argumentative essay
Written position defense
An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that takes a position on a debatable topic and defends it with evidence and reasoning.
Unlike expository essays that simply explain, argumentative essays aim to persuade readers toward a particular viewpoint: Her argumentative essay on climate policy cited economic data alongside environmental research.
The form is a staple of academic writing, teaching students to construct logical arguments and anticipate counterarguments.
- persuasiveAble to convince others
- thesisAcademic argument requiring defense
- thesis statementCore claim of essay
- debateFormal argument on issues
- claimStatement of ownership or truth
topic sentence · evidence · rebuttal · counterargument · devil's advocate · reasoning · logic · logical fallacy · stance · point of view · opinion · rhetoric · convince · call to action · support · conclusion · introduction · body paragraph
- written worksnovel, anthologies, history books, letter, literature
- essay questionsthesis statement, thesis, introduction, conclusion, body paragraph
- essaysSelf-Reliance, A Modest Proposal, collected works, anthologies, Letter from Birmingham Jail
- academic assessmentsexam, quiz, test, midterm, final exam
- academic critiquecritique, critical analysis, peer feedback, blind review, editorial review
- literary criticismliterary theory, literary analysis, close reading, New Criticism, criticism
argumentative essaynarrative essay
Story-driven personal composition
personal narrative · narrative · descriptive essay · creative writing · fiction
argumentative essayexpository essay
Writing that clarifies a topic
news report · literature review · encyclopedia entry · annotated bibliography · summary
argument, argumentative, argue, argues, argued, arguing, arguable, arguably, argumentation