1. ArgumentativePaperFormat
*Please note thatthisisonlya sample format.There are multiple waystoorganize an
argumentative paper
o 1-2 paragraphstops
o PURPOSE:To setup andstate one’sclaim
o OPTIONALELEMENTS
your readersin?
to understandyourclaim?If youdon’tfollow thisparagraphwitha
backgroundinformationparagraph,pleaseinsertthatinfohere.
o REQUIRED ELEMENTS
—stateauthor+title
– provide brief explanation
or your of issue/theory.
—state director,year+title
o 1-2 paragraphstops;Optional (canomitfor some papers).Also,sometimes
thisinfoisincorporatedintothe introductionparagraph(see above).
o PURPOSE:Lays the foundationforprovingyourargument.
o Will ofteninclude:
2. o PURPOSE:To prove yourargument.Usuallyisone paragraphbut itcan be
longer.
o Topic Sentence:Whatisone item,fact,detail,orexampleyoucantell your
readersthat will helpthembetterunderstandyourclaim/papertopic?Your
answershouldbe the topicsentence forthisparagraph.
o ExplainTopicSentence:Doyouneedtoexplainyourtopicsentence?If so,
do so here.
o Introduce Evidence:Introduce yourevidence eitherina few words(AsDr.
Brownstates―…‖) or in a full sentence (―Tounderstandthisissue we first
needtolookat statistics).
o State Evidence:Whatsupportingevidence (reasons,examples,facts,
statistics,and/orquotations) canyouinclude toprove/support/explainyour
topicsentence?
o ExplainEvidence:Howshouldwe readorinterpretthe evidence youare
providingus?Howdoesthisevidence provethe pointyouare tryingtomake
inthisparagraph? Can be opinionbasedandisoftenatleast1-3 sentences.
o ConcludingSentence:Endyourparagraphwitha concludingsentence that
reassertshowthe topicsentence of thisparagraphhelpsupbetter
understandand/orprove yourpaper’soverall claim.Page 2of 3
Courtesythe OdegaardWriting&ResearchCenter
http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
o Repeatabove
3. NT PARAGRAPH
o PURPOSE:To anticipate yourreader’sobjections;make yourself soundmore
objective andreasonable.
o Optional;usually1-2paragraphstops
o What possible argumentmightyourreaderpose againstyourargument
and/orsome aspectof yourreasoning?Insertone ormore of those
argumentshere andrefute them.
o End paragraph witha concludingsentence thatreassertsyourpaper’sclaim
as a whole.
o PURPOSE:Remindreadersof yourargumentand supportingevidence
o Conclusionyouwere mostlikelytaughttowrite inHighSchool
o Restatesyourpaper’soverall claimandsupportingevidence
o PURPOSE:To illustrate toyourinstructorthatyouhave thoughtcritically
and analyticallyaboutthisissue.
o Your conclusionshouldnotsimplyrestateyourintroparagraph.If your
conclusionsaysalmostthe exactsame thingas yourintroduction,itmay
indicate thatyouhave not done enoughcritical thinkingduringthe course of
your essay(since youendeduprightwhere youstarted).
o Your conclusionshouldtelluswhywe shouldcare aboutyour paper.What is
the significance of yourclaim?Whyisit importanttoyouas the writeror to
me as the reader?WhatinformationshouldyouorItake awayfrom this?
o Your conclusionshouldcreate asense of movementtoa more complex
understandingof the subjectof yourpaper.Bythe endof youressay,you
4. shouldhave worked throughyourideasenoughsothatyourreader
understandswhatyouhave arguedandis readyto hearthe largerpoint(i.e.
the "so what") youwant to make aboutyour topic.
o Your conclusionshouldserve asthe climax of yourpaper.So,save your
strongestanalytical pointsforthe endof youressay,anduse themto drive
your conclusion
o Vivid,concrete language isasimportantinaconclusionasit iselsewhere--
perhapsmore essential,since the conclusiondeterminesthe reader'sfinal
impressionof youressay.Donotleave themwiththe impressionthatyour
argumentwasvague or unsure.
o WARNING:It's fine tointroduce newinformationorquotationsinyour
conclusions,aslongasthe newpointsgrow fromyourargument.New points
mightbe more general,answeringthe "sowhat"question;theymightbe
quite specific.Justavoidmakingnewclaimsthatneedlotsof additional
support.Page 3 of 3
Courtesythe OdegaardWriting&ResearchCenter
http://www.depts.washington.edu/owrc
OUTLINE WORKSHOP
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND
SUPPORTINGEVIDENCE#1
SUPPORTINGEVIDENCE#2
SUPPORTINGEVIDENCE#3
COUNTERARGUMENT
SUM UP CONCLUSION
