Investigating Best Practices in Academic Writing: Suggestions for Argumentative Essay Writing Instructions

Abstract

This piece of writing highlights that in an argumentative essay, also known as a persuasive essay, the writer’s purpose is to persuade the audience to agree with his or her ideas about a controversial topic. As such, that essay needs to be based on logic and not on emotion, and must include an opposing viewpoint or counter argument, which gives credibility and strength to it. This paper aims at exploring the best practices in academic writing by making suggestions for argumentative essay writing instructions at both high school and university levels. This work is of particular relevance because both students and professionals need to know how to write. I have conducted this study by collecting some argumentative essays from participants of academic writing courses organized by the American Center of Dakar in Senegal. The research findings show that this analysis will help users enhance their writing skills, be proficient in academic exams and tests with a view to becoming autonomous learners and workers.