Why? Because they want to end their concert with a high-energy song that everyone knows. They want to play that song—the one everyone waits all night to hear.

By leaving you excited about the final moments of the concert, performers know you’ll be more likely to have positive memories. You’ll also more likely be convinced that your hard-earned dollars were well spent.

The conclusion of your argumentative essay should be like the last song at your favorite concert: memorable and convincing.

Not sure how to make that happen? Read on to learn how to write a winning argumentative essay conclusion.

How to Write a Winning Argumentative Essay Conclusion

If you want to be a rock star of the argumentative essay world, you need to write a rock-star conclusion.

Because the goal of an argumentative essay is to use logical arguments to convince your audience, your conclusion needs to both remind readers of your main arguments and reinforce those arguments.

In order to write a winning argumentative essay conclusion, follow the three steps outlined below.

Step #1: Review the main arguments of your essay

The conclusion is your last chance to convince readers of your arguments. So it’s pretty important that you first identify not only the main arguments but also the strongest arguments you’ve presented.

Here’s how to identify the main arguments of your essay:

• Review your thesis statement. If you’ve written a three-part thesis statement, your key points may already be listed in your thesis.

• Review the topic sentence of each body paragraph. The topic sentence of each paragraph should identify the focus of the paragraph. By reviewing topic sentences, you can note the key points you’ve addressed.

• Create a reverse outline. If you want to be even more detailed about reviewing the main arguments (and the evidence you’ve used to support your arguments), try a reverse outline to get a complete picture of your essay.

Once you’ve identified your main arguments, decide which ones you’ll highlight in your conclusion.

You may wish to highlight some or all of your main arguments. (Keep in mind, though, that you might be required to summarize all of your key points in your conclusion, so check your assignment guidelines before you start writing.)

After you’ve decided which arguments you’ll highlight, begin writing your conclusion.

Step #2: Transition from the body of the essay and begin the conclusion

When readers reach the end of your essay, you want them to know that the essay has ended. You don’t want to leave them staring blankly, wondering if you forgot to include the final paragraph(s).

Thus, after you’ve written the final body paragraph of your essay, you need to clearly signal to the readers that your paper is coming to a close and transition to the conclusion.

I know it’s tempting to write “in conclusion” and just start writing, but “in conclusion” isn’t the most effective way to begin your concluding paragraph. Read Wrap It Up: 15 (Better) Concluding Transitions to learn 15 better ways to make the transition.

Once you’ve selected an appropriate transition word or phrase, use the first few lines of your conclusion to emphasize the key arguments of your essay.

I’m sure that you’ve heard that your conclusion should restate your thesis statement. While you should definitely restate the ideas presented in your thesis, you most certainly should not simply reword your thesis. (In other words, don’t just switch up a word or two and call it good.)

Remember, you’re synthesizing the core arguments of your paper and emphasizing the importance of your arguments. You’re not simply rewriting your thesis.

Example: An effective start

As an example of an effective start to a conclusion, take a look at these opening lines from the conclusion in an argumentative essay from our library:

Ultimately, one of the main problems with the men’s rights movement is their belief that women lie about being raped, sexually assaulted, or abused for attention or because they’re bitter against men. In turn, these men get more violent and lash out.

Notice that this conclusion begins with the transition “ultimately” to signal the beginning of the conclusion. The writer then effectively emphasizes the core arguments of the essay: what he/she believes are the main problems with the men’s rights movement.

By restating the central ideas of the paper, the writer effectively reinforces his/her claims and refocuses on the core arguments.

Step #3: Wrap up the conclusion

As you wrap up your argumentative conclusion, keep in mind the purpose of your essay: to convince your audience.

What better way to convince your readers than to appeal directly to them, right?

This doesn’t mean that you should address your readers by using second-person point of view. Instead, stick with third person.

To connect with your readers, you might urge them to take action or illustrate what might happen if they don’t make a change.

This strategy not only engages readers but also leaves them thinking about the importance of your claims.

Example: An effecting ending

Here’s the ending of the conclusion I included earlier. (I’ve included the ending in bold after the opening lines of the conclusion, so you can read the entire concluding paragraph at once.)

Ultimately, one of the main problems with the men’s rights movement is their belief that women lie about being raped, sexually assaulted, or abused for attention or because they’re bitter against men. In turn, these men get more violent and lash out. If they would listen to facts and reasoning, they’d understand what victims really go through. They may also come to learn that most of their problems of “male oppression” are results of a patriarchal societal structure and the toxic masculinity they refuse to acknowledge. Maybe they will never understand that feminism is the only thing that can liberate us all, but perhaps if it is rebranded as “egalitarianism” or “human rights”, they’ll reconsider.  

Notice that the writer uses third person to discuss the topic but clearly aims the final lines at anyone who refuses to acknowledge toxic masculinity. The writer then offers a suggestion for a change in terminology as a final push to convince readers that change needs to occur.

NOTE: The writer of this essay uses first-person plural (“us”). While it’s sometimes acceptable to use the first-person plural POV in an essay, check with your professor to see whether it’s acceptable in your assignment.

The Final Steps

With your winning argumentative essay conclusion in place, you can now focus on the final touches of your paper.

As you revise and edit your draft, make sure your essay fits all the requirements for a great argumentative essay. If you’re not sure whether your essay is strong, read these posts for additional argumentative essay writing tips:

• The Secrets of a Strong Argumentative Essay
• Writing an Argumentative Essay Made Easy (Infographic)
• What Is a Counterargument in an Argumentative Essay?
• What Is a Rebuttal, and How Do You Write an Effective One?

You can also review tons of example argumentative essays in our database.

Still on the fence as to whether your argumentative essay (or essay conclusion) is convincing? Send your essay our way.

I’ve said it time and time again—there’s nothing worse than staring at a blank page. Putting together an argumentative essay outline is the perfect way to turn your blank document into a ready-to-use template. All you have to do is fill in the blanks.

In this blog post, I’m going to share with you how to create an argumentative essay outline. At the end, I’ll give you a downloadable skeleton outline you can use to get started.

Argumentative Essay Outline Structure

If you distill your argumentative essay outline down to its basics, you’ll find that it’s made of four main sections:

1. Introduction
2. Key arguments
3. Counterargument and rebuttal
4. Conclusion

That’s not so bad, is it? There’s really nothing to be afraid of.

Here’s how your argumentative essay outline would look if you turned it into a pretty picture:

Let’s break down the four elements and take a look at what needs to be incorporated into each.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 1: Introduction

The introduction is where you lay the foundation for your impenetrable argument. It’s made up of a hook, background information, and a thesis statement.

Hook sentence

Your first sentence is comprised of a hook that grabs readers’ attention just like a good Jackie Chan movie grabs the attention of a martial arts fan. It’s a sentence that will intrigue your readers and make them want to learn more.

For instance, let’s say you’re writing an argumentative essay about why Americans should start eating insects.

The hook could be something like this:

For those interested in improving their diets and the environment, say goodbye to eating chicken, fish, and beef and hello to eating silkworms, crickets, and caterpillars.

This hook sentence grabs the attention of the audience. It also makes them want to learn more about how eating insects can improve not only their health but also the environment.

If you’re having trouble coming up with a good hook, I recommend reading these posts:

• How to Write Good Hook Sentences
• What Is a Hook Sentence? (Infographic)
• How to Write Attention Grabbers that Work

Background information

The next part of your intro is dedicated to offering some detailed background information on the topic. This will help readers understand the topic and set the stage for the focus of your paper.

Not sure what to include as background information?

Try answering the following questions:

• What is the issue at hand?
• Who cares?
• Where is this issue prevalent?
• Why is it important?
• Who does it affect?
• How long has the issue been a concern?

You might write something like this as your background information if you’re trying to convince readers that they should eat insects:

Insects are abundant, nutritious, and environmentally sustainable. Currently, people in the United States shun the idea of eating insects as part of their diets, favoring instead less nutritious and environmentally destructive food options, such as beef and pork. The UN has even issued a statement calling for more world citizens to embrace the many benefits of eating insects.

In just a few sentences, you’ve given readers a better understanding of your topic. You’ve explained that most people shun insects in favor of more traditional American meats, such as beef and pork (even though consuming these meats causes more harm to the environment).

You’ve also started to establish yourself as an authoritative and credible writer by referencing the UN, an organization that also supports the idea of including insects in a healthy diet.

Thesis statement

A thesis statement typically makes up the last sentence of your introduction paragraph and provides a roadmap to your paper. In an argumentative essay, the thesis statement should clearly state your position on the topic and give a reason for your stance.

In our essay about eating insects, the thesis statement might look like this:

A diet of insects can help fix problems related to starvation, obesity, and climate change; therefore, US citizens should learn to rely on a variety of insects over chicken, beef, and fish as their main source of protein and nutrition.

Notice the word “should” in the thesis statement? Using this word makes it clear you’re taking a stance on the argument.

You’ll also notice that this thesis statement sets up three claims to expand on later: a diet of insects can help fix problems related to starvation, obesity, and climate change.

Looking for additional help crafting the perfect thesis statement for your essay? Read these posts:

• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps
• How to Turn a Good Thesis Statement Into a Great One

If you need a few examples before you start writing your own thesis, take a look at these example argumentative thesis statements.

Once your introduction is in place, you can move on to the next section and develop the key arguments that will support your thesis statement.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 2: Key Arguments

In the sample outline above, there are three claims, each backed by three points of evidence. Offering three claims is just a suggestion. You may find that you have more claims to make.

(Keep in mind that your assignment may already dictate how many claims are required for your specific paper, so make sure to read the assignment guidelines again carefully before starting.)

Developing a claim

A claim is a statement you make to support your argument. It’s generally one of the key arguments of your paper and often the topic sentence of a paragraph. (If you write a three-part thesis statement, it’s also usually one of the three points listed.)

So if you want to make a claim about eating insects, you might write something like this:

Bugs are highly nutritious, and eating them can fix the problem of hunger and malnutrition in the United States.

This claim suggests that, because bugs are nutritious, eating them can help solve hunger problems. This is a great claim, but who’s going to believe it? This is where evidence comes into play.

Supporting a claim with evidence

An argumentative essay is generally research-based, so you’ll need to include factual information from reliable sources to support your claim. The evidence you include should not be based only on personal knowledge or your own opinion.

Here’s an example you might use to support your paper about eating insects:

Research has found that “edible insects are found in a wide variety of species and are an important food item, which has a high nutritive value suitable for human nutrition. Insects are a suitable alternative food source, which can aid in the management of nutrient deficiency and overall food security if used on a wide scale” (Kinyuru et al. 18).

IMPORTANT REMINDER: If you’re using any type of evidence from sources to support claims, you must cite any information you’ve gathered from sources in an appropriate style, such as APA or MLA. (Without appropriate citation, your paper is plagiarized.)

Once you have gathered your evidence to support your claims, it’s time to add the next important elements of your argumentative essay outline: counterarguments and rebuttal.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 3: Counterarguments and Rebuttal

When writing an argument essay, you’re writing in support of one side of an argument. This, of course, means there’s another side, and readers might disagree with your point of view.

In order to strengthen your own argument and demonstrate that you’ve looked at all aspects of the topic, you need to address the opposing view. To do so, you need to include counterarguments and the rebuttal.

Counterarguments

In this final section of the body of your essay, you’ll first acknowledge the opposing viewpoint.

When arguing that more people in the US should start eating insects, you might address the opposing view (or counterargument) by writing something like this:

Opponents of insect eating say that, even though insects have some nutritional value, they simply don’t taste good and therefore should not be considered a food source.

This statement addresses the opposing view by acknowledging that some people don’t want to eat bugs for the simple fact that they don’t taste good. But hold up—it’s not enough to simply acknowledge the opposing view.

Rebuttal

The next step is to include the rebuttal. This is where you’ll essentially explain to your audience why your argument is valid. (You’re basically continuing to argue why you’re right.)

If you want to offer a rebuttal to the counterargument that no one wants to eat bugs because they taste awful, you might write something like this:

Even though some may cringe at the thought of eating what they feel might be disgusting bugs, insects are eaten in many parts of the world and prized for their varied tastes. Put simply, insects are “lighter than meat and heavier than seafood, [and] they’re delicious. Each one of these plant-loving insects absorbs the taste of your chosen seasoning and adds a satisfyingly crunchy texture” (Payne).

Including evidence from a credible source helps prove the opposing view is not as strong as your own argument.

Once you have refuted your opponents’ viewpoints, it’s time to sail to the finish line with your conclusion.

Argumentative Essay Outline Section 4: Conclusion

Your conclusion will accomplish two important tasks:

1. It restates the importance of your issue.
2. It paints a picture of the world if your argument is (or is not) implemented.

Restate the importance of your issue

Similar to what you did in your introduction, you want to state why this topic is critical. You can do this by restating some of the key ideas presented in your paper or by restating the ideas presented in your thesis. (Don’t use the same wording in your conclusion as you did in your introduction. Restate the ideas, not the same words.)

In the insect example, you might write something like this:

Simply by incorporating insects into their diets, US citizens can improve the sustainability and nutrition of the American diet.

Paint a picture of the world if your argument is (or is not) implemented

In the final part of the conclusion, make your audience think about the ramifications of your argument. Leave them with a powerful statement to get them thinking about your ideas.

In this example, you might want them to think about what would happen if people started eating insects as a staple of their diets. So you might write something like:

The world would be a better place if more people ate insects as a part of their diets. Fewer people would go hungry, more people would get the vitamins, minerals, and micronutrients they need to live healthy lifestyles, and the planet would be relieved of the burden of an unsustainable food system.

Closing with a clear picture of the world as you would like it to be can leave your reader convinced that your argument is valid.

Download the Argumentative Essay Outline Template

Once you break it down, writing an argumentative essay outline isn’t that daunting.

Download this skeleton outline for an argumentative essay to get started.

Before you go off into the sunset and use this outline template, make sure that you’re following the guidelines specific to your course. If you don’t have to submit a formal outline for your class or if outlines aren’t your thing, you might also try using a graphic organizer to get your ideas on paper.

If you’re interested in learning more about argumentative essays, take a look at these posts:

• The Secrets of a Strong Argumentative Essay
• Writing an Argumentative Essay Made Easy (Infographic)
• 2 Argumentative Essay Examples With a Fighting Chance

If you’re not quite ready to write an outline and are still looking for the perfect topic for your paper, check out 70 Argumentative Essay Topics That Will Put Up a Good Fight and 30 Argumentative Essay Ideas That Will Pick a Good Fight.

Need a little more inspiration and want to see what a completed argumentative essay looks like? Check out these argumentative essay examples.

When you have your argumentative essay and outline ready to go, you can always have one of our awesome editors give it a second look.

By the way, if all this talk of eating insects has made you hungry, here are 20 bug recipes you might want to try.

Good luck with your essay, and happy dining!

Editor’s note: This post was originally published on July 7, 2014, but has been updated with fresh information and advice.

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

Right now, some of you might be thinking, “Wait….What? You mean I have to include even more stuff in my paper?” Don’t freak out just yet.

So what is a rebuttal? In a nutshell, the rebuttal is just more of you arguing your point.

Think of it this way. If you’re one of those people who struggles to meet word count requirements, including the rebuttal not only strengthens your argument but also makes your paper longer!

Are you now thinking, “What is this? A legitimate way to add content, rather than useless fluff to my paper? Bring it on!”

I was hoping you’d say that. So let’s get to it.

Not only will I give you an in-depth answer to the question that brought you here—what is a rebuttal?— but I’ll also show you how to write an effective rebuttal for your argument essay.

What Is a Rebuttal? (And How Does It Fit In Your Overall Argument?)

Understanding the rebuttal starts with knowing how it fits into your overall argument. That means we need to look at not just what a rebuttal is, but also the argument and counterargument that must come before it.

The argument

The first component of an argument is, well, your argument. In order to have a solid argument, you need a strong, arguable topic that your audience can either agree or disagree with.

In need of a little more assistance in developing an argument? Check out these posts:

• How to Write a Winning Argument Essay
• The Argument Essay: Everything You Need to Know
• 10 Logical Fallacies That Will Kill Your Argument

The counterargument

The counterargument is basically the opposing view. Think of all those people who disagree with what you have to say: the counterargument is what they would say about your topic.

The counterargument is an important component. It strengthens your argument by illustrating not only that you have done your research but also that you’ve carefully considered the opposing view.

Need help unpacking all that? Read What Is A Counterargument in an Argumentative Essay.

The rebuttal

And finally, that moment you’ve been waiting for. What is a rebuttal? The rebuttal directly addresses the opposing view and states why your claims are valid. Essentially, in a rebuttal, you acknowledge the opposition but continue to argue why you’re still right.

Here’s a quick example of how you might use a rebuttal in your daily conversations:

Let’s say you and a friend are discussing the best local restaurants for a first date.

Your argument is that an Italian place across town is the best because its food is delicious, and the atmosphere is romantic.

Your friend expresses a counterargument by stating that the restaurant isn’t at all romantic. She says the restaurant is dark, that the atmosphere is dull, boring, and far too quiet, and that it’s a place only old people go.

You then offer a rebuttal by stating that a dark and quiet atmosphere doesn’t mean that it’s dull or boring or only for old people. A quiet, dimly lit dining area is the perfect romantic setting in which to get to know your date.

See how that works? You offer your argument. Your friend presents a counterargument. You present the rebuttal by acknowledging your friend’s point, but you still argue why you’re right.

Okay, now that you have the gist and could passably give an answer when someone asks, “What is a rebuttal?” let’s focus on how you can write an effective rebuttal in your argumentative essay.

2 Strategies to Use When Writing an Effective Rebuttal

Writing an effective rebuttal means more than saying, “I’m right, and you’re wrong.” Essentially, that is the gist of what you’re saying, but remember, you’re writing an academic essay.

That means you’ll use formal language and sentence structure, use a few of those 10-dollar words, and show that you know your stuff.

[Tweet “Writing an effective rebuttal means more than saying, “I’m right, and you’re wrong.”]

Here are two strategies for tackling your rebuttal.

Rebuttal strategy #1: Point out the errors in the counterargument

By acknowledging the counterargument but then pointing out its errors or flaws, you’re further strengthening your own argument.

This strategy allows you to illustrate that you’ve examined the issues and understand why some people may have a different perspective. But by including a strong rebuttal, you can demonstrate that your arguments are credible and stronger than the opposition’s.

Take a look at this example about minimum wage. (I’ve written the rebuttal in red to help distinguish the rebuttal from the counterargument.)

Opponents of raising the state’s minimum wage argue that an increase in wages will result in employers either losing money or being forced to cut workers’ hours in order to save costs. In reality, however, raising the state’s minimum wage will mean that workers will have additional discretionary income and will spend more money at local businesses. With the increase in revenue, businesses will not need to cut employees’ hours and will actually make money rather than lose money.

In this example, the writer acknowledges the counterargument (employers may lose money or cut hours) but then points out why the argument is flawed (workers will have additional money, and businesses will actually see an increase in profits).

Again, this strengthens your argument by illustrating why your claim is stronger than the opposition’s.

Want to see what an argument, counterargument, and rebuttal look like in action? Read A Report on the Need for the Increase of Minimum Wage.

Rebuttal strategy #2: Agree with the counterargument but provide additional information to weaken it

In some instances, it’s necessary to partially agree with the opposing view. After all, there may be some validity to the counteragument.

In these instances, you will agree with the counterargument but then provide further information that strengthens your argument while weakening the opposition’s.

Take a look at this example about technology addiction. (Once again, I’ve written the rebuttal in red to help distinguish the rebuttal from the counterargument.)

Some parents argue that teens should not be allowed to use social media because they can easily become addicted; however, simply keeping teens away from social media is not the answer. Granted, there is always a risk of addiction when using technology, but with proper education, teens can be taught how to use social media (and other technology) responsibly.

In this example, the writer first acknowledges that allowing teens to use social media means that there’s a risk of addiction.

But then the writer strengthens the argument by including additional evidence to weaken the claim that keeping teens away from social media is the best way to avoid addiction.

The Importance of Transitions

So you’ve written the argument, counterargument, and rebuttal and think you’re ready to go, right? Hold up! Not so fast. You need to first make sure that you’ve used transitions to link everything together.

Transitions are like bridges. They connect one idea to the next. Without them, you just have a bunch of ideas floating around with nothing connecting them and nothing to help readers make sense of your arguments.

Thus, when writing both the counterargument and rebuttal, it’s important that you use transitions and other appropriate word choices to reflect a switch from the counterargument to your rebuttal.

Without these, readers can become confused and not know where the counterargument begins or ends, or where your rebuttal begins.

Take a look at the following example.

Argument: Wind farms benefit communities.

Ineffective counterargument and rebuttal:

Wind farms create too much noise pollution, but they are placed far enough away from homes and are actually quite quiet.

The first part of the sentence, which is supposed to be the counteragument in this example, isn’t effective because it simply appears to contradict the main argument (that wind farms benefit communities). There’s no indication that this is actually a counterargument.

The rebuttal is ineffective because it seems to contradict the counterargument. There’s no indication that the second part of the sentence is transitioning to the rebuttal.

In other words, this counterargument and rebuttal are a hot mess.

Effective counterargument and rebuttal:

Though opponents claim wind farms create too much noise pollution, their assumptions are inaccurate. Although wind turbines do emit some sounds, the sounds are minimal, and because the wind turbines are generally placed away from housing, residents rarely hear any noise generated by the turbines.

Notice the words in red in the example above. These transition words help readers identify both the counterargument and the transition to the rebuttal. Use of proper phrasing makes the argument much clearer and more effective.

Interested in seeing if you can spot transitions between arguments, counterarguments, and rebuttals? Take a look at a few example argumentative essays to see how other writers transition between sections.

Putting the Final Pieces Together

Now that you can confidently answer, “What is a rebuttal?” (and write an effective one), remember that the counterargument and rebuttal often appear at the end of your paper.

This, of course, means that if you’ve made it this far, one of the final steps is to write a killer conclusion. Don’t forget, though, that essay writing doesn’t end with the basic drafting of your essay.

Citation (MLA or APA) and proper essay format are important too, so make sure to carefully check these components before submitting a final copy.

If you want to be extra-sure that your arguments (and counterarguments and rebuttals) all flow seamlessly and make sense, let a Kibin editor help you put it all together.

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

A good thesis statement will accomplish the same thing. It gives readers an idea of the most important points of an essay, shows the highlights, and makes them want to read more.

It will also help keep you, the writer, from getting lost in a convoluted and directionless argument.

Most importantly, a good thesis statement makes a statement. After all, it’s called a thesis statement for a reason!

“This is an interesting statement!” you want your reader to think. “Let’s see if this author can convince me.”

This blog post will dissect the components of a good thesis statement and give you 15 thesis statement examples that you can use to inspire your next argumentative essay.

The Thesis Statement Dissected

Before I give you a blanket list of thesis statement examples, let’s run through what makes for a good thesis statement. I’ve distilled it down to four main components.

1. A good argumentative thesis is focused and not too broad.

It’s important to stay focused! Don’t try to argue an overly broad topic in your essay, or you’re going to feel confused and unsure about your direction and purpose.

Don’t write:

“Eating fast food is bad and should be avoided.”

This statement is too general and would be nearly impossible for you to defend. It leaves a lot of big questions to answer. Is all fast food bad? Why is it bad? Who should avoid it? Why should anyone care?

Do write:

“Americans should eliminate the regular consumption of fast food because a fast food diet leads to preventable and expensive health issues, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.”

In this example, I’ve narrowed my argument to the health consequences related to a diet of fast food. I’ve also chosen to focus on Americans rather than everyone in the universe.

2. A good argumentative thesis is centered on a debatable topic.

Back in the ‘80s, teens loved to say “that’s debatable” about claims they didn’t agree with (such as “you should clean your room” and “you shouldn’t go to that movie”).

This age-old, neon-colored, bangle-wearing, peg-legged wisdom holds true today—in your thesis statement.

Don’t write:

“There are high numbers of homeless people living in Berkeley, California.”

No one can argue for or against this statement. It’s not debatable. It’s just a fact.

An argument over this non-debatable statement would go something like this:

“There are lots of homeless people in Berkeley.”

“Yes, there sure are a bunch of them out there.”

“Yup.”

As you can see, that’s not much of an argument.

Do write:

“Homeless people in Berkeley should be given access to services—such as regular food donations, public restrooms, and camping facilities—because it would improve life for all inhabitants of the city.”

Now that’s debatable.

Opponents could also easily argue that homeless people in Berkeley already receive adequate services (“just look at all those luxurious sidewalks!”) or perhaps that they shouldn’t be entitled to services at all (“get a job, ya lazy loafers!”).

Interested in picking up a few more tips about debating issues and perfecting the art of persuasion? Read How to Write a Persuasive Essay That’s Convincing.

3. A good argumentative thesis picks a side.

Picking a side is pretty much the whole entire point of an argumentative essay.
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Picking a side is pretty much the whole entire point of an argumentative essay. Just as you can’t root for both the Yankees and the Mets, you can’t argue both sides of a topic in your thesis statement.

Learn more about the importance of picking sides by reading the post The Secrets of a Strong Argumentative Essay.

Don’t write:

“Secondhand smoke is bad and can cause heart disease and cancer; therefore, smoking should be outlawed in public places, but outlawing smoking is unfair to smokers so maybe non-smokers can just hold their breath or wear masks around smokers instead.”

A wishy-washy statement like this will make your reader scratch his head in puzzlement. Are you for smoking laws or against them? Yankees or Mets? Mets or Yankees?

Pick a side, and stick with it!

Then stick up for it.

Do write:

“Secondhand smoke is just as harmful as smoking and leads to a higher prevalence of cancer and heart disease; therefore, smoking in any public place should be banned.”

Pick a side, and stick with it! Then stick up for it.
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4. A good thesis makes claims that will be supported later in the paper.

As I explained in the post How to Create a Powerful Argumentative Essay Outline, your claims make up a critical part of building the roadmap to your argument.

It’s important to first include a summary of your claims in your thesis statement. During the course of your essay, you will back each of your claims with well-researched evidence.

Don’t write:

“Humans should relocate to Mars.”

This statement doesn’t include any supporting claims. Why should humans move to Mars? What are the benefits of moving to a planet without oxygen or trees?

Do write:

“It is too late to save earth; therefore, humans should immediately set a date for their relocation to Mars, where they can, with proper planning, avoid issues of famine, war, and global warming.”

This statement includes some thought-provoking claims. The reader will wonder how the author plans to defend them. (“Famine, war, and global warming can be easily avoided on Mars? Go on…”)

Looking for even more help understanding the key components of a strong thesis statement? Check out these posts:

• How to Write a Thesis Statement in 5 Simple Steps
• How to Turn a Good Thesis Statement Into a Great One
• How to Make a Thesis Statement the Easy Way (Infographic)
• How to Write a Compare and Contrast Thesis Statement

Now that you have a better understanding of the all things thesis statement, here are 15 more thesis statement examples to inspire your next argumentative essay.

15 Thesis Statement Examples

Below are 15 debatable, supportable, and focused thesis statements for you to learn from. Feel free to customize them for use in your own argumentative essay.

As you read the following examples, be careful not to use these thesis statements word-for-word. I wouldn’t want you to get in trouble if your teacher did a copy/find Google maneuver on you!

#1. Vaccinations should be mandatory

Inspired by this sample essay on vaccinations.

Vaccinations against diseases such as polio, rubella, and mumps should be mandatory for all U.S. children who wish to attend school as these vaccinations are critical to the control and eradication of deadly infectious diseases.

#2. Government surveillance is harmful

Inspired by this sample essay on government surveillance.

Government surveillance programs, such as PRISM, should be banned because they invade civil liberties, lead innocent people to suffer unfair punishments, and ultimately fail to protect the citizens that they are designed to safeguard.

#3. Organ donors should be financially compensated

Inspired by this sample essay on organ donation.

Organ donors should be financially compensated to increase the supply of available organs and, at the same time, to decrease profitable, illegal organ-harvesting activities in the black market.

#4. Schools are too dependent on technology

Inspired by this sample essay on technology dependence.

Schools’ dependence on technology has caused students to lose the ability to think independently, leading to a greater prevalence of mood disorders, memory loss, and loneliness.

#5. School officials should fight cyberbullying

Inspired by this sample essay on cyberbullying.

In order to improve the online behavior of students and decrease cyberbullying-related suicide attempts, school officials should have the authority to discipline students who engage in cyberbullying.

#6. The U.S. media should update the depiction of traditional families

Inspired by this sample essay on families.

The U.S. media depicts the traditional family as comprising a mother, father, and children; however, this notion of the traditional family is outdated and can be harmful to children who look to this as the gold standard.

#7. Student loans should be forgiven

Inspired by this sample essay on student loans.

Crippling student debt is stifling the growth of the U.S. economy because it inhibits graduates from being able to spend money on consumer goods and home purchases.

#8. Marijuana should be legalized

Inspired by this sample essay on legalizing marijuana.

Marijuana has numerous medical applications, such as treating symptoms of epilepsy, cancer, and glaucoma. Legalizing the use of marijuana in the United States will greatly benefit the medical sector by giving physicians the ability to prescribe this life-saving drug.

#9. Foreign aid to Africa does not work

Inspired by this sample essay on foreign aid to Africa.

Sending foreign aid to African countries is doing more harm than good because the practice has caused African countries to become vulnerable to inflation, currency fluctuations, corruption, and civil unrest.

#10. China’s one-child policy led to unintended and negative consequences

Inspired by this

Inspired by this sample essay on advertising to children.

Though some argue that advertising to children is harmful, it is actually a positive marketing technique that spurs economic growth.

#12. Most teen celebrities should not be role models for children

Inspired by this sample essay on teen celebrities as role models.

Teen celebrities often engage in inappropriate and sometimes illegal activities and thus should not be considered role models for children.

#13. The current welfare system promotes dependency

Inspired by this sample essay about the abuse of welfare.

The welfare system was designed to assist those in need; however, the current system does more harm than good by promoting government dependency.

#14. Schools should start at a later time of day

Inspired by this sample essay about school start times.

Beginning the school day at a later time would stabilize students’ sleep patterns, improve students’ moods, and increase students’ academic success.

#15. Schools should distribute birth control to teens

Inspired by this sample essay about birth control distribution in schools.

Though some argue that distributing condoms to teens means that schools are encouraging sexual behavior, schools should distribute birth control to reduce teen pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.

Now…Turn Your Thesis Statement Into an Essay

Any one of these thesis statement examples will get you started on the road to writing an awesome argumentative essay, but if none of these thesis statements or topics are working for you, try one of these:

• 70 Argumentative Essay Topics That Will Put Up a Good Fight
• 30 Argumentative Essay Ideas That Will Pick a Good Fight

Have a topic and thesis but need to put all of your ideas into essay format? Try prewriting, outlining, or using a graphic organizer to help organize information.

Once your essay is finished, feel free to send it to a Kibin editor, who can check for grammar errors, sentence structure issues, and of course, the strength of your thesis.

Good luck with your essay!

Stuck On Your Essay?

Try the Thesis Statement Builder

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Given that the two are at a counter arguing, does this mean it’s a counterargument?

Not exactly.

So what is a counterargument?

I’m sure you know that a counterargument isn’t defined as an argument you have at a lunch counter. I’m sure you also know that it has something to do with essay writing and should appear in your argument essay.

But if that’s where your understanding of counterarguments ends, this post can help clear up any confusion.

What Is a Counterargument?

In any type of argumentative essay, you’ll include a strong thesis statement to identify the focus of your essay. You’ll also include several main arguments to support your thesis.

A counterargument opposes your argument. It expresses the opposite view of your thesis.
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A counterargument opposes your argument. It expresses the opposite view of your thesis.

Consider this example:

It’s Friday night, and funds are limited. You decide to gather a few friends and watch a movie. You scroll through the on-demand selections and immediately hit play when you see La La Land. Your friends are skeptical and ask why you want to watch it again.

Even though you’ve seen it more times than you can count, you tell your friends that it’s worth watching again because it’s an awesome movie. Both Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone are amazing, and you know every note to every song on the soundtrack.

The reasons you give your friends for wanting to watch the movie are your supporting arguments.

When your friends argue that some of the scenes are too campy and Ryan Gosling isn’t all that, they’re offering the opposing view.

These are the counterarguments.

When you write an argument essay, readers will either agree or disagree with your thesis. Think of the readers who disagree as those who would express a counterargument.

Why Should I Include a Counterargument?

Now that you can answer “what is a counterargument?” you might think that including a counterargument would weaken your argument because, after all, you’re giving the other side ammunition. You’re explaining reasons that someone shouldn’t agree with your thesis.

A counterargument, though, actually does just the opposite. It strengthens your argument because it shows that you have done your research, that you have thoughtfully examined both sides of the argument, and that you’re objectively presenting information.

A counterargument lets you acknowledge your readers’ objections even before they have a chance to finish reading your paper.

A counterargument acknowledges your readers’ objections before they finish reading your paper.
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Keep in mind that you’re not developing another detailed argument when you write a counterargument. Your goal is to simply write a concise summary of the opposing view to illustrate that you understand and are able to acknowledge another viewpoint.

(You’ll also explain why your argument is stronger than the counterargument. More about that later in this post.)

Can You Give Me An Example of a Counterargument?

Let’s look at the topic of helicopter parenting.

Argument:

Helicopter parents often treat their teens like young children. Parents make all decisions for their teens, and this ultimately leads to children becoming overly dependent on their parents.

Bad Counterargument:

Parents tell their kids what to do anyway, so they might as well make decisions for their teens.

Some counterarguments are better than others, and this counterargument isn’t at all effective. Just because parents make decisions for their children doesn’t mean that they should make all decisions for their teenage children. There is no argument here.

Good Counterargument:

Parents have already made plenty of mistakes, so they’re guiding their teens and protecting them from making the same mistakes. This helps, rather than hurts, teens.

Even if you don’t agree with the fact that helicopter parenting helps children, you can at least see why people might feel that parents who make more decisions for their teens are actually helping their teens avoid mistakes (and the negative consequences that come with them).

But wait… there’s more…

It’s not enough to simply present both sides of the argument. Remember, you’re writing an argument, so your goal is to convince your readers.

Simply stating the opposing view won’t convince your readers, so you’ll also need to refute the counterargument. Essentially, you’ll acknowledge the opposing view but provide additional evidence to state why your argument is stronger.

How Do I Include a Rebuttal of a Counterargument?

Often, counterarguments appear at the end of your paper (just before the conclusion). This allows you to present all of your arguments before addressing the opposing view.

Counterarguments don’t need to be at the end of your paper, though. You can also weave in counterarguments throughout your paper. But no matter where you insert them, you’ll need to refute the claims of the opposing view and offer your rebuttal.

For example, if your counterargument states that helicopter parents are helping their teens avoid mistakes, you might offer the following rebuttal:

Rebuttal:

Though some believe that parents who make most decisions for their teens shield teens from the consequences of their mistakes, this type of parental over-involvement actually stunts teens’ emotional growth, does not allow them to learn from their actions, and makes it more difficult to handle failure when they eventually do make a mistake.

Notice how the rebuttal restates and acknowledges the opposing viewpoint but then explains why the counterargument isn’t valid.

A note about wording…

It’s important to effectively introduce your counterargument and rebuttal.

If you don’t, readers may become confused because your paper will seem like you’re contradicting yourself by including two different arguments (one that supports your thesis and one that is against your thesis).

In other words, give your readers fair warning that you’re moving from your main argument to a counterargument and then to the rebuttal.

Read the example above again. Notice that it uses the phrase “Though some believe…” to transition from the argument to the counterargument.

Here’s another example of an introduction to a rebuttal:

Although the argument for paying athletes presents many good points, there are underlying issues that are not addressed by proponents of paying Alabama football players.

Notice how the writer of this example uses clear transitional words to signal to readers that he is switching from argument to counterargument and finally to rebuttal.

Want to see the complete argument and rebuttal in the context of an actual essay? Check out the example essay Should Football Players at the University of Alabama Be Paid to Play?

Need a few additional example words and phrases for your rebuttal? Try these phrases:

• While some [argue/state/believe]…
• Even though the opposition [asserts/claims]…
• This statement is only partially accurate because…
• Though these concerns may be valid, the argument [fails to acknowledge/does not take into account]…

Final Thoughts

Remember, building a strong argument takes many components. You need a solid focus and argument, strong evidence to support your assertions, and a counterargument and rebuttal to further demonstrate that you’ve done your research.

If you’re still not sure how to use counterarguments in your own writing, check out these example argument essays in our essay database to see how other writers have incorporated them.

Feeling a little uneasy about whether you’ve effectively addressed the counterargument in your paper? Let a Kibin editor help with revision.

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

We’ve written so many blog posts on the subject because it’s by far the most common essay assignment that students face. About the only way to avoid argumentative essays is to not go to school at all.

They are kind of like uncomfortable conversations with your grandma about your future. You can avoid them by just never visiting your grandma, but you should really visit your grandma. Seriously, go visit your grandma.

And since argumentative essays are so ubiquitous, it’s important to me that you can easily access all of the necessary information on how to write them.

So when you’re done counting those 18,312 words (seriously! …maybe), come on back and read the rest of this post containing everything you need to know about the argumentative essay.

The Argumentative Essay: What Is It?

First and foremost, you’ll need to have an understanding of what an argumentative essay is. The last thing you want is to get halfway through your essay only to realize that you’re doing it wrong. It happens.

It’s kind of like a vegetarian getting halfway through dinner and then realizing it’s meatloaf. Honestly, that sounds just as bad for a non-vegetarian. Meatloaf is gross.

So remember: An argumentative essay requires you to pick a debatable topic, do extensive research on it, choose a side in the debate, and then argue for that side by citing the evidence you have gathered.

• This post does a great job of breaking down how to frame your argument.
• If you’re a visual learner, check out this infographic that illustrates the most important elements of your essay.
• Check out this post for a detailed analysis of what makes a strong argument.

Prewriting Strategies

After you get some experience as a writer, you start to develop certain strategies that help you tackle an essay in a more efficient way.

The same goes for writing the argumentative essay. You’ll write this type of essay so many times during your college career that you’ll begin to develop a process. However, if this is your first time writing one, you haven’t yet discovered what works best for you.

You could jump from the plane and hope for the best, but perhaps you should learn how to pull the ripcord first.

So it’s important that you read up on the best prewriting strategies before jumping into writing your essay.

• Here’s a post that explains various prewriting strategies that you can easily apply to the argumentative essay.
• Check out this great post on how to outline your argument in a clear and logical fashion.
• It’s important to understand what a finished argumentative essay will look like before you tackle your own, so check out our database full of examples and a post we did analyzing and annotating two examples.

Choosing the Right Topic

The single most important decision you’ll make in this process will be choosing your topic.

You will not like working on an essay for several weeks related to a subject that is of no interest to you. So choose wisely, my friend.

Your face will not melt if you choose poorly (Indiana Jones reference), but you won’t feel good about it.

• Check out this post that includes dozens of amazing argumentative essay topic ideas…or this post with dozens more…or this post with—okay, I jest, but there are at least 80 topics between the two posts for you to dive into!

Finding the Right Resources

The foundation of a strong argumentative essay lies in the research you do.

The entire premise is to argue for one side of a debatable topic. The only way to do that convincingly is to have research to back up your claims.

However, not all sources of information are created equal. The quality of your research can mean the difference between your essay being praised or panned.

So make sure you evaluate your sources to ensure they are reputable and pass the CRAAP test. You must avoid unreliable sources of information! That includes Wikipedia, Facebook posts from Aunt Susan, and state-run Russian blogs.

• If you’re writing your argumentative essay on gun control, fast food, global warming, the death penalty, affirmative action, texting while driving, or cyber bullying, we’ve gathered some quality articles to get you started.
• If you have a broad topic but need to narrow it down, well, we’ve got just the post to help you with that too.

Nailing the Introduction and Ever-Important Thesis

The introduction, which includes the thesis statement, is one of the most important parts of any essay. The argumentative essay is no different.

You want to use the introduction to frame the topic in an interesting way. You can achieve this by starting with a hook sentence that gets your reader interested in your topic.

After your hook, provide any necessary background information that the reader will need before considering your argument.

Then, wrap up your introduction with the backbone of your essay: the thesis. This one sentence should contain the multiple facets of your argument that you plan on tackling in each body paragraph.

Hook + background info + good thesis statement = nailing the intro of your argumentative essay.
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• Need help writing your argumentative thesis? Check out our thesis builder.
• We’ve also written two posts full of thesis examples for argumentative essays. Check them out here and here.

Writing the Body Paragraphs

Now that you have your thesis, you can write the body of your argumentative essay.

Each argument or facet of your bigger argument that is contained in your thesis will be explained and proven within one section of the body.

These sections may be one paragraph each (in the case of a five-paragraph structure) or multiple paragraphs each (in the case of a lengthier research paper).

Moreover, the body of your essay should be used to refute any counterarguments that might prevent you from convincing your reader.

Remember the outline you (hopefully) did during the prewriting stage of the essay process?

Make sure you refer back to that outline so that you don’t forget anything.

• Here is a post we did on how to craft the perfect paragraph.
• And of course, no paragraph can be perfect without a stellar topic sentence.

In Conclusion

As you conclude your argumentative essay, and we near the end of this blog post, it’s important to review a bit and tie up any loose ends.

In an argumentative essay, you want to repeat and reinforce your argument in your final paragraph.

Then, in a sort of inverse hook, you should release your reader with an intriguing scenario to consider. What would happen if your argument was implemented? Or conversely, what would happen if it wasn’t?

If done correctly, this can cement your argument in the reader’s mind.

• Check out this post we wrote on how to write a killer essay conclusion.
• If you want to see some examples, read this post with 12 example conclusions.

If you need some help getting started, I suggest you read some of the argumentative essay examples in our database.

Then, once you have a draft, send it over to the skilled editors at Kibin. They will comb through it for any potentially damaging holes in your argument.

As always, thanks for reading, and good luck!

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

For instance, it’s hard to go to school, work a job to pay for it, and then come home and study at the end of it all. It’s much easier to kick your feet up when you get home and drink a beer in front of the TV.

Moreover, it’s a lot of work to make college more affordable. It’s much easier to just keep things the way they are.

Today we’re talking about writing a thesis, and truth be told, it’s quite easy to write a good one. Maybe not at first, but once you have a bit of experience, you start to catch on to the formulaic nature of the thesis statement.

Once that happens, it’s easy to churn out a decent thesis statement for each paper you write. It is, however, much more difficult to write a great thesis.

To do so, you have to dig deeper into your subject, narrow your focus, and clearly state the direction your essay will take.

So let’s take a look at how we can turn a good thesis statement into a great one.

What Is the Point of a Thesis?

First and foremost, let’s brush up on our understanding of the thesis statement: what is it, and why do we need it?

The thesis is by far the most important sentence you will write for your paper. It’s the director, the backbone, and the glue of your essay. Without it, your paper will be sloppier than the hyponutritional fare we serve in school cafeterias.

Located at the end of your introduction, the thesis tells the reader what your paper is about. In an expository paper, the thesis will present your explanation of the topic at hand. In the case of an analytical paper, it will include your analysis.

And in the most common essay type, the argumentative essay, the thesis presents your argument.

The thesis is broken into claims. These are the various parts of your argument or analysis. Each section of the body of your essay will correspond to one of these claims.

In the case of the five-paragraph essay (which contains an introduction, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion), you will have three claims in your thesis, one for each of the body paragraphs.

So as you can see, the thesis lays out the main points that will be discussed later in the paper. Without a strong thesis statement, your reader will get lost faster than a millennial without GPS.

A good thesis statement will present your points so that the reader has a general idea of what to expect. A great thesis statement will clearly present your specific ideas in a logical order that gives your reader a strong sense of the direction your paper will take.

The Thesis Formula

Because argumentative essays are the most common essay type, we’re going to focus on them as we describe how to write a great thesis.

As we mentioned earlier, an argumentative thesis presents your argument. This is the driving force of your entire paper, so we need to get it right.

The first part of your thesis addresses the focus of your paper. This is the who or what on which your paper focuses. Who are you speaking to? For example, you could be addressing Americans, the government, or the middle class.

After addressing those who are the focus of your paper and thesis, you should state the debatable topic and your position for or against it. For example, you may be writing your paper on student loan debt. This is the debatable topic.

You may think student loans and the corresponding debt are a good thing. Or you may be against student loan debt. Either way, you must clearly choose your position in the thesis, or the debate will be off to a weird start.

Next comes the most important part of your thesis: your claims. If the thesis is the backbone of your paper, the claims are the vertebrae.

Each claim must support your stance on the issue, for or against. Claims will serve as the main reasons for your argument, and you will use them to argue your case.

Your thesis will look something like this:

The (focus of your paper) should be (for/against) (debatable topic) because it (claim 1), (claim 2), and (claim 3).

Skip to the “good” section below to see what that thesis looks like after we fill in the blanks.

The Great, the Good, and the Ugly

Let’s look at some examples of a great, a good, and an ugly thesis. We’re going to go in reverse order here so that we can see how to improve from ugly to great.

Let’s stick with our student debt theme and assume we’re writing an argumentative thesis against the current levels of student loan debt.

The ugly

Well, this can go in a lot of directions. Of course, the worst thesis is the one that your reader cannot find, either because it’s unclear or because you haven’t written one at all.

There are a couple important points to keep in mind: the thesis statement is one sentence and located at the end of your introduction. By adhering to these simple facts, you’re already over a big hurdle.

But you’re not completely in the clear. There are mistakes that even the most well-intentioned writer can make when crafting a thesis.

Check out this example of a simple thesis statement:

The current level of student loan debt that graduates face is bad for many reasons.

So here, you have stated the debatable topic and come out against it. However, that’s about where the thesis stops.

The reader is left with many questions: Why is it bad? What are the reasons? Who should take heed of this issue? Without any claims, this is an ugly thesis.

So the next step in making this a good thesis is to add claims.

The good

When we clearly address the person or entity who should be concerned with our argument and add in some claims, we start to see the makings of a good thesis statement.

The United States government should be against the current level of student debt because it hurts young professionals’ careers, it hurts the economy, and it hurts college enrollment.

This is so much better than our ugly thesis, but I wouldn’t call it great for one important reason: the claims are too vague. And like doctors, a thesis is better without ambiguity.

The reader has a general idea of where the paper is going but will still wonder about the specifics behind each claim.

Why would the debt hurt young professionals’ careers? In what way does it affect the economy? And we’re talking about graduates, so how could it affect enrollment?

It’s true that the reader could find these answers by continuing to read the rest of your paper, but it’s better for your reader to know the answers after reading the thesis and before looking to the body paragraphs for the data, the proof.

The great

So what does a great thesis look like? It has all the same aspects of a good thesis but is more focused.

The United States government should be against the current level of student debt because it prevents young professionals from pursuing lower-paying careers, it hurts their ability to buy homes and start families, and it even prevents some students from going to college at all.

Now that’s a great thesis! The reader has a great idea of precisely what the essay will address.

Before moving to the body paragraphs, the reader is already pondering your main ideas:

1. Many graduates can’t take jobs in teaching or public service because of their debt.
2. They can’t make big purchases that would boost the economy because their money goes to student loan payments.
3. Worst of all, some qualified students skip college altogether because of the exorbitant prices.

The reader knows exactly what to look for while reading the rest of your essay. Each section of the body will address one of these claims, providing evidence that it’s true.

Now, keep in mind, the claims in your thesis must correspond to the body of the paper. If they don’t, your reader will be angry, and your thesis will quickly be thrown back into the ugly category.

As you can see, the difference between a good thesis and a great thesis isn’t nearly as wide as the difference between a good and an ugly thesis.

So it’s no wonder that many people fall into the ease of writing a good thesis statement instead of pushing themselves to write a great one.

Need More Help Transforming a Good Thesis Statement Into a Great One?

While I hope this post helps make the distinctions clear for you on the strength of your thesis, there are additional resources at your disposal if you’re still struggling or just want to practice.

If you’re feeling super-ambitious, take a look at the thesis statements in our example essays to see what works—and what doesn’t.

You can also give Kibin’s thesis generator a try. It will get you going in the right direction.

If you’re still having some trouble, send your essay draft over to the wonderful editors of Kibin. They will take a look at your thesis and give you suggestions on how to make it great!

Stuck On Your Essay?

Try the Thesis Statement Builder

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• How many social media sites do you use regularly?
• How many times per week do you log in to a social media site?
• How many hours per week do you spend on social media?

I’m guessing that, for some of you, the numbers are pretty high.

If you’re writing an argument paper about social media, you might be inclined to argue the positive aspects of social media.

If you’re one of those people who shuns social media and can’t stand the thought of another political Tweet, you might be more inclined to argue its negative aspects.

No matter how you feel about social media, if you’re writing an argumentative essay, you’ll need evidence (from sources) to support your claims.

Writing an argumentative essay? You’ll need evidence (from sources) to support your claims.
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Here are 12 social media articles to get you started with your research.

For each of the 12 articles, I’ve included a brief summary as well as citations for both MLA 8 and APA documentation. I’ve even included a few sample essays to inspire your own writing.

3 Social Media Articles About Teens and Social Media

1. Teens: This Is How Social Media Affects Your Brain

Published by CNN, this article explains that reward centers in teens’ brains were activated when they saw “likes” associated with their photos. Because teens are social and more likely to be influenced by peers, they are more susceptible to influences of social media.

Research also indicates that both teens and adults who use social media learn new skills—thus, their brains change. The article reports that the change is neither good nor bad. It’s simply an adaptation.

MLA 8 Citation

East, Susie. “Teens: This is How Social Media Affects Your Brain.” CNN, 1 Aug. 2016, www.cnn.com/2016/07/12/health/social-media-brain/index.html.

APA Citation

East, S. (2016). Teens: This is how social media affects your brain. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2016/07/12/health/social-media-brain/index.html

2. February 2016: Teens’ Social Media Use: How They Connect & What It Means for Health

This article is filled with statistics that illustrate how teens participate in social media. For instance, 94% of teens who go online use a mobile device to access the Internet, and 71% of teens use social media sites.

The article also mentions risks of social media use and includes links to help teens use social media more responsibly.

This article is published by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and easily passes the CRAAP Test.

Interested in seeing how one writer examined the positive and negative effects of social media? Check out The Direct Positive and Negative Influence of Online Social Networks on Their Users.

MLA 8 Citation

“February 2016: Teens’ Social Media Use: How They Connect & What It Means for Health.” HHS.gov, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Feb. 2016, www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/news/e-updates/february-2016-teens-social-media-use/index.html.

APA Citation

February 2016: Teens’ social media use: How they connect & what it means for health. (2016). Retrieved from https://www.hhs.gov/ash/oah/news/e-updates/february-2016-teens-social-media-use/index.html

3. Study Examines Suicides Publicized on Social Media and Teens’ ER Visits

The results of this study suggest “…that despite provincial funding initiatives and anti-bullying campaigns, ER visits for suicidal behavior in Ontario, Canada have been increasing among adolescents for the last five years. However, this increase should not necessarily be attributed to social media and future research should focus on elucidating other reasons for this worrisome trend.”

In other words, this study couldn’t establish a direct link between publicized deaths on social media and teens’ suicidal thoughts or visits to the ER.

MLA 8 Citation

American Academy of Pediatrics. “Study Examines Suicides Publicized on Social Media and Teens’ ER Visits.” MedicalXPress, 21 Oct. 2016, medicalxpress.com/news/2016-10-suicides-social-media-teens-er.html.

APA Citation

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2016). Study examines suicides publicized on social media and teens’ ER visits. Retrieved from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2016-10-suicides-social-media-teens-er.html

3 Social Media Articles About Politics and Social Media

4. The Political Environment on Social Media

According to a 2016 PEW Research Center study, most people were “worn out” by political news on social media and often felt frustrated with social media discussions about politics with friends and family.

The article contains numerous statistics. It also includes information about political content, tone, and political engagement on social media.

MLA 8 Citation

Duggan, Maeve and Aaron Smith. “The Political Environment on Social Media.” Pew Research Center, 25 Oct. 2016, www.pewinternet.org/2016/10/25/the-political-environment-on-social-media/.

APA Citation

Duggan, M., & Smith, A. (2016). The political environment on social media. Retrieved from http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/10/25/the-political-environment-on-social-media/

5. Is Social Media to Blame for Political Polarization in America?

Published by the well-respected U.S. News & World Report, this article summarizes several research studies.

The study indicates that, although people are likely to seek out those with similar political ideologies, social media is not the sole reason for political polarization and extreme beliefs.

MLA 8 Citation

Soergel, Andrew. “Is Social Media to Blame for Political Polarization in America?” U.S. News & World Report, 20 March 2017, www.usnews.com/news/articles/2017-03-20/is-social-media-to-blame-for-political-polarization-in-america.

APA Citation

Soergel, A. (2017). Is social media to blame for political polarization in America? Retrieved from https://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2017-03-20/is-social-media-to-blame-for-political-polarization-in-america

6. Did Social Media Ruin Election 2016?

This NPR article examines social media’s influence on the 2016 presidential election.

The author notes that the inherent way in which people (the general public, politicians, and those creating automated responses) use social media can create concern as it can be difficult to sort out real messages from fake ones.

Social media platforms can also focus on scandals rather than policy.

Check out An Argument Against the Notion That Social Media Can Cause Political Change to read one writer’s argument surrounding social media’s political influence.

MLA 8 Citation

Sanders, Sam. “Did Social Media Ruin Election 2016?” NPR, 8 Nov. 2016, www.npr.org/2016/11/08/500686320/did-social-media-ruin-election-2016.

APA Citation

Sanders, S. (2016). Did social media ruin election 2016? Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2016/11/08/500686320/did-social-media-ruin-election-2016

3 Social Media Articles About Health and Social Media

7. Social Media: How Does It Affect Our Mental Health and Well-Being?

This article examines why people use social media and why they might become addicted.

It also discusses the results of a survey. Fifty-one percent of those surveyed felt that social media has negatively changed their behavior, and 55% felt worried or anxious if they were unable to log into their accounts.

Additionally, the article suggests that there may also be positive effects of social media, such as sharing positive and happy emotions with others.

Looking for another view on this topic? The sample essay A Discussion on Social Media as a Tool for Connecting People but Also Causing the Spread of Social Anxiety highlights negative health effects of social media.

MLA 8 Citation

Whiteman, Honor. “Social Media: How Does it Affect Our Mental Health and Well-being?” Medical News Today, Healthline Media, 10 June 2015, www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275361.php.

APA Citation

Whiteman, H. (2015). Social media: How does it affect our mental health and well-being? Retrieved from  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/275361.php

8. Why Instagram Is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health

Published by Time, this article reports the results of a survey of 1,500 teens and adults.

The survey revealed that Instagram is “the worst social media for mental health” because it is “…associated with high levels of anxiety, depression, bullying and FOMO, or the ‘fear of missing out.’”

MLA 8 Citation

MacMillan, Amanda. “Why Instagram Is the Worst Social Media for Mental Health.” Time, 25 May 2017, time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/.

APA Citation

MacMillan, A. (2017, May 25). Why Instagram is the worst social media for mental health. Time. Retrieved from http://time.com/4793331/instagram-social-media-mental-health/

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

9. Social Media and Mental Health: “We Are More Than Our Profile Pictures”

When posting photos on social media, people usually include only photos that show them in the most positive light. Thus, as highlighted in this article, social media is often simply an illusion.

This illusion results from people who pretend to be one person online but may be very different in person. The illusion can also result from people who highlight only one aspect of their lives or personality on social media.

MLA 8 Citation

O’Brien, Sara Ashley. “Social Media and Mental Health: ‘We Are More Than Our Profile Pictures,’” CNN, 14 April 2016, money.cnn.com/2016/04/13/technology/amber-smith-pete-laws-social-media-anxiety/index.html.

APA Citation

O’Brien, S. A. (2016). Social media and mental health: “We are more than our profile pictures.” Retrieved from http://money.cnn.com/2016/04/13/technology/amber-smith-pete-laws-social-media-anxiety/index.html

3 Social Media Articles About Social Skills and Social Media

10. Social Media Is Actually Making You Socially Awkward

This brief article highlights our changing communications via social media.

The author argues that “speaking” primarily online not only can make it difficult to interpret people’s meanings through text but also can make people socially awkward. They no longer know how to communicate face-to-face.

MLA 8 Citation

Hall, Alena. “Social Media Is Actually Making You Socially Awkward.” HuffPost, 19 June 2014, www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/19/social-media-makes-you-socially-awkward_n_5512749.html.

APA Citation

Hall, A. (2014). Social media is actually making you socially awkward. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/19/social-media-makes-you-socially-awkward_n_5512749.html

11. The Impact of Social Media Use on Social Skills

This article highlights positive impacts of social media, such as staying in contact with family, enhancing learning skills, and collaborating online.

The article also discusses negative impacts of social media, such as cyberbullying, sexting, depression, and an increased risk of hindering social skills.

If you’re evaluating the credibility of this article, notice that it cites a number of credible sources. This makes it easy to verify the article’s content.

Bonus Tip: If you need more evidence to support your arguments, check the references listed in your sources. You may be able to use one of their references as a source for your own paper.

Read the sample essay “The Impact of Social Media Use on Social Skills.” New York Behavioral Health, newyorkbehavioralhealth.com/the-impact-of-social-media-use-on-social-skills.

12. Feeling Lonely? Too Much Time On Social Media May Be Why

Published by NPR, this article references a study that indicates, “while face-to-face social connectedness is strongly associated with well-being, it’s not clear what happens when those interactions happen virtually.”

Essentially, the more time you spend on social media sites (being virtually connected), the less likely you are to feel socially connected in real life.

MLA 8 Citation

Hobson, Katherine. “Feeling Lonely? Too Much Time On Social Media May Be Why.” NPR, 6 March 2017, www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/06/518362255/feeling-lonely-too-much-time-on-social-media-may-be-why.

APA Citation

Hobson, K. (2017). Feeling lonely? Too much time on social media may be why. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2017/03/06/518362255/feeling-lonely-too-much-time-on-social-media-may-be-why

Writing and Revision Are Social Processes

If you’ve posted pictures of yourself on Instagram working on your paper or Tweeted that you could use a little help from your friends but still haven’t gotten the support you need, here are a few additional resources to help you put it all together.

If you need a few more social media articles or other sources for your argumentative essay, read 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

If you need a little help getting your paper started after narrowing down what articles will work for your paper, check out these outline templates.

Once you’ve drafted your paper, spend some time on revision. You can certainly revise your own paper, and I recommend you do, but it’s always a good idea to let someone else read your paper too.

While your friend or roommate might be a fine choice, another great suggestion is to let a trained professional (like a Kibin editor) provide feedback.

Stuck on Your Argumentative Essay?

Check Out These Example Arguments

Yes! Show Me Examples.

If you’re not Spock or a Vulcan (I’m assuming you’re not either of these), you might be guilty of faulty logic and might end up with at least one logical fallacy in your paper.

The trick, of course, is knowing how to identify logical fallacies in order to avoid them in your own writing.

10 Logical Fallacies That Will Kill Your Argument

As you read the list of logical fallacies, keep these points in mind:

• A fallacy is a deceptive or misleading idea or an unsound argument.
• A logical fallacy is, in the most basic of terms, a flaw in logic.
• Logical fallacies use irrelevant arguments and/or faulty evidence that doesn’t support a claim.
• Logical fallacies make your argument invalid.

1. Slippery slope

The slippery slope fallacy is the false assumption that one thing will lead to another.

Slippery slope example: If fast-food restaurants display the calories in value meals, consumers won’t want to eat value meals, and all fast-food restaurants will go out of business.

That’s a pretty big leap, isn’t it? Posting the calories in a value meal may mean that some people will make healthier choices, but you can’t simply state that listing calories will shut down an entire type of restaurant.

Of course, there are times when one thing will most certainly lead to another (like chemical reactions). If you empty a box of baking soda into your kitchen drain then pour vinegar to wash it down, the chemical reaction will cause the mixture to fizz.

It will do this every time without fail. One action leads to another.

2. Hasty generalization

This refers to drawing inaccurate conclusions based on information (or insufficient information).

Hasty generalization example: If you’re hunting for morel mushrooms and find one in a wooded area, you might think that you’ve hit the jackpot. You’ll surely find more with each step you’ll take.

Basing your expectations of finding more mushrooms on seeing one single mushroom means that you’ve developed a conclusion on insufficient evidence.

You would need to find at least a few mushrooms on more than one occasion in order to argue that the wooded area is a good spot to find morels.

3. Ad hominem

You’re guilty of using an ad hominem logical fallacy if you attack a person’s character rather than the person’s arguments.

Ad hominem example: The governor’s speech about the education plan must be a lie because he’s a known liar. After all, he cheats on his wife.

This example is a logical fallacy because it attacks the person’s moral values and his character (accusing him of being an adulterer). The real argument in this case is his speech and education plan, not his personal life.

4. Straw man

When you think of the straw man fallacy, think of the Big Bad Wolf from The Three Little Pigs. When he wants to attack the pigs, where does he go first? That’s right, the house made of straw. Why? Because it’s a flimsy structure. It’s weak and easy to blow down.

If you’re using a straw man argument, you over-simplify the argument and pick your opponent’s weakest point as the one to argue against.

Straw man example: People who don’t donate to the ASPCA must hate animals.

In this example, you’re trying to argue that a person’s failure to donate to a specific charity means the person doesn’t support the charity’s mission (in this case, preventing cruelty to animals).

Obviously, an argument is much more complex than this, and people may have many reasons for not supporting individual charities.

5. Circular argument

Ever get in a discussion with a friend and tell him he’s talking in circles? The circular argument logical fallacy is kind of like that. You simply restate the argument without providing any evidence to support the argument.

Circular argument example: Our coach is a good leader because he knows how to provide direction.

This is a circular argument because being a leader is synonymous with providing direction. To avoid this fallacy, you should provide reasons he is a good leader. For instance, he might know his players well and understand strategy.

Need help finding sources to support your argument? Check out 5 Best Resources to Help With Writing a Research Paper.

6. Ad populum

This logical fallacy plays on people’s emotions. It often focuses on concepts such as patriotism, religion, terrorism, etc.

Ad populum example: As an American, you should support people’s right to get tattoos.

In this example, you’re appealing to people’s feelings of what it means to be an American and connecting two unrelated concepts: being American and getting tattoos.

7. Red herring

This fallacy doesn’t have anything to do with fish, but if you’ve ever watched a political debate, you’ve likely seen the red herring fallacy in action.

Rather than address the argument directly, a person (like a politician) uses a red herring to divert attention from the actual argument by bringing up an unrelated point.

Red herring example: A politician might argue that the drinking water may have unsafe levels of lead, but the real issue is the level of scrutiny the city is facing.

Here, the politician doesn’t address the problem of the unsafe levels of lead and instead attempts to divert the attention to something else: the scrutiny being faced by the city. This, however, does nothing to immediately help the people facing the problem.

8. Bandwagon

How many times have you tried to convince your parents that you should be allowed to do something because one of your friends is doing the same thing? This is the classic example of the bandwagon logical fallacy.

You attempt to validate your argument by suggesting that others believe the same.

Advertisements often use the bandwagon logical fallacy. Advertisers show everyone enjoying a drink, a car, a restaurant, or any number of other products and hope to convince you that, because everyone else loves the product, you should too.

Bandwagon example: “Alesha’s parents and Emma’s parents are letting them go on the road trip, so you should let me go too.”

Here’s the example (that I mentioned above) of trying to convince your parents to let you do something simply because other people are doing it.

(Here’s also where your parents would answer, “If Alesha’s parents and Emma’s parents said they could jump off a bridge, does that mean I should let you do it too?”)

Need a few additional tips to improve your persuasion skills? Read How to Write a Persuasive Essay That’s Convincing.

9. Card stacking

If you stack a deck of cards, you make sure that the cards are in a specific order so that you can win the card game. If you’re using the card stacking fallacy, you’re stacking the argument in your favor by only presenting information or data that supports your argument.

In card stacking, you ignore all other relevant information that may counter your argument.

Card stacking example: The new acne medication is one of the best on the market because it clears up acne in record time.

If this statement is true, it could mean that the acne medication is one of the best, but let’s say the writer has ignored the fact that the medication has been proven to also cause other serious side effects.

If this is the case, clearly the writer has stacked the deck to only include favorable arguments and is ignoring other evidence.

10. Emotional appeals

This fallacy is just like it sounds. You appeal to people’s emotions instead of appealing to logic and actual evidence. It can sometimes be used as a scare tactic to make people think about potential negative consequences of not supporting the argument.

Emotional appeals example: You can help provide a nutritious meal for a hungry child for only 52 cents each day. Wouldn’t you want to help a child live?

This type of appeal is common in ads for charitable organizations. In this example, the argument appeals to viewers’ emotions and wants them to feel both sympathy and empathy to help a starving child.

This example also implies that, if you (the viewer) don’t contribute “only 52 cents each day,” you’re standing by and allowing the child to die.

Highly Logical

With your new knowledge of how to spot (and avoid) logical fallacies, you’re now on your way to writing an effective paper with logical arguments that even Spock would be proud of.

Avoiding logical fallacies isn’t the only thing to be wary of when writing an argument. You should also make sure you have a strong thesis statement and that you create a powerful argumentative essay outline before you begin drafting your paper.

Struggling to find a topic for your argument paper? Check out 70 Argumentative Essay Topics that Will Put Up a Good Fight.

Need some extra guidance on perfecting your Spock-level logic, read these posts:

• How to Use Critical Thinking in Your Essay and Write Smarter
• Ethos, Pathos, Logos: Be More Persuasive in Your Next Essay

Kibin editors are also available to check the logic of your arguments, so send your essay to us for a thorough review.

Live long and prosper!

In the academic writing world, it feels as if we are often worshiping her ourselves.

I mean, your thesis statement is kind of like the bedrock on which your paper will either live and breathe, or dissolve into primordial soup.

So it’s important that you have a solid grasp of what a thesis statement is and how to best formulate it, which is why we’ve spent so much time on the subject here at the Kibin blog.

Yet before we create our own thesis statement, it’s best that we understand the parts that make one up.

Just as the basic unit of all matter, the atom, can be divided into subatomic particles, the thesis statement can also be divided into parts. So what is it made of?

Claims.

So what is a claim in an essay?

That’s what we’ll be talking about today. Before you formulate that all-important thesis statement, you must know what a claim is and how you can make yours good.

What Is a Claim in an Essay?

The purpose of most essays is to tackle a debatable topic. You begin by researching a topic and then choose a side. That’s where claims come in.

At its simplest, a claim is an argument.

However, not all arguments are created equal. For example, the old man down the street might think his climate change argument is perfectly logical, but that doesn’t mean it belongs in an academic essay.

For an academic claim to be worthy of a place in your essay, it should be complex, debatable, supported by research, and focused on the facts. No opinion allowed.

So how does this differ from the thesis? I thought it was your main argument.

Well, yes, it is. But while the overall gist of your thesis may be that climate change is bad, claims are the specific arguments that make up your thesis (e.g., widespread drought will lead to an increase in terrorism).

If we agree that the thesis is the backbone of your essay, then the claims are the vertebrae.

Now that you can answer the question that brought you here—what is a claim in an essay?—let’s look at how claims might differ.

Are There Different Types of Claims?

Although each of your claims will present an argument, not all claims will take the same approach to those arguments.

Although each of your claims will present an argument, not all claims will take the same approach.
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There are several approaches to making a claim. Here are the five major ones:

1. Fact

A claim of fact argues whether something is true. A claim in this category must be debatable. “The earth is actually flat” is not a valid claim. If you’re going to challenge something that has long been considered fact, you must be able to back it up with research.

For example, there’s competing research on how and when the dinosaurs went extinct. You could make your own claim on the matter if you have the research to back it up.

2. Definition

A claim of definition argues how something is defined. The idea is that you argue one thing is another thing, even though some people don’t consider it to be.

For example, you could argue that mass shootings in the United States should be considered terrorist attacks.

3. Cause and effect

A claim of cause and effect argues that one thing causes another. Again, it must be debatable. Smoking causes cancer. There is no argument there.

For example, you could argue that money in politics leads to the ineffectiveness of congress.

4. Value

A claim of value requires you to argue how good or how bad your topic is. You’re going to want to steer clear of opinion here. “Baseball is the best sport” is not a valid claim because any support you come up with will be steeped in opinion.

On the other hand, you could argue that climate change will be the greatest geopolitical crisis of your lifetime.

5. Solution

A solution claim, also referred to as a claim of policy, takes the previous category a step further. Whereas value claims often argue how bad something like climate change is, a solution claim argues how we can best fix the problem.

For example, one could argue that the decriminalization of drugs would lower overall drug abuse rates.

What Makes a Good Claim?

Now that we’ve talked about the various ways in which you can approach a claim, let’s talk about how to ensure that your claims are good, no matter which approach you take.

You may have noticed a few warnings interspersed with the examples above. That’s because there are certain pitfalls that can tank your claims—and in turn your essay—if you’re not careful.

Keep it narrow

A thesis is supposed to be quite narrow in its scope. Your claims are even more narrow arguments within that argument. So needless to say, your claims should not have a broad focus.

Be specific about what you’re claiming, and consider breaking your claim into multiple claims if it covers too much area.

Avoid opinion

In and Out burgers are the best fast-food hamburgers. This may be true. You have my vote. But that doesn’t make this an academic claim.

This is a dead-end claim because it’s purely based on opinion. You can talk about the quality of beef all day, but some people genuinely prefer burgers made out of crappy beef. This is a sad fact of life.

Support your claims

An errant claim with nothing to back it up is like a kite with no string. It looks good, but it’s not going to work like you want it to.

So make sure you only include a claim if you’ve done the research to support it within the body of your essay.

What About Counterclaims? Should I Worry About Them?

So now that you’ve developed some strong claims that can be used in your academic essay, it’s time to look at the flip side.

Although you have lots of great research to back up your arguments, you still have to address your detractors.

A strong claim is supported not only by research that proves it, but also by the accompanying research that refutes the potential counterclaims. For example, let’s say your paper is focusing on climate change and the dangers that it poses.

You not only need to provide evidence of the dangers associated with an increasing global temperature, but you also must provide evidence that it’s not just a symptom of normal fluctuations that occur over time in the climate, but a symptom of human excess.

Addressing readers’ potential counterarguments will make your essay and your claims even stronger.

Now Let’s Talk About That Thesis Statement

As we wrap up this post on claims, let’s circle back and talk about that celestial body around which your entire essay orbits: the thesis statement.

Remember, strong claims are the building blocks of a good thesis. If your claims are weak, the gravity of your thesis will be too.

The main purpose of the thesis is to do two things:

• State the subject of your essay
• State your claim(s)

Your thesis should go at the end of your introduction so that your claims can serve as a road map of the rest of your essay.

After the thesis, you will begin to tackle each claim, one by one, supporting the claims in the body of your paper with research.

In a traditional five-paragraph essay, you’ll have an introduction at the beginning and a conclusion at the end. Between the two, you will have three body paragraphs, each one focused on supporting one of your claims.

However, many essays are shorter or longer than five paragraphs. Depending on the assignment and subject, you paper could have more than three claims or only one. This will depend on the scope of the project.

No matter which it is for you, follow the above advice and your claims will be strong, and in turn, your paper will be too. If you’re still unsure about your draft, send it over to the editors at Kibin. They will ensure your claims are strong.