A Researched Argument should offer a clear stance using academic language and a formal tone. It should be your own new idea, not a repetition of your sources' claims.
Women’s health → Women and cancer → Women smokers and breast cancer → Is there an association between cigarette smoking and breast cancer risk?
Eating disorders → Teenagers and eating disorders → Teen peer pressure and bulimia → What role, if any, does peer pressure play in the development of bulimia among teens?
An introduction should include a hook to engage your reader, background information on your topic, a roadmap of your body paragraphs, and a clear thesis. Make sure to explain why your readers should care about this topic!
Thesis Statements: A Debatable Claim / Something that not everyone would agree on
A weak thesis statement: Pollution is bad for the environment.
A stronger thesis statement: At least 25 percent of the federal budget should be spent on limiting pollution. OR America's anti-pollution efforts should focus on privately owned cars.
A weak thesis statement: Drug use is detrimental to society.
A stronger thesis statement: Illegal drug use is detrimental because it encourages gang violence.
Examples from Purdue Online Writing Lab
Each body paragraph should have its own claim, and this claim should be clear in the topic sentence. Each claim should be supported by evidence (examples, statistics, quotes from an authority).
Each body paragraph should include:
- a topic sentence
- a sentence of support
- evidence quoted from text
- commentary, explaining how the quoted texts connect to your thesis
- a concluding sentence
Remember to avoid logical fallacies in your argument!
What objections might your readers have? What are the opposing claims?
By acknowledging the counterclaims of your position, you will present yourself as unbiased, gaining credibility with your readers.
Answer those opposing claims with evidence. Convince your readers that your stance is more valid or true than the opposing stance.
Claim: Hybrid cars are an effective strategy to fight pollution.
Counterclaim: Instead of focusing on cars, which still encourages an inefficient culture of driving even as it cuts down on pollution, the nation should focus on building and encouraging the use of mass transit systems.
Rebuttal: While mass transit is an idea that should be encouraged, it is not feasible in many rural and suburban areas, or for people who must commute to work. Thus, hybrid cars are a better solution for much of the nation's population.
Examples from Purdue Online Writing Lab
Summarize your argument in your conclusion. Remind your reader of the significance of your stance. Include a solution: call to action or suggest further research.
Call to action: Asking your reader to do something with the new information you have provided through your paper.
Suggest further research: Pointing to possible directions that new or additional research might take.
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Credits:
Created with images by Andrik Langfield - "Pebble stacks" • Steinar Engeland - "Concrete arrow" • Mirko Blicke - "untitled image" • Alex Radelich - "untitled image" • Blaz Photo - "untitled image" • Pablo García Saldaña - "Two directions sign" • Ryan Stone - "untitled image"