Argumentative essay outline template

Quick answer

An argumentative essay outline has an introduction with a hook and thesis, two or three claims that each carry evidence and analysis, a counterargument with a rebuttal, and a conclusion. Fill in one sentence per line, then write the essay from the outline.

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Argumentative Essay Outline
Topic: [The issue you are arguing about]
Position (thesis): [One sentence stating your position and your main reasons]
 
I.Introduction
A.Hook: [A fact, question or short example that makes the issue matter.]
B.Background: [What the reader needs to know about the issue.]
C.Thesis: [Your position and the reasons you will give.]
II.Claim 1: [First reason, as a full sentence.]
A.Evidence: [Fact, statistic, expert source or example, with the source.]
B.Analysis: [Explain how the evidence supports the claim.]
C.Link: [How this claim supports the thesis.]
III.Claim 2: [Second reason, as a full sentence.]
A.Evidence: [Fact, statistic, expert source or example, with the source.]
B.Analysis: [Explain how the evidence supports the claim.]
C.Link: [How this claim supports the thesis.]
IV.Claim 3: [Third reason, as a full sentence.]
A.Evidence: [Fact, statistic, expert source or example, with the source.]
B.Analysis: [Explain how the evidence supports the claim.]
C.Link: [How this claim supports the thesis.]
V.Counterargument and Rebuttal
A.Opposing view: [The strongest argument against your position, stated fairly.]
B.Rebuttal: [Why your position still holds, with evidence.]
VI.Conclusion
A.Restate the thesis: [Your thesis in new words.]
B.Synthesize: [Pull the claims together. Do not only repeat them.]
C.Final thought: [Why the issue matters or what should happen next.]
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Before you submit

Starting from a blank document? Set it up yourself

In Microsoft Word

  1. Open a new document and type the topic and your position.
  2. Use Home, Multilevel List, I., A., 1., a. for the numbering.
  3. Add the introduction, two or three claims, the counterargument and the conclusion as top level items.
  4. Under each claim, add Evidence, Analysis and Link lines.

In Google Docs

  1. Open a new document and type the topic and your position.
  2. Use Format, Bullets and numbering, Numbered list for the numbering.
  3. Add the introduction, two or three claims, the counterargument and the conclusion as top level items.
  4. Under each claim, add Evidence, Analysis and Link lines (Tab moves a line down a level).

Filled-in example

Sample content for illustration. Do not cite.
Filled-in example

a worked outline on a sample argument, with evidence, analysis, a counterargument and a conclusion. Sample content only.

Download the example
Argumentative Essay Outline: Example
Topic: School start times
Position (thesis): High schools should start no earlier than 8:30 a.m. because later starts support student health, improve attendance, and raise learning time.
 
I.Introduction
A.Hook: Many teenagers wake in the dark to catch a school bus and spend first period barely awake.
B.Background: Pediatric groups recommend that middle and high schools start no earlier than 8:30 a.m., but many schools still start earlier.
C.Thesis: High schools should start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
II.Claim 1: Teenagers need more sleep than early start times allow.
A.Evidence: Sleep research on how adolescent body clocks shift later.
B.Analysis: Early starts force students to wake while their bodies are still in a sleep phase.
C.Link: Better sleep supports the health benefits named in the thesis.
III.Claim 2: Later start times can improve attendance.
A.Evidence: District reports on lateness and absences before and after a schedule change.
B.Analysis: Fewer late arrivals mean more instruction time.
C.Link: Attendance is the second benefit named in the thesis.
IV.Claim 3: Alert students learn more in each hour.
A.Evidence: Studies linking sleep to attention and memory.
B.Analysis: The same classroom hour is worth more to a rested student.
C.Link: This is the learning-time benefit named in the thesis.
V.Counterargument and Rebuttal
A.Opposing view: Later starts disrupt sports, bus schedules, and working parents.
B.Rebuttal: Districts that changed start times have adjusted practice schedules and bus routes, so the costs are manageable.
VI.Conclusion
A.Restate the thesis: A later start is a low-cost way to help students.
B.Synthesize: Health, attendance, and learning all point the same way.
C.Final thought: Schools can make this change without new buildings or new staff.
Note: in a real outline, replace each description of evidence with a specific source (author, year, page).
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How to use this template

  1. Download the Word file or choose Copy to Google Docs to get your own editable copy.

  2. State your topic, then write a thesis that takes a clear side. A good thesis could be reasonably argued the other way.

  3. List your three strongest reasons. Write each as a claim that supports the thesis, not a topic.

  4. Fill in evidence and analysis for each claim. If you cannot find evidence for a claim, replace it.

  5. Write the opposing view in its strongest form, then your rebuttal. Place it before the conclusion, or after the introduction if your instructor prefers.

  6. Read the outline from top to bottom to check that each claim leads to the next and each supports the thesis.

Rules at a glance

Element

Guidance

Thesis

One sentence, takes a side, previews your reasons

Claims

Usually three in a five-paragraph essay; more in a longer paper

Evidence

Facts, statistics, expert sources, examples; always cited

Counterargument

Present the strongest opposing view fairly, then rebut it

Appeals

Mainly logic (logos), supported by credible sources (ethos). Emotion is used sparingly

Tone

Formal and measured

Structure alternatives

Classical (as above), Toulmin (claim, grounds, warrant, backing, rebuttal) and Rogerian (find common ground first)

Common mistakes

  • A thesis that states a fact. “Many schools start early” cannot be argued; “Schools should start later” can.

  • Claims that overlap. Each claim should be a separate reason.

  • Evidence with no analysis. After each piece of evidence, explain what it shows and why it supports the claim.

  • A weak or invented opposing view. Pick the argument your opponent would actually make.

  • Rebutting with opinion only. Use evidence or reasoning in the rebuttal.

  • A conclusion that only repeats the introduction. Show what follows from the argument.

Frequently asked questions

What is an argumentative essay outline?

It is a plan for an essay that argues a position. It lists your thesis, the claims that support it, the evidence for each claim, and your response to the opposing view.

How many body paragraphs should an argumentative essay have?

Three is standard for a five-paragraph essay, one for each claim, with the counterargument either inside the last body paragraph or in its own paragraph. Longer essays have more claims.

Where does the counterargument go?

Most commonly after your main claims and before the conclusion. Some writers place it early to clear the way for their own argument. Both are acceptable; choose the order that reads best.

What is the difference between an argumentative and a persuasive essay?

An argumentative essay relies on evidence and logic and engages with opposing views. A persuasive essay also uses emotional appeal and often ends with a call to action. See the persuasive essay outline for that version.

What is the Toulmin model?

It is a way of structuring an argument using six parts: claim, grounds (evidence), warrant (the link between evidence and claim), backing, qualifier and rebuttal. It suits arguments where the reasoning needs to be made explicit.

Can I use this outline for a longer paper?

Yes. Add more claims, each with its own evidence and analysis, and consider using the research paper outline template for papers that need a source list and a literature background.

Related templates

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Research paper outline template

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MLA format template (MLA 9)

MLA 9 paper in Word and Google Docs.

Structure follows standard guidance on argumentative writing from university writing centers (for example the Purdue OWL argumentative essay guidance). Last reviewed October 2026.

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