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WelcometothePurdueOWL
ThispageisbroughttoyoubytheOWLatPurdue
(https://owl.english.purdue.edu/).Whenprintingthispage,youmust
includetheentirelegalnoticeatbottom.

Contributors:AllenBrizee.
Summary:
Thisresourceoutlinesthegenerallyacceptedstructureforintroductions,bodyparagraphs,
andconclusionsinanacademicargumentpaper.Keepinmindthatthisresourcecontains
guidelinesandnotstrictrulesaboutorganization.Yourstructureneedstobeflexible
enoughtomeettherequirementsofyourpurposeandaudience.

Introductions,BodyParagraphs,and
ConclusionsforanArgumentPaper
Thefollowingsectionsoutlinethegenerallyacceptedstructureforanacademicargument
paper.Keepinmindthattheseareguidelinesandthatyourstructureneedstobeflexible
enoughtomeettherequirementsofyourpurposeandaudience.
YoumayalsousethefollowingPurdueOWLresourcestohelpyouwithyourargument
paper:
CreatingaThesisStatement
EstablishingArguments
OrganizingYourArgument
OrganizingYourArgumentSlidePresentation
LogicinArgumentativeWriting
ParagraphsandParagraphing
TransitionsandTransitionalDevices

Introduction
Theintroductionisthebroadbeginningofthepaperthatanswersthreeimportant
questions:
1. Whatisthis?
2. WhyamIreadingit?
3. Whatdoyouwantmetodo?
Youshouldanswerthesequestionsbydoingthefollowing:
1. Setthecontextprovidegeneralinformationaboutthemainidea,explainingthe
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situationsothereadercanmakesenseofthetopicandtheclaimsyoumakeand
support
2. Statewhythemainideaisimportanttellthereaderwhyheorsheshouldcareand
keepreading.Yourgoalistocreateacompelling,clear,andconvincingessay
peoplewillwanttoreadandactupon
3. Stateyourthesis/claimcomposeasentenceortwostatingthepositionyouwill
supportwithlogos(soundreasoning:induction,deduction),pathos(balanced
emotionalappeal),andethos(authorcredibility).
Forexploratoryessays,yourprimaryresearchquestionwouldreplaceyourthesis
statementsothattheaudienceunderstandswhyyoubeganyourinquiry.Anoverviewof
thetypesofsourcesyouexploredmightfollowyourresearchquestion.
Ifyourargumentpaperislong,youmaywanttoforecasthowyouwillsupportyour
thesisbyoutliningthestructureofyourpaper,thesourcesyouwillconsider,andthe
oppositiontoyourposition.Youcanforecastyourpaperinmanydifferentways
dependingonthetypeofpaperyouarewriting.Yourforecastcouldreadsomethinglike
this:
First,Iwilldefinekeytermsformyargument,andthenIwillprovidesomebackground
ofthesituation.NextIwilloutlinetheimportantpositionsoftheargumentandexplain
whyIsupportoneofthesepositions.Lastly,Iwillconsideropposingpositionsand
discusswhythesepositionsareoutdated.Iwillconcludewithsomeideasfortaking
actionandpossibledirectionsforfutureresearch.
Whenwritingaresearchpaper,youmayneedtouseamoreformal,lesspersonaltone.
Yourforecastmightreadlikethis:
Thispaperbeginsbyprovidingkeytermsfortheargumentbeforeprovidingbackground
ofthesituation.Next,importantpositionsareoutlinedandsupported.Toprovideamore
thoroughexplanationoftheseimportantpositions,opposingpositionsarediscussed.The
paperconcludeswithsomeideasfortakingactionandpossibledirectionsforfuture
research.
Askyourinstructoraboutwhattoneyoushouldusewhenprovidingaforecastforyour
paper.
Theseareverygeneralexamples,butbyaddingsomedetailsonyourspecifictopic,a
forecastwilleffectivelyoutlinethestructureofyourpapersoyourreaderscanmore
easilyfollowyourideas.
Thesischecklist
Yourthesisismorethanageneralstatementaboutyourmainidea.Itneedstoestablisha
clearpositionyouwillsupportwithbalancedproofs(logos,pathos,ethos).Usethe
checklistbelowtohelpyoucreateathesis.
ThissectionisadaptedfromWritingwithaThesis:ARhetoricReaderbyDavidSkwire
andSarahSkwire:
Makesureyouavoidthefollowingwhencreatingyourthesis:
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Athesisisnotatitle:Homesandschools(title)vs.Parentsoughttoparticipate
moreintheeducationoftheirchildren(goodthesis).
Athesisisnotanannouncementofthesubject:Mysubjectistheincompetenceof
theSupremeCourtvs.TheSupremeCourtmadeamistakewhenitruledinfavorof
GeorgeW.Bushinthe2000election.
Athesisisnotastatementofabsolutefact:JaneAustenistheauthorofPrideand
Prejudice.
Athesisisnotthewholeessay:Athesisisyourmain
idea/claim/refutation/problemsolutionexpressedinasinglesentenceora
combinationofsentences.
PleasenotethataccordingtotheMLAHandbookforWritersofResearchPapers,
SeventhEdition,"Athesisstatementisasinglesentencethatformulatesbothyour
topicandyourpointofview"(Gibaldi42).However,ifyourpaperismore
complexandrequiresathesisstatement,yourthesismayrequireacombinationof
sentences.
Makesureyoufollowtheseguidelineswhencreatingyourthesis:
Agoodthesisisunified:
NOT:Detectivestoriesarenotahighformofliterature,butpeoplehave
alwaysbeenfascinatedbythem,andmanyfinewritershaveexperimented
withthem
(floppy).vs.

BETTER:Detectivestoriesappealtothebasichumandesireforthrills
(concise).
Agoodthesisisspecific:
NOT:JamesJoycesUlyssesisverygood.vs.
BETTER:JamesJoycesUlysseshelpedcreateanewwayforwriterstodeal
withtheunconscious.
Trytobeasspecificaspossible(withoutprovidingtoomuchdetail)whencreating
yourthesis:
NOT:JamesJoycesUlysseshelpedcreateanewwayforwriterstodeal
withtheunconscious.vs.
BETTER:JamesJoycesUlysseshelpedcreateanewwayforwriterstodeal
withtheunconsciousbyutilizingthefindingsofFreudianpsychologyand
introducingthetechniquesofliterarystreamofconsciousness.
QuickChecklist:
_____Thethesis/claimfollowstheguidelinesoutlinedabove
_____Thethesis/claimmatchestherequirementsandgoalsoftheassignment
_____Thethesis/claimisclearandeasilyrecognizable
_____Thethesis/claimseemssupportablebygoodreasoning/data,emotionalappeal
Contributors:AllenBrizee.
Summary:
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Thisresourceoutlinesthegenerallyacceptedstructureforintroductions,bodyparagraphs,
andconclusionsinanacademicargumentpaper.Keepinmindthatthisresourcecontains
guidelinesandnotstrictrulesaboutorganization.Yourstructureneedstobeflexible
enoughtomeettherequirementsofyourpurposeandaudience.

BodyParagraphs
Bodyparagraphs:Movingfromgeneraltospecificinformation
Yourpapershouldbeorganizedinamannerthatmovesfromgeneraltospecific
information.Everytimeyoubeginanewsubject,thinkofaninvertedpyramidThe
broadestrangeofinformationsitsatthetop,andastheparagraphorpaperprogresses,the
authorbecomesmoreandmorefocusedontheargumentendingwithspecific,detailed
evidencesupportingaclaim.Lastly,theauthorexplainshowandwhytheinformationshe
hasjustprovidedconnectstoandsupportsherthesis(abriefwrapuporwarrant).

ImageCaption:MovingfromGeneraltoSpecificInformation
Thefourelementsofagoodparagraph(TTEB)
Agoodparagraphshouldcontainatleastthefollowingfourelements:Transition,Topic
sentence,specificEvidenceandanalysis,andaBriefwrapupsentence(alsoknownasa
warrant)TTEB!
1. ATransitionsentenceleadinginfromapreviousparagraphtoassuresmooth
reading.Thisactsasahandofffromoneideatothenext.
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2. ATopicsentencethattellsthereaderwhatyouwillbediscussingintheparagraph.
3. SpecificEvidenceandanalysisthatsupportsoneofyourclaimsandthatprovidesa
deeperlevelofdetailthanyourtopicsentence.
4. ABriefwrapupsentencethattellsthereaderhowandwhythisinformation
supportsthepapersthesis.Thebriefwrapupisalsoknownasthewarrant.The
warrantisimportanttoyourargumentbecauseitconnectsyourreasoningand
supporttoyourthesis,anditshowsthattheinformationintheparagraphisrelated
toyourthesisandhelpsdefendit.
Supportingevidence(inductionanddeduction)
Induction

Inductionisthetypeofreasoningthatmovesfromspecificfactstoageneralconclusion.
Whenyouuseinductioninyourpaper,youwillstateyourthesis(whichisactuallythe
conclusionyouhavecometoafterlookingatallthefacts)andthensupportyourthesis
withthefacts.ThefollowingisanexampleofinductiontakenfromDorothyU.Seylers
UnderstandingArgument:
Facts:
ThereisthedeadbodyofSmith.Smithwasshotinhisbedroombetweenthehoursof
11:00p.m.and2:00a.m.,accordingtothecoroner.Smithwasshotwitha.32caliber
pistol.ThepistolleftinthebedroomcontainsJonessfingerprints.Joneswasseen,bya
neighbor,enteringtheSmithhomeataround11:00p.m.thenightofSmithsdeath.A
coworkerheardSmithandJonesarguinginSmithsofficethemorningofthedaySmith
died.
Conclusion:JoneskilledSmith.
Here,then,istheexampleinbulletform:
Conclusion:JoneskilledSmith
Support:SmithwasshotbyJonesgun,Joneswasseenenteringthesceneofthe
crime,JonesandSmitharguedearlierinthedaySmithdied.
Assumption:Thefactsarerepresentative,notisolatedincidents,andthusreveala
trend,justifyingtheconclusiondrawn.
Deduction

Whenyouusedeductioninanargument,youbeginwithgeneralpremisesandmovetoa
specificconclusion.Thereisaprecisepatternyoumustusewhenyoureasondeductively.
Thispatterniscalledsyllogisticreasoning(thesyllogism).Syllogisticreasoning
(deduction)isorganizedinthreesteps:
1. Majorpremise
2. Minorpremise
3. Conclusion
Inorderforthesyllogism(deduction)towork,youmustacceptthattherelationshipof
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thetwopremiseslead,logically,totheconclusion.Herearetwoexamplesofdeductionor
syllogisticreasoning:
Socrates
1. Majorpremise:Allmenaremortal.
2. Minorpremise:Socratesisaman.
3. Conclusion:Socratesismortal.
Lincoln
1. Majorpremise:Peoplewhoperformwithcourageandclearpurposeinacrisisare
greatleaders.
2. Minorpremise:Lincolnwasapersonwhoperformedwithcourageandaclear
purposeinacrisis.
3. Conclusion:Lincolnwasagreatleader.
SoinorderfordeductiontoworkintheexampleinvolvingSocrates,youmustagreethat
(1)allmenaremortal(theyalldie)and(2)Socratesisaman.Ifyoudisagreewitheither
ofthesepremises,theconclusionisinvalid.TheexampleusingSocratesisntsodifficult
tovalidate.Butwhenyoumoveintomoremurkywater(whenyouusetermssuchas
courage,clearpurpose,andgreat),theconnectionsgettenuous.
Forexample,somehistoriansmightarguethatLincolndidntreallyshineuntilafew
yearsintotheCivilWar,aftermanyUnionlossestoSouthernleaderssuchasRobertE.
Lee.
Thefollowingisaclearexampleofdeductiongoneawry:
1. Majorpremise:Alldogsmakegoodpets.
2. Minorpremise:Doogleisadog.
3. Conclusion:Dooglewillmakeagoodpet.
Ifyoudontagreethatalldogsmakegoodpets,thentheconclusionthatDooglewill
makeagoodpetisinvalid.
Enthymemes
Whenapremiseinasyllogismismissing,thesyllogismbecomesanenthymeme.
Enthymemescanbeveryeffectiveinargument,buttheycanalsobeunethicalandleadto
invalidconclusions.Authorsoftenuseenthymemestopersuadeaudiences.Thefollowing
isanexampleofanenthymeme:
IfyouhaveaplasmaTV,youarenotpoor.
Thefirstpartoftheenthymeme(IfyouhaveaplasmaTV)isthestatedpremise.The
secondpartofthestatement(youarenotpoor)istheconclusion.Sotheunstatedpremise
isOnlyrichpeoplehaveplasmaTVs.Theenthymemeaboveleadsustoaninvalid
conclusion(peoplewhoownplasmaTVsarenotpoor)becausethereareplentyofpeople
whoownplasmaTVswhoarepoor.Letslookatthisenthymemeinasyllogistic
structure:
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Majorpremise:PeoplewhoownplasmaTVsarerich(unstatedabove).
Minorpremise:YouownaplasmaTV.
Conclusion:Youarenotpoor.
Tohelpyouunderstandhowinductionanddeductioncanworktogethertoformasolid
argument,youmaywanttolookattheUnitedStatesDeclarationofIndependence.The
firstsectionoftheDeclarationcontainsaseriesofsyllogisms,whilethemiddlesectionis
aninductivelistofexamples.Thefinalsectionbringsthefirstandsecondsections
togetherinacompellingconclusion.
Contributors:AllenBrizee.
Summary:
Thisresourceoutlinesthegenerallyacceptedstructureforintroductions,bodyparagraphs,
andconclusionsinanacademicargumentpaper.Keepinmindthatthisresourcecontains
guidelinesandnotstrictrulesaboutorganization.Yourstructureneedstobeflexible
enoughtomeettherequirementsofyourpurposeandaudience.

RebuttalSections
Inordertopresentafairandconvincingmessage,youmayneedtoanticipate,research,
andoutlinesomeofthecommonpositions(arguments)thatdisputeyourthesis.Ifthe
situation(purpose)callsforyoutodothis,youwillpresentandthenrefutetheseother
positionsintherebuttalsectionofyouressay.
Itisimportanttoconsiderotherpositionsbecauseinmostcases,yourprimaryaudience
willbefencesitters.Fencesittersarepeoplewhohavenotdecidedwhichsideofthe
argumenttosupport.
Peoplewhoareonyoursideoftheargumentwillnotneedalotofinformationtoalign
withyourposition.Peoplewhoarecompletelyagainstyourargumentperhapsfor
ethicalorreligiousreasonswillprobablyneveralignwithyourpositionnomatterhow
muchinformationyouprovide.Therefore,theaudienceyoushouldconsidermost
importantarethosepeoplewhohaven'tdecidedwhichsideoftheargumenttheywill
supportthefencesitters.
Inmanycases,thesefencesittershavenotdecidedwhichsidetoalignwithbecausethey
seevalueinbothpositions.Therefore,tonotconsideropposingpositionstoyourownina
fairmannermayalienatefencesitterswhentheyseethatyouarenotaddressingtheir
concernsordiscussionopposingpositionsatall.
Organizingyourrebuttalsection
FollowingtheTTEBmethodoutlinedintheBodyParagraphsection,forecastallthe
informationthatwillfollowintherebuttalsectionandthenmovepointbypointthrough
theotherpositionsaddressingeachoneasyougo.Theoutlinebelow,adaptedfrom
Seyler'sUnderstandingArgument,isanexampleofarebuttalsectionfromathesisessay.
Whenyourebutorrefuteanopposingposition,usethefollowingthreepartorganization:
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Theopponentsargument:Usually,youshouldnotassumethatyourreaderhasreador
rememberedtheargumentyouarerefuting.Thusatthebeginningofyourparagraph,you
needtostate,accuratelyandfairly,themainpointsoftheargumentyouwillrefute.
Yourposition:Next,makeclearthenatureofyourdisagreementwiththeargumentor
positionyouarerefuting.Yourpositionmightassert,forexample,thatawriterhasnot
provedhisassertionbecausehehasprovidedevidencethatisoutdated,orthatthe
argumentisfilledwithfallacies.
Yourrefutation:Thespecificsofyourcounterargumentwilldependuponthenatureof
yourdisagreement.Ifyouchallengethewritersevidence,thenyoumustpresentthe
morerecentevidence.Ifyouchallengeassumptions,thenyoumustexplainwhytheydo
notholdup.Ifyourpositionisthatthepieceisfilledwithfallacies,thenyoumustpresent
andexplaineachfallacy.
Contributors:AllenBrizee.
Summary:
Thisresourceoutlinesthegenerallyacceptedstructureforintroductions,bodyparagraphs,
andconclusionsinanacademicargumentpaper.Keepinmindthatthisresourcecontains
guidelinesandnotstrictrulesaboutorganization.Yourstructureneedstobeflexible
enoughtomeettherequirementsofyourpurposeandaudience.

Conclusions
Conclusionswrapupwhatyouhavebeendiscussinginyourpaper.Aftermovingfrom
generaltospecificinformationintheintroductionandbodyparagraphs,yourconclusion
shouldbeginpullingbackintomoregeneralinformationthatrestatesthemainpointsof
yourargument.Conclusionsmayalsocallforactionoroverviewfuturepossibleresearch.
Thefollowingoutlinemayhelpyouconcludeyourpaper:
Inageneralway,
Restateyourtopicandwhyitisimportant,
Restateyourthesis/claim,
Addressopposingviewpointsandexplainwhyreadersshouldalignwithyour
position,
Callforactionoroverviewfutureresearchpossibilities.
Rememberthatonceyouaccomplishthesetasks,unlessotherwisedirectedbyyour
instructor,youarefinished.Done.Complete.Don'ttrytobringinnewpointsorendwith
awhizbang(!)conclusionortrytosolveworldhungerinthefinalsentenceofyour
conclusion.Simplicityisbestforaclear,convincingmessage.
Thepreacher'smaximisoneofthemosteffectiveformulastofollowforargument
papers:
1. Tellwhatyou'regoingtotellthem(introduction).
2. Tellthem(body).
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3. Tellthemwhatyoutoldthem(conclusion).

Copyright19952015byTheWritingLab&TheOWLatPurdueandPurdueUniversity.Allrights
reserved.Thismaterialmaynotbepublished,reproduced,broadcast,rewritten,orredistributedwithout
permission.Useofthissiteconstitutesacceptanceofourtermsandconditionsoffairuse.

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