Structure of an argumentative essay

1. Writing an argumentative essay
Notes on Legal English for Bachelor Students Writing Assignment 3

2. Structure of your paper
• Title
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion

3. Good titles
• State the topic of your research
• Indicate the scope of your research
• Are self-evident to others in your
research-area

4. Title structure
• Much-used formats:
• General: specific
• Research topic: methodology
• Problem: solution

5. Introductions: three moves
• Establish a research territory
Show that the research area is
interesting
important
problematic
• Indicate gaps in previous research
Review previous literature
Show problems in previous literature

6. Reviewing literature
• Quality of literature
elegant/economical or accurate or sloppy
• Quantity of literature
However, most studies so far have
overlooked/failed to consider/concentrated
on…
Little information is available on…
Few studies mention…

7. Citation and tense
• Researcher activity as agent: past simple
oJones (1987) investigated the causes of
lung cancer.
• Researcher activity not as agent: present
perfect
oThe causes of lung cancer have been
widely investigated.
• No reference to researcher activity:
present simple
oThe causes of lung cancer are
complex.

8. Introductions, move 3
• Outline purpose or nature of present RP
• Announce principal findings
• Indicate structure of RP

9. Purpose statement and theme
• Referring to the type of text: present
simple
The aim of this paper is to + infinitive
• Referring to the type of investigation: past
simple
A study was conducted to + infinitive

10. Conclusions: three moves
• Consolidate your research space
(obligatory)
• Indicate the limitations of your research
(optional but common)
• Identify useful areas of further research
(optional)

11. The concluding paragraph of an essay should include:
• A narrow statement relating the conclusion to
the preceding paragraph;
• A restatement of the proposition or thesis
statement;
• A brief summary of the main points made in the
essay.
• A final, broad statement on the significance of
the argument, and, if appropriate, its
implications.
Your conclusion should not just be a list of the
points you have made.

12. Consolidating your research area
• Discussion of literature
• General statement
• Statement of original purpose
• Statement of results
• Statement of importance of research
• Methodology
• Discussion of limitations

13. To conclude:
Poor conclusions
only summarize