Structuring an argument

In another section of this tutorial, we discussed the importance of carefully analysing your topic to ensure that your essay actually answers the question the lecturer has asked.

Another concern for lecturers is whether or not the essay has a clear line of argument.

This is not a new idea for most students. Nevertheless, while you may know that you should have an argument, when dealing with complex themes in an academic essay, it is often difficult to make that argument stand out clearly, or sometimes, to even know what your argument is!

The following tasks are designed to help you develop further your ability to structure arguments. They cover three main aspects of writing a clear argument: focusing on the topic, writing qualified answers, and linking main points. Select these individual tasks from the menu on the left.