Writing Argumentative Essays - The Art and Style of Doing It

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Creativity and mastery of the subject matter are only few, but most significant skills, that the writer must posses in writing argumentative essays. This kind of essay is somewhat difficult to write, compared to other essays, since the art of argumentation is not learned by every person who attempt to acquire it. It is, sometimes, mistaken that having an opinion makes a person eligible to enter the parameters of debate. Every one is entitled to have their own opinion but not every one is blessed to argue their point of views effectively. The main goal of this essay is not to win the argument, unlike in persuasive essay that the writer should win or at least sway the reader's viewpoint. Its objective is only to present a credible dispute of idea. Aside from the intention of the two essays, they also vary from featuring the sides of the position. The latter takes one side of the argument while the other uses the evidences both to prove and discredit the claim. Another difference is the two essays' organization of composition. Persuasive essays follows the basic essay format, while argumentative essays can be formatted in several ways.

Writing argumentative essays is different from composing persuasive essays, though they have some similarities too. To start with, the writer should choose a topic to discuss. The course must be controversial to awaken the reader's interest and definite to have a clear scope of the issue. Same with persuasive essays, writer's position should be stated in the thesis statement. Using the first person point of view must be avoided since it makes the subject argument personal, therefore, weakening it.. Constructing the essay does not only need a mere opinion but, most importantly, data that exist as facts. These facts may be coming from different sources such as books, journals, newspapers and articles. The writer can also base the debate in other educated materials that have neutral presentation regarding the topic and make sure that information gathered from such material are used objectively. As the essay develop, the writer should expect criticisms and disapprovals on the topic being discuss. Anticipating objections will help the essay improve in stating convincing facts that will be a plus point in the argument.

Perhaps, writing argumentative essays is not that an easy task. Sometimes, people are confused with their opinion and the facts they know since an individual idea also have minimal similarities with another's. To avoid from substituting facts with opinion, writer should make sure that whatever evidence to be explained will have its respective source. Keeping this attitude in using sources will also motivate the reader that the argument is credible and should be read critically.

Though writing argumentative essays is not aimed at winning the reader's approval with the writer's position, it should have to make the reader take his/her side, whether agree or disagree. If the reader already took a side, then the essay is effective because the reader had decided to agree or not with the writer's point of view.