What should an outline for an argumentative essay include?

Even if you don't like to argue with the points of other people, you still must be ready to write an argumentative essay at any time!

You don't want to write for us a bad essay in English and obtain a low grade, do you? Staring at a blank page for hours is not a way out. You need to make an attempt to collect all your thoughts in one place and focus on what is really important and related to your topic. An argumentative essay outline is an action plan which helps to put ideas together and start writing.

If you lack information on how to develop a well-structured argumentative essay in English or choose best examples of debatable topics, this article is just what you need! Looking for good debate topics? Read one more blog we have on our platform.

Argumentative Essay Structure

The structure of your paper's outline is the same as the structure of your entire essay. The difference is that you include the entire information in the body text while you only name the arguments in your outline. An English essay outline is worth your time as it figures as your plan during the whole writing process.

There are four basic sections of any argumentative essay you should follow:

1. Introduction paragraph
2. Body with 2-3 strong arguments
3. Refusing opposing arguments in one paragraph
4. Conclusion

Of course, you must focus on supporting your thesis statement rather than the opponents. The opposing point of view is included just to show the writer is objective with his judgments, and he respects all existing arguments.

Outline Section 1: Introduction

Every essay starts with an introduction, and an argumentative essay is not an exception.

First of all, think about a powerful, eye-catching hook to grab your reader's attention. Sure, it is important to know who your target audience is first. Different people require different approaches.

Let's look at my own example. I used to write an argumentative essay on why there should be a second official language in the United States in addition to English. I have chosen Spanish as my point of view. Based on the primary research, my hook could be,

"As far as most of the immigrants in the United States speak Spanish due to the neighborhood with Latin America, Spanish should be made the second official language in the United States."

Don't try to write too much in this part. Simply name a topic and give a hint on what you'll be talking about in your argumentative text. Briefly explain why the topic is important and who cares about it.

An example might be,

"The research shows that immigrants from Latin America feel uncomfortable with studying in English schools as they require more time to learn this language. Thus, it is important to work on the question of the second national language."

1. Working on the thesis statement

This part contains the main argument. Don't pose any questions here - just state your main point of view clearly and without any hesitations.

You may look at the additional information on how to write an eye-catching essay introduction with a hook.

Outline Section 2: Working on Your Arguments

As you remember, every claim is supported by the corresponding evidence you found during the research. If you have more information to share, you may include up to five body paragraphs.

It is a statement to support your argumentative essay's thesis. An example of an opening sentence in body paragraph is:

"Making Spanish the second official language in the IS would positively impact the economic relationships between Mexico and the United States."

Without a good evidence, no one is going to believe my words.

1. Evidence is based on credible facts and statistics the writer finds during the research process.

It has nothing to do with your personal knowledge or information based on your experience. Choose sources carefully. The example is:

"12% increase in trade between the US and Mexico was a notice in 2014 when Arizona's local government send people who spoke Spanish to take part in the deal."

Also, the reader will think your judgments are subjective until you add an opposing argument.

Outline Section 3: Looking for Opponent's Claims

You need to understand that different people have different points of view regarding the same topic, so be patient. Check the arguments of the US citizens who do not support the idea of the second national language. They may be helpful while working on the third section of your argumentative essay.

You may pose a question why they don't like the idea of any other language except for English. Make it clear that they fear are connected with the unwillingness to study one more language or cooperate with Mexican population. Remember that your personal ideas should be supported by the facts you find during your research. For every argument against, you should present enough evidence to prove you're right.

It all may sound difficult, but please keep in mind you have a right to buy papers online!

Outline Section 4: Conclusion

While arguing with various opinions, you have lost the focus. Remind the readers of your topic by restating your thesis. Make it clear why your argument is a winning one. The best way to do so is to present how the things would turn without your idea being implemented ASAP.

1. Write down about the importance of researched topic again. To make your statement persuasive enough, use loud arguments like,

"Without meeting the needs of the Latin American population, the local government risks facing another Col War like it was with USSR."

In case you need good topics for argumentative essays, you will find them here. 

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An argumentative essay is a part of academic writing in which a writer develops an argument based on proof and evidence. You can never avoid writing these essays if you are a student.

In all students’ academic lives, they are asked to write a high-quality argumentative essay to show their ability. Also, show how you analyze situations and make comments based on evidence.

The quality of your essay depends on how perfectly it is structured and outlined. Are you having trouble developing an outline for your argumentative essay? Read below the blog to know everything about the argumentative essay outline.

Argumentative Essay Outline

An argumentative essay outline is a plan through which the writer works and organizes the raw data. An outline provides you a track to follow for your papers and essays.

The outline helps you stick to the critical things making sure that you did not miss important information in the content.

Outlining might confuse you if you have never developed one before. However, once you know how to create one, it will be a lot easier to draft a perfect argumentative essay.

An argumentative essay consists of several equally important parts. These sections individually state the topic, arguments, evidence and supporting statements, etc.

The significant parts of an argumentative essay outline are:

• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs
• Conclusion

Creating each section systematically is a fundamental requirement of an outline. Learn how to make each part of the outline professionally in the following area.

Argumentative Essay Introduction

Just like any other academic writing, you need a foundation on which to build your essay. An introduction is the foundation of your essay. A proper and perfect intro will make your paper flawless and vice-versa.

An introduction of an argumentative essay includes a hook, background information, and thesis statement.

• Hook

  A hook is an opening statement of the essay's introduction. It serves the purpose of grabbing the reader’s attention towards the content.

  A hook can be a quotation, anecdote, question, funny/sarcastic statement, fact, statistic, etc.,

  For example: The major cause of obesity in the United States is fast food.

• Background Information

  Here you present some background information about the topic. The background information should answer the following questions:

  • What is the issue you are going to talk about?
  • Who is your audience?
  • Where is the selected issue prevalent?
  • Why is the issue important to be discussed?
• Thesis Statement

  It is the last sentence of your introduction that is the focal point of your essay. It introduces the readers to the topic’s main argument.Then, it states the writer’s position and stands in the essay.

• Argumentative Essay Body Paragraphs

  After the introductory paragraphs are written, the next part is the body of the argumentative essay. This part of the essay is essential to be structured well as it contains all the claims and pieces of evidence.

• Claim

  For essays like an argumentative essay, it is imperative to make your claim in writing. A claim, or the core argument, is the basis of your entire essay. If you want your essay to be right in quality, make sure that the claims made are strong. You can support your claim with strong evidence.

  The purpose of making a claim is to define the:

  • Goal
  • Scope
  • Direction
  • Support your request and the basic argument

  In the main body, present your claim in the topic sentence. And let the audience know what the specific paragraph is about. However, also show your point of view.

• Evidence

  Making a claim in the argumentative essay is not enough. Making people believe your stance is what the objective of the writer is. For this purpose, you need to support your argument with evidence and supporting facts.

  You have to clear your position as a writer by providing relevant stuff showing your claims’ validity and accuracy. The reality of your claim entirely depends on the credibility and reliability of the facts that you provide.

  There are five types of evidence that are used to prove the preliminary thesis statement:

  • Real-life examples
  • Statistics
  • Authorities
  • Analogies
  • Hypothetical situations
• Include an Opponent’s Argument

  While collecting information for your essay, students often ignore the opposing arguments. When writing an argumentative essay, a writer shouldn’t just talk about his claim and support it with evidence.

  After providing evidence for your claim, identify and include opposing views and counter-arguments and debunk them. There is always another side to the argument. Use evidence to disprove these opposing sides and arguments.

Argumentative Essay Conclusion

The last part of the writing process of the outline is a conclusion. Now that you have adequately structured the introduction and the body paragraphs, it’s time to conclude your essay.

The power of a conclusion is often underestimated. If the ending is vague, abrupt, and not good, your whole essay will be a waste.

The following things conclude an argumentative essay:

• Restating your thesis statement.
• Summarizing basic arguments.
• Recommending a course of action to the readers.

Make sure that the length of the conclusion is the same as the introduction. Short and precise conclusions are effective. In conclusion, a writer should never introduce new ideas and extra information.

A precise and direct conclusion will increase the quality of your essay to extremes.

For essays like these, personal knowledge is not enough. You always have to research the essay topic and subject chosen to make healthy and valid points. Gather facts and accurate information to make your essay effective and credible.

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Argumentative Essay Outline Example

The outline used to write an argumentative essay can also be used for persuasive essay writing. A few outline examples of an argumentative essay outline are given below:

Your whole argumentative essay depends on the outline you make for it. So the outline for your essay should be detailed, covering everything and direct to make your essay persuasive and readable.

If you have any trouble making a paper outline, never hesitate to take a professional’s help. At CollegeEssay.org, we provide expert opinions and guidance to solve all academic-related problems of the students.

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FAQs

1. 1. What are the 4 parts of an argumentative essay?

   The four main parts of an argumentative essay are:

   • Introduction
   • Thesis statement
   • Main body paragraphs
   • Conclusion
2. 2. What are good topics to write an argumentative essay?

   Here are some good argumentative essay topics.

   • Should self-driving cars be legal?
   • Should video games be a sport?
   • All students must wear a uniform in high school.
   • Is the cost of college too high?
   • Is globalization a good thing?