How Do You Write a Toulmin Argumentative Essay

The art of writing an argumentative essay is as old as human existence. Further, such art is a part of our identity. And there are different methods you can use to argue a point, one of which is the Toulmin method.

This is one of the most widely used models for analysis and argumentation. The model helps organize your thoughts into a cohesive argument. In addition, it enables you to understand how to proceed in your research if you want to develop your ideas.

But how do you write such essays? We have compiled this guide to help you understand the ins and outs of writing a Toulmin Argumentative Essay

The General Process

Generally, the process of writing a Toulmin essay is carrying out the research. This entails doing extensive research on your topic so that you can gather information.

After you have done your research, write down all the facts and figures that support your claim. Then, arrange them according to importance and relevance. This way, when you write your essay, it will be easier to present all relevant information and ensure that everything is clear for the reader from the beginning of your paper.

Generally, each essay’s argument has six parts;

• Claim
• Grounds
• Warrant
• Qualifier
• Rebuttal
• Backing

To write a successful Toulmin argumentative essay, you must understand each of these parts. Further, the first step in writing these essays is understanding how the model works and how to write one.

The Claim

The claim is the main idea of the essay. It’s what you’re arguing for, the position, or the opinion you’re going to defend throughout the body paragraphs of your essay. This is where you express your point of view on a topic

The claim part of an argumentative essay must be stated clearly and concisely at the beginning of the paper so that readers immediately know what they’re reading about. If you are arguing that there should be a gender role change, so men can stay home with their children while women work outside the home, then you would state, “Gender roles should be changed so men can stay home with their children.

Further, the claim can be viewed as the assertion you’re trying to prove with your essay. It should clearly state what you want your readers to believe or do after reading your piece.

This part can be one or two sentences or take up several paragraphs. It’s often introduced by using a rhetorical question or an anecdote. You can also use “I believe,” “I think,” or “in my opinion.”

It can also be a statement that expresses an opinion or an assertion of fact. For example: “We should not allow our children to have cell phones.” or “Cell phones have made communication easier.”

The Ground

The Ground part in a Toulmin argumentative essay is the part where you provide the evidence that supports your thesis statement or claim. It’s important to note that the Ground part of your essay should also be backed with evidence from outside sources.

Also see: The Best Outline And Thesis Generators online 

This part places special emphasis on pointing out specific pieces of evidence that support your argument. This section can be filled with details about studies, statistics, and other facts and figures. Additionally, this section is where you prove that your claims are valid and factual.

It is also the background information that your audience reads to understand the issue and make a decision. The part provides background information and establishes your credibility.

The Warrant

The warrant is the reason why the evidence you provide supports your claim. It is the most substantial part of a Toulmin argumentative essay because it gives a detailed explanation for your claim and links each piece of evidence to your conclusion. You can present your warrant by using examples, statistics, or personal experience to support your claim

To write the best warrant part, follow the following steps;

• Look for evidence that supports your claim. For example, if you are arguing against cell phones being allowed at school, find evidence that shows why they should not be permitted.
• Find quotes from famous people who agree with your point of view. For example, parents don’t want their children to have cell phones at school. You can also find statistics that prove your point of view is correct, like, cell phone usage has increased among children.
• Write down all the evidence that proves your point of view, and then connect it back to your thesis statement by making an assumption or providing an explanation about why this evidence is essential for your argument.

The Qualifier

The qualifier shows the claim may not be valid in all circumstances. They can be a condition, a period, or an exception to the claim.

Qualifiers can be used to strengthen or weaken an argumentative essay. If you want to enhance your argument, use a qualifying statement that shows that your claim may not be valid in all circumstances.

Further, qualifiers are vital because they show that the writer is aware of possible exceptions to the rule they are making and not trying to make absolute statements that cannot be proven wrong. This gives their argument more credibility and makes it easier for the reader to trust them.

This part is characterized by words like usually, sometimes, always, and most. To write this part effectively, you need to look at other aspects of your claim which do not hold ultimately.

Rebuttal

Rebuttal refers to any possible counterarguments against your claim that could arise from another perspective on the same topic as yours. When writing this part, you presented it as an opposing viewpoint within your text by someone else who disagrees with it.

The purpose of this part of the argumentative essay is to offer what appears to be a reasonable alternative explanation or perspective on the subject at hand. It doesn’t matter whether you agree with that alternative idea. What matters is that you present and explain other alternatives against your original position or claim.

Here are some points to remember when writing your rebuttal part;

• You should not just restate what you have already said. Instead, you should present new arguments and evidence that support your position. This can be done by answering counterarguments or criticisms raised against your idea by the other party
• Your rebuttal should not be limited to countering just one specific criticism or counterargument raised against your stance. Instead, you should address all objections raised against your perspective and explain why they are not valid arguments.
• When writing a rebuttal part, avoid using phrases such as “in my opinion” or “I feel” because they don’t offer any proof or evidence to support your stance and thus make it less convincing than if you had used actual evidence from reliable sources

Backing

The backing part is the additional support for claims or warrants and is characterized by the word “because.” Backing refers to the reasons and examples you use to support your claims with evidence or information other sources can verify. It helps make your argument more convincing if it provides concrete evidence rather than just opinions or assumptions made by yourself or others involved in the topic.

Its purpose is to provide evidence for your claim. This can be done through direct evidence, such as statistics and surveys, or indirect evidence, such as expert opinion or personal experience.

When writing this section, there are several things you should do;

• Use credible sources, such as books, websites, academic journals, newspapers, and magazines. However, if you use personal interviews or observations as sources, then ensure they are reliable and credible.
• Find out more about your topic by reading other people’s work on it. You can also look at different viewpoints on your topic and see how others defend their arguments against those viewpoints. For example, if you’re writing about gun control laws, look at both sides of the argument.

When writing this part, you should consider what type of evidence best suits your topic. Is it quantitative, qualitative, or both? For example, if you are writing about the benefits of working from home, you may want to use statistics from a study on telecommuting and its impact on employee satisfaction.

You should also ensure that your evidence supports your claim. If you claim parents should encourage their children to play outside more often instead of spending time on electronic devices indoors, then make sure that all of your supporting evidence points towards this outcome.

Perfect your Toulmin Essay Writing with these Steps

The popularity of Toulmin argumentation is on the rise, especially in colleges and universities.  With this in mind, it’s essential to understand what it is, how it functions, and which elements are needed to put together a quality essay. It’s vital to follow all these steps when writing to ensure that it’s as effective as possible.

By keeping these critical concepts in mind, you’ll have a Toulmin essay that your audience will appreciate. And remember to establish credibility with your reader when writing your argumentative essay by citing a source early on and organizing ideas logically. Think of this as a way to set the foundation for your argumentative essay.