Argumentative Essay Template and Example Outline

An argumentative essay template and example argumentative essay outline to make writing argumentative essays a breeze!

If you’re anything like most students, it’s likely you skip the essay outline part of the research process and jump straight into writing the dastardly thing.

However, taking the time to plan out the main flow and points of your essay can actually save you a ton of time in the long run.

Think about your essay outline as a roadmap that will guide you step-by-step through the process of writing the essay. For more help, try our essay writer.

Beginner writers can undoubtedly benefit from an essay outline, but even seasoned writers use them. Take J.K. Rowling, for example. Here’s her outline for the plot of Harry Potter:

This method is so effective because it allows you to visualize the flow of your ideas and how they link together as the essay progresses.  

It is very common for students to write their essays at the last minute. But if you don’t have a clear essay outline or plan by which you can answer the question, you may find yourself staring at a blank page as panic increasingly sets in.

My advice: Plan ahead with an essay outline. It’s easy to create one using one of our simple templates, and it will save you from that last-minute stress.

Once you are familiar with writing an essay outline for yourself, check out our free essay outline generator; crafting an impressive outline has never been easier or more enjoyable.

How do you write an essay outline?

The outline of an essay will vary according to the type and format of the essay you are writing. In this post, we’re looking at a sample outline for an argumentative essay.

You can read more about how to write an argumentative essay here: writing amazing argumentative essays.

Now, one thing you should remember when compiling your argumentative essay outline is that it’s pretty much for your eyes only. Unless your teachers have specifically requested that you submit your essay outline, it’s something that you will use on a personal level to guide your thoughts. Even if your teacher has asked for a copy of your essay outline, it’s unlikely that he or she will be too critical in terms of how you have organized your ideas–it’s more about demonstrating that you HAVE put some thought into your essay. For this reason, don’t dwell too much on making your outline perfect; heck, if the odd grammar error slips in, it’s not the end of the world (it’s not often you’ll essay editors saying that!).

Your main objective is to organize your thoughts quickly and efficiently. 

The argumentative essay template we have provided below will give you a great basis for composing your essay outline.

However, don’t feel constrained by them. If you want to make some basic adjustments, please feel free to do so. Whatever way you decide to write your essay outline is great–the main objective is to make sure you have one!

So let’s take a sample template for an argumentative essay in more depth.

Essay Outline Template for an Argumentative Essay

An argumentative essay is a valuable tool in academia because it offers learners an opportunity to formulate an argument and present it in a careful and measured way. Despite what many people think, writing an argumentative essay is not about getting angry. It’s actually quite the opposite.

Argumentative essays require you to present your opinions in a way that will persuade others to support your position.

Sample outline for an argumentative essay

1. Introduction
   1. Overview of the background to your topic
   2. Thesis statement
2. Body paragraph one: 
   1. Statement of argument 1 in support of your thesis
      1. Supporting fact 1
      2. Supporting fact 2
      3. Supporting fact 3
   2. Summary of how the three facts support argument 1.
3. Body paragraph two: 
   1. Statement of argument 2 in support of your thesis
      1. Supporting fact 1
      2. Supporting fact 2
      3. Supporting fact 3
   2. Summary of how the three facts support argument 2.
4.  Body paragraph three:
   1. Statement of argument 3 in support of your thesis
      1. Supporting fact 1
      2. Supporting fact 2
      3. Supporting fact 3
   2. Summary of how the three facts support argument 3.
5. Body paragraph four: Potential opposing argument 1 to your thesis and your response to this claim
6. Body paragraph four: Potential opposing argument 2 to your thesis and your response to this claim
7. Conclusion
   1. Reiterate arguments made in the thesis statement
   2. Specific why your points are of interest (prospects for future research, current relevance, potential future applications, etc.)

Example completed argumentative essay outline

And that’s pretty much it in a nutshell. Remember to dissect your argument into manageable chunks and present one idea per paragraph. Don’t be tempted to present only the ideas that support your thesis. Also, take the time and effort to identify the counterarguments that someone may leverage in response to your claims and then present evidence to disprove these claims.

Need more help writing your essays? Take a look at our fantastic guide to The Ultimate Guide to Editing an Essay in 2020.