argumentative essay format muet

MUET Writing Malaysia – Definitive Guide with Essay Example

MUET is a test that all Malaysian students must take in order to apply for their desired course. It consists of 3 parts: Language Proficiency, General Paper, and Subject Knowledge Test. The Language Proficiency section tests the student’s command of the English language through various writing tasks such as essay writing, letter-writing, and summarizing text. This blog post will aim to provide you with tips on how to score well in this section of MUET by providing an example of an essay topic along with guidelines on how it should be written.

What is MUET writing in Malaysia?

MUET is also known as the Malaysian University English Test seeks to measure the English proficiency among candidates who plan on pursuing tertiary studies at universities located within Malaysia.

The MUET is a test that tests the four language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing. While some people may be better at one or two than others; they’re all important to hone in order for anyone interested in pursuing an education around these topics.

The MUET writing test is challenging- students have to transfer information from a non-linear source and write an essay of at least 350 words on the topic given.

MUET Essay Task 1: Report writing (40 marks)

• You have been given 40 minutes to complete the task.
• Study and analyze the information.
• Describe the information or the process in a report format
• Write between 150-200 words

MUET Essay Task 2: Extended writing (60 marks)

• The essay must not be less than 350 words
• Given 50 minutes to complete the task
• Your essay can be:

–   Analytical- –   Descriptive –   Persuasive –   Argumentative

Topics for MUET Essay Writing

The following topics are perfectly acceptable for a MUET essay, as all are general knowledge questions that every university or college student should know.

• Why do people commit suicide for selfish reasons? Discuss
• The most valuable thing in life is friendship do you agree?
• Some people prefer street food others prefer homemade which one is the best to support your answer in 350 words
• Education must be free for every child do you agree or not?
• Impact of social media on people
• Some people prefer small towns to live in others one prefer to live in a city why? Which one do you prefer?

MUET Essay Writing Format

MUET is a challenging exam because it includes writing within the Academic Writing Format. For many students, this format may be unfamiliar and difficult to understand or execute in their answers at test time so they don’t score well on that section of MUET.

This difficulty can come from being unaware of how academic writing differs from other forms such as creative or personal essays which are more common formats for essay questions outside of the MUET testing space.

1. Introduction paragraph:

Introduce your topic to the reader.

• Use catchy lines, questions, brief definitions, etc.
• Must have a thesis statement a statement which consists of the main big ideas
• Never use: “research or study” use words like on the basics of my readings, in my opinion, as this is essay writing, not a research paper.
• Never use: “ can be defined as” use words like “In my opinion, I believe that, etc.”

2. Body paragraph:

Body paragraph: must have 3 paragraphs.

• State the main idea
• Often written as the first sentence of each paragraph
• Supporting details and ideas
• Examples, elaborations, explanations,s, and descriptions can also be included
• Must support the main idea discussed in this particular body/body paragraph
• Use linkers, connectors, and transition words.

Conclusion paragraph:

• Restate the main idea
• Use words like hence, therefore, thus, as a result.
• Write it like it is the last sentence of the paragraph.

3. Concluding paragraph:

• Bring the ending of things that you have discussed earlier.
• Restate your thesis statements.
• The conclusion must have 4 sentences
• You may suggest, give opinions or reaffirm your stand
• Use words: To conclude, to summarize, as a conclusion, finally, lastly, eventually, to encapsulate.

Tips to write MUET Essay for Malaysian Students

The best way to write a MUET essay is to have a succinct thesis in the introduction and also be cognizant of transitions between one topic and another.

Moreover, it’s important to know your audience when you’re writing an essay for MUET. One key point which is usually overlooked by students is having knowledge about the specific subject they’re talking about.

• Transfer information
• Use good grammar
• Carefully analyze the graphical information
• Give your opinion
• Think critically
• If you’re aiming at scoring Band 5 or higher, then critical thinking is a must.
• If your aim is to score Band 5 or higher on the exam, it’s time for some serious rigor and reflection.

Use these tools to help with critical thinking: Short term, mid-term and long term effects

• Example: Alcohol
• Short term: yellow teeth/bad breath
• Mid-term: waste of money
• Long term: Health problems such as cancer
• Individual, society, and government
• Individual: Set goals and prepare for change
• Society: Must not encourage one to consume alcohol.
• Government: Must stop fundraising

Types of MUET Essays

MUET essays are usually of the expository type, they can also be argumentative or persuasive.

• While an essay with a descriptive header generally has a focus on what is being described.
• An essay with a narrative header (or “story”) generally puts a priority on how something was done or what it felt like to do it and the completion
• And an informative-explanatory (inform + explain) header offers treatment or analysis of existing data, facts, practices, etc.
• Persuasive essay questions require you to take up a position on an issue and then persuade or convince the reader about your viewpoint based upon evidence. These can come in the form of anecdotes, facts, statistics etcetera
• Expository Essays are different from other types of essays in that they don’t require any persuasion but instead simply look for evidence supporting or disproving what you have been told/asked about.

Importance of MUET essay

You will be required to take the MUET test if you are planning on pursuing your university degree at local public university.

However, note that this requirement is not compulsory for those who wish to pursue their education outside of these institutions and choose instead to study at private schools or international ones (MUET tests are only necessary when applying for scholarships).

Remember also, that different universities may have different English proficiency requirements so make sure you check what they need before sending off an application.

The grading system for MUET

When students get their MUET result, they’ll be able to see the mark for each paper and then an overall score. Band 1 is when the student will have to take two extra English courses during holiday time; a Band 3 or 4 means one course more than this. If you’re in bands 5 or 6- excellent! You don’t need any additional lessons over the summer holidays whatsoever.

MUET Essay writing Band 6- Very good user (Aggregated score: 260-300)

The speaker demonstrates a strong command of the language, and their fluency is unparalleled. They are highly expressive in everything they say, accurate with words that express both nuance and precision when needed most. The person’s understanding of context should not be questioned – it appears as if this individual functions flawlessly when interacting verbally or written textually via various languages.

MUET Essay writing Band 5- Good user (Aggregated score: 220-259)

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• How to write an argumentative essay | Examples & tips

How to Write an Argumentative Essay | Examples & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An argumentative essay expresses an extended argument for a particular thesis statement . The author takes a clearly defined stance on their subject and builds up an evidence-based case for it.

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Table of contents

When do you write an argumentative essay, approaches to argumentative essays, introducing your argument, the body: developing your argument, concluding your argument, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about argumentative essays.

You might be assigned an argumentative essay as a writing exercise in high school or in a composition class. The prompt will often ask you to argue for one of two positions, and may include terms like “argue” or “argument.” It will frequently take the form of a question.

The prompt may also be more open-ended in terms of the possible arguments you could make.

Argumentative writing at college level

At university, the vast majority of essays or papers you write will involve some form of argumentation. For example, both rhetorical analysis and literary analysis essays involve making arguments about texts.

In this context, you won’t necessarily be told to write an argumentative essay—but making an evidence-based argument is an essential goal of most academic writing, and this should be your default approach unless you’re told otherwise.

Examples of argumentative essay prompts

At a university level, all the prompts below imply an argumentative essay as the appropriate response.

Your research should lead you to develop a specific position on the topic. The essay then argues for that position and aims to convince the reader by presenting your evidence, evaluation and analysis.

• Don’t just list all the effects you can think of.
• Do develop a focused argument about the overall effect and why it matters, backed up by evidence from sources.
• Don’t just provide a selection of data on the measures’ effectiveness.
• Do build up your own argument about which kinds of measures have been most or least effective, and why.
• Don’t just analyze a random selection of doppelgänger characters.
• Do form an argument about specific texts, comparing and contrasting how they express their thematic concerns through doppelgänger characters.

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An argumentative essay should be objective in its approach; your arguments should rely on logic and evidence, not on exaggeration or appeals to emotion.

There are many possible approaches to argumentative essays, but there are two common models that can help you start outlining your arguments: The Toulmin model and the Rogerian model.

Toulmin arguments

The Toulmin model consists of four steps, which may be repeated as many times as necessary for the argument:

• Make a claim
• Provide the grounds (evidence) for the claim
• Explain the warrant (how the grounds support the claim)
• Discuss possible rebuttals to the claim, identifying the limits of the argument and showing that you have considered alternative perspectives

The Toulmin model is a common approach in academic essays. You don’t have to use these specific terms (grounds, warrants, rebuttals), but establishing a clear connection between your claims and the evidence supporting them is crucial in an argumentative essay.

Say you’re making an argument about the effectiveness of workplace anti-discrimination measures. You might:

• Claim that unconscious bias training does not have the desired results, and resources would be better spent on other approaches
• Cite data to support your claim
• Explain how the data indicates that the method is ineffective
• Anticipate objections to your claim based on other data, indicating whether these objections are valid, and if not, why not.

Rogerian arguments

The Rogerian model also consists of four steps you might repeat throughout your essay:

• Discuss what the opposing position gets right and why people might hold this position
• Highlight the problems with this position
• Present your own position , showing how it addresses these problems
• Suggest a possible compromise —what elements of your position would proponents of the opposing position benefit from adopting?

This model builds up a clear picture of both sides of an argument and seeks a compromise. It is particularly useful when people tend to disagree strongly on the issue discussed, allowing you to approach opposing arguments in good faith.

Say you want to argue that the internet has had a positive impact on education. You might:

• Acknowledge that students rely too much on websites like Wikipedia
• Argue that teachers view Wikipedia as more unreliable than it really is
• Suggest that Wikipedia’s system of citations can actually teach students about referencing
• Suggest critical engagement with Wikipedia as a possible assignment for teachers who are skeptical of its usefulness.

You don’t necessarily have to pick one of these models—you may even use elements of both in different parts of your essay—but it’s worth considering them if you struggle to structure your arguments.

Regardless of which approach you take, your essay should always be structured using an introduction , a body , and a conclusion .

Like other academic essays, an argumentative essay begins with an introduction . The introduction serves to capture the reader’s interest, provide background information, present your thesis statement , and (in longer essays) to summarize the structure of the body.

Hover over different parts of the example below to see how a typical introduction works.

The spread of the internet has had a world-changing effect, not least on the world of education. The use of the internet in academic contexts is on the rise, and its role in learning is hotly debated. For many teachers who did not grow up with this technology, its effects seem alarming and potentially harmful. This concern, while understandable, is misguided. The negatives of internet use are outweighed by its critical benefits for students and educators—as a uniquely comprehensive and accessible information source; a means of exposure to and engagement with different perspectives; and a highly flexible learning environment.

The body of an argumentative essay is where you develop your arguments in detail. Here you’ll present evidence, analysis, and reasoning to convince the reader that your thesis statement is true.

In the standard five-paragraph format for short essays, the body takes up three of your five paragraphs. In longer essays, it will be more paragraphs, and might be divided into sections with headings.

Each paragraph covers its own topic, introduced with a topic sentence . Each of these topics must contribute to your overall argument; don’t include irrelevant information.

This example paragraph takes a Rogerian approach: It first acknowledges the merits of the opposing position and then highlights problems with that position.

Hover over different parts of the example to see how a body paragraph is constructed.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An argumentative essay ends with a conclusion that summarizes and reflects on the arguments made in the body.

No new arguments or evidence appear here, but in longer essays you may discuss the strengths and weaknesses of your argument and suggest topics for future research. In all conclusions, you should stress the relevance and importance of your argument.

Hover over the following example to see the typical elements of a conclusion.

The internet has had a major positive impact on the world of education; occasional pitfalls aside, its value is evident in numerous applications. The future of teaching lies in the possibilities the internet opens up for communication, research, and interactivity. As the popularity of distance learning shows, students value the flexibility and accessibility offered by digital education, and educators should fully embrace these advantages. The internet’s dangers, real and imaginary, have been documented exhaustively by skeptics, but the internet is here to stay; it is time to focus seriously on its potential for good.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

• Ad hominem fallacy
• Post hoc fallacy
• Appeal to authority fallacy
• False cause fallacy
• Sunk cost fallacy

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An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

At college level, you must properly cite your sources in all essays , research papers , and other academic texts (except exams and in-class exercises).

Add a citation whenever you quote , paraphrase , or summarize information or ideas from a source. You should also give full source details in a bibliography or reference list at the end of your text.

The exact format of your citations depends on which citation style you are instructed to use. The most common styles are APA , MLA , and Chicago .

The majority of the essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Unless otherwise specified, you can assume that the goal of any essay you’re asked to write is argumentative: To convince the reader of your position using evidence and reasoning.

In composition classes you might be given assignments that specifically test your ability to write an argumentative essay. Look out for prompts including instructions like “argue,” “assess,” or “discuss” to see if this is the goal.

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MUET essay writing tips

To achieve success in the MUET writing test you need to understand the tasks, questions and answer techniques. We take you through how to approach these for the best results with top tips.

The best preparation for any test is practice. The same is true for the MUET writing test, with two questions designed to test your written English language ability. It’s a good idea for the MUET writing test to practice both of these questions and the different components they are made up of. We guide you through what kind of questions you can expect to see in the MUET writing test, how to answer them and some tips for this section of the MUET exam.

*You can get more detailed information and tips for the MUET writing test with our most recent guide. 

MUET essay writing question one example

For the MUET writing test question one, you are required to create and write a reply to a letter or email. This will need to be at least 100 words long for the task and should make use of all of the information in the email or letter provided. Let’s take a closer look at an example:

Your classmate, Elliott, was unable to visit your English teacher who was injured because he was ill. Read the email from him asking about the visit that he had missed. 

From: Elliott

Subject: How is Mrs. Alina doing?

How are you? How is Mrs.Alina doing since her injury? I am really sad that I could not join all of you to visit her as I was down with a fever and cough. 

I heard that Mrs. Alina hurt he arm quite seriously. Am I right? How did it happen?

Please update me on her situation and when she will be back at school. 

I hope I can visit her soon. Would you like to come with me then?

Write soon. 

When approaching this task you can break down the email into distinct sections so that you can reply effectively. You can use the paragraph structure for this purpose. For example:

Let Elliott know how you are and explain what the current situation with Mrs. Alina is. 

Describe what happened to Mrs. Alina and how severe the accident was. 

Give an update on when Mrs. Alina will be returning to school. 

Answer Eliott on whether you would like to accompany him on a visit to Mrs. Alina. 

Here is a basic model answer reply for question one:

To: Elliott

RE: Update on Mrs. Alina

I am well thank you. I hope you are feeling better and recovered from your fever and cough. Mrs. Alina was in the emergency ward for a few hours and she was discharged on the same day. She has been home resting since. 

Yes, you are right. Mrs. Alina injured her arm quite seriously. She was cooking in the kitchen when she slipped and fell. It was quite a bad fall and he husband had to take her to hospital. 

She will be on best rest for about two weeks and should be back in school immediately after. She hopes not to be away for too long as our exams are drawing near.

Yes, most definitely, I will visit her with you, when you are ready. That would really cheer her up. 

In the meantime, take care and see you soon. 

Tips for MUET essay writing question one

Our top tips for success in the MUET writing test question one are:

Stick to the allocated time for the question which is about 25 minutes. 

Read the instructions and questions carefully. 

Make notes and highlight keywords and phrases. 

Practice writing in a shorter format and more concisely.  

Practice identifying questions and ideas.

Know the level of English is required for good marks. In this case, a CEFR level ranging between a minimum of A2 (elementary) to C1 (advanced).

MUET essay writing question two example

For the MUET writing test question two, you are required to write a short essay based on a statement or question that is provided. This should be 250 words or more and you need to be able to express an opinion, form an argument and provide justification. Your MUET essay should relate directly to the statement or question you have been asked, so make sure to stay on topic.  

We can now turn our attention to the type of question you may come across for the MUET writing test part two. 

You attended a talk by a youth speaker. During the talk, the speaker suggests that to reduce crime in the long term, courts should significantly reduce prison sentences and focus on education and community work to help criminals not re-offend. Prison is not a cure for crime

To what extent do you agree or disagree with the opinion?

Remember that for your MUET essay you should have an introduction, followed by three points each a paragraph long and then a conclusion. Let’s take a look at a possible introductory paragraph for this task. 

Everyone thinks that reducing our crime rate is very important. Some people think that reducing prison sentences and replacing this with education and community work is a solution instead. On the other hand, there are those who believe that keeping prison sentences long is still the most suitable way to deal with crime. In my opinion, the method chosen would depend on the type and seriousness of the crime committed. 

Ensure that when you are writing your subsequent paragraphs you make your point, give an explanation and then an example to back this up. Let’s look at a possible example:

Some think that an individual with a higher level of knowledge and education are less likely to commit a crime. It has been proven that crime occurs less often in countries with higher levels of education. In addition, community service is another great way of preventing reoffence. For example, in Singapore, when an offender is caught littering. They are sentenced to 100 hours of community service picking up litter. 

Tips for MUET essay writing question two

Read the question carefully to see what type of essay you will write, discursive, argumentative or descriptive. 

Test yourself under pressure by sticking to a time limit. In the exam, you will only have 50 minutes for this task. 

Make lists of vocabulary and words while studying so that you can use these effectively when writing. 

Try to engage in Engish discussions and talks. You can even watch discussions online to help. This can help identify opinions and arguments. 

Sketch out a plan for your MUET essay with the main ideas and structure. This will help when you write. 

If you are getting ready to take the MUET exam soon you will find our guides to the MUET speaking , reading and listening tests useful. 

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Argumentative Essay Examples to Inspire You (+ Free Formula)

Table of contents

Meredith Sell

Have you ever been asked to explain your opinion on a controversial issue? 

• Maybe your family got into a discussion about chemical pesticides
• Someone at work argues against investing resources into your project
• Your partner thinks intermittent fasting is the best way to lose weight and you disagree

Proving your point in an argumentative essay can be challenging, unless you are using a proven formula.

Argumentative essay formula & example

In the image below, you can see a recommended structure for argumentative essays. It starts with the topic sentence, which establishes the main idea of the essay. Next, this hypothesis is developed in the development stage. Then, the rebuttal, or the refutal of the main counter argument or arguments. Then, again, development of the rebuttal. This is followed by an example, and ends with a summary. This is a very basic structure, but it gives you a bird-eye-view of how a proper argumentative essay can be built.

Writing an argumentative essay (for a class, a news outlet, or just for fun) can help you improve your understanding of an issue and sharpen your thinking on the matter. Using researched facts and data, you can explain why you or others think the way you do, even while other reasonable people disagree.

Free AI argumentative essay generator > Free AI argumentative essay generator >

What Is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an explanatory essay that takes a side.

Instead of appealing to emotion and personal experience to change the reader’s mind, an argumentative essay uses logic and well-researched factual information to explain why the thesis in question is the most reasonable opinion on the matter.  

Over several paragraphs or pages, the author systematically walks through:

• The opposition (and supporting evidence)
• The chosen thesis (and its supporting evidence)

At the end, the author leaves the decision up to the reader, trusting that the case they’ve made will do the work of changing the reader’s mind. Even if the reader’s opinion doesn’t change, they come away from the essay with a greater understanding of the perspective presented — and perhaps a better understanding of their original opinion.

All of that might make it seem like writing an argumentative essay is way harder than an emotionally-driven persuasive essay — but if you’re like me and much more comfortable spouting facts and figures than making impassioned pleas, you may find that an argumentative essay is easier to write. 

Plus, the process of researching an argumentative essay means you can check your assumptions and develop an opinion that’s more based in reality than what you originally thought. I know for sure that my opinions need to be fact checked — don’t yours?

So how exactly do we write the argumentative essay?

How do you start an argumentative essay

First, gain a clear understanding of what exactly an argumentative essay is. To formulate a proper topic sentence, you have to be clear on your topic, and to explore it through research.

Students have difficulty starting an essay because the whole task seems intimidating, and they are afraid of spending too much time on the topic sentence. Experienced writers, however, know that there is no set time to spend on figuring out your topic. It's a real exploration that is based to a large extent on intuition.

6 Steps to Write an Argumentative Essay (Persuasion Formula)

Use this checklist to tackle your essay one step at a time:

1. Research an issue with an arguable question

To start, you need to identify an issue that well-informed people have varying opinions on. Here, it’s helpful to think of one core topic and how it intersects with another (or several other) issues. That intersection is where hot takes and reasonable (or unreasonable) opinions abound. 

I find it helpful to stage the issue as a question.

For example: 

Is it better to legislate the minimum size of chicken enclosures or to outlaw the sale of eggs from chickens who don’t have enough space?

Should snow removal policies focus more on effectively keeping roads clear for traffic or the environmental impacts of snow removal methods?

Once you have your arguable question ready, start researching the basic facts and specific opinions and arguments on the issue. Do your best to stay focused on gathering information that is directly relevant to your topic. Depending on what your essay is for, you may reference academic studies, government reports, or newspaper articles.

‍ Research your opposition and the facts that support their viewpoint as much as you research your own position . You’ll need to address your opposition in your essay, so you’ll want to know their argument from the inside out.

2. Choose a side based on your research

You likely started with an inclination toward one side or the other, but your research should ultimately shape your perspective. So once you’ve completed the research, nail down your opinion and start articulating the what and why of your take. 

What: I think it’s better to outlaw selling eggs from chickens whose enclosures are too small.

Why: Because if you regulate the enclosure size directly, egg producers outside of the government’s jurisdiction could ship eggs into your territory and put nearby egg producers out of business by offering better prices because they don’t have the added cost of larger enclosures.

This is an early form of your thesis and the basic logic of your argument. You’ll want to iterate on this a few times and develop a one-sentence statement that sums up the thesis of your essay.

Thesis: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with cramped living spaces is better for business than regulating the size of chicken enclosures.

Now that you’ve articulated your thesis , spell out the counterargument(s) as well. Putting your opposition’s take into words will help you throughout the rest of the essay-writing process. (You can start by choosing the counter argument option with Wordtune Spices .)

Counterargument: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with too small enclosures will immediately drive up egg prices for consumers, making the low-cost protein source harder to afford — especially for low-income consumers.

There may be one main counterargument to articulate, or several. Write them all out and start thinking about how you’ll use evidence to address each of them or show why your argument is still the best option.

3. Organize the evidence — for your side and the opposition

You did all of that research for a reason. Now’s the time to use it. 

Hopefully, you kept detailed notes in a document, complete with links and titles of all your source material. Go through your research document and copy the evidence for your argument and your opposition’s into another document.

List the main points of your argument. Then, below each point, paste the evidence that backs them up.

If you’re writing about chicken enclosures, maybe you found evidence that shows the spread of disease among birds kept in close quarters is worse than among birds who have more space. Or maybe you found information that says eggs from free-range chickens are more flavorful or nutritious. Put that information next to the appropriate part of your argument. 

Repeat the process with your opposition’s argument: What information did you find that supports your opposition? Paste it beside your opposition’s argument.

You could also put information here that refutes your opposition, but organize it in a way that clearly tells you — at a glance — that the information disproves their point.

Counterargument: Outlawing the sale of eggs from chickens with too small enclosures will immediately drive up egg prices for consumers.

BUT: Sicknesses like avian flu spread more easily through small enclosures and could cause a shortage that would drive up egg prices naturally, so ensuring larger enclosures is still a better policy for consumers over the long term.

As you organize your research and see the evidence all together, start thinking through the best way to order your points.  

Will it be better to present your argument all at once or to break it up with opposition claims you can quickly refute? Would some points set up other points well? Does a more complicated point require that the reader understands a simpler point first?

Play around and rearrange your notes to see how your essay might flow one way or another.

4. Freewrite or outline to think through your argument

Is your brain buzzing yet? At this point in the process, it can be helpful to take out a notebook or open a fresh document and dump whatever you’re thinking on the page.

Where should your essay start? What ground-level information do you need to provide your readers before you can dive into the issue?

Use your organized evidence document from step 3 to think through your argument from beginning to end, and determine the structure of your essay.

There are three typical structures for argumentative essays:

• Make your argument and tackle opposition claims one by one, as they come up in relation to the points of your argument - In this approach, the whole essay — from beginning to end — focuses on your argument, but as you make each point, you address the relevant opposition claims individually. This approach works well if your opposition’s views can be quickly explained and refuted and if they directly relate to specific points in your argument.
• Make the bulk of your argument, and then address the opposition all at once in a paragraph (or a few) - This approach puts the opposition in its own section, separate from your main argument. After you’ve made your case, with ample evidence to convince your readers, you write about the opposition, explaining their viewpoint and supporting evidence — and showing readers why the opposition’s argument is unconvincing. Once you’ve addressed the opposition, you write a conclusion that sums up why your argument is the better one.
• Open your essay by talking about the opposition and where it falls short. Build your entire argument to show how it is superior to that opposition - With this structure, you’re showing your readers “a better way” to address the issue. After opening your piece by showing how your opposition’s approaches fail, you launch into your argument, providing readers with ample evidence that backs you up.

As you think through your argument and examine your evidence document, consider which structure will serve your argument best. Sketch out an outline to give yourself a map to follow in the writing process. You could also rearrange your evidence document again to match your outline, so it will be easy to find what you need when you start writing.

5. Write your first draft

You have an outline and an organized document with all your points and evidence lined up and ready. Now you just have to write your essay.

In your first draft, focus on getting your ideas on the page. Your wording may not be perfect (whose is?), but you know what you’re trying to say — so even if you’re overly wordy and taking too much space to say what you need to say, put those words on the page.

Follow your outline, and draw from that evidence document to flesh out each point of your argument. Explain what the evidence means for your argument and your opposition. Connect the dots for your readers so they can follow you, point by point, and understand what you’re trying to say.

As you write, be sure to include:

1. Any background information your reader needs in order to understand the issue in question.

2. Evidence for both your argument and the counterargument(s). This shows that you’ve done your homework and builds trust with your reader, while also setting you up to make a more convincing argument. (If you find gaps in your research while you’re writing, Wordtune Spices can source statistics or historical facts on the fly!)

Get Wordtune for free > Get Wordtune for free >

3. A conclusion that sums up your overall argument and evidence — and leaves the reader with an understanding of the issue and its significance. This sort of conclusion brings your essay to a strong ending that doesn’t waste readers’ time, but actually adds value to your case.

6. Revise (with Wordtune)

The hard work is done: you have a first draft. Now, let’s fine tune your writing.

I like to step away from what I’ve written for a day (or at least a night of sleep) before attempting to revise. It helps me approach clunky phrases and rough transitions with fresh eyes. If you don’t have that luxury, just get away from your computer for a few minutes — use the bathroom, do some jumping jacks, eat an apple — and then come back and read through your piece.

As you revise, make sure you …

• Get the facts right. An argument with false evidence falls apart pretty quickly, so check your facts to make yours rock solid.
• Don’t misrepresent the opposition or their evidence. If someone who holds the opposing view reads your essay, they should affirm how you explain their side — even if they disagree with your rebuttal.
• Present a case that builds over the course of your essay, makes sense, and ends on a strong note. One point should naturally lead to the next. Your readers shouldn’t feel like you’re constantly changing subjects. You’re making a variety of points, but your argument should feel like a cohesive whole.
• Paraphrase sources and cite them appropriately. Did you skip citations when writing your first draft? No worries — you can add them now. And check that you don’t overly rely on quotations. (Need help paraphrasing? Wordtune can help. Simply highlight the sentence or phrase you want to adjust and sort through Wordtune’s suggestions.)
• Tighten up overly wordy explanations and sharpen any convoluted ideas. Wordtune makes a great sidekick for this too 😉

Words to start an argumentative essay

The best way to introduce a convincing argument is to provide a strong thesis statement . These are the words I usually use to start an argumentative essay:

• It is indisputable that the world today is facing a multitude of issues
• With the rise of ____, the potential to make a positive difference has never been more accessible
• It is essential that we take action now and tackle these issues head-on
• it is critical to understand the underlying causes of the problems standing before us
• Opponents of this idea claim
• Those who are against these ideas may say
• Some people may disagree with this idea
• Some people may say that ____, however

When refuting an opposing concept, use:

• These researchers have a point in thinking
• To a certain extent they are right
• After seeing this evidence, there is no way one can agree with this idea
• This argument is irrelevant to the topic

Are you convinced by your own argument yet? Ready to brave the next get-together where everyone’s talking like they know something about intermittent fasting , chicken enclosures , or snow removal policies? 

Now if someone asks you to explain your evidence-based but controversial opinion, you can hand them your essay and ask them to report back after they’ve read it.

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Miscellaneous

You'll no doubt have to write a number of argumentative essays in both high school and college, but what, exactly, is an argumentative essay and how do you write the best one possible? Let's take a look.

A great argumentative essay always combines the same basic elements: approaching an argument from a rational perspective, researching sources, supporting your claims using facts rather than opinion, and articulating your reasoning into the most cogent and reasoned points. Argumentative essays are great building blocks for all sorts of research and rhetoric, so your teachers will expect you to master the technique before long.

But if this sounds daunting, never fear! We'll show how an argumentative essay differs from other kinds of papers, how to research and write them, how to pick an argumentative essay topic, and where to find example essays. So let's get started.

What Is an Argumentative Essay? How Is it Different from Other Kinds of Essays?

There are two basic requirements for any and all essays: to state a claim (a thesis statement) and to support that claim with evidence.

Though every essay is founded on these two ideas, there are several different types of essays, differentiated by the style of the writing, how the writer presents the thesis, and the types of evidence used to support the thesis statement.

Essays can be roughly divided into four different types:

#1: Argumentative #2: Persuasive #3: Expository #4: Analytical

So let's look at each type and what the differences are between them before we focus the rest of our time to argumentative essays.

Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays are what this article is all about, so let's talk about them first.

An argumentative essay attempts to convince a reader to agree with a particular argument (the writer's thesis statement). The writer takes a firm stand one way or another on a topic and then uses hard evidence to support that stance.

An argumentative essay seeks to prove to the reader that one argument —the writer's argument— is the factually and logically correct one. This means that an argumentative essay must use only evidence-based support to back up a claim , rather than emotional or philosophical reasoning (which is often allowed in other types of essays). Thus, an argumentative essay has a burden of substantiated proof and sources , whereas some other types of essays (namely persuasive essays) do not.

You can write an argumentative essay on any topic, so long as there's room for argument. Generally, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one, so long as you support the argumentative essay with hard evidence.

Example topics of an argumentative essay:

• "Should farmers be allowed to shoot wolves if those wolves injure or kill farm animals?"
• "Should the drinking age be lowered in the United States?"
• "Are alternatives to democracy effective and/or feasible to implement?"

The next three types of essays are not argumentative essays, but you may have written them in school. We're going to cover them so you know what not to do for your argumentative essay.

Persuasive Essay

Persuasive essays are similar to argumentative essays, so it can be easy to get them confused. But knowing what makes an argumentative essay different than a persuasive essay can often mean the difference between an excellent grade and an average one.

Persuasive essays seek to persuade a reader to agree with the point of view of the writer, whether that point of view is based on factual evidence or not. The writer has much more flexibility in the evidence they can use, with the ability to use moral, cultural, or opinion-based reasoning as well as factual reasoning to persuade the reader to agree the writer's side of a given issue.

Instead of being forced to use "pure" reason as one would in an argumentative essay, the writer of a persuasive essay can manipulate or appeal to the reader's emotions. So long as the writer attempts to steer the readers into agreeing with the thesis statement, the writer doesn't necessarily need hard evidence in favor of the argument.

Often, you can use the same topics for both a persuasive essay or an argumentative one—the difference is all in the approach and the evidence you present.

Example topics of a persuasive essay:

• "Should children be responsible for their parents' debts?"
• "Should cheating on a test be automatic grounds for expulsion?"
• "How much should sports leagues be held accountable for player injuries and the long-term consequences of those injuries?"

Expository Essay

An expository essay is typically a short essay in which the writer explains an idea, issue, or theme , or discusses the history of a person, place, or idea.

This is typically a fact-forward essay with little argument or opinion one way or the other.

Example topics of an expository essay:

• "The History of the Philadelphia Liberty Bell"
• "The Reasons I Always Wanted to be a Doctor"
• "The Meaning Behind the Colloquialism ‘People in Glass Houses Shouldn't Throw Stones'"

Analytical Essay

An analytical essay seeks to delve into the deeper meaning of a text or work of art, or unpack a complicated idea . These kinds of essays closely interpret a source and look into its meaning by analyzing it at both a macro and micro level.

This type of analysis can be augmented by historical context or other expert or widely-regarded opinions on the subject, but is mainly supported directly through the original source (the piece or art or text being analyzed) .

Example topics of an analytical essay:

• "Victory Gin in Place of Water: The Symbolism Behind Gin as the Only Potable Substance in George Orwell's 1984"
• "Amarna Period Art: The Meaning Behind the Shift from Rigid to Fluid Poses"
• "Adultery During WWII, as Told Through a Series of Letters to and from Soldiers"

There are many different types of essay and, over time, you'll be able to master them all.

A Typical Argumentative Essay Assignment

The average argumentative essay is between three to five pages, and will require at least three or four separate sources with which to back your claims . As for the essay topic , you'll most often be asked to write an argumentative essay in an English class on a "general" topic of your choice, ranging the gamut from science, to history, to literature.

But while the topics of an argumentative essay can span several different fields, the structure of an argumentative essay is always the same: you must support a claim—a claim that can reasonably have multiple sides—using multiple sources and using a standard essay format (which we'll talk about later on).

This is why many argumentative essay topics begin with the word "should," as in:

• "Should all students be required to learn chemistry in high school?"
• "Should children be required to learn a second language?"
• "Should schools or governments be allowed to ban books?"

These topics all have at least two sides of the argument: Yes or no. And you must support the side you choose with evidence as to why your side is the correct one.

But there are also plenty of other ways to frame an argumentative essay as well:

• "Does using social media do more to benefit or harm people?"
• "Does the legal status of artwork or its creators—graffiti and vandalism, pirated media, a creator who's in jail—have an impact on the art itself?"
• "Is or should anyone ever be ‘above the law?'"

Though these are worded differently than the first three, you're still essentially forced to pick between two sides of an issue: yes or no, for or against, benefit or detriment. Though your argument might not fall entirely into one side of the divide or another—for instance, you could claim that social media has positively impacted some aspects of modern life while being a detriment to others—your essay should still support one side of the argument above all. Your final stance would be that overall , social media is beneficial or overall , social media is harmful.

If your argument is one that is mostly text-based or backed by a single source (e.g., "How does Salinger show that Holden Caulfield is an unreliable narrator?" or "Does Gatsby personify the American Dream?"), then it's an analytical essay, rather than an argumentative essay. An argumentative essay will always be focused on more general topics so that you can use multiple sources to back up your claims.

Good Argumentative Essay Topics

So you know the basic idea behind an argumentative essay, but what topic should you write about?

Again, almost always, you'll be asked to write an argumentative essay on a free topic of your choice, or you'll be asked to select between a few given topics . If you're given complete free reign of topics, then it'll be up to you to find an essay topic that no only appeals to you, but that you can turn into an A+ argumentative essay.

What makes a "good" argumentative essay topic depends on both the subject matter and your personal interest —it can be hard to give your best effort on something that bores you to tears! But it can also be near impossible to write an argumentative essay on a topic that has no room for debate.

As we said earlier, a good argumentative essay topic will be one that has the potential to reasonably go in at least two directions—for or against, yes or no, and why . For example, it's pretty hard to write an argumentative essay on whether or not people should be allowed to murder one another—not a whole lot of debate there for most people!—but writing an essay for or against the death penalty has a lot more wiggle room for evidence and argument.

A good topic is also one that can be substantiated through hard evidence and relevant sources . So be sure to pick a topic that other people have studied (or at least studied elements of) so that you can use their data in your argument. For example, if you're arguing that it should be mandatory for all middle school children to play a sport, you might have to apply smaller scientific data points to the larger picture you're trying to justify. There are probably several studies you could cite on the benefits of physical activity and the positive effect structure and teamwork has on young minds, but there's probably no study you could use where a group of scientists put all middle-schoolers in one jurisdiction into a mandatory sports program (since that's probably never happened). So long as your evidence is relevant to your point and you can extrapolate from it to form a larger whole, you can use it as a part of your resource material.

And if you need ideas on where to get started, or just want to see sample argumentative essay topics, then check out these links for hundreds of potential argumentative essay topics.

101 Persuasive (or Argumentative) Essay and Speech Topics

301 Prompts for Argumentative Writing

Top 50 Ideas for Argumentative/Persuasive Essay Writing

[Note: some of these say "persuasive essay topics," but just remember that the same topic can often be used for both a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay; the difference is in your writing style and the evidence you use to support your claims.]

KO! Find that one argumentative essay topic you can absolutely conquer.

Argumentative Essay Format

Argumentative Essays are composed of four main elements:

• A position (your argument)
• Your reasons
• Supporting evidence for those reasons (from reliable sources)
• Counterargument(s) (possible opposing arguments and reasons why those arguments are incorrect)

If you're familiar with essay writing in general, then you're also probably familiar with the five paragraph essay structure . This structure is a simple tool to show how one outlines an essay and breaks it down into its component parts, although it can be expanded into as many paragraphs as you want beyond the core five.

The standard argumentative essay is often 3-5 pages, which will usually mean a lot more than five paragraphs, but your overall structure will look the same as a much shorter essay.

An argumentative essay at its simplest structure will look like:

Paragraph 1: Intro

• Set up the story/problem/issue
• Thesis/claim

Paragraph 2: Support

• Reason #1 claim is correct
• Supporting evidence with sources

Paragraph 3: Support

• Reason #2 claim is correct

Paragraph 4: Counterargument

• Explanation of argument for the other side
• Refutation of opposing argument with supporting evidence

Paragraph 5: Conclusion

• Re-state claim
• Sum up reasons and support of claim from the essay to prove claim is correct

Now let's unpack each of these paragraph types to see how they work (with examples!), what goes into them, and why.

Paragraph 1—Set Up and Claim

Your first task is to introduce the reader to the topic at hand so they'll be prepared for your claim. Give a little background information, set the scene, and give the reader some stakes so that they care about the issue you're going to discuss.

Next, you absolutely must have a position on an argument and make that position clear to the readers. It's not an argumentative essay unless you're arguing for a specific claim, and this claim will be your thesis statement.

Your thesis CANNOT be a mere statement of fact (e.g., "Washington DC is the capital of the United States"). Your thesis must instead be an opinion which can be backed up with evidence and has the potential to be argued against (e.g., "New York should be the capital of the United States").

Paragraphs 2 and 3—Your Evidence

These are your body paragraphs in which you give the reasons why your argument is the best one and back up this reasoning with concrete evidence .

The argument supporting the thesis of an argumentative essay should be one that can be supported by facts and evidence, rather than personal opinion or cultural or religious mores.

For example, if you're arguing that New York should be the new capital of the US, you would have to back up that fact by discussing the factual contrasts between New York and DC in terms of location, population, revenue, and laws. You would then have to talk about the precedents for what makes for a good capital city and why New York fits the bill more than DC does.

Your argument can't simply be that a lot of people think New York is the best city ever and that you agree.

In addition to using concrete evidence, you always want to keep the tone of your essay passionate, but impersonal . Even though you're writing your argument from a single opinion, don't use first person language—"I think," "I feel," "I believe,"—to present your claims. Doing so is repetitive, since by writing the essay you're already telling the audience what you feel, and using first person language weakens your writing voice.

For example,

"I think that Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

"Washington DC is no longer suited to be the capital city of the United States."

The second statement sounds far stronger and more analytical.

Paragraph 4—Argument for the Other Side and Refutation

Even without a counter argument, you can make a pretty persuasive claim, but a counterargument will round out your essay into one that is much more persuasive and substantial.

By anticipating an argument against your claim and taking the initiative to counter it, you're allowing yourself to get ahead of the game. This way, you show that you've given great thought to all sides of the issue before choosing your position, and you demonstrate in multiple ways how yours is the more reasoned and supported side.

Paragraph 5—Conclusion

This paragraph is where you re-state your argument and summarize why it's the best claim.

Briefly touch on your supporting evidence and voila! A finished argumentative essay.

Your essay should have just as awesome a skeleton as this plesiosaur does. (In other words: a ridiculously awesome skeleton)

Argumentative Essay Example: 5-Paragraph Style

It always helps to have an example to learn from. I've written a full 5-paragraph argumentative essay here. Look at how I state my thesis in paragraph 1, give supporting evidence in paragraphs 2 and 3, address a counterargument in paragraph 4, and conclude in paragraph 5.

Topic: Is it possible to maintain conflicting loyalties?

Paragraph 1

It is almost impossible to go through life without encountering a situation where your loyalties to different people or causes come into conflict with each other. Maybe you have a loving relationship with your sister, but she disagrees with your decision to join the army, or you find yourself torn between your cultural beliefs and your scientific ones. These conflicting loyalties can often be maintained for a time, but as examples from both history and psychological theory illustrate, sooner or later, people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever.

The first two sentences set the scene and give some hypothetical examples and stakes for the reader to care about.

The third sentence finishes off the intro with the thesis statement, making very clear how the author stands on the issue ("people have to make a choice between competing loyalties, as no one can maintain a conflicting loyalty or belief system forever." )

Paragraphs 2 and 3

Psychological theory states that human beings are not equipped to maintain conflicting loyalties indefinitely and that attempting to do so leads to a state called "cognitive dissonance." Cognitive dissonance theory is the psychological idea that people undergo tremendous mental stress or anxiety when holding contradictory beliefs, values, or loyalties (Festinger, 1957). Even if human beings initially hold a conflicting loyalty, they will do their best to find a mental equilibrium by making a choice between those loyalties—stay stalwart to a belief system or change their beliefs. One of the earliest formal examples of cognitive dissonance theory comes from Leon Festinger's When Prophesy Fails . Members of an apocalyptic cult are told that the end of the world will occur on a specific date and that they alone will be spared the Earth's destruction. When that day comes and goes with no apocalypse, the cult members face a cognitive dissonance between what they see and what they've been led to believe (Festinger, 1956). Some choose to believe that the cult's beliefs are still correct, but that the Earth was simply spared from destruction by mercy, while others choose to believe that they were lied to and that the cult was fraudulent all along. Both beliefs cannot be correct at the same time, and so the cult members are forced to make their choice.

But even when conflicting loyalties can lead to potentially physical, rather than just mental, consequences, people will always make a choice to fall on one side or other of a dividing line. Take, for instance, Nicolaus Copernicus, a man born and raised in Catholic Poland (and educated in Catholic Italy). Though the Catholic church dictated specific scientific teachings, Copernicus' loyalty to his own observations and scientific evidence won out over his loyalty to his country's government and belief system. When he published his heliocentric model of the solar system--in opposition to the geocentric model that had been widely accepted for hundreds of years (Hannam, 2011)-- Copernicus was making a choice between his loyalties. In an attempt t o maintain his fealty both to the established system and to what he believed, h e sat on his findings for a number of years (Fantoli, 1994). But, ultimately, Copernicus made the choice to side with his beliefs and observations above all and published his work for the world to see (even though, in doing so, he risked both his reputation and personal freedoms).

These two paragraphs provide the reasons why the author supports the main argument and uses substantiated sources to back those reasons.

The paragraph on cognitive dissonance theory gives both broad supporting evidence and more narrow, detailed supporting evidence to show why the thesis statement is correct not just anecdotally but also scientifically and psychologically. First, we see why people in general have a difficult time accepting conflicting loyalties and desires and then how this applies to individuals through the example of the cult members from the Dr. Festinger's research.

The next paragraph continues to use more detailed examples from history to provide further evidence of why the thesis that people cannot indefinitely maintain conflicting loyalties is true.

Paragraph 4

Some will claim that it is possible to maintain conflicting beliefs or loyalties permanently, but this is often more a matter of people deluding themselves and still making a choice for one side or the other, rather than truly maintaining loyalty to both sides equally. For example, Lancelot du Lac typifies a person who claims to maintain a balanced loyalty between to two parties, but his attempt to do so fails (as all attempts to permanently maintain conflicting loyalties must). Lancelot tells himself and others that he is equally devoted to both King Arthur and his court and to being Queen Guinevere's knight (Malory, 2008). But he can neither be in two places at once to protect both the king and queen, nor can he help but let his romantic feelings for the queen to interfere with his duties to the king and the kingdom. Ultimately, he and Queen Guinevere give into their feelings for one another and Lancelot—though he denies it—chooses his loyalty to her over his loyalty to Arthur. This decision plunges the kingdom into a civil war, ages Lancelot prematurely, and ultimately leads to Camelot's ruin (Raabe, 1987). Though Lancelot claimed to have been loyal to both the king and the queen, this loyalty was ultimately in conflict, and he could not maintain it.

Here we have the acknowledgement of a potential counter-argument and the evidence as to why it isn't true.

The argument is that some people (or literary characters) have asserted that they give equal weight to their conflicting loyalties. The refutation is that, though some may claim to be able to maintain conflicting loyalties, they're either lying to others or deceiving themselves. The paragraph shows why this is true by providing an example of this in action.

Paragraph 5

Whether it be through literature or history, time and time again, people demonstrate the challenges of trying to manage conflicting loyalties and the inevitable consequences of doing so. Though belief systems are malleable and will often change over time, it is not possible to maintain two mutually exclusive loyalties or beliefs at once. In the end, people always make a choice, and loyalty for one party or one side of an issue will always trump loyalty to the other.

The concluding paragraph summarizes the essay, touches on the evidence presented, and re-states the thesis statement.

How to Write an Argumentative Essay: 8 Steps

Writing the best argumentative essay is all about the preparation, so let's talk steps:

#1: Preliminary Research

If you have the option to pick your own argumentative essay topic (which you most likely will), then choose one or two topics you find the most intriguing or that you have a vested interest in and do some preliminary research on both sides of the debate.

Do an open internet search just to see what the general chatter is on the topic and what the research trends are.

Did your preliminary reading influence you to pick a side or change your side? Without diving into all the scholarly articles at length, do you believe there's enough evidence to support your claim? Have there been scientific studies? Experiments? Does a noted scholar in the field agree with you? If not, you may need to pick another topic or side of the argument to support.

#2: Pick Your Side and Form Your Thesis

Now's the time to pick the side of the argument you feel you can support the best and summarize your main point into your thesis statement.

Your thesis will be the basis of your entire essay, so make sure you know which side you're on, that you've stated it clearly, and that you stick by your argument throughout the entire essay .

#3: Heavy-Duty Research Time

You've taken a gander at what the internet at large has to say on your argument, but now's the time to actually read those sources and take notes.

Check scholarly journals online at Google Scholar , the Directory of Open Access Journals , or JStor . You can also search individual university or school libraries and websites to see what kinds of academic articles you can access for free. Keep track of your important quotes and page numbers and put them somewhere that's easy to find later.

And don't forget to check your school or local libraries as well!

#4: Outline

Follow the five-paragraph outline structure from the previous section.

Fill in your topic, your reasons, and your supporting evidence into each of the categories.

Before you begin to flesh out the essay, take a look at what you've got. Is your thesis statement in the first paragraph? Is it clear? Is your argument logical? Does your supporting evidence support your reasoning?

By outlining your essay, you streamline your process and take care of any logic gaps before you dive headfirst into the writing. This will save you a lot of grief later on if you need to change your sources or your structure, so don't get too trigger-happy and skip this step.

Now that you've laid out exactly what you'll need for your essay and where, it's time to fill in all the gaps by writing it out.

Take it one step at a time and expand your ideas into complete sentences and substantiated claims. It may feel daunting to turn an outline into a complete draft, but just remember that you've already laid out all the groundwork; now you're just filling in the gaps.

If you have the time before deadline, give yourself a day or two (or even just an hour!) away from your essay . Looking it over with fresh eyes will allow you to see errors, both minor and major, that you likely would have missed had you tried to edit when it was still raw.

Take a first pass over the entire essay and try your best to ignore any minor spelling or grammar mistakes—you're just looking at the big picture right now. Does it make sense as a whole? Did the essay succeed in making an argument and backing that argument up logically? (Do you feel persuaded?)

If not, go back and make notes so that you can fix it for your final draft.

Once you've made your revisions to the overall structure, mark all your small errors and grammar problems so you can fix them in the next draft.

#7: Final Draft

Use the notes you made on the rough draft and go in and hack and smooth away until you're satisfied with the final result.

A checklist for your final draft:

• Formatting is correct according to your teacher's standards
• No errors in spelling, grammar, and punctuation
• Essay is the right length and size for the assignment
• The argument is present, consistent, and concise
• Each reason is supported by relevant evidence
• The essay makes sense overall

#8: Celebrate!

Once you've brought that final draft to a perfect polish and turned in your assignment, you're done! Go you!

Be prepared and ♪ you'll never go hungry again ♪, *cough*, or struggle with your argumentative essay-writing again. (Walt Disney Studios)

Good Examples of Argumentative Essays Online

Theory is all well and good, but examples are key. Just to get you started on what a fully-fleshed out argumentative essay looks like, let's see some examples in action.

Check out these two argumentative essay examples on the use of landmines and freons (and note the excellent use of concrete sources to back up their arguments!).

The Use of Landmines

A Shattered Sky

The Take-Aways: Keys to Writing an Argumentative Essay

At first, writing an argumentative essay may seem like a monstrous hurdle to overcome, but with the proper preparation and understanding, you'll be able to knock yours out of the park.

Remember the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative one, make sure your thesis is clear, and double-check that your supporting evidence is both relevant to your point and well-sourced . Pick your topic, do your research, make your outline, and fill in the gaps. Before you know it, you'll have yourself an A+ argumentative essay there, my friend.

What's Next?

Now you know the ins and outs of an argumentative essay, but how comfortable are you writing in other styles? Learn more about the four writing styles and when it makes sense to use each .

Understand how to make an argument, but still having trouble organizing your thoughts? Check out our guide to three popular essay formats and choose which one is right for you.

Ready to make your case, but not sure what to write about? We've created a list of 50 potential argumentative essay topics to spark your imagination.

Courtney scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT in high school and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a degree in Cultural and Social Anthropology. She is passionate about bringing education and the tools to succeed to students from all backgrounds and walks of life, as she believes open education is one of the great societal equalizers. She has years of tutoring experience and writes creative works in her free time.

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An Overview Of The Malaysian University English Test (MUET)

30 June 2023

7 minutes to read

• 01. Differences Between Regular MUET Paper Test & MUET on Demand (MoD)
• 02. What Can You Expect For The MUET Listening Component?
• 03. What Is The Format Of The MUET Speaking Component?
• 04. How Will You Be Tested For The MUET Reading Component?
• 05. Reviewing The Structure Of Your MUET Writing Component
• 06. Tackle Your MUET Papers With An Experienced MUET Tutor

Let us ask you a question.

How can you tell if someone is truly proficient in a language?

Is it by how fluent they can speak the language? Or is it how well they can write non-stop in the language? 

When it comes to measuring one's English language proficiency level comprehensively in Malaysia, there is one specific language test that comes to mind.

It's none other than the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) . Commonly taken by many pre-university students for their undergraduate programmes admission in the country, it is a versatile and affordable test that evaluates the candidate's English proficiency in terms of the listening, reading, writing and speaking components. 

In this article, we will introduce what MUET is and discuss in detail how MUET candidates are tested in the four components.

Differences Between Regular MUET Paper Test & MUET on Demand (MoD)

First, let's talk about the background of MUET.

MUET was officially introduced by the Malaysian government in 1999 and listed as a requirement for public university admission in 2001.

Fast forward a few years later, it is now an official English language prerequisite for both public and private tertiary education institutions in Malaysia apart from the International English Language Training System (IELTS).

Now, candidates can opt to sit for the regular physical MUET sessions (open in March, July or November) or the MUET on Demand (MoD)   which candidates can take on a monthly basis.

You don't have to worry too much in terms of the MUET syllabus and examination format as well as learning resources because both MoD and the regular MUET are exactly the same in terms of test duration and the number of questions.

This leads us to our next question.

What are the biggest differences between the regular MUET papers and MUET on Demand (MoD) ?

Firstly, MUET on Demand (MoD) was introduced in 2018 and gives candidates the option to sit for Computer Based Test (CBT) or physical tests.

For the CBT option, all the answers for the listening, writing and reading component will be recorded in the administered computer whereas for the speaking component, candidates can choose to be tested face-to-face or online.

Secondly, the fees of MoD are slightly more expensive than the regular MUET papers. Malaysian candidates need to pay RM250 to sit for the test while non-Malaysians need to pay RM 550 to sit for the test.

On the other hand, the regular MUET sessions cost only R M150 for Malaysians and RM350 for non-Malaysians. 

Thirdly, MoD has a significantly faster results release date as compared to the regular MUET sessions. Usually, the results can be checked via the Malaysian Examination Council (MEC) portal within 18 working days.

Having said that, MoD is an ideal choice for those who are sitting for MUET for the second time or for those who need to process their university admission urgently.

For the latest MoD test dates for 2023, you can refer to this calendar.

What Can You Expect For The MUET Listening Component?

Starting in 2021, MUET is rebranded under a new examination format for all four components as well as a new banding scale.

The maximum score for each component is 90 marks respectively to add up to the total aggregated score of 360 marks. The test duration for the listening component is 50 minutes. 

Here's what you can expect for the latest MUET listening paper.

Altogether there will be 5 PARTS of audio recordings, consisting of 30 questions. 

• Part 1 : Dialogue with text length from 600 to 650 words. Question type is 3 options multiple choice questions (Choose option A, B or C).  Under this part, there will be 7 questions  [10 minutes].
• Part 2 : Monologue with text length from 600 to 650 words. Question type is also 3 options multiple-choice questions. Under this part, there will be 7 questions [10 minutes].
• Part 3 : Monologue involving 3 speakers with text length from 350 to 400 words. Question type is multiple matching (for 5 options, choose option A, B, C, D or E). Under this part, there will be 3 questions [6 minutes.]
• Part 4: Dialogue with text length from 650 words to 700 words. Question type is 3 options multiple choice questions. Under this part, there will be 7 questions [10 minutes].
• Part 5 : Short dialogue with text length from 250 to 300 words per dialogue. Question type is 3 options multiple choice questions. Under this part, there will be 6 questions. One short dialogue consists of 2 questions respectively.  Each short dialogue is unrelated to each other and it takes roughly 60 seconds to listen to one dialogue.

Read more on the tips to score well for your MUET papers .

What Is The Format Of The MUET Speaking Component?

The journey to ace your MUET papers will not be complete if we don't talk about the MUET speaking component.

There are two parts to this test. The first part requires candidates to give an individual presentation based on a written prompt. The second part requires candidates to participate in a group discussion where each one will be given a prompt based on a mind map.

Two examiners will be present during the MUET speaking test, and one of them will give the topic to the candidates.

Important note: The topic of Part 1 and Part 2 are related. 

• Part 1 : Candidates will be given 2 minutes to prepare as soon as they are given the topic and another 2 minutes to present right after that.Candidates are expected to give a general response (broadly) and draw from their personal experiences.  Eg: The importance of reading (Individual prompt). 
• Part 2: Candidates are divided into groups of four members and are later given a visual stimulus and a mind map containing 5 prompts. Everyone will be given 3 minutes to prepare individually while the entire discussion will be approximately 8 to 12 minutes.Candidates can agree or disagree with each other's prompt but must eventually come to a conclusion. Eg: Ways to improve English proficiency level (Group topic discussion).

Don't forget to read up on the latest marking scheme for all the MUET papers.

How Will You Be Tested For The MUET Reading Component?

Now, we'll move on to the reading component.

Altogether there are 7 parts and 40 questions.

• Part 1 : Three short texts that are thematically linked. Need to answer 4 multiple-matching questions.
• Parts 2 and 3 : Two texts that require candidates to answer 10 multiple choice questions (3 options).
• Part 4 : Two independent texts. A total of 6 multiple choice questions (3 options), where 2 questions are based on the 1st text, 2 questions on the 2nd text and the last 2 questions comparing the two texts.
• Part 5 : One text. Candidates need to complete a gapped text for 6 missing sentences (7 options are given).
• Parts 6 and 7 : Two texts. Candidates need to answer 14 multiple-choice questions (4 options).

For this component, you need to have strong skimming and comprehension skills . In between, you need to accurately interpret the message and tone of the author. That way, you can choose the most accurate answer within a fast period based on the given text.

Reviewing The Structure Of Your MUET Writing Component

We have finally reached the last MUET component: Writing.

Under this component, candidates will need to write a letter or email for Task 1 [at least 100 words] and write an essay ( discursive, argumentative or problem-solution ) for Task 2 [at least 250 words].

For Task 1, candidates will be shown an email or letter with given notes and information. Some of the writing that candidates probably need to include for Task 1 include:

• Expressing gratitude, apologies
• Accepting or rejecting offers or invitations 
• Providing relevant information based on a given request 
• Describing personal experiences, happenings of a past event
• Giving advice, suggestions, feedback, reasons and improvements 

The suggested time for Task 1 is 25 minutes. 

For Task 2, candidates are required to organise and discuss their ideas critically based on the given essay format. Each argument (ideas/points) must be supported with relevant supporting evidence and examples.

For example, when it comes to argumentative essays, a clear position must be indicated by the end of the essay.

The suggested time for Task 2 is 50 minutes. 

You have now reviewed all the question structures for the four MUET components. Now, what's next?

Tackle Your MUET Papers With An Experienced MUET Tutor

Whether you are taking the MUET papers as a pre-university student or a private candidate, there's no denying that a lot of practice is needed to achieve your targeted MUET band.

Instead of trying to figure out everything on your own, you can receive personalised MUET lessons from an experienced and reliable private tutor .

Whether you are looking for a MUET home tutor near your hometown or an online tutor that offers flexible lessons, we've got the perfect solution for you!

Introducing to you — Superprof !

Superprof is an amazing tutoring platform that connects passionate learners and dedicated tutors across the globe including Malaysia.

In just a few steps, you can find a MUET tutor that fits your preferences in terms of teaching qualification, years of experience, tutoring methodology and hourly rates .

All you need to do is head to the Superprof Malaysia homepage and input your basic information such as your desired subject (English/MUET) and learning mode (physical/online). The system will lead you to a wide selection of MUET tutors according to your filtered criteria.

Now, you are not only equipped with the latest MUET exam format but also with the best tutoring platform to ace this test. Start your lessons with Superprof today!

Once you have completed the test and received your MUET band, it will certainly serve as the best proof of your English proficiency level !

Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!

An avid reader and writer, Joycelyn loves the art of communication and is passionate about all kinds of media.

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How to write a muet discursive essay.

• March 12, 2022

A discursive essay is an opportunity for you to write about your personal opinion on certain topics. It involves you thinking about the subject matter being discussed and then presenting your balanced view on the subject. This would be your judgement based on your observation supported by evidence of the current happening around you.

In many sense writing a discursive essay is quite similar to writing an agree or disagree essay. But there are some differences.

Because of these overlapping similarities and differences I could understand that they may cause some worry.

However, I also believe that writing about a subject based on your personal views  about a topic, is really something that you could enjoy.

As a teacher I feel that you can actually get over this worry of having to write an essay or anything else for that matter. One way to do this, is for you to understand the thing that you fear. Also understand why you feel that way.

Blog content

In this blog I’m going to show you how to write a discursive essay for the Malaysian University English Test (MUET) writing task 2. The content of this blog is as such:

Types of essays for writing task 2

What is a discursive essay, discursive essay sample question, content points for the essay, structure of a discursive essay.

• The introduction

The body paragraphs

The conclusion.

You will have 50 minutes for you to write an extended essay for writing task 2. The extended essay is going to be one of the following. They are either:

• A discursive essay
• An argumentative essay
• A problem-solution essay

The length of your essay has to be more than 250 words and the maximum marks you can get for task 2 is 60 marks.

In this blog we will be focussing on how to write a discursive essay. So, let’s first of all find out the answer to this very basic question.

These are the criteria that make up a discursive essay.

• In a discursive essay:
• the main idea is to explore the topic of discussion
• present both sides of the argument - for and against
• include discussion of the topic, present ideas and opinions
• there is no direct purpose to convince the reader to agree with your views

When you are writing a discursive essay your main idea is to explore the topic of discussion. And so because of this you are going to be presenting both sides of the arguments.

You are writing to inform. This basically means that you are giving the reader more information about the topic being discussed. Accordingly, you are going to write about content points where you support and also oppose to the topic.

Naturally, this will involve presenting your own ideas and opinions.

Also bear in mind that your purpose of writing is not to convince the reader to agree with your views. So, the way you write your essay will sound like you are presenting your ideas for the purpose of discussion only. You are not writing to influence the reader of your essay.

Let’s clarify this a little bit more by looking at the sample question.

This is a sample question of a discursive essay.

What is written in the red box is the task that you will need to fulfill for task 2. I would like to highlight here the wordings used in the task given.

In this task it clearly states that you will need to write an essay expressing your opinion on this statement. This is therefore a discursive essay.

Expressing your personal opinion is a must.

So use expressions like “It is in my belief that..” or ” I believe that..” in your elaborations. However, be sure not to overuse these.

Here again, it is evident that the question wants you to do this one thing which is to give your personal opinion on the statement. You can do this by presenting your views to support and to go against the statement mentioned.

In doing this you are giving an unbiased view of the subject matter. You are simply going to present from observation and based on evidence your view of the topic.

The statement made by the fresh graduate in this question is the topic of discussion of your discursive essay .

I will not go through this question here as I have already discussed and talked about this question in another blog. So, do click the link above to find out more about this question and the task that you need to fulfill in task 2 here.

So, once you get your question you are going to first of all, read and understand the topic given. After that, you are going to spend 5 minutes of your time on planning what to write. You will need to come up with three content points for this essay.

Let’s now look at the content points that you can use for this question.

These are the content points that you can have for your essay. 

• CONTENTS TO SUPPORT
• Relates to job performance- devote time and effort
• Job satisfaction- happiness- quality of life
• CONTENTS TO OPPOSE
• Unemployment rate- not be too choosy- survival
• Job opportunity that pays well

Thes are the two content points to support the topic and two more to oppose. 

The first content says that you do agree to the idea that a person’s career choice should be based on the person’s interest.

And the first thing you can say is that this will relate to the person’s job performance. People who have jobs that they love and are interested in, will devote their time and effort on the job.

The next reason you can give to support the statement is that choosing a career that you are interested in would provide you with job satisfaction. This will in turn contribute to your happiness and overall quality of life.

For the points opposing to the statement, you can have two of these points listed here. First you can say that you are aware of the current climate of unemployment in our society.

Unemployment rate is very high especially so now with the pandemic going on. You believe that we should not be too choosy in selecting only careers that we are interested in. This is because there is the need for you to have a job for survival.

Another reason you can give to oppose to the statement is if a person comes across a job opportunity that pays well, then certainly the person should consider taking the job. From these content points, select the best three that you want to discuss in your essay.

Now that you’ve got your content points, you can start writing your essay. Here is the structure of a discursive essay that you need to know.

This is the structure of a discursive essay . The number of paragraphs you need to have for your essay is 5 paragraphs.

• PARAGRAPH 1

Introduction

• PARAGRAPH 2
• Reason to support view in topic sentence 1 (TS1)
• PARAGRAPH 3
• Reason to support view in topic sentence 2 (TS2)
• PARAGRAPH 4
• Reason to oppose view in topic sentence 3 (TS3)
• PARAGRAPH 5

Start your essay with an introduction. The three content points would  be made up of two points to support and the third content point would be one that goes against the statement. Lastly is the conclusion of your essay. 

Let me just show you how this essay is written.

Let’s first of all look at how to write the introduction. These items are what you should have in your introduction.

• INTRODUCTION
• Background information of the topic
• Thesis statement
• State your stand (optional for a discursive essay)

Paragraph one will be your introductory paragraph. Start your introduction with a hook. A hook is something that is going to attract or pull in the reader to read your essay.

So, you’re going to write something interesting as the hook. After the hook you’re going to give some background information about the topic being discussed.

This background information will serve two purposes. One is that it will help the reader understand the topic more. And the second reason which is also the most important, is that it gives the reader confidence in your writing.

Giving some background information shows that you have some basic understanding of the topic.

It shows that you know what you are talking about. 

You will need to write your thesis statement after that to let the reader know about what to expect in your essay.

And lastly is for you to state your stand. And for this particular question you will say that you agree to the statement made but only to a certain extent. Stating your stand for a discursive essay like this is optional, as really the main purpose of writing the essay is for you to give your unbiased view of the subject.

The next thing that comes after the introduction is the body paragraphs.

Content 1 and 2 support the statement

In a discursive essay content 1 and 2 show your support of the statement.

• Use linkers and sentence connectors (To begin with, Firstly, etc.)
• (TS 1) Reason to support view
• Explain your views with evidence and an example
• Closing for paragraph and reinstating TS 1

How you write your content point will be like this. Start your paragraph with a linker or a sentence connector. Examples of linkers and sentence connectors you can use to start your paragraph are such as, ‘to begin with, firstly, first and foremost’ etc.

After the linker and in the very first sentence of your paragraph you are going to write a reason that supports the view.

Next, you are going to explain this view with evidence. Provide an example to clarify this idea. Also explain more about the example and link it back to the topic being discussed. And then end your paragraph with a closing by reinstating topic sentence 1. Now let’s move on to your second content point in paragraph 3.

• Use linkers or sentence connectors (Furthermore, Moreover, In addition, etc.)
• (TS 2) Reason to support view
• Closing for paragraph and reinstating TS 2

For the next content point, again you would need to start with a sentence connector. But this time use the sentence connectors that signals the continuation of an idea. You can use ‘furthermore, moreover, in addition’ etc.

Right after this and in the very first sentence of the paragraph you would need to provide another reason for why you support the statement.

After this, explain your view with evidence. Add an example from what you have seen in the media for instance and then provide your personal opinion based on that. By doing this, again you are showing critical thinking of the subject matter.

After this, you will be writing your third content point.

Content 3 opposes the statement given

Going on to the third content point is where you are going to switch your view. Here, you are going to provide a reason to oppose the statement given.

• Use sequence connectors (On the other hand, in contrast, however etc.)
• (TS 3) Reason to oppose view
• Closing for paragraph and reinstating TS 3

First use sentence connectors that signal you are going to say something the opposite of what you have said before. It is very important for you to use a sentence connector that signals the contrast of what you have said. These are such as ‘nevertheless, however, etc.

Then, in the very first sentence of your paragraph, you would need to give a reason for why you oppose this view. Explain why you say this with evidence. Provide an example of what you have read in the newspapers as an example.

And moving on to the last paragraph which is the conclusion, you can write something like this.

This is the last paragraph for your essay.

• State the topic of discussion
• Summarise the content points
• Recap your opinion- giving a balanced view
• Closing for the essay

Start again with a sentence connector to signal the conclusion. Use ‘in conclusion or to conclude’ etc. to do this.

And after this, in the same sentence state the topic of discussion again to remind the reader of the topic being discussed.

Then summarise the three content points in your own words. You would need to rephrase the sentences that you have used before. Rephrasing your content points will avoid you from sounding repetitive and also will certainly freshen them up.  

Next, remind the reader again of your stand regarding the topic being discussed. Give a recap of your opinion about the topic and provide a balanced view on the matter.  

And lastly, provide your ending with a sentence that signals the closing of the paragraph. It should sound like you are closing your essay.

This is how you write a discursive essay. Look out for my other blogs about the other two types of extended essays that you may get for task 2 – the argumentative essay and the problem solution essay.

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