Academic paper writing is one of the most daunting tasks students face throughout their tenure at educational institutions. One of the reasons why it happens is that many still view writing as something that requires an inborn talent.
But in reality, anyone can craft a decent (if not excellent) academic paper without being a natural-born writer. The problem is, not everyone has enough time, motivation, and perseverance to learn how to do it.
Whatever your circumstances are, you might find yourself wondering: “Can someone write an essay for me?” at a certain point. The answer is yes – student help services can easily handle it. But developing your own writing skills should still be a priority.
If you agree but don’t know where to start, keep reading this article. Here, we’re going to explain one of the most difficult paper types, an argumentative essay, and address the things to avoid when writing it.
What Is an Argumentative Essay?
Before we proceed with the list of the things to avoid when writing an argumentative paper, let’s make sure you know what exactly an argumentative paper is. So let’s start at the beginning.
The Definition
An argumentative essay is typically defined as a genre of writing aimed at proving a certain stance. To achieve this goal, the writer should bring up sufficient arguments supported by evidence and arrive at a certain conclusion.
The 4 Types
It’s also necessary to mention that there are several types of argumentative papers. These are:
- persuasive essays;
- research papers;
- analysis essays;
- personal essays.
The latter type also includes various kinds of speeches, so if you’re not good at writing academic papers, you’re likely to have problems with speeches, too. Luckily, you can always get help from professional writers at EssayService by simply placing an order online. It can be a life-saver when the deadline is near, but you need to practice your own writing anyway.
Since practicing is a lot easier when you have certain guidelines, here is an essential list of things to avoid when writing an argumentative paper of any type.
What to Avoid When Writing an Argumentative Essay
From skipping the outlines to clumsy conclusions, here are the five things you should avoid at all costs.
Skipping the Outline
Some students fail to acknowledge the importance of outlining and, therefore, tend to skip this crucial stage of the writing process. This is a grave mistake, especially when you’re writing something as complex as an argumentative essay.
Although it may seem that skipping the outline saves time, the effect is, in reality, quite the opposite. The less structure you have, the more you struggle, and the longer it takes you to produce a coherent text (if you manage to do it at all).
Not Enough Research
Another wrong way to save time is to do it at the expense of the research process. All argumentative essays call for extensive research, and not having enough evidence to support your claim can make your paper fall short of the required standards.
The right way to save time at this stage is to make notes and to adjust the quotations to the paragraphs in your outline. This will ensure you won’t need to rummage through the same sources all over again when you start writing.
Vague Thesis Statement
A clear thesis statement is essential for an argumentative essay as it contains the stance you’re going to prove throughout your text. If your thesis statement is vague or ambiguous, you’ll be having a hard time proving it, and the readers will struggle to understand what you mean.
If you’re not sure whether your stance is clear, you can do the following:
- ask someone to read it and express their thoughts;
- write the body paragraphs first, and then formulate the thesis statement;
- use an online thesis statement generator.
Whatever you choose, remember to read the final draft carefully to make sure your thesis statement works.
Not Supporting Your Arguments
Essentially, argumentative papers are about arguments, and these should normally be supported by sufficient evidence from reliable sources. However, some students forget about the latter part, which results in their arguments being unconvincing.
Another common mistake is failing to address the counterarguments. In an argumentative essay, scrutinizing the issue from all angles is a must, so including the counterarguments is essential for this paper type.
Clumsy Conclusion
A conclusion is typically a reiteration of the initial statement presented in the introduction, so it’s vital that the two statements align. But sometimes, you can get lost in your arguments and arrive at a conclusion that differs from your thesis statement.
In such cases, you’ll need to revise the arguments or alter your initial statement. One more thing to remember is that you shouldn’t introduce any new ideas in the final section of the paper.
Wrapping Up
These were the things to avoid when writing an argumentative essay (and any academic paper, for that matter). The list could go on, though, as there are many other common mistakes. However, eliminating the five listed above will already be a good start on your way to better academic writing – and better grades!
