How Long is An Argumentative Essay? How to Write a Good Argumentative Essay?

We’ll go over how long an argumentative essay should be, how to research and write one, and how to do it well.

You’ll be well on your way to receiving high marks for the paper if you can back up your claims with substantial, verifiable, and logical evidence and persuade the reader to concur.

How long argumentative essays should be is a common query from students. Therefore, how long should an argumentative essay be? The average argumentative essay is between three to five paragraphs.

In this straightforward, step-by-step tutorial, you will learn what components every argumentative essay should have and how to structure it based on your readership.

How Long is An Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay typically has three to five paragraphs. Although the topics your instructor asks you to work on will span across different fields, from history and science to society and literature, you will need to maintain the same argumentative essay structure throughout your writing.

In other words, in addition to making a claim, you must also support it with reasonable evidence drawn from at least three or four reliable sources. Not to mention that you must be absolutely certain that the essay follows the prescribed format.

The Length of Each Part in an Essay

The Length of Different Kinds of Essays

The Length of Essays in Different Grades

Can An Argumentative Essay Be More Than Five Paragraphs?

A number of factors can determine whether an argumentative essay has more than five paragraphs. Therefore, you are not required to approach it as a strict mathematical construct with a predetermined number of paragraphs or word count.

Look at the assignment first, paying close attention to the essay prompt’s topic. If the assignment is simple enough to support basic arguments, stick with the 5-paragraph essay limit.

This being the case, the first paragraph should introduce the argument, the second and third should support it, the fourth should focus on the counterargument in the essay, and the final paragraph should be a solid conclusion for your argument.

Second, unless your instructor specifically instructs you to do so, you shouldn’t restrict yourself to the five-paragraph standard. Because more paragraphs can clearly explain your position if the five you’ve included aren’t sufficient to persuade the reader of it.

Third, if you have additional points to support your arguments, an argumentative essay can contain more than five paragraphs.

Just keep in mind that each paragraph should have a claim connected to your main idea in the thesis and offer thorough justifications, figures, and examples to support your position.

How Can I Determine the Length of the Argumentative Essay Assignment?

There are two methods for calculating the length of your argumentative essay.

Read the essay prompt as your first course of action. This should direct you in the right direction because it’s possible that your instructor included the recommended number of paragraphs in the essay guidelines.

Alternatively, you could inquire. While there is nothing wrong with ignoring this, it’s just to have a one-minute discussion with your instructor to decide how long to make your argumentative essay.

If there is no time limit specified, determine how many points you can fit into the essay and make your plans accordingly.

How to Outline An Argumentative Essay in 4 Steps?

Argumentative essays should follow a clear structure to make them simple for readers to understand. An argumentative essay’s objective is to succinctly describe a point of view, a line of reasoning, and supporting details. A good argumentative essay should follow this structure:

1. Introductory paragraph. The first paragraph of your essay should introduce the subject, give background information necessary to comprehend your argument, list the supporting details, and state your thesis.
2. The thesis statement. This begins your opening paragraph. It is a succinct summary of your main argument and claim in one sentence.
3. Body paragraphs. An argumentative essay typically has three or more paragraphs that provide supporting evidence for your thesis. Each body paragraph should cover a different idea or piece of evidence and contain a topic sentence that clearly and concisely explains why the reader should agree with your position. Body paragraphs are where you back up your claims with examples, research, statistics, studies, and text citations. Explain your position on opposing viewpoints and provide arguments to support or refute them. Gaining a reader’s trust requires factual presentation and considering a subject from all sides.
4. Conclusion. One paragraph that restates your thesis, restates your main points and summarizes your entire body of evidence. A strong conclusion will appeal to the reader’s emotions rather than adding new information or more arguments. Some authors will use a personal anecdote to illustrate how the subject personally affects them.

How Long Should the Thesis Statement of An Argumentative Essay Be?

We’ve covered thesis statements in argumentative essay writing already. However, given that the focus of this guide is assignment length, it’s critical to discuss thesis statement length in some detail.

From what you already know, a thesis statementis the most important part of any type of argumentative writing.

Since that’s the case, you might fall into the temptation that it’s okay to make it longer to clearly bring your idea to life. There is a catch to this, though. And that is the thesis, which is limited to one or two sentences.

It must follow the introduction, and it must be incredibly succinct. You don’t need a lot of writing space to briefly state the topic of your essay, after all. For your readers to know what to expect, one or two sentences should suffice.

How to Write a Thesis Statement in 3 Steps?

The most critical element of your argumentative essay is your thesis statement, which should be no longer than one sentence. The thesis, which can be found in your introductory paragraph, summarizes the subject of your argumentative essay and prepares the reader for what follows.

These steps will help you get your point across clearly and concisely:

1. Turn the topic into a question and answer it. In your essay’s title or the opening sentences, pose a significant question. Then, gradually develop your thesis statement’s response to that question. For example, in your title or introduction, you could pose the question, “Which sandwich filling is the best?” And then answer with your thesis statement: “Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are the best kinds.” This technique works well because it poses intriguing questions that entice readers to read on to learn the solution.
2. State an argument—and then refute it. Introduce a viewpoint that is opposed to your own and state your objections right away. For example: “Although some people think peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are too basic, you can easily turn them into a gourmet meal because of how adaptable they are.” This technique works well because it backs up your claims with the evidence right away.
3. Briefly outline your main points. Introduce your main argument and detail your supporting arguments. For example: “By using artisanal bread, toasting the bread, and including additional toppings, you can transform a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into a gourmet dish.” This approach works well because it provides readers with a clear understanding of everything you plan to cover in your essay. It acts as a road map to keep you organized and on course.

How Many Pages Should An Argumentative Essay Be?

We can confidently state that it depends because there is no right or incorrect response to this.

From what we understand as an academic writing company, the number of pages you end up with for an argumentative essay will depend on the number of paragraphs, the spacing used, and the length of the essay.

Short essays typically have at least 5 paragraphs, so depending on the type of spacing used, you’ll end up with two or three pages.

Regardless of the type of spacing used, argumentative essays with more than five paragraphs generally run longer, resulting in more pages. As an illustration, if you decide to make your essay 10 to 15 paragraphs long, you’ll have at least 6 to 8 pages, give or take.

Main Types of Arguments

An argumentative essay can be structured in one of three ways. Choose one of the following or combine them to write your persuasive paper:

1. Classical. Give the main point of contention, express your viewpoint, and try your best to persuade the reader that your position is the correct one. This approach to argumentation, also known as Aristotelian, is the most widely used because it is the easiest to understand. Given that it presents the information succinctly and clearly, it works well when your audience lacks background knowledge or strong opinions on the subject.
2. Rogerian. Give the reader a brief overview of the issue, acknowledge the opposing viewpoint, state your own, and then justify why it is the reader’s best option. As it acknowledges both sides and presents the middle ground, this kind of argument works well for divisive issues.
3. Toulmin. Present your claim, then provide evidence to support it. Finally, establish how the grounds are related to the claim. This kind of argument, which relies heavily on facts presented in a way that makes the claim challenging to refute, is also effective for polarizing topics. However, it only presents one side of the argument rather than both.

Conclusion: How Long is An Argumentative Essay?

Knowing how to properly structure your point of view is the key to writing an effective argumentative essay, regardless of whether you’re writing it as an artistic exercise or hoping to catch the attention of a prestigious publication.

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

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