How to Write an Argumentative Essay AP Lang: A Comprehensive Guide

AP English language essays are an easy way to earn free college credits, but they come at a price. They tend to be more challenging than regular essays, and one has to possess decent writing skills to be successful. However, aside from any college credit you receive from an AP Lang essay, the good news is that you also become a more proficient writer, which should help you through college.

We have compiled some useful guidelines to help students get through these essays. We aim to better their understanding of this form of writing and prepare them for the argument essay they will write at the end of the AP course. So let’s get to it!

What Is the AP Language Argument Essay?

There are different types of essays in an AP English language exam. Some of these essays are closely related to an AP Lang argumentative essay, and it’s important to understand the differences.

The first is a synthesis essay requiring you to read several sources, often 6-7, and construct an argument using at least 3 of these sources. View it as a discussion, where the writer will gather information from the chosen sources and create a valid idea. Next, they’ll have to identify how the different sources relate to each other and use them to build a single argument.

The second is a rhetorical analysis essay which looks at a piece of work as rhetoric. Unlike the argumentative essay, it is less concerned with what the author is trying to say and more with how they are saying it; their technique, goals, and ability to appeal to an audience.

The last is the synthesis paper. The main distinction between a synthesis essay and an argumentative paper is that in the former, you rely on different sources to make your case, whereas, in the latter, you need logic, research, and facts.

Thus, an argumentative essay is not as complicated as other essays. However, if you find yourself stuck writing it, a paper writing service can be of help.

An argumentative essay is a composition that requires you to investigate a topic, collect, generate, and evaluate evidence and concisely establish a position. It is a type of essay where the writer has to explore both sides of an issue.

Depending on the writer, one can choose whether to support both sides of the thesis statement equally or to lean more towards one side. The writer has to use strong evidence from their research and powerful logic to construct arguments that get their points across.

In a good argument essay, the writer doesn’t have to try and persuade the reader to support a particular side; the points you make will help them choose their stance. However, the writer needs to declare their position and elaborate on their stance.

The main aspects of an AP Lang argumentative essay include the following.

Defensible Thesis

You have to choose a thesis to defend or challenge in your AP Lang argumentative essay. The thesis statement also needs to state your position on an issue clearly.

Supporting Evidence

Any claim you make in the AP Lang argumentative essay has to be supported by evidence coupled with your line of reasoning. The evidence can be in the form of statistics or facts you gathered from various credible sources. So, even if you order an essay online, ensure it has sufficient supporting evidence.

Complete Understanding of Your Subject Matter

As mentioned, a writer has to dive deep into both sides of the argument, playing devil’s advocate. A writer first needs to explore the thesis statement, explain their views, and even show the limitations of their stance. They’ll also have to explore the counterarguments and find ways to refute them.

Persuasion

Is your AP Lang argument essay engaging? Try to view it from a reader’s perspective and determine how convincing the work is to your audience. A writer’s skill in persuasion will determine whether a reader will still have doubts after reading the entire essay.

Tips for Writing the AP Language Argument Essay

Want to take your argumentative AP Lang essay to a higher level? Here’re some crucial guidelines for composing a great argument essay for your AP English language and composition exam. 

Have a Strong Stance

Establish a firm stance on the subject; it is the most critical element that should be clear in your entire AP Lang argumentative essay. Unlike AP Lang expository essays, the reader needs to know your stance from the start. You can’t keep your reader guessing about the point you’ve chosen to support.

Because of these stakes, we encourage students to choose a powerful thesis statement they can easily support or refute. The reader will know when you’re unsure, so you need to believe in what you’re writing if you expect them to see the validity of your claims. So you should have a well developed essay with a strong stance.

Choosing a stance for an argumentative AP English language essay is not always easy. Many students get stuck here and waste time they could spend writing. An easier way to do this is to explore the different sides of your thesis statement and note down the points you can raise. From there, choose the position you’ll be better at defending.

Have Enough Strong Evidence to Support Your Points

Your AP Lang argument essay needs a solid support system to support your stance. The strength of the proof determines how well your AP English language essay turns out. Writers rely on the proof to back up their thesis statement because they can’t just present their opinions and hope to score high marks. The proof will have to be factual to make your assertion valid.

The quality of your validation relies on the research you undertake. So, spend enough time researching and gathering sufficient concrete examples from reputable sources. Examples of evidence to incorporate in the argumentative AP Lang paper include:

• Statistics
• Research studies
• Laws
• Real-life examples

Use Proper Language

By default, argument essays are assertive, and thus you should portray confidence with your words. However, you also need to display a passion for showing you are not simply putting forth an opinion but a solid argument. So, be direct and showcase your proof as facts.

There’s no place for impartiality, as is common with a synthesis essay, since you have a clear stance, so you don’t need qualifiers that propose it. Remember, your assertions aren’t based on your feelings or thoughts but cold hard facts, so you should show confidence in expressing them.

However, draw the line in confidence; don’t try to appear like an expert because it’ll make you lose your readers’ trust. Use present tense for most of your argumentative AP Lang paper except when you’re stating historical data. It should work well even when constructing a chronological argument.

Have Good Counter Arguments

In the argumentative AP Lang paper, have at least one of the body paragraphs exploring the counterarguments, just like those written by experts at essayusa review. It allows you to paint the whole picture for the reviewer and show them you comprehend the subject matter.

Raising counterarguments also gives you a chance to knock down the ideas that oppose your assertion, thus strengthening your arguments. If the whole AP Lang essay supports the points you agree with, then it’s not really a well-composed argumentative essay.

Handling Argumentative Essay Prompts

The assignment prompt is what dictates the AP English language essay you should craft. However, examiners don’t outright communicate the essay they want. Therefore, it’s up to you to properly interpret the given argument essay question.

To properly analyze a prompt, first read it multiple times. Pay attention to every detail to be certain of what they’re asking you to deliver. It’ll make the free response questions easier to handle.

Also, identify the key terms that dictate the type of paper you should write. For example, for an AP Lang argument essay, look for words like ‘argue’ or ‘claim’ on the prompt. Then choose to support or refute the thesis statement in your answer.

AP English Language Argument Essay Outline

A good outline acts as the foundation for your entire essay. The outline lists all the different sections of the argumentative AP Lang paper; all the main points are organized in the way they’ll appear in the draft. It saves you time when writing because your body paragraphs will just be you fleshing out what you have highlighted.

You can use an outline for any type of writing, from a rhetorical analysis essay to a research paper. An outline prevents you from straying from the main points and ensures you meet the requirements of your rubric. When making your argumentative AP Lang essay outline, ensure it has three key segments:

• Intro
• Body
• Outro

How Will AP Scores Impact My College Chances?

College admissions are competitive nowadays, and the finest margins determine rejection or acceptance. Students now have to worry about grades, test scores, and extracurriculars, but what about AP English language scores?

College admissions boards rarely factor in AP scores when you apply because they are outside your GPA and are not considered part of your transcripts. However, some institutes allow students to ‘self-report’ any extra standardized scores on an optional application section.

So how much weight does your AP Lang rhetorical analysis essay and the rest of the exam hold? It depends. Since AP scores aren’t a requirement, they’ll usually not affect applications too much. However, don’t write off that AP Lang argument essay just yet. At top schools with tough competition for slots, AP scores can help you distinguish yourself from the rest, especially if they are perfect. On the other hand, if your scores on the AP Lang essays are anything short of impressive, we don’t recommend including them because they can work against you.

Summing Up

Composing a great AP Lang argument essay is not as challenging as it may seem. With the right attitude and commitment, any student can compose stunning AP Lang argumentative and rhetorical analysis papers. With the above advice, you should be able to approach this task confidently and with minimum hitches.