard it said that all writing is an argument of some kind.

Even if you’re writing an informative essay, you still have the job of trying to convince your audience that the information is important.

Sentences that begin, "It is accepted that…", "We all know that…", "No one would argue that…" may antagonise someone marking your essay.

Substantiate every claim you make no matter how obvious or “true” you think it is, by using sources as evidence.

Almost every essay on any subject – from weekly assignment writing, to writing an undergraduate or masters dissertation, or even a thesis – has one thing in common: it will revolve around an argument.

Whether you are driving home a specific theory, considering an issue from all angles or debating a double-sided problem, an argument should emerge to give structure and direction to your essay format.