The Argumentative Essay- Student Outline

The Topic:

Here, you introduce the topic in a

very general way. You do not
present any argument(s). This
overview does not contain the
1. INTRODUCTION : thesis. The goal is simply to
Overview of the engage the reader. You can do
Topic this by asking a clever question,
presenting an interesting fact or
citing a quotation. Your goal is to
reach out and capture the
readers attention.
Your Slant/Angle :

Here you present the topic and

begin to narrow in on the
argument you are going to
2. INTRODUCTION : Your present. (this will be your
slant of the topic + Main central argument for the whole
Argument/Thesis argumentative text) It needs to
be well chosen since you will be Main Argument/Thesis :
sticking to this argument
throughout the essay.

Here you will tell the reader how

the argument will be developed
within the essay. This means, you
will state the actual arguments
you will be presenting to defend
your thesis and the order in which
they will be presented. The goal
3. INTRODUCTION :
should be to present them in a
Division of the arguments
logical manner so that the reader
knows what to expect. Transition
words are key in showing the
movement from one idea to the
next. Each argument will then, in
turn, be developed in a separate
paragraph.
 1. DEVELOPMENT: A clear
one-sentence
Here, a short sentence that is
presentation of the
introduced by a transition word is
argument that will be
most effective.
developed throughout the
paragraph.

This consists of one sentence (or

2. DEVELOPMENT: An
more) that specifies the argument
explanation of the main
and develops it briefly. This
argument and any specifics that go
sentence is best introduced by an
along with it.
introductory transition word.

3. DEVELOPMENT: The
This can be a fact, a statistic, a
presentation of a basis for the
personal value judgement, a life
argument. This is the proof that
experience or a logical line of
demonstrates in a concrete way that
reasoning, etc.
the argument is solid.

This is a reformulation of the

4. DEVELOPMENT: A partial
conclusion to the argument/a
lead-in to the next argument
that will be presented in the
essay.
argument. The writer can
capitalize on this part to elaborate
on their argumentative strategy.
For example, you can draw a
deductive line of reasoning based
on the proof provided thus far.
 This enables to reader to draw
the logical conclusion desired by
the writer.

The conclusion recapitulates

the original thesis and the
arguments that support it. This is
1. THE CONCLUSION a good way to bring the reader
back to the introduction and what
sparked his interest to read the
essay in the first place.

The Teaser is the final part of

the conclusion. This part is
optional and may be left out if
need be. Its purpose is to leave
the reader in a state of
reflection, incite a speculation
into the future, introduce a
2. THE TEASER (OPTIONAL) new angle not considered in
the essay, present a famous
quotation, etc. This can be done
by the writer in a variety of ways.
The most important thing is bring
together the essay and leave the
reader with something new to
consider.