Argumentative research essays begin with a strong introduction. The introduction to an argumentative essay tells the reader what the essay's topic is, what the writer's is arguing, and what subtopics the writer will cover in the paper. A thesis statement must be included in the opening paragraph and must state what the argument is and what the main supporting details of the statement are. By reading the introductory paragraph, the reader should understand your essay's main concepts.
The second part of argumentative papers should detail the history of the issue you are arguing. Giving the background information of your argument helps your reader understand why the issue is important. The third section of an argumentative research essay clearly states what the repercussions of the issue and its history are. In combination, these two paragraphs tell the reader the cause and effect of the issue. Facts from the original research are used here.
Argumentative research essays conclude with an ending paragraph restating the main ideas that were covered in the essay. The last paragraph of an argumentative essay should be similar to the introduction; the main idea should be stated again. Near the end of the paper possible arguments are anticipated and responded to by the author. If there are differing opinions on the issue, the essay concedes to this while still backing up its original argument.
Research papers of all kinds require a page that gives the reader information on all of the cited facts and information used in the paper. Different styles of citation are used in different fields. APA, which stands for American Psychological Association, is a style used primarily within the social sciences. The Modern Language Association, or MLA style, is used for most other fields. Citation pages list the original source's title, author and publication information.