How to Write an

Argumentaive Essay
$teps to planning a $uccessIul Essay
$pend 5 minutes brainstorming your ideas.
$pend at least 4 minutes organising the
results oI your brainstorm. Make sure that
your answer is balanced.
$tructure your essay with a clear
introduction, main body and conclusion.
The main body should consist oI around 3
or 4 paragraphs that weigh up the arguments
to support your answer.
The Four Steps in the Writing
Process
A. Pre-writing: %3 oI ideas
B. Planning: rga3e your ideas
C. DraIting: Wrte the Iirst draIt
D. Revising and Editing: Improve your
writing
&R WAY$
. Brainstorming
2. Clustering
3. Making Lists
4. Asking YourselI Questions
$ometimes it is diIIicult to think oI things to write about.
There are Iour common ways to help you think oI new
ideas:
ra3storm3g
Brainstorming is a way to think oI new ideas.
Brainstorming means you write every idea that is
in your head (your brain). When you brainstorm,
you write all your ideas and all the words you can
think oI about a topic. Do not say "This idea is a
bad idea." When you are brainstorming, all ideas
are good ideas.
How to Brainstorm an answer:
Brainstorming
Draw up a list or a
spider graph
Write down as
many relevant
Iacts that you
can remember
Number your ideas in
order to prioritise them
Cross out any ideas that
you know are not relevant
Make sure
that you
have
enough
ideas Ior a
balanced
answer
BRAIN$TRMING
Clustering
Clustering is another way to think oI new
ideas. The word "cluster" means a group oI
similar things. Clustering means putting
words into groups. Each group, or cluster,
has a number oI words that are related to
each other.
Clustering is similar to brainstorming. You
try to think oI many words and phrases.
When you make a cluster map, you write
the words and phrases in groups.
EXAMPLE
a3g Lsts
Making lists is a way to think oI new ideas.
When you make a list, try to think oI ideas
in an organized way. or example, you can
make a list oI actions, a list oI places, a list
oI people.
Here is an example oI three lists about daily
routine:
.to3s Pla.es Pla.es
Wae up
Get up
Sower
Get dressed
Eat
brea1ast
rus teet
%ae te bus
uy .o11ee
edroom
atroom
Kt.e3
us stop
Co11ee sop
11.e buld3g
us drver
Watress
Co-worer
oss
Customer
Fre3d
s3g Yoursel1 Questo3s
Asking yourselI questions is another way to think oI new ideas. When
you answer the questions, you think oI ideas.
When do I get up?
What do I do in the morning?
When do I go to work?
What do I do at work?
When do I have lunch?
Where do I have lunch?
When do I go home from work?
How do I get home from work?
What do I do after work?
What do I do in the evening?
When do I go to bed?
uestions, you think oI ideas.
The Introduction
DeIine the key words or
phrases in the title.
BrieIly state the argument
you are going to Iollow in
the main body.
Give a brieI outline oI
what you are going to
write about using the
words oI the title.
Main Body oI your Timed Essay
You must avoid superIicial
statements or trying to tell
a story.
Each paragraph needs a
balance oI evidence and
analysis.
Remember to keep
reIerring back to the words
oI the title and relate
everything to the question
set.
Warning
Avoid the phrase I Think`
Your essay is your point oI view.
Conclusion
Restate your argument using the words oI
the title.
BrieIly summarise the main points again in
one sentence.
inish with a contemporary example or
quote.
inally
$pend Iive minutes checking your answer.
5 oI your marks is awarded Ior $PG.
$pelling Punctuation And Gramma
II you run out oI time go into note Iorm and
reIer to your brainstorm.
Some use1ul expresso3s used 3 a.adem. wrt3g 1or:
1. Stat3g your ow3 posto3 o3 a Subje.t or %op.
W The aim of this paper is to
W The point oI this article is to
W It shall be argued in this paper/essay/review that
W The view presented in this paper/essay/review is that..
2. Presenting your own point of view
W There are many reasons why.
W It is important/necessary to point out that
W The Iirst thing to be considered is
W It is a Iact that
W There is some doubt that
oIIowed by the foIIowing expressions to support your view:
W The first/second reason why.is or Firstly/Secondly
W The most important
W In addition,
W urthermore,
W What is more,
W Another reason is
W A Iurther point is
%o 3trodu.e paraprases a3d dre.t quotes:
1. Stat3g te vew o1 3oter Perso3 o3 a Subje.t or
%op. Smith (1999, p. 333)
n a study of , Smith (1999, p. 333) maintains
argues
asserts
claims
points out that