Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essays: What’s the Difference?

The difference between an argumentative and persuasive essay isn’t always clear. If you’re struggling with either style for your next assignment, don’t worry. The following will clarify everything you need to know so you can write with confidence.

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While argumentative essays aim to present one's point of view, persuasuve essays aim to get the reader on one's side.

First, we define the primary objectives of argumentative vs. persuasive writing. We then compare the best strategies for starting the writing process. In both cases, the key is knowing your audience, which we will discuss later in this article by Custom-Writing.org experts.

  • 🎯 Primary Objectives
  • 🎬 Starting Your Essay
  • ✍️ Writing Technique
  • 👁️ Point of View
  • ❓ So, what’s the difference?

🔗 References

🎯 persuasive vs. argumentative writing: primary objectives.

Both argumentative and persuasive essays require you to present your point of view on a specific topic. However, your approach will differ between the two. The words “argumentative” and “persuasive” should help you recognize what you are expected to achieve. Let’s see how.

For the argumentative essay, it is sufficient to present your point of view and nothing more. That said, the information you present should come across as being reliable enough for the readers. They don’t need to agree with your take on the issue at hand. The reader need only acknowledge that your point of view is worth considering.

In a persuasive essay, however, your goal is to get the reader on your side. And so, in addition to presenting sensible information, you want the reader to share your opinion.

Here are some examples to show you the difference. For more examples try and use a thesis statement generator for persuasive essay and for argumentative one, and you’ll clearly see what sets them apart.

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Additionally, you can take a look at any example of term paper for college , which will clearly show you the differences between the types. Remember, though, that the more controversial your topic is, the more likely it is that the reader will disagree with you!

🎬 Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essay: How to Start

For either type of essay, the foundation is generally the same. Before even thinking about your introduction, settle on a topic that genuinely interests you. What follows will differ for argumentative and persuasive essays.

In the case of argumentative writing, it’s crucial to have all the information you need to build up a strong set of arguments and examples. Therefore, don’t forget to spend some time researching your topic in earnest. Once you have all the data, you can easily choose which side to take. Never force a paper to align with your personal opinion if you don’t have enough supporting evidence.

In the case of a persuasive essay, your job is to make sure you have a decent topic and identify which side to support. The starting point is a bit less complicated.

✍️ Persuasive vs. Argumentative Essays: Writing Technique

This is where things get interesting in the clash between persuasive and argumentative writing. For college-level writing, it’s never enough to follow a general essay outline . Getting that coveted higher mark requires that you know the unique yet subtle features of both writing styles.

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Topical and relevant reasons are the backbone of any argumentative text. This is where preliminary research comes in. Having requisite evidence and facts from credible sources ensures the worthiness of your essay. That way, the reader can validate your point of view.

As with argumentative writing, persuasive essays should include some measure of supporting facts. What distinguishes persuasive writing is that you must also engage the reader on an emotional level. Moreover, there’s no need to present opposing opinions. Your goal is to make the reader take your side. All’s fair in love and war!

👁️ Persuasive vs. Argumentative Essays: Point of View

Let’s talk more about presenting different opinions. You were probably taught that an academic essay includes at least three arguments and an additional counterargument . Keep in mind, however, that this rule applies only to argumentative essays, in which you introduce three or more arguments with evidence to support your point of view. You then offset that point of view by including an opposing opinion. By doing so, you allow the reader to choose a side, even though the facts, as you’ve presented them, are in favor of your opinion. This is a logic-based approach.

In a persuasive essay, you’re not likely to entertain the opposition. Your conviction is the very essence of the essay. Your take on the issue in question must come across as the only sensible approach. If you’re feeling confident, you’re welcome to include a counterargument, but only if you decimate it right away!

👏 The Audience of Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essays

We’ve seen the differences and similarities between argumentative and persuasive writing and walked you through the technical aspects of both. But there’s one final piece of the puzzle to be considered: the question of your audience. This is the biggest difference of them all.

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When writing an argumentative essay, remember that you don’t need to convince anyone. There is no audience. You’re simply presenting the information you gathered without expecting anything in return (except maybe a pat on the back from your teacher).

Without an audience, there’s no one to persuade. This touches on another crucial element of the writing process : understanding what and how your readers think. This allows you to pick the best strategy to convince them to join your side.

❓ What’s the Difference between a Persuasive Essay and an Argumentative Essay?

The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay comes down to your audience. For persuasive writing, it’s necessary to feel out your audience and wield that knowledge to prove the efficacy of your perspective. For argumentative writing, opt for a logical approach and just present the facts with no intent to persuade anyone.

Persuasive Essay Topics

  • Cigarettes manufacturers must be banned . 
  • Unrestricted access to women’s health care is crucial for the welfare of future generations. 
  • College sports need to benefit student-athletes . 
  • Lowering TOEFL scores across university will benefit international students. 
  • American football promotes violence and jeopardize sportsmen’s health.  
  • Tattoos are fine art . 
  • Animal transplantation can reduce the problem of organs shortage.  
  • Smoking in public places should be banned to protect and improve public health.  
  • Job drug test has to be made obligatory.  
  • It is necessary to prohibit using cellphones while driving . 
  • Gun control legislation must be revised . 
  • Surveillance cameras have to be installed in all public places.  
  • Mandatory overtime for nurses must be made illegal.  
  • Marijuana should be legalized for medical use. 
  • Business should switch to remote work for an increased talent pool.  
  • Experimentation on animals has to be banned.  
  • It is crucial to limit clear cutting in rainforest . 
  • It is necessary to forbid guns in college campuses .  
  • Companies should prioritize the development of biometric security .  
  • Abortions should be legalized worldwide.  
  • Children should not have grades in school .  
  • Wearing face mask in public places should be mandatory.  
  • English language learners have to be immersed in English . 
  • Net neutrality should be supported.  
  • Body organs sale should not be allowed.  

Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should celebrities be a positive role model ? 
  • Does the use of social media in nursing violate patients’ rights regarding privacy? 
  • Is it right to abolish capital punishment ?  
  • Is it ethical to use animals for research ?  
  • Should bullies be expelled from school?  
  • Is it fair to try juveniles as adults ?  
  • Do you think it wise to lower drinking age to 18 ?  
  • Will implementation of free higher education diminish economic disparities? 
  • Should the voluntary euthanasia be permitted?  
  • Is stem cells use ethical? 
  • Should schoolchildren study the evolution theory?  
  • Is container deposit legislation an urgent issue? 
  • Is marriage based on love more successful than arranged?  
  • Should the use of cell phones in public places be banned?  
  • Is it right for celebrities to be involved in political activism? 
  • Do you agree that health insurance has to cover art and music therapy ?  
  • Does the government have right to monitor its citizens using technology?  
  • Is it ethical to perform gene editing on human embryos ? 
  • Do you think online dating as serious as dating in person?  
  • Should vaccination of children be compulsory?  
  • Are the social media platforms a threat to human relationships? 
  • Are there limits to what should be questioned?  
  • Should modern society become vegan ?  
  • Do you think the cigarette smoking should be made illegal?  
  • Should illegal immigrants have full access to all social services?  
  • Argumentative Essays // Purdue Writing Lab
  • Argumentative Essay Structure (University of Washington)
  • Suggestions for Developing Argumentative Essays (UC Berkeley)
  • Argumentative essay | Quick guide (article) | Khan Academy
  • Writing a Persuasive Essay: Hamilton College
  • Persuasion (UMN Libraries)
  • Persuasive Writing – Georgetown Law
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Home » Language » Linguistic » Difference Between Argumentative and Persuasive Essay

Difference Between Argumentative and Persuasive Essay

Main difference – argumentative vs persuasive essay.

Persuasive essay and Argumentative essay are similar in nature and thus, often confused to be the same though there exists a difference between the two. In fact, Persuasive essay and Argumentative essay are two different types of essays, and  the main difference between them is that the persuasive essay depends on opinions and emotions while an argumentative essay uses logic and reason. Let us first look at these two types of essays in detail and then move on to identify the differences between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay.

What is an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that attempts to convince the readers that the author’s idea is true . This is a genre of writing that is used to defend or prove a point. A writer should do a thorough research; gather accurate facts and figures before writing an argumentative essay. This is more like a debate written on paper. While writing an argumentative essay, a writer should be aware of both pros and cons of the argument, and should try to discredit the opposing view by using evidence .

What is a Persuasive Essay

A persuasive essay is a piece of writing that attempts to convince the readers to agree with author’s ideas. In this type of essay, the writer can use his own ideas, opinions and evoke the emotions in the reader in order to convince them to agree to his opinion . A writer of a persuasive essay needs to do research, gather evidence, but a clever writer can create a successful essay without knowing much. This is because; a persuasive writing appeals more to reader’s emotions rather than minds. In persuasive writing, the writer should have certain awareness about the audience . For example, opinions and ideas that could appeal to teenagers may not have the same effect on adults. First person narration and Second person narration (Ex: In my opinion, I believe, etc.,) are commonly used as the writer is addressing the audience directly.

As discussed before, argumentative essays are a genre of writing that attempts to convince the readers to accept the writer’s idea as true, by using statistics, facts and figures, etc. while persuasive essays are a genre of writing that attempts to convince the readers to agree with the writer, by using emotions, personal ideas, etc. In other words, an argumentative essay is based on logic and reasons while a persuasive essay is based on emotions and personal opinions. When it comes preparations, before writing an argumentative essay, the writer needs to do a thorough research on the subject but does not need to have the knowledge about the audience. On the other hand, the writer can write a persuasive essay even without doing much research, but he should have certain  knowledge about the audience.

Difference Between Argumentative and Persuasive Essay

When we look at both types of essays in the perspective of the audience; an argumentative essay appeals to the minds of the readers whereas, a persuasive essay appeals to the hearts of the readers. Also,  an argumentative essay acknowledges opposing views, but a persuasive essay may not acknowledge opposing views.

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Argumentative vs Persuasive Essay: How Do They Compare?

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by  Antony W

August 10, 2023

argumentative vs persuasive essay

It’s easy to assume that an argumentative essay is synonymous to persuasive essay writing because they both convince your audience to agree with your point of view.

But the two are different not only in terms of purpose but also in terms of the tone used in writing and the expected results.

In this comparison post, we’ll tell you the difference between persuasive and argumentative essay , our goal being to help you approach both assignments the right way.

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay writing is an assignment that requires students to pick a topic, investigate it, collect and evaluate evidence, choose a position, and then defend their stand.

For an essay to be considered argumentative, it must be clear and concise and feature a logical transition between the introduction , body paragraphs , and the conclusion .

Argumentative essays require evidential support, which can be either factual, statistical, historical, or logical.

What is a Persuasive Essay?

A persuasive essay is an assignment written to persuade.

An author uses first and second person point of view to express their conviction in a way that shows their thinking is the best.

Persuasive writing tends to be somewhat aggressive in approach, but in most cases, it tends to be emotional, passionate, and personal.

Argumentative vs Persuasive Essay

Let’s take a closer look on argumentative vs persuasive essay below.  

Keep in mind that this guide focuses mostly on the differences between the two  types of essays . 

Differences in Starting Point

You’re going to put very little work to persuasive essay writing and therefore you’ll find it easier to write. That’s because it has quite a simpler starting point.

When it comes to writing this essay, all you have to do is to identify the topic you’d like to cover and choose your side.

An argumentative essay is completely different in terms of its starting point. You have to choose a topic, research it in-depth, and then decide which side you’d like to support using reasonable and sufficient evidence.

Differences in Writing Technique

Difference in tone.

Argumentative essay writing requires an authoritative tone in order to make your ideas clear.

To demonstrate your authoritativeness on the topic, and to prove to the reader that you can argue your points, you need to use a formal tone as well as the right language to complete the essay. 

More often than not, your arguments have to reflect a consistent use of a somewhat complex language, as it’s necessary to fill the assignment with the technical terms related to the subject.

It’s a completely different case in persuasive writing.

Here’s where you write as if you’re talking a friend, and therefore you can use a more relaxed tone that identifies with your readers’ emotions, sense of humor, intelligence, and sometimes ego.

Difference in Purpose

The purpose of persuasive writing is to express your thoughts and beliefs in hope to convince your audience to share your point of view.

You may have a claim in persuasive writing, but there are often no solid and undeniable facts to present so as to defend your position.

For what it’s worth, especially since the primary goal is to sway the reader in hope that they either agree with you or take an action, often a persuasive essay tends to use a non-formal kind of debate and emotional appeal.

The purpose of an argument is completely different. Authors need to invest in research and come up with compelling arguments to defend their positions. 

Instead of swaying your audience, you present the evidence for or against an argument and let your audience decides whether to take your stand or to write off your argument completely.

Difference in Conclusion

In argumentative essay writing, your conclusion should demonstrate two things.

First, demonstrate the position you take in the argument, and second, let the reader know that they can recognize other point of view.

By doing so, you not only demonstrate that you put effort in researching your topic but also establish that your stand is the best among all in relation to the topic in question.

The conclusion of a persuasive essay isn’t as robust and may not even be as convincing.

First, the end of the essay tries to put a reader in the position to accept that an author’s thoughts are the only source of information on the subject in question.

In a way, the assumption is that the author expects the reader will recognize and agree with their stand.

Argumentative vs Persuasive Essay: Get Writing Help

Let’s face it:

Writing an argumentative or persuasive essay isn’t always as easy, especially if you have so many other assignments to complete.

If we’re being honest, sometimes the best way to beat your deadline is to seek academic writing help.

At Help for Assessment, we invest a lot of time and resources to help students understand, complete, and submit their essays on time.

So if you don’t have the time to complete the papers yourself, and you need help from an academic writing service that has written thousands of essays already, you can count on us to help you complete the work.

About the author 

Antony W is a professional writer and coach at Help for Assessment. He spends countless hours every day researching and writing great content filled with expert advice on how to write engaging essays, research papers, and assignments.

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Argumentative Essay vs. Persuasive Essay: What's the Difference?

the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

Key Differences

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Argumentative vs Persuasive Text: What’s the Difference?

A lot of people confuse the two or use the words interchangeably. The differences between persuasive and argumentative text are subtle but important. And knowing them will significantly impact our teaching of the two genres. So, argumentative vs. persuasive. What’s the difference?

Argumentative vs. Persuasive Text

argumentative-vs.-persuasive-text-comparison-chart

The big thing that stands out here is that argumentative text supports the author’s claim with more factual evidence in an attempt to prove that the claim is valid, while persuasive text tends to appeal to the reader’s emotions in an attempt to get the reader to agree with the author’s opinion.

This difference is perhaps why the TEKS (the state standards in Texas) for writing include having the students write “opinion” pieces and the Common Core writing standards call for “opinion pieces,” leaving the word argumentative out of it altogether. To have the students write a true argumentative piece, research needs to be conducted first to gather evidence from credible sources. By contrast, our students can write opinion pieces by drawing from their own experiences and prior knowledge.

How important is it that our 3rd and 4th graders know the difference between the argumentative text and persuasive text?

I don’t really see the need to have our kids outline the differences between persuasive and argumentative texts. And I don’t think it’s worthwhile to practice distinguishing between them. They will get more detailed with it in later grades.

I do, however, think it’s important that we don’t confuse them by using the words interchangeably or teaching the two as the same thing. And let’s be sure to keep the differences between argumentative and persuasive texts in mind as we choose mentor texts.

If you’re wanting to highlight a difference for them, an easy way is to connect it to what they learned in second grade about persuasive. Say something like, “Last year you learned about persuasive text. This year, we’re going to learn about another genre that’s similar but gives a little more factual evidence.”

Need an Argumentative Passage?

I know it’s tough to find an argumentative text that’s appropriate for third grade. That’s why I’m excited to share this free high-interest argumentative passage about recess with you. Grab it and the response sheets that come with it below.

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Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essays: Whats the Difference

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The difference between an argumentative and persuasive essay isn’t always clear. If you’re struggling with either style for your next assignment, don’t worry. The following will clarify everything you need to know so you can write with confidence.

While argumentative essays aim to present one's point of view, persuasuve essays aim to get the reader on one's side.

First, we define the primary objectives of argumentative vs. persuasive writing. We then compare the best strategies for starting the writing process. In both cases, the key is knowing your audience, which we will discuss later in this article by Custom-Writing.org experts.

  • ? Primary Objectives
  • ? Starting Your Essay
  • ✍️ Writing Technique
  • ?️ Point of View
  • ❓ So, what’s the difference?

? References

persuasive vs. argumentative writing: primary objectives.

Both argumentative and persuasive essays require you to present your point of view on a specific topic. However, your approach will differ between the two. The words “argumentative” and “persuasive” should help you recognize what you are expected to achieve. Let’s see how.

For the argumentative essay, it is sufficient to present your point of view and nothing more. That said, the information you present should come across as being reliable enough for the readers. They don’t need to agree with your take on the issue at hand. The reader need only acknowledge that your point of view is worth considering.

In a persuasive essay, however, your goal is to get the reader on your side. And so, in addition to presenting sensible information, you want the reader to share your opinion.

Here are some examples to show you the difference.

Remember, though, that the more controversial your topic is, the more likely it is that the reader will disagree with you!

? Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essay: How to Start

For either type of essay, the foundation is generally the same. Before even thinking about your introduction, settle on a topic that genuinely interests you. What follows will differ for argumentative and persuasive essays.

In the case of argumentative writing, it’s crucial to have all the information you need to build up a strong set of arguments and examples. Therefore, don’t forget to spend some time researching your topic in earnest. Once you have all the data, you can easily choose which side to take. Never force a paper to align with your personal opinion if you don’t have enough supporting evidence.

In the case of a persuasive essay, your job is to make sure you have a decent topic and identify which side to support. The starting point is a bit less complicated.

✍️ Persuasive vs. Argumentative Essays: Writing Technique

This is where things get interesting in the clash between persuasive and argumentative writing. For college-level writing, it’s never enough to follow a general essay outline . Getting that coveted higher mark requires that you know the unique yet subtle features of both writing styles.

Topical and relevant reasons are the backbone of any argumentative text. This is where preliminary research comes in. Having requisite evidence and facts from credible sources ensures the worthiness of your essay. That way, the reader can validate your point of view.

As with argumentative writing, persuasive essays should include some measure of supporting facts. What distinguishes persuasive writing is that you must also engage the reader on an emotional level. Moreover, there’s no need to present opposing opinions. Your goal is to make the reader take your side. All’s fair in love and war!

?️ Persuasive vs. Argumentative Essays: Point of View

Let’s talk more about presenting different opinions. You were probably taught that an academic essay includes at least three arguments and an additional counterargument . Keep in mind, however, that this rule applies only to argumentative essays, in which you introduce three or more arguments with evidence to support your point of view. You then offset that point of view by including an opposing opinion. By doing so, you allow the reader to choose a side, even though the facts, as you’ve presented them, are in favor of your opinion. This is a logic-based approach.

In a persuasive essay, you’re not likely to entertain the opposition. Your conviction is the very essence of the essay. Your take on the issue in question must come across as the only sensible approach. If you’re feeling confident, you’re welcome to include a counterargument, but only if you decimate it right away!

? The Audience of Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essays

We’ve seen the differences and similarities between argumentative and persuasive writing and walked you through the technical aspects of both. But there’s one final piece of the puzzle to be considered: the question of your audience. This is the biggest difference of them all.

When writing an argumentative essay, remember that you don’t need to convince anyone. There is no audience. You’re simply presenting the information you gathered without expecting anything in return (except maybe a pat on the back from your teacher).

Without an audience, there’s no one to persuade. This touches on another crucial element of the writing process : understanding what and how your readers think. This allows you to pick the best strategy to convince them to join your side.

❓ What’s the Difference between a Persuasive Essay and an Argumentative Essay?

The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay comes down to your audience. For persuasive writing, it’s necessary to feel out your audience and wield that knowledge to prove the efficacy of your perspective. For argumentative writing, opt for a logical approach and just present the facts with no intent to persuade anyone.

  • Argumentative Essays // Purdue Writing Lab
  • Argumentative Essay Structure (University of Washington)
  • Suggestions for Developing Argumentative Essays (UC Berkeley)
  • Argumentative essay | Quick guide (article) | Khan Academy
  • Persuasive Essay Structure (Arizona State University)
  • Persuasion (UMN Libraries)
  • Persuasive Writing – Georgetown Law

the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

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What Is the Difference between an Argumentative and Persuasive Essay?

Argumentative and persuasive essays both aim to present a specific point of view, but they are different both in how they get their point across and why . The author of an argumentative essay will usually try to make his or her point through reason. This means identifying the opposing viewpoints andthen using facts, statistics, or other evidence to discredit them so that the reader ultimately concludes that the writer’s position is correct. The persuasive essay , on the other hand, more often uses passion and emotion in an attempt to sway the reader’s loyalties. Opposing views are often acknowledged here, but aren’t usually analyzed. As a result this sort of essay is often perceived to be essentially one-sided and is written based primarily on personal convictions. Argumentative papers are usually structured more like high-level analysis, with sections devoted to looking at key issues from multiple angles.

Argumentative Techniques

In most cases, the argumentative essay is one that objectively states an argument that it then backs up with facts, statistics, and expert evidence. Writers generally acknowledge counterclaims and opposing arguments from the very beginning, but make it their goal to discredit them by appealing to the reader’s reason . As such these sorts of papers often give an overview of all the main arguments or scholarship on a given topic, then build an argument about which is the best or the most correct.

There are a few different techniques writers of these sorts of papers can use, depending on their precise goal. Sometimes the point of the exposition is to demonstrate that the counterclaims are based on outdated information or incomplete research, or they might be discredited as factually inaccurate. The argumentative essay’s goal is to present a whole-cloth argument that will convince a reader because of its grounding in fact and logic.

The writer of this sort of paper knows that readers may not agree at the end of the argument, and in many cases convincing them isn’t really all that important. More essential is that the argument is logical and justifiable. Upon reading the reasons for the position, a reader should at the very least respect the writer’s position, even if he or she does not ultimately think the position is correct.

Passion and Persuasion

Persuasive essays, on the other hand, are usually designed to convince the reader, often by appealing to his or her emotions. Writers will often start out assuming that their readers are incorrect in their views and will then use the essay as a means of correcting or perfecting perceptions. In most cases it is an appeal that makes use of a traditional conceptions of right and wrong, and uses passion to draw the reader alongside the writer for what is more or less a shared walk.

This type of essay acknowledges opposing viewpoints, but doesn’t normally spend much time analyzing them. Instead, writers usually attempt to frame their own perspectives with more convincing language. Persuasive essays are often tailored to appeal to the personal interests, social convictions, and any known passions of the reader, and as such they’re often designed for a specific audience. This is in direct contrast to most argumentative essays, which tend to be written for almost anyone.

Writers of persuasive essays also rely more on human emotions than statistics when making their case. This type of writing focuses on empathetic and persuasive delivery and the writer might present anecdotal storytelling or share personal experience with which the reader can identify. The essay often presents the desired change of mind as a win-win rhetorical situation for both the writer and the reader.

Structural Differences

In most cases these essays are structured really differently, too. Writers with argumentative goals typically handle each issue or element in turn, analyzing it from all sides and then drawing a conclusion consistent with the paper’s thesis. Persuasive pieces, by contrast, more often raise and dismiss opposition at the outset, then spend the bulk of the body paragraphs emphasizing the writer’s position with different examples.

The ways in which the conclusions are presented often differ, too. An argumentative essay will usually end with a recap of all relevant facts and an assertion that the writer’s interpretation is the correct one. The persuasive writer will more often conclude by asking the reader to change his or her mind or “join the cause” presented in the paper.

Possible Places of Overlap

Argumentative and persuasive essays have a similar goal, which is to convince readers that the core assertion is correct or at least well-reasoned. The difference between proving a point and changing someone’s mind can be profound, but in certain aspects — identifying criticism, relating to the reader, and setting an authoritative tone, for instance — there can be similarities, too. A lot depends on the writer, the topic, and the intended audience.

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  • By: Rido Persuasive essays attempt to coax readers into the author's point of view.
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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"

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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.]

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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.

body_plesiosaur

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!

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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.

Need more help with this topic? Check out Tutorbase!

Our vetted tutor database includes a range of experienced educators who can help you polish an essay for English or explain how derivatives work for Calculus. You can use dozens of filters and search criteria to find the perfect person for your needs.

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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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Purdue Online Writing Lab Purdue OWL® College of Liberal Arts

Argumentative Essays

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The Modes of Discourse—Exposition, Description, Narration, Argumentation (EDNA)—are common paper assignments you may encounter in your writing classes. Although these genres have been criticized by some composition scholars, the Purdue OWL recognizes the wide spread use of these approaches and students’ need to understand and produce them.

What is an argumentative essay?

The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner.

Please note : Some confusion may occur between the argumentative essay and the expository essay. These two genres are similar, but the argumentative essay differs from the expository essay in the amount of pre-writing (invention) and research involved. The argumentative essay is commonly assigned as a capstone or final project in first year writing or advanced composition courses and involves lengthy, detailed research. Expository essays involve less research and are shorter in length. Expository essays are often used for in-class writing exercises or tests, such as the GED or GRE.

Argumentative essay assignments generally call for extensive research of literature or previously published material. Argumentative assignments may also require empirical research where the student collects data through interviews, surveys, observations, or experiments. Detailed research allows the student to learn about the topic and to understand different points of view regarding the topic so that she/he may choose a position and support it with the evidence collected during research. Regardless of the amount or type of research involved, argumentative essays must establish a clear thesis and follow sound reasoning.

The structure of the argumentative essay is held together by the following.

  • A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.

In the first paragraph of an argument essay, students should set the context by reviewing the topic in a general way. Next the author should explain why the topic is important ( exigence ) or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students should present the thesis statement. It is essential that this thesis statement be appropriately narrowed to follow the guidelines set forth in the assignment. If the student does not master this portion of the essay, it will be quite difficult to compose an effective or persuasive essay.

  • Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion.

Transitions are the mortar that holds the foundation of the essay together. Without logical progression of thought, the reader is unable to follow the essay’s argument, and the structure will collapse. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.

  • Body paragraphs that include evidential support.

Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. In addition, such conciseness creates an ease of readability for one’s audience. It is important to note that each paragraph in the body of the essay must have some logical connection to the thesis statement in the opening paragraph. Some paragraphs will directly support the thesis statement with evidence collected during research. It is also important to explain how and why the evidence supports the thesis ( warrant ).

However, argumentative essays should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic. Depending on the length of the assignment, students should dedicate one or two paragraphs of an argumentative essay to discussing conflicting opinions on the topic. Rather than explaining how these differing opinions are wrong outright, students should note how opinions that do not align with their thesis might not be well informed or how they might be out of date.

  • Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).

The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis. However, students must consider multiple points of view when collecting evidence. As noted in the paragraph above, a successful and well-rounded argumentative essay will also discuss opinions not aligning with the thesis. It is unethical to exclude evidence that may not support the thesis. It is not the student’s job to point out how other positions are wrong outright, but rather to explain how other positions may not be well informed or up to date on the topic.

  • A conclusion that does not simply restate the thesis, but readdresses it in light of the evidence provided.

It is at this point of the essay that students may begin to struggle. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, synthesize the information presented in the body of the essay. Restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis. You may also want to include a short discussion of more research that should be completed in light of your work.

A complete argument

Perhaps it is helpful to think of an essay in terms of a conversation or debate with a classmate. If I were to discuss the cause of World War II and its current effect on those who lived through the tumultuous time, there would be a beginning, middle, and end to the conversation. In fact, if I were to end the argument in the middle of my second point, questions would arise concerning the current effects on those who lived through the conflict. Therefore, the argumentative essay must be complete, and logically so, leaving no doubt as to its intent or argument.

The five-paragraph essay

A common method for writing an argumentative essay is the five-paragraph approach. This is, however, by no means the only formula for writing such essays. If it sounds straightforward, that is because it is; in fact, the method consists of (a) an introductory paragraph (b) three evidentiary body paragraphs that may include discussion of opposing views and (c) a conclusion.

Longer argumentative essays

Complex issues and detailed research call for complex and detailed essays. Argumentative essays discussing a number of research sources or empirical research will most certainly be longer than five paragraphs. Authors may have to discuss the context surrounding the topic, sources of information and their credibility, as well as a number of different opinions on the issue before concluding the essay. Many of these factors will be determined by the assignment.

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Kinds of argumentative academic essays and their purposes

Published on November 5, 2014 by Shane Bryson . Revised on July 23, 2023.

Most of the time, when your supervisors and others talk about academic essays what they mean is essays that present well-reasoned points of view on various topics . This article explains some essential kinds of these essays—exegetical, discursive, expository, and argumentative—and outlines their key differences and similarities. We’ll call the group of them “persuasive essays,” since they all require you to persuade your reader in some way.

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Table of contents

Kinds of persuasive academic essays, difference between persuasive academic essays and standard scientific articles, differences between kinds of persuasive academic essays, other interesting articles.

Exegetical essays persuade your reader to interpret a theory in a certain way and show your ability to understand and accurately explain difficult ideas.

Discursive essays persuade your reader to see the different sides of a debate in a certain way and present your ability to compare different approaches to a topic.

Expository essays persuade your reader that your opinion is the right one and that you are a competent critical thinker.

Argumentative essays persuade your reader to see something new in a field of research and to see that you have some authority in that field.

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the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

One thing that separates a persuasive academic essay from a standard scientific article or an article in a newspaper is that the author’s point of view plays a more obvious role. Whereas a scientist is taught not to present the facts as she sees them but as anyone can see them, an essayist always presents information from a certain point of view (usually her own), even if she usually avoids referring to herself in the text.

The different kinds of persuasive academic essays are distinguished by the different things they do, but also by the prominence of the author’s point of view. The following tables presents the differences.

What all persuasive academic essays do

The first thing to notice is that, while essay assignments do sometimes ask for one or the other of these types of essay, often persuasive academic essays will need to mix these styles. For example, in order to properly situate her view in the current literature on a topic, the author of an argumentative essay will sometimes need to present a brief exegesis of someone else’s view. Many other combinations are possible, and the argumentative essay, especially, may draw on each of the other three styles.

Second, each of these academic essay forms is argumentative, even though we call only one of them “the argumentative essay.” In fact, you should keep in mind that, speaking loosely, people sometimes do refer to all of these as “argumentative essays.” This term is not entirely inaccurate, since they all require skillful treatment of argumentation, and they all require you to persuade your reader of something.

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the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

Difference Between Argumentative And Persuasive Essays

People often consider persuasive essays and argumentative essays synonymous with each other. They can’t be blamed for it as the nature of the two types, to an extent, is somewhat similar. When you develop a deeper understanding of the two types, you will be amazed that key points separate them apart.

  • 1 Starting point
  • 5 End Result
  • 6 Viewpoint

Starting point

You can easily observe that perfect essay writers know the difference between Persuasive and argumentative essays. It is evident from the way they start each type. Argumentative essays require a lot of research. Before you begin writing this essay, you need to read a substantial amount of material and look for facts related to the topic. Once you have invested an adequate amount of time researching the subject and have collected several shreds of evidence, you will take a position based on a solid fact at the start of the essay. In the scenario of persuasive vs. argumentative, the reader can instantly detect the difference between the two the way a compelling essay starts. Unlike an argumentative essay, you don’t need to conduct a lot of research and spend quite a while finding facts about the topic. You can start with an opinion that you strongly believe in. From the start of the persuasive essay, the writer tries to convince the audience to have faith in his opinion. However, in argumentative essays, writers establish that their stance is better by referring to research or simply stating a fact at the start of the essay.

The difference between persuasive and argumentative types of writing can be understood by understanding the goals of writing behind both types. An argumentative essay aims to make the audience acknowledge that you have a stronger stance on a particular topic. You want your audience to know that your case is valid and should be considered more logical and acceptable. The goal is to put up a point in front of the audience using undeniable facts and references to research to show you have a stronger stance based on logic than the other opposing stance. However, in the context of argumentative vs. persuasive, the persuasive essay’s goal is not only to make your audience acknowledge that your case is stronger. The goal is to completely convince your audience to agree with your point of view. This is done by persuading the audience that your stance is the only one they should believe in.  The success of persuasive and argumentative writers depends on how well they have written, keeping their goal of writing for the particular type.

Difference Between Argumentative And Persuasive Essays

Perhaps the best way to understand the persuasive vs. argumentative essay phenomenon is to investigate how significant the audience is for both types. As far as a persuasive essay is concerned, knowing your audience is very important. Because the intention is to persuade the audience by using emotional appeals and mentioning experiences the audience can relate to. As a writer, you will need to know about the mindset of our audience and the principles they believe in. You will also have to consider their background and the age group your audience belongs to. Writing for medical students will be different from writing for lawyers.

Similarly, you won’t be able to appeal to your audience from an older age group using the same ideals that you will use to convince youngsters. In comparison to the writer of an argumentative essay, the factor of the audience is not that significant. Irrespective of which age group and background your audience belongs to, argumentative writing aims to prove your stance by stating facts. These facts and pieces of evidence stand true no matter who your audience is. Therefore, having good awareness about your audience is not mandatory in argumentative writing.

Difference Between Argumentative And Persuasive Essays 2

A key difference between persuasive and argumentative essay is the purpose of writing. The purpose of argumentative writing is to focus on evidence to strengthen your argument. It requires good research skills as you need to collect pieces of evidence that are undeniable. On the other hand, the primary purpose of persuasive writing is not to focus solely on presenting undeniable facts. But the focus is more on consuming your energy in swaying away your audience using sentimental appeals and non-formal types of debate. In argumentative writing, the writer has a purpose to simply put the arguments in the form of facts in front of the audience. The writer is not bothered about whether the audience is completely convinced. However, in persuasive writing, the writers intentionally try to make the audience adopt the same point of view that the writers believe in.

One effective way of differentiating between persuasive writing and argumentative writing is by focusing on the intended result of these two types of writing. The ideal outcome for an argumentative essay is establishing the point that the writer has a much better argument based on facts. The reader gets to know the arguments from both sides, but ultimately the reader acknowledges that the writer has stronger arguments in comparison. While on the other hand, the ideal result for persuasive writing will be that audience believes the viewpoint of the writer to be completely true and the only thing that matters for them. It is clear by observing these two types of writing that they both are different.

To understand argumentative essays and the difference between them and persuasive essays, one needs to pay attention to the viewpoint both these types of writing have. In persuasive writing, only one side is presented, which is the writer’s side, and the writer tries his best to make the audience focus and believe on that side. The writer presents his viewpoint as the only sensible way to think. Whereas in argumentative essays, different perspectives are put forward, and the writers accept that other arguments exist, but their argument is stronger. Putting multiple perspectives allows them to counter their opposing views, giving them an impression of being fair-minded.

In an argumentative essay, the writer’s attitude is more authoritative as presenting facts and shreds of evidence with strong conviction. The idea is to share the argument in facts and let the audience know that you have a point worthy of consideration. The writer is least bothered about whether the audience agrees or not. While the approach is more aggressive in persuasive writing, the writers are very passionate about convincing their audience, and the writer uses more personal and emotional language.

The tone in an argumentative essay is a more authoritative one; the writers portray themselves as an authority on the matter, which is why more formal language is used to create a formal tone. Complex jargon is used in argumentative writing to have that authoritative effect. On the other hand, the tone is friendlier and relaxed, which appeals to readers’ emotions in persuasive writing.

The differences between argumentative and persuasive may seem subtle, but knowing the difference matters a lot if you want to be an expert on both types of writing. You will write clearly and more effectively once you know the difference, and you will get good grades in your academic studies.

Difference Between an Argumentative Essay and Creative Writing Essay

Argumentative vs Persuasive Essay: What’s the Difference?

There are different types of essays that you can make use of as a student or blogger. There is the argumentative essay that is similar to the persuasive essay. A lot of people often get confused on their differences. Argumentative vs persuasive essay.: what is the difference?

It is not surprising that both the persuasion and argument essays are mostly considered as the same one. This is because the essay outline of both are having similarities that are obvious. The purpose of making use of argumentative and persuasive essays can also be confusing which is the reason why you should be able to differentiate the two. You can convince a targeted audience with the way you support a behavior or idea while conveying a view or message.

Essay ideas cannot be complete if these two essays are not handled properly. What every writer should understand is that both essays are motivated by different things and this is what differentiates them from others.

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Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing may include the selling of goods or products , promoting of a cause , interest or views. Claims may be made by persuasive writing but these claims are not always proven. There is no proof of the claims that are made. This is the point where persuasive writing differs from argumentative writing.

Argumentative Essay

the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

What You Should Know

While editing your persuasive essay, you should gather your evidence and make your claim to create an excellent essay even if you do not know a lot about what you are writing. It is a known fact that persuasive essay can appeal to the emotions of the readers than their minds.

Argumentative vs persuasive essay.: what is the difference?

The argumentative essay is a genre that have to deal with convincing any reader to quickly accept what the essay writer or blogger is talking about with true facts. These facts can be done through the use of figures, facts and statistics. For persuasive essay, the genre has to deal with convincing the readers to come to terms with the writers when they play with their personal ideas or emotions. What this means is that logic and reasons have to deal with argumentative essay while personal opinions and emotions are what persuasive essay have to deal with. When you are preparing for your writing styles on an argument essay , research is necessary to help the writer convince the audience on what the writer is talking about.

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the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

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Difference between an Argumentative and a Persuasive Essay

There are tens types of essays, which may be different or very alike. They are used to describe or research things, to support a certain point of view or to persuade the reader. In all of the cases, knowing main peculiarities of every type of an essay may greatly simplify your life and help to avoid low grades or even writing the assignment anew.

In this article, we will discuss two of the most popular essays among students of various academic levels: argumentative and persuasive ones. Their main difference lies in the whole point of the assignment, in its motivation.

argumentative vs persuasive essay whats the difference

A persuasive essay is a piece of writing, which aims to persuade the reader to buy a good or an item, to pay attention to a particular matter or support point of view of the writer. Claims of the author may not be backed with any evidence. There are no proofs, credible sources or facts. This is the key feature, which distinguishes a persuasive and an argumentative essay.

An argumentative essay also aims to persuade the audience but using proofs and evidence. Every fact is backed with relevant sources, academic works and other sorts of reliable data. An author should complete a profound research, collect information and work on the facts.

While a persuasive essay usually discusses only one side of the problem, an argumentative one is ready to listen to the arguments of both sides. Debates are very important and play a crucial part in the structure of an argumentative essay.

the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

The difference to take into account

First thing you need to remember is that a persuasive essay is based on emotions. It doesn’t matter how much proof you have: you need to use vivid language , bright and emotional examples and try to engage the reader. On contrary, an argumentative essay is based on facts and objective approach, so you need to be honest and brief, when providing arguments on a topic.

When you work on a persuasive essay, you get to play with emotions and feelings of the audience, trying to make them support your point of view. When you deal with an argumentative paper, you need to convince the audience with facts and proofs. That is why the key difference is that a persuasive paper works with emotions and argumentative – with logics.

If you are assigned with an argumentative essay, you need to be ready to complete a thorough research, analyze multiple sources and distinguish facts to convince the reader. If you need to complete a persuasive essay, you don’t have to spend much time on a research. More important is how you are able to render your ideas to the audience.

However, the thing that is similar in both essays is the introduction and conclusions . They need to be persuasive enough, reaching the target audience and containing hooks and a thesis statement . Knowing these simple differences and similarities, you will easily write an argumentative or a persuasive essay in no time.

the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

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Argumentative essay vs persuasive essay.

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Modified & Updated: 30 Dec 2023

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At first glance, it may seem that persuasive and argumentative essays are similar essay types. In both cases, the writer should use persuasive techniques and keep the same motive to present the author’s viewpoint on a particular topic or issue.

While some things are common, these essays have much more differences than it seems. It is critical to understand the distinction since it will allow you to write an excellent essay. Suppose you need help with how to approach an argumentative or persuasive essay. In that case, you can ask experts from an essay writing service or explore this article to figure everything out on your own. In this article, you will find significant differences between argumentative and persuasive essays.

Writing Goals

As one of the most important differences, with the wrong aim, you will get absolutely different results.

An argumentative essay aims to ground the author’s position to the audience. The author gathers validation through thorough research to show readers a particular point of view. Your finished aim is to clearly state your opinion, add evidence from reliable sources, and present it to the reader. An important detail is that your reader won’t need to take your stance; only stay informed.

A persuasive essay aims to make the reader acquire the author’s position on the topic. As a writer, you can use various approaches, including emotional appeal, to make the reader take your side. On the one hand, the writer should conduct research on the topic, but on another, good persuasive writing may rely only on the writer’s ability to persuade.

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Attitude Toward The Audience

Another important difference is how the author treats the audience . The need to consider the audience’s views is highly necessary when writing an essay.

For argumentative essays, the audience plays a minimal role. The author shares facts and evidence which reflect the general unbiased ideas. At the same time, your paper should be interesting to read, so think about adding some anecdotes, appealing phrases, or interesting facts.

For a persuasive essay, it’s necessary to consider your audience, their tastes, and possible views. To write an excellent persuasive essay, the author should imagine themselves in the shoes of the prospective audience and ask:

  • Why should I care?
  • What views and opinions do I hold?
  • What arguments are the most compelling to me?

An important fact, considering your audience as understandable and relatable is false. Think that you are appealing to careless and critical readers.

Trying to persuade your classmates will be different compared to your teacher or parents. Depending on the audience, choose appealing words and address those ideas which correlate with the audience’s ideals.

Topic Formulation

The same topic will sound different when talking about persuasive and argumentative essays. One thing is common: you should be really interested in the chosen idea, opinion, or view.

Argumentative essay topics are more general and let the reader consider their own viewpoints. It very often takes the form of a question. For example, How does smoking affect our bodies long-term?

Persuasive essay topics are more adamant and assertive and may cause strong emotions when discussing controversial issues. For example, Smoking in public places should be banned in all countries.

Writing Style

Argumentative essays typically follow a formal academic style of writing. In general, the author should write in the third person using the pronouns they and it. The author should use terms, avoid jargon, and stick to formal vocabulary.

Persuasive essays have a more personal approach and may contain emotional coloring as a tool of persuasion. It may be written from the first-person using I statement (e.g., in my opinion, speaking personally, I assume, etc.)

Also, you can see examples of argumentative and persuasive essays to understand their distinctions better here .

Argumentation

Techniques for argumentative essays.

In argumentative essays, you need to use special approaches to present your arguments. Moreover, to build a strong opinion, you need to consider possible opposing views and disprove them. According to the San Antonio College writing guide, you can use the following techniques:

  • Focus. To make an argumentative essay strong, you can focus on one reason which sounds most powerful. While presenting other arguments, keep an emphasis on the central reason. Take more time developing the most robust point to make the reader remember it better.
  • Concession-refutation. It’s one of the most convincing ways to argue your point of view. The author needs to spend time developing the opposing point of view and is near to accepting it, but on the contrary, provides powerful arguments against this point of view. You need to examine both sides of the issue to make an effective spin on opposing arguments.
  • Cite reputable sources. The most common way to support your arguments is to cite expert or solid research to make your argument more convincing.
  • State the fact. Operating with facts to effectively appeal to the reader’s mind. Also, you can add some data to support your point and improve the credibility of your text.
  • Use analogy. This tool is very helpful when you need to explain a complex or unknown issue. Linking two different issues by claiming that they are alike can create a strong relationship between concepts. But be careful. Make sure that the logic of analogy builds the correct argument.
  • Provide examples. Illustrating your points with examples will make your ideas more concrete and meaningful. Moreover, it’s a great method to back up and prove your stance.

Techniques for Persuasive Essays

In persuasive essays, you need to use persuasive language to convince your readers. You have already heard it on TV, social media, and in advertising. While persuasive essays can appeal to statistical and factual data, it has a list of persuasive techniques :

  • Claim. State your claim on the topic as early as you can. This will tune the reader into your argument, and your message will stay clear throughout the text.
  • Repetition. Addressing your point of view actively in the text will make your core argument or message more familiar. Select the important points you wish to underline and repeat them from time to time in the text.
  • Colloquial language. Informal language can make your message clearer and closer to the audience. Such language makes your text more friendly and on the same wavelength as your reader. Using idioms and aphorisms may present your message in a simple and easy-to-understand manner.
  • Appealing words. This persuasive method aims to make the reader feel certain emotions: anger, happiness, compassion, fairness, sympathy, justice, etc. You can use touching descriptions, personal experience, touching information, and vocabulary which evoke certain emotions.
  • Inclusive phrases. Using pronouns like “us, we, you, our,” you can direct the issue directly to the reader. Such appeal involves your audience in a shared group.
  • Ask rhetorical questions. When you ask a direct question to readers, they will unconsciously answer later, and the information you provide further will more likely help them accept your point of view.
  • Exaggerate your point. In order to create an impactful image and express the exclusivity of your viewpoint, you can use hyperbolic statements. For example, such statements are frequently used in customer testimonials like EssayShark reviews .

Perspectives. Inspirational quote typed on an old typewriter.

Perspectives

An argumentative essay is a balanced overview of the viewpoint on the topic and demonstrates a well-articulated overview of the issue. The writer uses logic, reasoning, and evidence to prove a specific stance. Usually, an academic argumentative essay requires at least three and more arguments to support the point of view. It’s also known as a logic-based approach in writing.

On the contrary, a persuasive essay’s objective is to convince readers of the author’s point of view. All the text is built on the conviction of the writer’s thoughts and attitudes. And typically, the author’s viewpoints are single arguments presented in the paper.

An argumentative essay presents information reasonably, professionally, and fairly. The writer should refer to the reader with respect and tact. No aggressive tone is allowed when choosing words and phrases. The author explains the viewpoint without expecting the reader to agree or not (except that only your teacher will appreciate your essay).

Persuasive essays are more compelling and actively influence the reader. Writers use various persuasive strategies to touch the reader emotionally. For example, along with inspiration and motivation, some authors tend to manipulate and use emotive language to get the reader to their side.

Argumentative essay topics are usually chosen after good research on a debatable topic and defining solid arguments supporting a particular point of view. The author should conduct thorough research on the subject, ensure that sources are credible, and gather various factual information to support the essay idea. Let facts and evidence speak for you.

On the other hand, a persuasive essay topic is more about personal tastes and interests. The writer needs to choose the side of a controversial issue and start writing about it. Sharing your personal opinions and feelings is the best way to create an excellent persuasive essay.

Have you enjoyed learning the differences between argumentative and persuasive essays? We hope you did. Students frequently get puzzled with these two paper types, so with this article, you won’t have questions. Writing persuasive and well-articulated essays is a valuable skill, as it helps the writer develop their own point of view and clearly present ideas to the audience. Also, finding and using persuasive techniques improves critical thinking abilities and communication skills.

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Argumentative Essay vs. Persuasive Essay — What's the Difference?

the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

Difference Between Argumentative Essay and Persuasive Essay

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the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

The Difference between the Argumentative and Persuasive Essays

the difference between argumentative and persuasive essay

Argument and persuasion are two different concepts in English. An argumentative essay is a piece of writing that attempts to convince the readers that the author’s idea is true. This is a genre of writing that is used to defend or prove a point. A writer should do a through research; gather accurate facts and figures before writing an argumentative essay. This is more like a debate written on paper. While writing an argumentative essay, a writer should be aware of both pros and cons of the argument, and should try to discredit the opposing view by using evidence.

A persuasive essay is a piece of writing that attempts to convince the readers to agree with author’s ideas. In this type of essay, the writer can use his own ideas, opinions and evoke the emotions in the reader in order to convince them to agree to his opinion. A writer of a persuasive essay needs to do research, gather evidence, but a clever writer can create a successful essay without knowing much. This is because; a persuasive writing appeals more to readers’ emotions rather than minds. In persuasive writing, the writer should have certain awareness about the audience. For example, opinions and ideas that could appeal to teenagers may not have the same effect on adults. First person narration and second person narration ( Example: In my opinion, I believe, etc.) are commonly used as the writer is addressing the audience directly.

Looking at the purpose of both essays, argumentative essay attempts to convince the readers to accept the writer’s idea as true by using statistics, facts and figures, etc. Whereas  persuasive essay attempts to convince the readers to agree with the writer, by using emotions, personal ideas, etc.

In addition, when it comes to audience, for persuasive essay, the writer needs an intended audience to address his request or need to. Who can give him what he wants? but for argumentative essay, the writer doesn’t need an intended audience. The writer is satisfied with simply “putting the truth out there.”

Also, argumentative essay acknowledges opposing views, and needs a thorough research before starting while persuasive essay may not acknowledge opposing views and can be written without doing much research.

Although both types of essays are not just descriptive, but prescriptive. On some level they both have a call to action. They both answer objections. They are both essays and follow a pretty typical structure in that regard.

In conclusion, argumentative essay appeals to the minds of the readers. On the other hand, persuasive essay appeals to the hearts of the readers.

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Open Letters: Our New Opinion-Writing Contest

We invite students to write public-facing letters to people or groups about issues that matter to them. Contest dates: March 13 to May 1.

By The Learning Network

What’s bothering you? Who could do something about it? What could you say to them that would persuade them to care, or to make change?

And … what if we all read your letter? How could you make us care too?

These are some of the questions we’re asking you to ponder for our new Open Letter Contest. An open letter is a published letter of protest or appeal usually addressed to an individual, group or institution but intended for the general public. Think of the many “Dear Taylor Swift” open letters you can find online and on social media: Sure, they’re addressed to Ms. Swift, but they’re really a way for the writer to share opinions and feelings on feminism, or ticket sales, or the music industry, or … the list goes on.

As you might already know if you’ve read Martin Luther King’s famous Letter From Birmingham Jail , an open letter is a literary device. Though it seems on the surface to be intended for just one individual or group, and therefore usually reads like a personal letter (and can make readers feel they are somehow “listening in” on private thoughts), it is really a persuasive essay addressed to the public. This recent letter signed by over 1,000 tech leaders about the dangers of A.I. , this funny 2020 letter addressed to Harry and Meghan , and this video letter from young Asian-Americans to their families about Black Lives Matter are all examples of the tradition.

Now we’re inviting you to try it yourself. Write your own open letter, to anyone you like on any issue you care about, as long as it is also appropriate and meaningful for a general Times audience.

Whom should you write to? What should you say? How do open letters work?

The rules and FAQ below, along with our Student Opinion forum and forthcoming how-to guide, can walk you through ways to get started.

This is a new contest and we expect questions. Please ask any you have in the comments and we’ll answer you there, or write to us at [email protected]. And, consider hanging this PDF one-page announcement on your class bulletin board.

Here’s what you need to know:

The challenge, a few rules, resources for students and teachers, frequently asked questions, submission form.

Write an open letter to a specific audience that calls attention to an issue or problem and prompts reflection or action on it.

Whether you choose to write to your parents, teachers, school board members or mayor; a member of Congress; the head of a corporation; an artist or entertainer; or a metonym like “Silicon Valley” or “The Kremlin,” ask yourself, What do I care about? Who can make changes, big or small, local or global, to address my issue or problem? What specifically do I want my audience to understand or do? And how can I write this as an “open letter,” compelling not just to me and the recipient, but to the general audience who will be reading my words?

The Times has published numerous open letters over the years, to both famous and ordinary people. You can find a long list of free examples in our forthcoming guide.

This contest invites students to express themselves and imagine that their words can lead to real change.

Your open letter MUST:

Focus on an issue you care about and with which you have some experience. You can write about almost anything you like, whether it’s a serious issue like bullying , or something more lighthearted like why bugs deserve respect , but we have found over the years that the most interesting student writing grows out of personal experience. Our related Student Opinion forum and how-to guide can help you come up with ideas.

Address a specific audience relevant to the issue. Choose an individual, group, organization or institution who is in a position to make change or promote understanding about your topic.

Call for action, whether the change you seek is something tangible , like asking Congress to enact a law or demanding a company stop a harmful practice, or something more abstract, like inviting your audience to reflect on something they may have never considered.

Be suitable and compelling for a wide general audience . An open letter simultaneously addresses an explicit recipient — whether Joe Biden or your gym teacher — as well as us, the general public, your implicit audience. Though your letter might seem to be meant just for one person, it is really trying to persuade all readers. Make sure you write it in such a way that it is relevant, understandable, appropriate and meaningful for anyone who might come across it in The New York Times. (Again, our related guide can help.)

Be written as a letter, in a voice and tone that is appropriate for both your audience and purpose. Are you simply taking an argumentative essay you’ve written for school already and slapping a “Dear X” on top of it and a “Sincerely, Y” on the bottom? No. A letter — even an open letter — is different from a formal essay, and your writing should reflect that. Can you be informal? Funny? If that makes sense for your purpose and audience, then yes, please.

Our related guide, and the many examples we link to, can help you think about this, but we hope the format of a letter will let you loosen up a bit and express yourself in your natural voice. (For example, you’ll be writing as “I” or “we,” and addressing your letter’s recipient as “you.”)

Also attempt to persuade a general audience. Though it is written in the form of a letter, it is an opinion piece, and you are trying to make a case and support it with evidence, as you would any argument. Remember that you are trying to change hearts and minds, so you’ll be drawing on the same rhetorical strategies as you might have for our long-running editorial contest . (Again, more on this in the forthcoming guide.)

Make your case in 460 words or fewer. Your title and sources are not part of the word count.

Inform with evidence from at least two sources, including one from The Times and one from outside The Times. We hope this contest encourages you to deepen your understanding of your topic by using multiple sources, ideally ones that offer a range of perspectives. Just make sure those sources are trustworthy .

Because this is a letter, not a formal essay, we are not asking you to provide in-text citations, but we will be asking you to list the sources you used — as many as you like — in a separate field that does not contribute to your word count. Keep in mind, however, that if you include evidence from those sources, our readers (and judges) should always be able to tell where it came from. Be careful to put quotations around any direct quotes you use, and cite the source of anything you paraphrase.

In addition to the guidelines above, here are a few more details:

You must be a student ages 13 to 19 in middle school or high school to participate , and all students must have parent or guardian permission to enter. Please see the F.A.Q. section for additional eligibility details.

The writing you submit should be fundamentally your own — it should not be plagiarized, created by someone else or generated by artificial intelligence.

Your open letter should be original for this contest. That means it should not already have been published at the time of submission, whether in a school newspaper, for another contest or anywhere else.

Keep in mind that the work you send in should be appropriate for a Times audience — that is, something that could be published in a family newspaper (so, please, no curse words).

You may work alone or in groups , but students should submit only one entry each.

You must also submit a short, informal “artist’s statement” as part of your submission, that describes your writing and research process. These statements, which will not be used to choose finalists, help us to design and refine our contests. See the F.A.Q. to learn more.

All entries must be submitted by May 1, at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time using the electronic form at the bottom of this page.

Use these resources to help you write your open letter:

Our forthcoming step-by-step guide.

A list of free examples of open letters published both in and outside The New York Times, which you will be able to find in our step-by-step guide.

A writing prompt: To Whom Would You Write an Open Letter? This prompt offers students a “rehearsal space” for thinking about to whom they’d like to write, the reason they’re writing and why they think that issue is important — not only for the recipient but also for a wider audience.

Argumentative writing prompts: We publish new argumentative writing prompts for students each week in our Student Opinion and Picture Prompt columns. You can find them all, as they publish, here , or many of them, organized by topic, in our forthcoming collection of over 300 prompts.

Argumentative writing unit: This unit includes writing prompts, lesson plans, webinars and mentor texts. While it was originally written to support our Student Editorial Contest , the resources can help students make compelling arguments, cite reliable evidence and use rhetorical strategies for their open letters as well.

Our contest rubric : This is the rubric judges will use as they read submissions to this contest.

Below are answers to your questions about writing, judging, the rules and teaching with this contest. Please read these thoroughly and, if you still can’t find what you’re looking for, post your query in the comments or write to us at [email protected].

Questions About Writing

How is this contest different from your long-running Editorial Contest? Can we still use those materials?

For a decade we ran an editorial contest , and the students who participated wrote passionately about all kinds of things — A.I. , fast fashion , race , trans rights , college admissions , parental incarceration , fan fiction , snow days , memes , being messy and so much more . You can still write about the issues and ideas that fire you up — it’s just that this time around you’ll be framing your work as a letter to a person who has the power to make change on or bring understanding to that issue.

Our related guide has more about the differences between a traditional opinion essay and an open letter, but the many materials we developed for that earlier contest are also woven into the guide, as concepts like ethos, logos and pathos are still very much relevant to this challenge.

I have no idea what to write about. Where should I start?

Our Student Opinion forum can help via its many questions that encourage you to brainstorm both the audience you might write to and the topics you’d like to address.

Can I actually send my open letter?

You can! Just wait until after you have submitted your work to us to do so. (As always for our contests, you retain the copyright to the piece you submit, and can do whatever you like with it.)

Questions About Judging

How will my open letter be judged?

Your work will be read by New York Times journalists, as well as by Learning Network staff members and educators from around the United States. We will use this rubric to judge entries.

What’s the “prize”?

Having your work published on The Learning Network and being eligible to have your work published in the print New York Times.

When will the winners be announced?

About 8-10 weeks after the contest has closed.

My piece wasn’t selected as a winner. Can you tell me why?

We typically receive thousands of entries for our contests, so unfortunately, our team does not have the capacity to provide individual feedback on each student’s work.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE RULES

Who is eligible to participate in this contest?

This contest is open to students ages 13 to 19 who are in middle school or high school around the world. College students cannot submit an entry. However, high school students (including high school postgraduate students) who are taking one or more college classes can participate. Students attending their first year of a two-year CEGEP in Quebec Province can also participate. In addition, students age 19 or under who have completed high school but are taking a gap year or are otherwise not enrolled in college can participate.

The children and stepchildren of New York Times employees are not eligible to enter this contest. Nor are students who live in the same household as those employees.

Can I have someone else check my work?

We understand that students will often revise their work based on feedback from teachers and peers. That is allowed for this contest. However, be sure that the final submission reflects the ideas, voice and writing ability of the student, not someone else.

Do I need a Works Cited page?

Yes. We provide you with a separate field to list the sources you used to inform or write your open letter. You’re allowed to format your list however you want; we will not judge your entry based on formatting in this section. Internal citations in your letter are not necessary.

Why are you asking for an Artist’s Statement about our process? What will you do with it?

All of us who work on The Learning Network are former teachers. One of the many things we miss, now that we work in a newsroom rather than a classroom, is being able to see how students are reacting to our “assignments” in real time — and to offer help, or tweaks, to make those assignments better. We’re asking you to reflect on what you did and why, and what was hard or easy about it, in large part so that we can improve our contests and the curriculum we create to support them. This is especially important for new contests, like this one.

Another reason? We have heard from many teachers that writing these statements is immensely helpful to students. Stepping back from a piece and trying to put into words what you wanted to express, and why and how you made artistic choices to do that, can help you see your piece anew and figure out how to make it stronger. For our staff, they offer important context that help us understand individual students and submissions, and learn more about the conditions under which students around the world create.

Whom can I contact if I have questions about this contest or am having issues submitting my entry?

Leave a comment on this post or write to us at [email protected].

QUESTIONS ABOUT TEACHING WITH THIS CONTEST

Do my students need a New York Times subscription to access these resources?

No. All of the resources on The Learning Network are free.

If your students don’t have a subscription to The New York Times, they can also get access to Times pieces through The Learning Network . All the activities for students on our site, including mentor texts and writing prompts, plus the Times articles they link to, are free. Students can search for articles using the search tool on our home page.

How do my students prove to me that they entered this contest?

After they press “Submit” on the form below, they will see a “Thank you for your submission.” line appear. They can take a screenshot of this message. Please note: Our system does not currently send confirmation emails.

Please read the following carefully before you submit:

Students who are 13 and older in the United States or the United Kingdom, or 16 and older elsewhere in the world, can submit their own entries. Those who are 13 to 15 and live outside the United States or the United Kingdom must have an adult submit on their behalf.

All students who are under 18 must provide a parent or guardian’s permission to enter.

You will not receive email confirmation of your submission. After you submit, you will see the message “Thank you for your submission.” That means we received your entry. If you need proof of entry for your teacher, please screenshot that message.

If you have questions about your submission, please write to us at [email protected] and provide the email address you used for submission.

IMAGES

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COMMENTS

  1. Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essays: What's the Difference?

    The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay comes down to your audience. For persuasive writing, it's necessary to feel out your audience and wield that knowledge to prove the efficacy of your perspective. For argumentative writing, opt for a logical approach and just present the facts with no intent to persuade ...

  2. Difference Between Argumentative and Persuasive Essay

    As discussed before, argumentative essays are a genre of writing that attempts to convince the readers to accept the writer's idea as true, by using statistics, facts and figures, etc. while persuasive essays are a genre of writing that attempts to convince the readers to agree with the writer, by using emotions, personal ideas, etc.

  3. Argumentative vs Persuasive Essay: How Do They Compare?

    Argumentative vs Persuasive Essay. Let's take a closer look on argumentative vs persuasive essay below. Keep in mind that this guide focuses mostly on the differences between the two types of essays. Differences in Starting Point. You're going to put very little work to persuasive essay writing and therefore you'll find it easier to write.

  4. PDF Argumentative vs. Persuasive Writing

    Persuasive writing is more personal, more passionate, more emotional. Audience of argumentative writing: Doesn't need an audience to convince. The writer is content with simply putting it out there. Viewpoint used in persuasive writing: Persuasion has a single-minded goal. It is based on a personal conviction that a particular way of thinking ...

  5. Argumentative Essay vs. Persuasive Essay: What's the Difference?

    An argumentative essay presents balanced arguments on a topic, while a persuasive essay aims to convince the reader of a particular viewpoint. Key Differences An argumentative essay focuses on presenting different sides of an issue, supported by evidence and logic.

  6. Argumentative Vs. Persuasive Writing

    Persuasive writing is highly personal and emotional. The argumentative writer is more detached, preferring to use a reasonable, respectful, and formal tone to present all sides of an argument. 6. Perspective. The persuasive writer believes and wants the reader to believe that their way of thinking is the best.

  7. Argumentative vs Persuasive: Deciding Between Similar Terms

    Persuasive language. While both argumentative and persuasive writing aim to convince the reader, the main difference between the two is the approach. Argumentative writing uses logical arguments and evidence, while persuasive writing uses emotional appeals and persuasive language to influence the reader's beliefs and attitudes.

  8. Argumentative vs Persuasive Text: What's the Difference?

    The big thing that stands out here is that argumentative text supports the author's claim with more factual evidence in an attempt to prove that the claim is valid, while persuasive text tends to appeal to the reader's emotions in an attempt to get the reader to agree with the author's opinion. This difference is perhaps why the TEKS (the ...

  9. The Four Main Types of Essay

    An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays. Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and ...

  10. Argumentative vs. Persuasive Essays: Whats the Difference

    The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay comes down to your audience. For persuasive writing, it's necessary to feel out your audience and wield that knowledge to prove the efficacy of your perspective. For argumentative writing, opt for a logical approach and just present the facts with no intent to persuade ...

  11. What Is the Difference between an Argumentative and Persuasive Essay?

    Argumentative and persuasive essays have a similar goal, which is to convince readers that the core assertion is correct or at least well-reasoned. The difference between proving a point and changing someone's mind can be profound, but in certain aspects — identifying criticism, relating to the reader, and setting an authoritative tone, for ...

  12. How to Write an Argumentative Essay

    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.

  13. Persuasive Writing Strategies and Tips, with Examples

    The main difference between a persuasive essay and an argumentative essay is that persuasive essays focus more on personal experience and appeal to emotions, whereas argumentative essays mostly stick to the facts. Moreover, argumentative essays discuss both sides of an issue, whereas persuasive essays focus only on the author's point of view.

  14. How to Write an A+ Argumentative Essay

    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.

  15. Argumentative Essays

    The argumentative essay is a genre of writing that requires the student to investigate a topic; collect, generate, and evaluate evidence; and establish a position on the topic in a concise manner. Please note: Some confusion may occur between the argumentative essay and the expository essay. These two genres are similar, but the argumentative ...

  16. Kinds of argumentative academic essays and their purposes

    Expository essay. Purpose. Role of author. to present an original view on a topic. supports this view with good reasons. shows ability to invent and support an argumentative view. shows ability to think critically about this view. must show how the reasons provided establish your view as a convincing one.

  17. Difference Between Argumentative And Persuasive Essays

    A key difference between persuasive and argumentative essay is the purpose of writing. The purpose of argumentative writing is to focus on evidence to strengthen your argument. It requires good research skills as you need to collect pieces of evidence that are undeniable. On the other hand, the primary purpose of persuasive writing is not to ...

  18. Argumentative vs Persuasive Essay: What's the Difference?

    The argumentative essay is a genre that have to deal with convincing any reader to quickly accept what the essay writer or blogger is talking about with true facts. These facts can be done through the use of figures, facts and statistics. For persuasive essay, the genre has to deal with convincing the readers to come to terms with the writers ...

  19. Difference between an Argumentative and a Persuasive Essay

    The difference to take into account. First thing you need to remember is that a persuasive essay is based on emotions. It doesn't matter how much proof you have: you need to use vivid language, bright and emotional examples and try to engage the reader. On contrary, an argumentative essay is based on facts and objective approach, so you need ...

  20. Argumentative vs. Persuasive Writing

    The most pressing and important differences between argumentative and persuasive writing include the purpose of the piece, the tone in which the piece is written, and the end result of the piece in question. Different Purpose. An argumentative essay has a more formal purpose. Argumentative essays require a great deal of research to be done ...

  21. Argumentative Essay VS Persuasive Essay: What's The Difference

    The same topic will sound different when talking about persuasive and argumentative essays. One thing is common: you should be really interested in the chosen idea, opinion, or view. Argumentative essay topics are more general and let the reader consider their own viewpoints. It very often takes the form of a question.

  22. Argumentative Essay vs. Persuasive Essay

    Argumentative Essay vs. Persuasive Essay: An argumentative essay delves into multiple perspectives on a topic, striving for a balanced overview. Conversely, a persuasive essay is inherently biased, as its primary goal is to persuade the reader to adopt a particular stance.

  23. The Difference between the Argumentative and Persuasive Essays

    Looking at the purpose of both essays, argumentative essay attempts to convince the readers to accept the writer's idea as true by using statistics, facts and figures, etc. Whereas persuasive essay attempts to convince the readers to agree with the writer, by using emotions, personal ideas, etc. In addition, when it comes to audience, for ...

  24. PDF Strategies for Essay Writing

    • Show what is persuasive about Sandel's claims about the problems with striving for perfection. • Show what is not convincing about Sandel's claim that we can clearly distinguish between medically necessary enhancements and other enhancements. Once you have broken down your thesis into main claims, you can then think about

  25. Open Letters: Our New Opinion-Writing Contest

    Our related guide has more about the differences between a traditional opinion essay and an open letter, but the many materials we developed for that earlier contest are also woven into the guide ...