What is an Argumentative Research Essay?
An argumentative research essay is where the writer uses logic to try an persuade the audience to a specific point of view or stance on a topic. This is done by conducting research and using credible sources, both primary and secondary, to find facts or evidence to backup the writer's opposition on the chosen topic. When writing an Argumentative essay, the writer must incorporate not only their stance but acknowledge and address opposing viewpoints to try an disprove them through reasoning or logic.
When writing an argumentative essay you should be able to demonstrate an understanding of three basic rhetorical concepts: ethos, pathos, and logos.
Ethos: a method of persuasion in which the speaker or writer attempts to persuade the audience by demonstrating his own credibility or authority.
Pathos: the appeal to emotion, means to persuade an audience by purposely evoking certain emotions to make them feel the way the author wants them to feel.
Logos: the appeal to logic, means to appeal to the audiences' sense of reason or logic. To use logos, the author makes clear, logical connections between ideas, and includes the use of facts and statistics.