Welcome to the Purdue Owl
Welcome to the Purdue OWL
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/). When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice at bottom.
Contributors:Allen Brizee.
Summary:
This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.
Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper
The following sections outline the generally accepted structure for an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that these are guidelines and that your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.
You may also use the following Purdue OWL resources to help you with your argument paper:
Creating a Thesis Statement
Establishing Arguments
Organizing Your Argument
Organizing Your Argument Slide Presentation
Logic in Argumentative Writing
Paragraphs and Paragraphing
Transitions and Transitional Devices
Introduction
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
What is this?
Why am I reading it?
What do you want me to do?
You should answer these questions by doing the following:
Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos
This page is brought to you by the OWL at Purdue (http://owl.english.purdue.edu/). When printing this page, you must include the entire legal notice at bottom.
Contributors:Allen Brizee.
Summary:
This resource outlines the generally accepted structure for introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions in an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that this resource contains guidelines and not strict rules about organization. Your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.
Introductions, Body Paragraphs, and Conclusions for an Argument Paper
The following sections outline the generally accepted structure for an academic argument paper. Keep in mind that these are guidelines and that your structure needs to be flexible enough to meet the requirements of your purpose and audience.
You may also use the following Purdue OWL resources to help you with your argument paper:
Creating a Thesis Statement
Establishing Arguments
Organizing Your Argument
Organizing Your Argument Slide Presentation
Logic in Argumentative Writing
Paragraphs and Paragraphing
Transitions and Transitional Devices
Introduction
The introduction is the broad beginning of the paper that answers three important questions:
What is this?
Why am I reading it?
What do you want me to do?
You should answer these questions by doing the following:
Set the context – provide general information about the main idea, explaining the situation so the reader can make sense of the topic and the claims you make and support
State why the main idea is important – tell the reader why s/he should care and keep reading. Your goal is to create a compelling, clear, and convincing essay people will want to read and act upon
State your thesis/claim – compose a sentence or two stating the position you will support with logos (sound reasoning: induction, deduction), pathos (balanced emotional appeal), and ethos