A proper argumentative essay outline will simplify your essay writing process. You need it to guide you on how to put together and present all the facts you have gathered into a logical argument that proves that the thesis is true. To achieve this, your outline must therefore have the right structure. Since the structure for an argumentative essay is standard, you can use a template like the one we have provided to quickly draft an outline. It guides you on what information to input in the introduction, body, opposition, and conclusion. Download this free template and get started with your outline right away!
How to use this Argumentative Essay Outline Template
The standard structure of this template has four major sections, including an introduction, body, opposition, and conclusion. However, you must know the proper information to input in these sections to produce a high-quality argumentative. Below is a discussion on how to use this outline template in your essay writing process.
Introduction
The introduction serves three purposes. One, it sparks the reader’s interest in the text, gives them an idea of what the essay’s content discusses, and introduces your thesis statement. This template entails three sections to make sure your introduction fulfills its purpose.
When filling the template, use the hook section to generate interest, the background information section to contextualize your topic or issue, and the thesis statement part to outline your argument. Remember this is an outline, so be brief.
Body
The body is the core of your argumentative essay. It provides facts that convince the reader to accept your argument and point of view. The reader will spend most of their reading time in this section and you should therefore aim to provide enough reasons why your thesis is true and in-depth supporting evidence.
To fill this section, give reasons why your argument or thesis is valid. This template prompts you to provide three reasons but you can include more reasons if needed. For each reason, provide supporting evidence, which may include statistics, real-life examples, quotations, and analogies to explain. Stick to factual evidence and do not include personal opinions. Good supporting evidence should be credible and irrefutable from research or reports. Remember, this is simply an outline and you are only required to state the reason and highlight the supporting evidence in bullet points or brief notes. Lastly, to improve the flow of your essay from one reason to the next, the template has an entry for you to include a transition sentence or phrase.
Opposition
You must include a counterargument to your thesis, and then refute it using evidence, logic, or both to show that you have considered opposing views when taking your stance. This section is important to readers as it shows your ability to understand, acknowledge, and refute multiple perspectives on a particular topic or issue respectfully. It is also a way to anticipate and address doubts and possible objections to your argument.
To fill this section, think of alternative answers to your research question, formulate opposing viewpoints, and note them down in the ‘opposition’ segment. In the ‘refutation’ section, provide counterarguments to the opposing views. Enlist any evidence and logical deductions you have supporting your refutation.
Conclusion
The conclusion winds up everything you have discussed and is your last attempt to sway the reader to agree with you, leave a memorable impression, and urge the readers to take action. So, it should remind the reader of your main argument or thesis and its significance, reinforce your argument’s validity, and state which action you would recommend the reader to take after reading your essay.
To fill this outline template section, start by rephrasing the thesis statement. Then, summarize the key reasons why your argument is valid that you have provided in the body section. You should not introduce new information or arguments. Then, finalize with a call to action related to the topic or issue in question. You can highlight why taking the particular action is beneficial to motivate the reader. You can also include a thought-provoking question.
FAQs
Is the template shareable for group work?
Yes. We have provided the template in different file formats, including Google Docs, which has a ‘Share’ feature that allows you to add ‘editors’ via email for real-time collaboration.
Can I customize the template?
Yes. You can modify certain elements like theme color, font, and labels. You can also add more arguments, even though three reasons are typically sufficient. However, the template is designed to satisfy the standard structure of an argumentative essay, so avoid adjusting the order of the fundamental items like introduction, body, and conclusion.
