determine ways to organize ideas and opinions in an
argumentative essay
Answer:
Tips for Organizing an Argumentative Essay
1.) Pre-Write/Outline
-There are not many aspects of the writing process that are as universally dreaded as the outline. Sometimes it can feel like pointless extra work, but it actually is your best safeguard against losing focus in a paper, preserves organization throughout, and just generally makes it easier to sit down and write an essay.
2.) Make sure you begin each paragraph with a topic sentence.
-A topic sentence should state the point/claim you make in your paragraph.
-A topic sentence should not be description, summary, or general background information.
3.) Make sure every topic sentence (and therefore, every paragraph) relates directly back to your thesis statement.
-Each topic sentence should say why/how the content of the paragraph matters to your overall argument.
-If your paragraph doesn’t relate to your thesis, consider incorporating it into another one, or cutting it out entirely.
4) Use effective transitions between paragraphs.
-Transitions should be used to mark a connection/opposition between a previous point and your current one
Connection:
Paragraph A: talks about Alice’s encounter with the caterpillar
Transition to Paragraph B: Similarly, Alice encounters another strange creature in the form of the Cheshire Cat, with whom, like the caterpillar, she holds a conversation with larger implications for the world of the novel.
Opposition:
Paragraph A: details how the madness of Wonderland critiques the fact-based Victorian England.
5) Re-read your paper!
Many issues that might hamper flow are small/general enough that you can catch them just by proofreading–i.e., sentence fragments, clunky/lengthy sentences, etc.
Reading your paper out loud is especially helpful for catching awkward phrases/sentences.
